Out of the past 1/17/07

25 years ago: Jan. 17, 1982

Preliminary work for the installation of a new heating and air conditioning system at St. Mary's Cathedral began recently; a chain reaction caused by the purchase of a new organ for the cathedral resulted in the new system; after the congregation decided to buy the Wicks organ, it was noted that the old cooling fans, which would be near the pipe racks, needed to be moved to the basement.

Vi Keys, long a leading music personality in Cape Girardeau and owner of Keys Music Co., 121 Broadway, has turned over ownership and management of the firm to her son, Eddie Keys.

50 years ago: Jan. 17, 1957

Natural gas use, largely for heating, set a new record in Cape Girardeau yesterday, one of the two coldest days of the year, when the temperature descended to 6 degrees; consumption for the day was up 35 percent over the highest day in 1956.

A number of tows encounter trouble on the river near Cape Girardeau because of the low stage of the river and the heavy ice floes; the Lucille, a tow of the Illinois Farm Supply Co., is aground south of town, with a tow of 40,000 barrels of oil.

75 years ago: Jan. 17, 1932

"The Demands of the Public" is the subject of an address that Dr. Marion N. Waldrip, pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, delivers at a public meeting at First Baptist Church to observe the anniversary of the ratification of the 18th Amendment.

The Rev. A.H. Beardsley, rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau, conducts a vesper service in the evening at Chaffee, Mo.; it is planned to conduct such a service at Chaffee every two weeks.

100 years ago: Jan. 17, 1907

I.R. Kelso piloted D.M. Rigdon and Arthur A. Sexton of Kennett, Mo., around Cape Girardeau yesterday in an effort to find them suitable houses; both men said it was bad to move to a town where the streets are so outrageously muddy and other municipal conveniences so far behind the times.

Ben Bowman and Oscar Childs, upper Broadway barbers, have purchased the Star Barber Shop from J.L. Miller and will continue the business at 704 Broadway.

-- Sharon K. Sanders