Out of the past 11/7/04

25 years ago: Nov. 7, 1979

Cape Girardeau County voters, by about a three-to-one margin, passed a one-cent sales tax in yesterday's special election; county court officials are elated over the passage; County Court Associate Judge J. Ronald Fischer calls the victory "a landmark to county government in Cape County."

The consolidated cities of Illmo and Scott City voted overwhelmingly yesterday against a proposal that would have changed the name of the merged town to Newport.

50 years ago: Nov. 7, 1954

A capacity crowd, representing all participating churches, fills the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in the evening for union Reformation services, sponsored by the Ministerial Alliance; guest speaker was the Rev. Raymond McCallister, pastor of Webster Groves Christian Church.

Charles W. Boutin, Cape Girardeau member of the state park board and its vice chairman last year, was named chairman at a meeting yesterday in Jefferson City; he will serve for a term of one year under the rotation system used by the board.

75 years ago: Nov. 7, 1929

One hundred and sixty-two gallons of liquor, at current bootleg prices valued at $2,120, were seized by a raiding party led by Sheriff Nat Snider and Cape Girardeau police on a residence at 733 S. Fountain St. yesterday; three barrels of liquor, two of them full and one nearly filled, were dug up by officers in the rear yard of the residence; three people were arrested for possession of illicit liquor.

Answering a plea from farmers and businessmen for greater support for farm extension service in Cape Girardeau County, the county court appropriates an additional $1,450 for carrying on farm aid work; with the $1,550 previously appropriated, the county will now have $3,000 per year for this cause.

100 years ago: Nov. 7, 1904

Four silver penciled Wyandotte chickens owned by Albert Poe of near Gordonville took first premium at the World's Fair in St. Louis in a class of more than 900 competitors.

A telegram is received stating that Republican speaker Bert Nortoini failed to catch the train in St. Louis in the morning for Cape Girardeau; great preparations had been made to have the biggest campaign closing in the history of the town, and when this news came the Republicans were sick.

-- Sharon K. Sanders