Out of the past 6/17/06

25 years ago: June 17, 1981

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- A lengthy court battle over Pulaski County farm taxes has ended with an agreement by the county to refund $124,555.74 in protested tax payments; payments to 318 landowners who participated in the suit against the county should begin in about two weeks.

What begins as a public hearing on handicapped and elderly accessibility to a proposed transit system as part of the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting becomes a forum for complaints that the council hasn't done enough to initiate a transit system; Gene Ernst, representative of the Cape Girardeau Council on Aging, points out that a year ago the city was at approximately the same point in the development of a bus system as it is now.

50 years ago: June 17, 1956

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Started by a bolt of lighting at 4 p.m. yesterday, fire ruined the interior of the new Episcopal Church in Sikeston; only a few items were saved from the brick church, which cost nearly $50,000 to build four years ago.

A new air conditioning system is in operation in Centenary Methodist Church for the first time; while the system hasn't been completed, it is far enough along to be used.

75 years ago: June 17, 1931

Withdrawal of two fast trains through Cape Girardeau by the Frisco Railroad and changes in times of two other St. Louis-to-Memphis trains are provided in a new time card announced by division superintendent J.S. McMillan; although the name is to be retained on other trains, the present north- and south-bound Sunnyland passenger trains will be removed.

Seeking to beat the heat, a large group of youngsters -- estimated at between 500 and 600 -- enjoys the free period at the municipal swimming pool in Fairground Park; Martin Oberheide, who is in charge of the pool, says it is the largest crowd ever at the pool.

100 years ago: June 17, 1906

At the Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, the Rev. T.J. Duvall preaches in the morning on "The Rent Veil"; his topic for the evening service is "Jesus As Lord."

A large crowd, estimated by some at 2,000, attends the baseball game between the Boston Bloomer girls and the Cape Girardeau Capaha lads here; the girls have the locals going until the final inning, when the boys pull ahead 5-4; about half the crowd seems to be pulling for the girls to win.

-- Sharon K. Sanders