Out of the past 12/10/10

25 years ago: Dec. 10, 1985

For 20 years, Gene Huckstep and his body shop employees have been answering calls to traffic accidents to free people trapped in the wreckage; however, Huckstep says he will phase out the extrication service as soon as some other agency can take it over.

A private developer has expressed interest in renovating the old shoe factory on North Main Street into luxury apartments; Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce officials have been studying possible uses for the 78-year-old brick structure since last year, when it was given to the chamber by Florsheim Shoe Co.

50 years ago: Dec. 10, 1960

Sen. Albert M. Spradling Jr., chosen by majority Democrats to be president pro tem of the Senate, is slated for a dual role upon his formal election; coincident with his election, Spradling will become Missouri's acting lieutenant governor, a post he will hold for five days, and as such will preside over the Senate in that period; as acting lieutenant governor, he will also preside over the inaugural ceremonies in Jefferson City on Jan. 9.

Scout Troop 10, sponsored by First Baptist Church, plants 23 trees along a road in the south part of Arena Park; Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Erlbacher allowed the troop to dig the trees from their woodland on Seven Mile Creek.

75 years ago: Dec. 10, 1935

His wolf hunt concluded after three weeks of trailing the animals in four Ozark counties, Denver Wright has returned to his St. Louis County home with a live wolf and the pelt of a dead one to show for his sport; he caught the animals in Crawford County.

Work has been completed on the redecorating of the exterior and the lobby of the Fox-Broadway Theater; the exterior was painted in a three-tone green, while the ceiling of the lobby was painted in orchid blue and trimmed in yellow, and the side walls in two-tone green and trimmed in yellow.

100 years ago: Dec. 10, 1910

The strong Woodland College team of Jonesboro, Ark., won from the Cape Girardeau Normals at basketball last night, 32-30; the game was closely contested all the way through.

The Rural Telephone Co. has a network of wires over the northern part of Cape Girardeau County and the southern part of Perry County; about 750 instruments have been installed in the various small towns in that territory.

-- Sharon K. Sanders