25 years ago: Sept. 25, 1985

Ninety percent of a $450,000 goal has been raised to renovate the old Boatmen's Bank facility at Good Hope and Sprigg streets for use as the Salvation Army barracks; the Army is in the process of taking bids and working with architect's plans for the new headquarters structure.

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. -- Fire caused by an electrical malfunction destroys a barn owned by Billy Kirn, located on County Road 241, south of here; while the structure is destroyed, all of the cattle in the barn are rescued.

50 years ago: Sept. 25, 1960

The Rev. Norman L. Bultman is formally installed as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church at Egypt Mills in the afternoon; before accepting the new pulpit, Bultman was pastor of the Lutheran church at Shobonier, Ill.; he succeeds the Rev. Milton Riemer, who resigned.

The annual service at Old McKendree Chapel, a 27-year tradition, is held in the afternoon, with Dr. Ralph L. Woodward, president of Central College at Fayette, Mo., preaching the sermon.

75 years ago: Sept. 25, 1935

Missouri's Golden Troopers, Cape Girardeau's drum and bugle corps, is eliminated from further participation in the American Legion's national contest in St. Louis; the Troopers fail to make the finals in the competition, but finish 19th among the 54 picked corps of America.

Jumbo, the oldest of the four trucks of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, has been relegated to the storage barn and may not see service again.

100 years ago: Sept. 25, 1910

Frisco engineer L.M. Byers and senior vice president Carl Gray return to St. Louis, having concluded negotiations with Cape Girardeau's city fathers concerning improvements to the levee here in return for the right to operate through the town; among the improvements would be a new passenger station at the site of the old Planters Mill, south of Independence Street along Main, and construction of a sea wall along the river.

Harry Smith, who has painted a number of houses in Cape Girardeau, has returned here and is now located at 336 N. Sprigg St.; he will open a shop, doing sign work, frescoing and painting of all kinds.

-- Sharon K. Sanders