Out of the past 10/26/05

25 years ago: Oct. 26, 1980

Dr. Webster W. Davault, whose six decades in the practice of medicine began with a horse and buggy on the back roads of rural Cape Girardeau County and who brought health care to countless county residents, dies at Cape LaCroix Manor, where he was a resident; he was 91 years old.

The unveiling ceremony of the cornerstone for the new Trinity Lutheran Church at Frederick and Themis streets is held in the morning following the final worship service.

50 years ago: Oct. 26, 1955

Plans for construction of a new elementary school to serve the expanding west section of Cape Girardeau were discussed last night by the school board; several architects have been invited to confer with the board at an early date to outline current thinking in planning an elementary school building.

K.P. "Barney" Oldfield, owner of Oldfield Dairy and distributor of Sealtest products in Cape Girardeau, has been endorsed by the Cape County Democratic Committee for the vacant post of probate judge.

75 years ago: Oct. 26, 1930

The Rev. E.D. Owen, pastor of First Baptist Church, returned to Cape Girardeau Friday from St. Joseph, Mo., where he attended the annual convention of the Missouri Baptist General Association.

James A. Finch of Cape Girardeau is the principal speaker at the dedication of the Fornfelt High School gymnasium and auditorium; short addresses are made by several other speakers, including O.F. Anderson, Scott County school superintendent; an informal reception and inspection of the new building follows the program.

100 years ago: Oct. 26, 1905

Jackson was the center of a railroad power struggle last week; the Cape Girardeau and Chester line began constructing a switch track running south from the Houck depot toward the Iron Mountain tracks; however, the I.M. officials disliked the idea of having a switch behind their depot that would interfere with handling freight; Friday night, while residents slept, a large I.M. crew was brought in and built a spur line across Main Street and directly at right angles with the incomplete Houck switch.

One of the large Normal School boilers has been placed on specially constructed rollers and will be slowly hauled to the school when the streets become passable; another boiler the same size arrived today.

-- Sharon K. Sanders