Out of the past 1/15/06

25 years ago: Jan. 15, 1981

A fiscal squeeze is apparently about to hit Southeast Missouri State University in a manner the school's president, Bill W. Stacy, characterizes as "drastic and painful"; Gov. Kit Bond yesterday flexed his newly acquired gubernatorial muscle with a twofold economic punch at virtually all state agencies including Southeast.

An 11-member Cape Girardeau County Mental Health Board has been appointed by the county court to administer a county mental health program; temporary chairman of the board is Associate Circuit Judge Marybelle Mueller.

50 years ago: Jan. 15, 1956

Cape Girardeau shivers through its coldest weather of January, as the mercury sinks to 15 degrees; the previous low of the month was on Jan. 9, when the temperature fell to 19 degrees.

Federal, state and local officers combined forces Friday night to raid a farm home on Wolf Bayou, six miles south of Portageville, Mo., where they discovered an illicit still and 96 quarts of moonshine whisky; one arrest was made.

75 years ago: Jan. 15, 1931

A capital investment of approximately $38,000 would be necessary to bring Cape Girardeau's fire department up to the standard recommended by the Missouri Inspection Bureau and to that desired by city officials, says Mayor Edward L. Drum; the problem confronting city officials is finding funds to provide such improvement.

A recommendation for an appropriation of $455,500 for the support of the Cape Girardeau Teachers College during the next biennial period will be contained in the report to the State Tax Commission to be submitted shortly to the legislature; the amount is $255,000 less than had been recommended by the board of regents.

100 years ago: Jan. 15, 1906

The committee of the Commercial Club appointed last Thursday to meet with A.E. Morley, proprietor of the $500,000 lead pipe factory, holds a consultation with that gentleman at the club rooms in the morning; the result is pleasing to all the members, who seem to believe that a splendid industrial concern is at hand for Cape Girardeau.

Ula McKinney, who recently came to Cape Girardeau to make her home with her brother, will open a ladies' tailoring shop at 329 N. Lorimier St.; she is a graduate of Keister's tailoring college in St. Louis and has conducted shops at Columbia, Mo., and Sturgeon, Mo.

-- Sharon K. Sanders