Out of the past 1/21/07

25 years ago: Jan. 21, 1982

A Southeast Missouri State University historical preservation class under the direction of professor Robert White has undertaken a project to catalog and inventory the documents stored in the vault in the Cape Girardeau Common Courthouse, as well as attempt to prevent their further deterioration.

Three of the four Jackson aldermen, whose terms expire this spring have filed for re-election; they are Fred O. Jones, Jim C. Beattie and David Ludwig.

50 years ago: Jan. 21, 1957

Rush H. Limbaugh Jr., of Cape Girardeau, who has been in Washington, D.C., on business since early in January, was joined last week by Mrs. Limbaugh in time to attend today's inauguration ceremonies of President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the capitol.

The Cape Girardeau City Council hears the first reading of ordinances calling for the installation of trunk and lateral sewer lines in the Bertling Street area, and votes to have estimates drawn for the installation of a storm sewer on Broadway.

75 years ago: Jan. 21, 1932

Final approval of the Missouri Utilities Co.'s new waterworks system in Cape Girardeau by the Missouri State Board of Health has been received by City Clerk W.C. Kaempfer.

A large motorboat is now at the disposal of the federal dry law enforcement officers in Cape Girardeau; the boat, a 25-foot craft, is a fast one and of such size and build that it can be used any time or place on the Mississippi River.

100 years ago: Jan. 21, 1907

The Mississippi River is on one of its annual rampages just at present and threatens great damage all along its route; in Cape Girardeau, it has risen so high that the houseboat colony has been hard put to keep their loose belongings together; the river stage here is 26 feet.

Yesterday's address by the Rev. E.T. Adams at the Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau is the talk of the town; Adams discussed the deplorable conditions existing here due to official corruption and negligence; he appealed to citizens to vote for good men so Cape Girardeau can be dragged out of the mud.

-- Sharon K. Sanders