25 years ago: May 13, 1980

Arson is "strongly suspected" as the cause of a pre-dawn fire which destroys a vacant, one-story wood frame house on East Cape Rock Drive, says a spokesman for the fire department; it is the fifth suspected arson fire in the city in three days; four fires believed to have been intentionally set were discovered burning early Sunday morning along Morgan Oak Street.

Aldi Inc., operator of a chain of medium-size retail grocery stores, announces it has signed a lease agreement with a local corporation for one of its outlets in Cape Girardeau; the agreement includes the construction of a 10,500-square-foot store building on a lot adjacent to and south of Wal-Mart Discount Store, 211 S. Kingshighway.

50 years ago: May 13, 1955

A century of agricultural development in Cape Girardeau County and the district -- most of it then a dismal swamp--will be observed in special entertainment and an expanded entry program by the Southeast Missouri District Fair in September, announces the fair board; this is the fair's centennial year, making it one of the oldest in the state.

During last night's severe electrical storm, a tree was blown down at the Harry Wagner house in Jackson; the falling tree short circuited an electric wire; the north section of town was dark more than an hour while workers made repairs.

75 years ago: May 13, 1930

A gain of 1,499 in the population of Scott County, the third county in Southeast Missouri to report its census in full, is shown in figures announced by Carl F. Bloker of Caruthersville, Mo., the district census supervisor; the 1930 population of the county is 24,908.

Julien C. Hyer of Fort Wayne, Texas, second vice president of Lions International, will be the principal speaker at the Lions State Convention when it convenes in Cape Girardeau on May 25 for a four-day meeting.

100 years ago: May 13, 1905

It is announced that the judge of the Common Pleas Court has suspended the court on May 25-27 because of the big drummers' meeting.

Delegates of the Justi Post No. 173, Grand Army of the Republic, will leave Monday to attend the Department Encampment which will be held this year at Brookfield, Mo.; among those who will attend the convention are L.F. Klostermann, Louis Ische, August Heuer, and H.A. Astholz; several members of the Sons of Veterans will also attend.

-- Sharon K. Sanders