Out of the past 1/21/06

25 years ago: Jan. 21, 1981

Gary A. Eide, the 36-year-old city manager of Mexico, Mo., may succeed W.G. Lawley as Cape Girardeau city manager, if the city council and Eide can reach agreement on terms of his employment; Lawley, who has been city manager here since 1970, is scheduled to leave office at the end of February; Eide was unanimously selected to replace him during an executive session of the council last night.

BENTON, Mo. -- Circuit Judge Tony C. Heckemeyer announces the resignation of Scott County Circuit Clerk Jay Enderle; Enderle, who resigned for "personal reasons," was elected in November 1978 and had two full years remaining on his term.

50 years ago: Jan. 21, 1956

Before the snow completely melts from Cape Girardeau's streets, weather prognosticators are predicting another storm headed in from Oklahoma; however, it isn't expected to be as heavy as the 7-inch fall received earlier this week.

A ground observer corps to augment the Air Force radar screen in protecting the country from an enemy air attack is to be organized in Cape Girardeau, says J.L. Wieser, civil defense director; under the system, an observation post will be set up in the city located possibly on the roof of a tall structure; the post will consist of housing for the protection of the observers and will be equipped by the Air Force.

75 years ago: Jan. 21, 1931

Within a short time, Walter Knox & Son, road building contractors of Jackson, are expected to begin work on an additional two miles of farm road between Dutchtown and Whitewater; Knox is now engaged in constructing the farm-to-market route between the two towns, and the two miles is simply an extension of this contract.

Jimmy Doolittle, in charge of the aeronautical department of the Shell Oil Co., is in Cape Girardeau and with several interested Girardeans inspects sites near the city suitable as emergency landing fields.

100 years ago: Jan. 21, 1906

A black evangelist from the South continues to create a great deal of excitement by his strong sermons, which he delivers at the Second Baptist Church; he is the Rev. John W. Cook, and he comes from Galveston, Texas; he is touring Missouri and has stopped in Cape Girardeau to aid the Rev. J.H. Henderson, pastor of Second Baptist.

The Rev. E.T. Adams delivers a free lecture at the Methodist Church in the evening; the subject of his talk is "Our Bane and the Antidote."

-- Sharon K. Sanders