A LOOK BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago: 1974

County Court Thursday agreed to be sponsoring agent for two peach-grower firms in county which are requesting assistance through Farmers Home Administration for damages received during early April freeze; court instructed County Clerk Rusby C. Crites to write letter to FHA requesting emergency funds amounting to $115,741 for Pioneer Orchard here and in Cape Girardeau and Kelley Peach Orchard at Cape Girardeau.

Informational meeting concerning Southeast Missouri Transportation System, Inc., has been set for Monday at Riverside Regional Library; William Osborn of Fredericktown will explain service; Cape County Council for Aging is promoting this service for transportation of persons over 55 or the qualified handicapped.

Decision on lawsuit challenging County Court's intention to construct county law enforcement complex on County Farm in Cape Girardeau likely will be rendered in about a week, special Judge Marshall Craig of Scott City said following oral arguments of briefs in Circuit Court Saturday; upon conclusion of arguments, Craig sustained motion by plaintiffs requesting affidavit of Carroll M. Knox, secretary-treasurer of Byrd Special Road District, be entered as additional testimony.

City of Jackson will oppose proposed rate increase by Associated Natural Gas Co., which would jump city's gas rate for its power plant 32 percent when it goes into effect June 1; City Council Monday instructed City Attorney Kenneth L. Waldron to prepare resolution opposing company's request, which must be approved by Missouri Public Service Commission.

City Administrator Carl Talley reported at City Council meeting Monday that city will receive $46,129 as its next federal-sharing installment and recommended that council approve use of money for purchase of new fire truck; council unanimously approved purchase of additional pumper truck with funds.

Visit to 114-foot truss bridge over Crooked Creek west of Whitewater and request from county resident to open ditch in southwest corner of county were among items of business during relatively-light session of County Court Monday; Presiding Judge Clarence W. Suedekum and Associate Judge Edwin W. Sander spent most of morning inspecting location of truss bridge, one of six county bridges that are to be replaced.

50 years ago: 1949

Opening of Southeast Milk Bar was held Saturday, with each visitor at plant receiving package of ice cream; fountain has been installed; milk bar is located adjoining Southeast Dairy Plant, T.K. O'Laughlin being owner and manager.

Mayor-elect John R. Mabrey and four new aldermen were formerly inducted into office Monday night, as Mayor J.R. Bowman and old council retired; Mabrey and aldermen, J.W. Schreiner, C.W. Knox, Walter A. Kasten and Larry Nowak, were selected at spring election; Pink Wills has been sworn in as city marshal.

Among new City Council's first actions was order to Karpark Meter Co. to remove present parking meters from along streets of Jackson, ending six-month trial period; council will later take up matter of installing different type of parking meter; city officials said present meters have failed on occasion to receive coins and properly register correct parking time.

Mr. and Mrs. Monk Bollinger have purchased Wides Oil Co.; purchase was made from L.V. Bollinger.

Supt. Marshall Fulbright of Oak Ridge public school has asked for release from three-year contract to accept position as superintendent at Arbyrd in Dunklin County; Mrs. Fulbright is also a teacher, and she has been employed there; couple formerly taught in Dunklin County.

L.H. Schrader, appointed new city clerk, will complete his work with Jackson Lumber Co., about May 15 and then will begin his city work; Mrs. Freda Gockel, retiring clerk, will remain on job until June 1, by request of City Council.

In business transaction this week, Mrs. Glenn Wilson and T.B. Statler sold their interest in Statler-Seabaugh-Wilson furniture and undertaking firm; L.R. Seabaugh, partner, and Richard Laird, embalmer of firm, were purchasers.

Two jug and line fishermen, Robert Hartle and N. Burton Short, are boasting about 24-pound and 35-pound channel catfish they caught Thursday night in Diversion Channel; they were using doughballs for bait.

Carl Schaper, worker for Aufdenberg Transfer Co., is confined to his home with badly-bruised leg and torn ligaments, following accident Monday; when loading freight at terminal, Schaper fell from truck and large tire fell on his leg; he was taken to Cape Girardeau hospital for x-rays, but it was found no bones were broken.

75 years ago: 1924

Hundreds of eighth grade graduates from rural schools of Cape Girardeau County were present at annual commencement exercises held in courthouse Friday afternoon; diplomas were presented by James T. McDonald, county superintendent of schools.

At special business meeting Sunday afternoon, St. Paul Lutheran Church congregation will make mighty effort to free itself entirely of debt; acquisition of dwelling for superintendent of parochial school caused considerable encumbrance, and that is to be wiped out.

Preparations are being made to take care of crowds which will gather Sunday to attend first services to be held at Baptist Church, just finished; organ and other belongings of congregation, which had been housed at courthouse since March 1923, when storm wrecked old church, were transferred to new edifice Saturday.

Wilson Cramer and his daughter, Mrs. Jeanette Struthers, while returning from funeral Sunday in buggy, were struck by automobile near home of Jake Thompson, on Cape Girardeau-Jackson gravel road; aged jurist and his daughter were thrown to ground and painfully, if not seriously, injured.

Immediately following adjournment of old City Council Monday, newly-elected aldermen were sworn in, and new council began its first session by approving bond of Marshal-Collector W.J. Macke; F.H. Schrader was chosen chairman of council and mayor made committee appointments; S.D. Masterson was elected street commissioner over F.G. Schroeder.

Henry Steck, veteran lumberman of jackson, was painfully injured Tuesday when he tried to catch rooster in his hen house; fighting cock spurred Steck in hand, and in short time hand began to swell and look green; medical appliances soon got poison under control, but hand is still swollen.

County Court having given Highway Engineer R.R. Bedwell leave of absence at his request, without pay, Bedwell left Wednesday to go to Golconda, Ill., to take charge of road-grading and culvert-building contract in Pope County, amounting to approximately $130,000; it will take his company eight or nine months to complete job.