A LOOK BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago, 1972

Cape Girardeau County voters may have plenty of local as well as state issues on their ballots in August primary and November general elections; special local issues that may be submitted to county voters in the two elections include proposals for county planning and zoning system, county health unit and a tax financing a new juvenile detention home.

Jackson is "very vulnerable" to crime because residents aren't used to it, says Police Chief David M. Gellatly; officers of Jackson Police Department are receiving more training to meet significant increase in rural area crime rates as shown in Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics; Gellatly says city needs new police station; possibility of building combined police-fire station has been discussed periodically.

In next year or two, Cape Girardeau County Courthouse may have its own small computer; County Court has met with representative of company that produces business machine that is much like computer in operation and could replace the two business machines presently in use; system court is considering works from tapes in cassettes and could handle all functions desired by county, such as bookkeeping and payroll, and perhaps more.

Invitation for bids for building to house two new electric generators was approved by Jackson City Council; council also awarded contract for paving of Union Street, received another application for cable television franchise and let reduction in Greyhound bus service stand unopposed.

50 years ago, 1947

Set of church chimes, with separate manual for use with church organ, has been installed at First Baptist Church and was used for first time Sunday; Mrs. A.E. Kies is organist and Lucille Taylor, assistant organist.

Mr. and Mrs. P. Lee Dockins have purchased Webber neighborhood store on West Main Street from Mr. and Mrs. John Webber; Webbers owned store since last summer, when they bought it from John R. Talley, who established business and erected store building.

Mr. and Mrs. Archie O. Adams have sold Wilson Snider farm in Kinder Township to Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Aufdenberg; Snider and his sister, Mrs. May Lance, had sold to Albert Brown, timber dealer in Illinois, who retained white oak timber on the place and sold acreage to Mr. and Mrs. Adams; farm, held in Snider family for more than 100 years, was sold first time for $12,000, without the white oak timber to Adams for $8,000, and to Aufdenberg for approximately $15,000; timber company is busy sawing and hauling lumber.

Cherry harvesting is nearly completed; trees that produced this year were heavily laden, but many trees were barren because of late frost.

75 years ago, 1922

Committee planning fourth of July celebration releases some details of program for Independence Day for Jackson; at 10 a.m. crowd will assemble at courthouse, where Juvenile Band will play the national air, while little Jo Berg will raise the new flag for first time; the Rev. P.A. Kasey will then read Declaration of Independence, and this will be followed by short talk on significance of day; band will then head parade which will march to park, where all-day picnic will follow; day will end with fireworks.

City of Jackson has amended its auctioneer ordinance so that in future sales held by Cape Girardeau County livestock breeders as an association won't be charged extra fee if they should see fit to have different auctioneers at different sales; former ordinance required fee of $3 for each auctioneer who cried a sale in city of Jackson; in case of livestock breeders associations, hog auctioneer is employed to sell hogs, cattle auctioneer is employed to sell cattle, etc., which meant that separate fees had to be paid each time sale was held; under new ordinance, breed association takes out auctioneer's license for period of six months, paying $5 for privilege.

Epidemic of measles is still raging undiminished in Jackson, attacking, of course, mostly children and younger people, but occasionally grown or older persons are afflicted; among latter is Mrs. Henry Puls, who has severe case.

Barn on Volkerding farm, about one and one-half miles southwest of Gordonville, was struck by lightning during storm Monday night, and burned to ground; about 35 loads of hay, cultivator, wagon and some harness were destroyed; livestock was saved.