Out of the past 12/11/06

25 years ago: Dec. 11, 1981

Divers Calvin Brennan of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Reserve and Robin Harris of the Missouri Department of Conservation went diving yesterday in the cold, muddy waters of the Mississippi River in search of a stolen car which had been dumped in the stream two days earlier.

Guests of the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance meeting this week included Missouri Methodist Bishop W.T. Handy Jr., and bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, the Most Rev. Bernard F. Law; Law was guest speaker at the gathering.

50 years ago: Dec. 11, 1956

Constitutionality of the state's $75,000,000 bond issue, upheld yesterday by the Missouri Supreme Court, enables State College to continue its planning for campus construction with the definite knowledge the money can now be expected; the bonds will help construct three major buildings on the Cape Girardeau campus.

Col. George E. White Jr., St. Louis District engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, says progress on the North Main Street levee construction program, now entering its third phase, is ahead of schedule; he praises the contractor, Stephens Construction Co., for the excellent work.

75 years ago: Dec. 11, 1931

Eight men have been selected to do extra postal work, if any or all of them are needed during the holiday rush at the Cape Girardeau post office; they are Alfred A. Kaempfer, Fred Behrens, Roy Oakley, Herbert E. Thilenius, Clarence H. Willer, Harry Hinton, Edward Reck, and Floyd Richardson.

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A large barge, which hit a mud bank near here yesterday, throwing 750 bales of cotton in the Mississippi River, has been reloaded and is on its way south.

100 years ago: Dec. 11, 1906

Jack Adkins has been intrusted with the task of watching after the safety of the stores and residences of the downtown district of Cape Girardeau; his engagement follows the withdrawal of night watchman Price, who has been performing the duty for several months.

John A. Vandeven this week moved into his new store, and without a doubt it is the prettiest of its kind in Cape Girardeau.

-- Sharon K. Sanders