A LOOK BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago, 1972

Applications for federal funds for park developments, including four for city of Jackson totaling 356 acres at cost of $473,200, have been approved by Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission; Jackson applications include tracts of 201 acres, 60 acres, 56 acres and 39 acres; Mayor Paul Leonard says one is west of city, two are north and one east; he says options haven't been completed on tracts as yet and precise identification of them will await finalization of contracts; city will probably not purchase all of tracts, but applications for all of them were submitted in order to meet a deadline.

William P. Crites of Jackson, former County Court judge, died Feb. 22 at Veterans Administration Hospital in Jefferson Barracks, following lingering illness; he was 77 years old; he served as associate judge of First District, Cape Girardeau County Court, from 1946 to 1954; he was World War I veteran, serving with 89th Division in Europe; he retired from farming in 1952.

Contributors to Southeast Missouri Medical Clinic fund have decided to wait until doctors are available before constructing clinic in Jackson and also to proceed with nursing home if doctors aren't secured soon.

Work on two lakes on County Farm between Cape Girardeau and Jackson is scheduled to begin as soon as weather permits, according to county Park Board Chairman A.C. Brase; equipment for construction of 9.8 and 3.5 acre lakes has been moved to County Farm and is ready to go as soon as soil drives out sufficiently.

Gene "Rusty" Cracraft is Jackson's 1972 Man of the Year; businessman-civic leader received award from Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

50 years ago, 1947

County Court appointed two members to County Highway Commission; Elmer D. Kinder of Daisy will fill term of late J.E. Schmuke, who had served continuously since 1927, and Arthur F. Deneke of Cape Girardeau will succeed himself for four-year term.

Dr. D.E. Crites and Dr. John Adams, veterinarians, are busy at present vaccinating hogs of county against cholera; number of cases have been reported on isolated farms; J.V. Priest recently lost 133 hogs of various ages in epidemic which lasted only a few days at his farm; loss was mostly in pigs.

Ted R. Regenhardt, under state law, assumes charge of county collector's office on first Monday in March; he succeeds William T. Ruff, who is winding up affairs of office; Selma Schrader will continue in collector's office as assistant to Regenhardt.

First carload of liquid eggs left Absogood Packing Co. yards Wednesday, refrigerated and headed for New York market; there are approximately 1,296,000 eggs or 108,000 dozen canned in 3,600 cases; sections of county have lot to do with weight of eggs, as eggs from south of county don't weigh out as heavy as eggs from west and north part of county.

Louis H. Milde is preparing to retire following 40 years of blacksmithing in Jackson; his shop is housed in brick building on First South Street, the lot sold this week to R.H. Wilson.

75 years ago, 1922

Excellent training course in citizenship under direction of local superintendent, Mrs. E.A. Mason, will be one of practical instruction items, every two weeks, on program of Jackson W.C.T.U.; National W.C.T.U. Director of Christian Citizenship Deborah Knox Livingston, has prepared this course; visitors as well as members are urged to take advantage of this opportunity.

C.C. Mirley, for more than 40 years a leading farmer in Apple Creek Township, has purchased five-acre tract in suburbs of Cape Girardeau and will soon retire from active farming.

At first it was though that few, if any, bids would be received for contract to build county alms house, but now it seems that competition will be lively; several contractors in Jackson and in Cape Girardeau and other places in county have been examining plans in county clerk's office with view of making bid; bids will be opened March 7, and it is very likely that contract will be awarded on same day.

Stephen Summers, one of oldest residents of Cape Girardeau County, died Feb. 24 at home of his son, Alexander Summers, who lives west of Millersville, just across line in Bollinger County; "Uncle Steve," as he was familiarly known, leaves three sons and two daughters; he was born on farm just south of Jackson nearly 94 years ago and lived all of his life in Cape Girardeau County; Summers family was one of first white families to settle in this county, and first "head right" obtained by them was farm on Hubble Creek, now partly owned by William Renne.