LOOKING BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago: 1973

Police this week confiscated nearly 65,000 pills, including approximately 11,000 that are controlled drugs, from storage shed outside residence of Jackson man, Police Chief David M. Gellatly confirmed; officers acted Monday upon information supplied by confidential informant; man consented to confiscation and wasn't charged with any crime; Gellatly asked that man's name not be publicized; there is no evidence that man was dispensing or using pills illegally; he obtained pills legally a few years ago.

Jackson was among district towns that suffered power outage Tuesday night, even though it has its own power supply; Missouri Utilities Co. also furnishes community with power and Jackson doesn't run its generating units at all times; at time of blackout, city wasn't carrying its full load with result being short blackout; some area towns were without power five hours.

Resolution allowing private construction of water mains from Jackson to residential development east of here was approved by City Council Monday night; council authorized Jack Litzelfelner to have work done without cost to city; development is located in area of proposed annexation to city; resolution provided that if area is annexed, water mains would become property of city.

50 years ago: 1948

Bond which held them together from induction to death still remains unbroken for Pfc. Walter Burgfeld and Cpl. John Kobe, whose bodies arrived in New York Sunday on second from last lap which will bring them home for final rites within next few weeks; two companions, inseparable Army bodies from moment of their induction, trained in same camps, embarked for overseas together, and lost their lives in same practice beachhead landing on English coast April 28, 1944; Burgfeld was native of Tilsit and Kobe was born at Crosstown in Perry County.

County Court has ordered calling of special election Aug. 3 in conjunction with primary contest to decide liquidation of county capital school fund; on hand in fund is $127,500, which will be distributed among all schools of county on basis of enumeration figures if elimination of fund is approved by county voters.

Petition of voters in Byrd Township Special Road District was filed before County Court, asking that special election be held for voters of district for purpose of considering additional 15-cent levy on $100 valuation for 1948; adhering to petition, court set date of July 13 for special election; district at present pays road and bridge rate of 35 cents.

Iron balustrade on outside of Jenkins building was razed Tuesday and Wednesday debris was moved from site; old building is being torn down to make way for modern building of Jackson Exchange Bank.

Soon clocks in courthouse dome will put on new faces; painters have been engaged to repaint clock's Roman numerals; weather and time have played havoc with clock faces.

75 years ago: 1923

Judge David B. Hays held court Monday, and peculiar court it was; he didn't pass on matters of probate, but assisted number of unfortunate Cape Girardeau County people in obtaining state pension for blind persons; under state law, applicants for pensions for blind must perfect their claims before probate court and regularly-appointed specialists; Drs. H.L. Cunning and W.E. Blount held clinic in prosecuting attorney's office and passed on 16 cases in rapid succession.

Long-awaited reorganizational meeting of Cape Girardeau County Homecomers Association was held at circuit court auditorium Friday night; men from all walks of life and representing all possible civic, religious and commercial bodies were present; dates for 1923 reunion were fixed at Aug. 23-25.

Clara Hoeckele, student nurse at St. Louis hospital, is at home at present visiting her parents in Jackson.

Car in which Klee Kern and his mother were returning to St. Louis from visit in Blytheville, Ark., slipped into deep ditch near home of Robert M. Masterson, near Williams Creek on Jackson-Cape Girardeau Road Monday afternoon; driver was looking backward when machine swerved to right and leaped over bank into ditch, six feet deep, and partly overturned; woman was extricated from wreck and brought to Jackson, where physician amputated second finger of right hand; she was bruised and shaken up otherwise; Kern escaped unhurt.

Jackson city engineer has been ordered by City Council to make estimate of paving along east side of First West Street, showing owners and lot frontage; he is to report to council at next meeting.