Out of the past 1/5/08

25 years ago: Jan. 5, 1983

Two long-distance freight trains that have run through Scott City daily will be diverted through tracks in Central Missouri beginning tomorrow, leading to the moving of 21 Cotton Belt jobs from Scott City to Jefferson City.

Cape Girardeau County's volunteer fire departments and the sheriff's department have combined forces to snuff out arson through the creation of a county arson task force; Sheriff Herman "Bob" Gribler says the task force should be in operation by this spring.

50 years ago: Jan. 5, 1958

The first pastor of the newly organized St. Andrew Lutheran Church, the Rev. Francis Roschke, and his wife, arrive in Cape Girardeau on Friday from Lemay, Mo.; they will reside temporarily in the home formerly occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Call at 1406 Bessie St.

Mr. and Mrs. R.C. Evans of Eldon, Mo., have given two tracts of land to members of the Southside Baptist Church; the property, valued at $10,000, is on Hackberry Street where Ellis Street intersects; it adjoins the Southside Ball Park on the west; plans have been completed for a new church to be built on the site.

75 years ago: Jan. 5, 1933

Cape Girardeans join other Americans as the nation mourns the sudden death of former president Calvin Coolidge, 60, at his Northampton, Mass., home.

KENNETT, Mo. -- a break in the St. Francis River dike on the Missouri side, northwest of Kennett at 1 a.m., pours a large amount of water over land west of town, but damage isn't expected to be great, crops all having been removed from fields; about 75 families are expected to have to leave their homes until the water subsides.

100 years ago: Jan. 5, 1908

A revival begins in the evening at the German Methodist church in Cape Girardeau; the Rev. Theodore Ludwig has charge of the service; he will be joined Wednesday by the Rev. Buth of Whitewater.

The building committee of the English Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau closed a deal yesterday with the Ford Art Glass Co. of Minneapolis to provide all the glass for the new Centenary church; the windows will be built of the best opalescent glass.

-- Sharon K. Sanders