1991

Less than a third of the county's 1991 personal-property and real-estate taxes have been collected, and County Collector Harold Kuehle is bracing for the usual last-minute rush.

A Union Electric natural-gas distribution main developed a leak in the 1800 block of William Street; firefighters are called to the site at 7:39 a.m., after a strong odor of natural gas is detected; as a precaution, the entire block is closed to traffic while UE employees bolt a stainless steel sleeve around the cracked main, sealing it; a new gas line is scheduled to replace the old one in that area next year.

1966

Arriving just two days before Christmas, a heavy snowfall here and in the district promises to fulfill the dream of Irving Berlin's famous song, "White Christmas"; weather prognosticators predict the area could receive up to seven inches of snow by nightfall.

A 1,200-pound safe was stolen from the Montgomery Ward Retail Store, 18 N. Main St., late last night or early this morning; store manager Dave Graves said the safe contained more than $500; burglars used a store dolly to transport the safe from a second-floor office to the elevator and out the back door.

1941

CAIRO, Ill. -- A temporary writ of injunction was issued by Circuit Judge Lloyd Bradley at Marion, Illinois, yesterday, restraining the county treasurer of Alexander County from signing revenue bonds to be issued in payment of the purchase by the county of the traffic bridge at Cape Girardeau; the temporary writ was obtained by the McClure and East Cape (Illinois) School District and the road districts in that area of the county, which would be materially affected by the loss of tax revenue from the span.

Cape Girardeau civilians, pondering over what they might do to aid their country in war, receive the answer with the establishment at the Chamber of Commerce Building of a registration office for volunteers who wish to be assigned to one of 14 activities under the direction of the Cape Girardeau County Council for Defense.

1916

The Supreme Court of Missouri rendered a decision Thursday sustaining the decision of Judge Frank Kelly in the case brought by Scott County against the Little River Drainage District in an effort to make the district pay for bridges over drainage ditches where county roads are cut; Kelly had ruled the district, under Missouri statutes, isn't obliged to pay for the bridges that must be erected to afford travel over the cuts in the road.

Gene Ruff, son of Dr. and Mrs. C.B. Ruff, is home from Chicago, where he has been attending a school for osteopathy; he will remain over the holidays.

-- Sharon K. Sanders