25 years ago: Nov. 12, 1979

A downtown commercial building was extensively damaged last night when an exterior wall collapsed, apparently a victim of age; no one was injured when the south wall and a portion of the roof of the building at 116 N. Main St. collapsed at about 8:43 p.m.; it housed the Radio Shack.

James F. Hirsch, who is completing his first full term on the Cape Girardeau School Board, files for re-election.

50 years ago: Nov. 12, 1954

Handmade time bombs -- sticks of dynamite connected by batteries to clock mechanisms -- are found on construction projects at Jackson and Bloomfield, Mo., but law enforcement authorities can find no immediate motive or connection between the two; two bombs are found in the partially completed building being erected by E.M. Stites Construction Co. of Dexter, Mo., for the Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid R.E.A. Cooperative at Bloomfield; two similar bombs are found at the sewage disposal plant being built at Jackson by Canady Construction Co. of Monett, Mo.

Land-leveling began yesterday on the site of a new industrial plant on land owned by the Cape Girardeau chamber of commerce; Mid-South Steele Products Co. Inc. plant will be located along the Frisco Railroad tracks just north of the site of the former Himmelberger-Harrison threshing machine works.

75 years ago: Nov. 12, 1929

The Sturdivant Bank, oldest in Southeast Missouri, absorbs the Cape Exchange Bank on Broadway and assumes all its assets and liabilities; the purchase leaves four banks in Cape Girardeau, whose combined resources are more than $5,012,000.

An early morning blaze destroys the old McFarland home on First East Street in Jackson and causes quite a bit of excitement in that part of town; the house was one of the oldest in the city and was owned by Mrs. Mary Wood and Tom McFarland of Cape Girardeau.

100 years ago: Nov. 12, 1904

The First National Bank is having its full share of troubles with its new building on Good Hope Street; several weeks ago, work was stopped on the stone front because two special stones had been lost in shipment from Indiana; when they finally arrived, the stone cutters had disappeared; contractor A. Loeffel is in St. Louis trying to hire replacements.

Arnold Sander, a local cigar maker, dies after an illness of several months' duration; Sander was 22 years old.

-- Sharon K. Sanders