Out of the past 10/9/06

25 years ago: Oct. 9, 1981

A re-evaluation of federal regulations on inland wetlands has been called for by 10th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, who is considering legislation which would remove the land from wetlands status; Emerson called the regulations "a threat to private property rights" because many farmers are prohibited from farming the land or are being told what they can and cannot do with it.

Sparks flew at yesterday's Jackson Indians and Central Tigers football game at Houck Field House; while Jackson was fighting its way to a 22-3 win over Central, some of the almost 10,000 spectators did some fighting of their own in and around the stands.

50 years ago: Oct. 9, 1956

Municipal airport's rundown condition, both in its buildings and its runways and taxi-strips, was brought before the Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday by members of the Chamber of Commerce airport committee, who urged a bond issue to provide necessary funds for repairs.

Contracts for the new elementary school on Minnesota Avenue are signed and bonds are accepted at a meeting of the board of education at Central High School; contracts totaling $330,123 go to Gerhardt Construction Co., A.E. Birk & Son and Kelpe Electric Co.

75 years ago: Oct. 9, 1931

A proposal to erect a 1,750,000-gallon reservoir at the site of the present one on North Henderson Avenue near the Teachers College to take the place of a steel stand-tower included in the original new waterworks plan is made by the Missouri Utilities Co. to the Cape Girardeau City Council; the new reservoir will be enclosed and will increase the capacity of the new waterworks' clear water facilities 550,000 gallons above the provisions made in the original plan.

G.F. Siemers yesterday was elected president of the Cape Girardeau County Anti-Horsethief Association, succeeding F.A. Kage, who had headed the group 41 years.

100 years ago: Oct. 9, 1906

Rain threatens the opening of Cape Girardeau's Centennial celebration in the morning, but the weatherman comes to the rescue with a northerly wind that blows the clouds away; kicking off the festivities is a morning band concert on Main Street.

Amanda and Ida Schrader and Anna Nolte are down from St. Louis for the Centennial and are guests of Mrs. C.l. Hunze while in Cape Girardeau.

-- Sharon K. Sanders