Out of the past 10/10/04

25 years ago: Oct. 10, 1979

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff James J. Below announces he "will not be a candidate for statewide office and will not be a candidate in 1980 for any political position"; Below, who had been considering a run for lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket, says he is getting out of politics at the end of his present term as sheriff.

The official low recorded overnight at the municipal airport was 33 degrees, and frost was widespread in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

50 years ago: Oct. 10, 1954

C.W. Barber of Brooklyn, N.Y., gives the main address in the afternoon at the Jehovah's Witness Assembly in Arena Park; he is an ordained minister and full-time representative of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

Dewey Hinton of Cape Girardeau receives word of the presumed death of his son, Alfred Hinton, 33, in the sinking of the 6,000-ton freighter Mormackite.

75 years ago: Oct. 10, 1929

Missouri Pacific Railroad brings its first train into Cape Girardeau, climaxing the community's quarter-century battle to obtain increased railroad service; a train comes into Cape Girardeau in the morning and another loaded freight train leaves in the afternoon, completing the first round trip over the new line constructed from Illmo at a cost of over $750,000.

John Wilferth, 85, Civil War veteran and widely known resident of Whitewater Township, dies at the home of his son, Fred Wilferth, in Millersville.

100 years ago: Oct. 10, 1904

The dwelling and lot of Mrs. Minnie Joernes on South Pacific Street was sold to Charles Hall by H.S. Dean; the consideration was $2,100.

Tents and stands are being constructed at the fairgrounds for tomorrow's opening of the annual exposition; all the customary purveyors and many new ones will be there; attractions for the first day will be the contest for prizes offered by the county court for best livestock, poultry, grains, etc., raised in the county.

-- Sharon K. Sanders