Out of the past 12/11/10

25 years ago: Dec. 11, 1985

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Bollinger County Sheriff Januar Peters yesterday closed the county jail here, after the county's insurance carrier told Peters that an $8,000 payment was necessary to maintain the department's liability coverage through Jan. 16; the four inmates were moved to other area county jails; Peters plans to keep the facility closed until after Jan. 1, while he awaits word on whether the Missouri Sheriff's Association will develop a statewide insurance pool.

The Missouri National Guard is making plans for units to travel to Central America this spring for the second consecutive year in conjunction with annual exercises; about 1,000 troops from Southeast Missouri will be among the Guardsmen who will help build a road in Honduras.

50 years ago: Dec. 11, 1960

Traveling evangelists, the Rev. Marvin Peterson and daughters of Portland, Ore., are guest speakers in the morning at First Church of God; in the evening, they speak at West Side Church of God.

The Unitarian Fellowship of Cape Girardeau, a new organization, begins holding services in the home of Dr. Kenneth Burham, Highway 61 North; the service features a discussion of the philosophy and methods of Unitarian religious education.

75 years ago: Dec. 11, 1935

Officers and Judge James A. Kinder disclose the former county judge and county collector yesterday received a blackmail letter in which the writer demanded $500, but made no threats against Kinder; the letter directed him to place $500 in a tobacco tin and drop it at a given point in Cape Girardeau last night; the tin, containing a fake role of money, wasn't collected by the would-be blackmailer.

Fire, thought to have originated from spontaneous combustion, destroyed the coal chute in the Cotton Belt Railroad yards at Fornfelt late yesterday, with a loss estimated to run between $20,000 and $25,000.

100 years ago: Dec. 11, 1910

Because of the illness of Elder H.N. McKee, there is no preaching at the First Christian Church; the Sunday School and Endeavor societies meet at their usual hours, however; in the evening, the congregation joins the union temperance meeting at Centenary Methodist Church.

Commander J.H. Ralston, accompanied by three men and four women, members of the Salvation Army and armed with musical instruments, are in the city; they are holding meetings at the corner of Main and Themis streets and will be here until after the holidays.

-- Sharon K. Sanders