Out of the past 10/28/04

25 years ago: Oct. 28, 1979

Over 850 exotic animals and at least 1,200 rare birds have new homes at the conclusion of a 14-hour auction at 5-H Ranch, north of Cape Girardeau; more than $400,000 changes hands.

ELCO, Ill. - The 100th anniversary of the Elco United Methodist Church is observed; a dinner follows the morning worship service; guest speaker is Dr. Boyd Waggoner, district superintendent for the Carbondale District.

50 years ago: Oct. 28, 1954

Partial reports from only 20 of the 574 workers who are in the field, the first tabulation since the campaign got underway Monday, pushes Cape Girardeau's United Fund drive contributions to $2,690.81; at Jackson, $5,578.46 has been contributed for the Community Chest fund.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Percy R. Little goes to Jefferson City, where he will be a witness tomorrow in preliminary hearings of six penitentiary convicts who have been charged with murder and arson arising from the Sept. 22 riot at the state prison.

75 years ago: Oct. 28, 1929

The Jackson Board of Health issued an edict requiring all children in the schools there to be vaccinated for smallpox by Thursday or be barred from attendance; the occurrence of five cases of smallpox in the city within the last few days has prompted the board's action.

Alexander Williams, 80, a former slave, dies at the home of his son, George Williams; he was widely known in Cape Girardeau and for a time was employee at the Pott Milling Co.; his birth name was Holland, but he took the name of Williams, for the family for whom he worked during his period of slavery; he came to Cape Girardeau after the Civil War.

100 years ago: Oct. 28, 1904

Cyrus P. Walbridge, Republican candidate for Missouri governor, addresses a packed house in the opera house in the evening, after having campaigned in Jackson earlier in the day; condemning the ballot-box frauds in the larger cities, Walbridge promises to purify elections if he is elected.

Things are heating up in city hall; stoves have been purchased for the city clerk's office and for the city collector's office, allowing business to resume in its usual manner.

-- Sharon K. Sanders