A LOOK AT THE PAST

25 years ago, 1975

Missouri Supreme Court has overruled motion by city of Jackson that it be granted additional 15 days to file brief in city's appeal of Circuit Court ruling on location of new county jail; in denying city's request, court held that city be given no longer than April 14 in which to file brief and that respondent, Cape Girardeau County, file its brief no later than May 14; city had asked for extension to April 26 to allow County Court to decide whether to accept city's offer to sell county for $1, 48,000-square-feet of property it owns north of courthouse as site for proposed jail.

Judging by attendance at public meeting at which candidates for Jackson R-2 Board of Education aired their views, there appears to be little interest in upcoming board election; only handful of persons turned out at West Lane Elementary School Thursday night to listen and question three of four candidates who have filed for two three-year terms to be filled in April 1 election.

Issue that has been building for some time keeping of minutes during County Court sessions came to head Thursday during somewhat heated exchange of words between Associate Judge J. Ronald Fischer and County Clerk Rusby C. Crites; Crites was scolded by Fischer over disagreement stemming from accuracy of item involving personnel matter which was included in minutes of Monday's court session.

Tornado reportedly touched down Monday afternoon east of Jackson, destroying dairy building and damaging other farm structures at Midwest Dairy belonging to Fred Ristig, northeast of Interstate 55-Cape LaCroix Road overpass; portions of roofs were twisted off dairy building and shed, and well house and machine shop received substantial damage, their roofs ripped off by high winds.

Large wooden sign which had marked location of Jackson Police Department's pistol range has been found in dormitory of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau; sign was stolen from range last December and was recovered Monday in Towers dorm by Harold Niswonger of Jackson, university maintenance man.

Acquisition by quit claim deed of property offered county by city of Jackson as site for new county jail would prevent county from having "any recourse against the city should anyone later claim rights of title to property," says Prosecuting Attorney A.J. Seier in opinion on city's sale proposal submitted March 13 to County Court; opinion, in response to city's offer to sell county 48,000-square-feet of property it owns to north of courthouse here for $1, was received Tuesday morning at office of County Clerk Rusby Crites; Seier recommends that warranty deed be obtained for property should court decide to accept offer, because it is assumed that construction of jail would commence on property.

Cape Girardeau County is among several counties and cities within Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission which is hoping to secure approval of applications for employees under federal public service employment programs; county has applied for three employees in sheriff's department and two for Soil Conservation Service.

County Court has approved purchase of six radio receivers that are to be placed in public buildings around county in hopes of stimulating interest and public awareness of weather warning system being organized by County Office of Disaster Planning and Operations.

50 years ago, 1950

Lone gunman, driving new gray Packard, held up Trackside gasoline service station early Sunday morning and fled with $37 in cash; robber, well-dressed youth, sped south on Highway 25 with his small loot, after forcing station attendant and another man to lie on floor; it was third time in six months station has fallen victim to armed robbers.

Number of Jacksonians traveled to Perryville Sunday to attend dedication ceremony of Lutheran School; the Rev. Walter Keisker, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran church, headed delegation and took part in ceremony.

Workers of county road staff are building bridge near Robert Morton place in Randol Township; rains of late winter created hazard on road.

At City Council meeting Monday night, permission was given for removal of building across town; S.T. Daley, who bought house formerly known as Heuschober place on First Baptist Church block, and owned by church, asked for permission to move building approximately six or seven blocks, to Knox Addition; described route was set forth in the minutes, and owner will assume all costs of connections with removal of light and power lines en route; in other action, council agreed to provide current to courthouse for new flood lights being erected for courthouse, project headed by Chamber of Commerce; council will provide current to courthouse for lights not to exceed 2,500 watt lamps.

There was little business before County Court Monday; road project under King Bill was prepared and will be forwarded to State Highway Commission for approval; project calls for 3.9 miles of roadbed beginning at Jackson city limits on Greens Ferry Road and running in northeasterly direction with Greens Ferry Road to Section 28, Township 32, Range 13; estimate calls for grading, gravel surfacing and drainage structures.

George Priest was named president of Jackson Rotary Club Tuesday; he is associate of Priest store; he will succeed C.R. McCullough as club president in July.

Martha Knox, now teaching as home missionary at Birmingham, Ala., has accepted missionary call and will sail for Japan in August; Knox was graduated from Cape Girardeau State College, taught at Jackson High School, and then entered Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky.; she is daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Knox.

High school debaters from Jackson, arguing both pros and cons of electing president by direct vote of the people, won top honors in Southeast Missouri division of Missouri High School Debating League in Don Dickerson, Paul Gilbert and Carson Wagner; their coach was Lloyd Watkins.

J.H. O'Connor, owner of O'Connor Auto and Home Supply Store, is quitting business because of ill health; he has been unable to get help in operating business; O'Connor came to Jackson in 1940 and bought J.W. Wolters hardware store and established present business.

Ninety dozen eggs were packed for shipment to Lutheran Orphanage at Des Peres by St. Paul Lutheran Ladies Aid on Friday; Mrs. Herbert Sachse and Mrs. Wilbert Moll were in charge of work.

75 years ago, 1925

Five persons were killed, 14 seriously injured and dozens more were slightly hurt when tornado swept through northern end of Cape Girardeau County and southern section of Perry County Wednesday afternoon; striking near village of Biehle, near Cape Girardeau County line, tornado cut swath several hundred yards in width across two counties, demolishing farm homes, uprooting trees and causing heavy damage to crops and farm property; killed in storm were Martha Kaempfer of near Frohna, and Joe Blechle, Eddie Clements, Oscar Fellows and Fritz Fellows, all residing near Biehle.

Jackson volunteer fire department has new hose and ladder truck; it arrived few days ago and Wednesday night firemen made few trial runs with it; truck performed satisfactorily and is important part of city's fire-fighting outfit.

Two children most seriously injured of scores hurt in Wednesday's tornado in Frohna area fought for life Saturday, each suffering from injuries when school houses were demolished; Hazel Statler, 9-year-old daughter of C.W. Statler, farmer of near Licksville, was in Cape Girardeau hospital near death with fractured skull; Ida Steuve, also 9, daughter of Martin Steuve of near Frohna, was in home of neighbor still in critical condition; she was injured when Rich parochial school, in which she was student, was wrecked by twister.

William Loos, formerly resident of Cape Girardeau County, living on farm on Pocahontas-Oak Ridge road, now resident of Murphysboro, Ill., was caught in storm on last Wednesday and severely injured, having three ribs broken and other injuries.

A.B. Meyer, coming from Pocahontas Friday night in empty furniture van, missed bridge at foot of Sandford hill in northern limits of city and plunged into rocky creek bed with vehicle; driver was only slightly injured, and van was extricated with very little damage.

Gathering of funds for releif of storm-ravaged areas is still going on with most gratifying results; Frank Clippard of Whitewater reported that village of Whitewater donated $60 Sunday for cause; money was transmitted direct to mayor of Murphysboro, Ill., without going through hands of any organization; in Jackson, Altenthal-Joerns Post of American Legion took charge of relief work and was able to transmit about $140 to suffering.

Large gathering of persons representing Jackson, Oak Ridge, Cedrickville, Lutesville and Millersville attended first play to be presented in auditorium of new Millersville High School last night; play, presented by pupils, was Walter Ben Hare's "And Home Came Ted"; production netted school $47.

Eula Penzel and Corolla Vandivort have withdrawn from race for places on Board of Education.