Out of the past 11/20/05

25 years ago: Nov. 20, 1980

Calling his decision primarily one of economic necessity, Cape Girardeau Mayor Paul W. Stehr announced yesterday he won't seek a new term on the city council; Stehr, who has served three terms on the board, will leave office at the end of his present term in April.

The Cape Girardeau City Council last night passed a motion to retain a company called Public Administration Service, a Chicago-based firm, to conduct an investigation into the policies and procedures of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

50 years ago: Nov. 20, 1955

The Rev. Arthur C. Lichtenberger, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, is at Christ Episcopal Church, where he administers the Rite of Confirmation on a class of five adults: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stiver, Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Lincoln, and Mrs. Chris Stiver.

Emil Steck, 79, a resident of Scott County since early childhood and who had served as Scott County collector and treasurer, dies in the morning while being taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital; for many years Steck was associated with the First State Bank of Fornfelt, first as a cashier and later as vice president and president of the institution.

75 years ago: Nov. 20, 1930

Approximately 200 children are now eating hot lunches each day at the cafeterias maintained at four of the grade schools of Cape Girardeau by Parent-Teachers units; Washington School's cafeteria is the largest, feeding about 100 pupils daily.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- An attempt to arbitrate the controversy involving the office of city attorney here failed at a meeting of the city council last night; the council didn't seat W.L. Oliver, who was elected city attorney last April, and Oliver says he will bring mandamus proceedings to compel the city to seat him in office with compensation for the entire term.

100 years ago: Nov. 20, 1905

Blucher Sperling, deputy revenue collector, came over from Jackson last night and today goes down to Hayti, Mo.; he is making visits to other towns in the district to look after the drug stores which sell patent medicines that contain alcoholic beverages; the government has decreed that druggists handling such medicines must purchase a government license.

The new trains on the Frisco mean the loss to Cape Girardeau of at least two estimable families; conductor J.B. French and wife will be greatly missed at the St. Charles Hotel.

-- Sharon K. Sanders