Out of the past 1/6/11

25 years ago: Jan. 6, 1986

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Making his plans official, Wayne Cryts, who drew national attention in 1981 when he removed his soybeans from a bankrupt grain elevator, announces he will seek the Democratic nomination for Congress from Southeast Missouri; the 8th District seat is held by Rep. Bill Emerson, R-Missouri.

The first Missouri Lottery tickets will be sold across the state at noon Jan. 20 -- 11 days earlier than originally scheduled.

50 years ago: Jan. 6, 1961

A State College sophomore accidentally shoots himself in the leg with a .22-caliber pistol he is loading in the room of a classmate at 1:30 a.m.; the 19-year-old, who is a gun collector and dealer with a federal license, is treated at a local hospital and released.

Representing the Cape Girardeau area at the inauguration Monday in Jefferson City, Mo., will be state Sen. Albert M. Spradling, who will preside; a National Guard color guard; several area residents, and Col. Narvol A. Randol, a member of the Military Council of Missouri and commanding officer of the First Battle Group, 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard.

75 years ago: Jan. 6, 1936

As was directed by state and government agencies, arrangements for taking over, at least temporarily, the task of helping care for the needy unemployable of the county have been made by the county court, with the help of the city of Cape Girardeau; in the county, there are 125 families in which there is no one who can do gainful work.

W.A. Wecker, president of Marquette Cement Mfg. Co., announces a program of improvement and expansion at the Cape Girardeau plant; chief among the improvements will be installation of facilities to control and confine the smoke and gases from the kiln and boiler stacks.

100 years ago: Jan. 6, 1911

With all the members present except Councilman Juden, the Cape Girardeau City Council last night unanimously passed an ordinance granting a franchise for right of way to the Frisco Railroad.

Altenburg's public high school was destroyed by fire Monday morning; only the organ, map and a few books were saved.

-- Sharon K. Sanders