Out of the past 2/21/07

25 years ago: Feb. 21, 1982

A pipe organ that was dedicated in 1936 to the Alton, Ill., giant, Robert Wadlow, is now at home at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau; installation of the four-rank organ began this week by the Spiller Pipe Organ Co. of St. Louis.

A bill adopted by the Missouri House last week to raise the state tax on cigarettes to generate more money for public education has drawn fire from 156th District Rep. Jerry Ford; he says the bill will unfairly benefit metropolitan school districts over districts such as Cape Girardeau.

50 years ago: Feb. 21, 1957

The Cape Girardeau County sheriff's office and cars operated by Sheriff John C. Crites and two of his deputies are expected to be radio-equipped soon under a communications program that will put them on the statewide sheriffs' frequency; the county court has approved a $3,000 budget for the equipment.

The Air Force Recruiting Service will use the Washington birthday holiday tomorrow to move its office to 621 Broadway in Cape Girardeau from quarters it has occupied for some time at 110 Themis St.

75 years ago: Feb. 21, 1932

William H. Eddleman, son of Constable and Mrs. C.C. Eddleman of Cape Girardeau, now enlisted in the Army, has just written his parents that he has failed to find any of the advertised California sunshine; Eddleman is at Angel Island, Calif., and expects to be sent to the Hawaiian Islands early in March.

Elam Vangilder, a member of the pitching staff of the Toledo Mudhens of the American Baseball Association, is uncertain just when he will leave for training camp at New Orleans; Vangilder received a contract a few weeks ago, but not being satisfied, returned it to the club and is awaiting a new one.

100 years ago: Feb. 21, 1907

Cairo, Ill., is lucky in the way of amusement; the theater there has a manager who gets the best in the show line into the town at St. Louis prices.

The Cape Girardeau Commercial Club's shoe factory committee is at work again in an effort to close up the city lot matter; it is thought that work will begin on the big plant within a short time.

-- Sharon K. Sanders