25 years ago: Nov. 12, 1981

While many Cape Girardeau residents have been swamped with autumn leaves in recent weeks, the city's public works department has been swamped with telephone calls from residents asking when the city will collect leaves; this is the peak time for leaves to fall and, with only two leaf vacuum vehicles, the department is having difficulty keeping up with demand.

Saint Francis Medical Center has been designated by the State Division of Health as one of 43 hospitals forming a network of trauma centers in Missouri.

50 years ago: Nov. 12, 1956

George A. Naeter, who with his brothers, Fred and Harry Naeter, founded The Southeast Missourian 52 years ago, died Saturday at a hospital in St. Louis; the printer member of the three-man team that on Oct. 3, 1904, resurrected the defunct daily at Cape Girardeau was 87 years old; he devoted his life to the newspaper and to the community it served.

A final tabulation of absentee votes, combined with the vote in regular balloting Tuesday, shows Roland G. Busch, Democrat of Cape Girardeau, with a 112-vote margin in the close contest with E.C. Tuschhoff of Old Appleton for the position of county magistrate.

75 years ago: Nov. 12, 1931

Four War Department motor trucks came to Cape Girardeau from St. Louis yesterday with equipment for the U.S. Engineers district office being established on the first and second floors of the old Sturdivant Bank building at North Main and Themis streets; four engineers will be stationed here.

A fire shortly before noon, believed to have originated from a defective flue, burns away the roof and guts the interior of the O.P. Adams house, 1107 Broadway, one of the pioneer landmarks of Cape Girardeau and for years the home of the Albert family.

100 years ago: Nov. 12, 1906

The courthouse removal election in Pemiscot County, which caused so much strife, resulted in a victory for Caruthersville, Mo.; it will be remembered that as Caruthersville got the best of the recent local option election, the town of Hayti, Mo., decided to get even by having the courthouse moved from Caruthersville to Hayti; in a bitter fight, Pemiscot Countians balloted 1,608 for the removal and 1,996 against.

The first snow of the season falls in the morning at Cape Girardeau; they are fine flakes floating in the air, but they aren't enough to attract much attention.

-- Sharon K. Sanders