Out of the past 12/12/06

25 years ago: Dec. 12, 1981

Tomorrow will be a special day for Mrs. Pat Benton of Cape Girardeau; three of her children -- Pamela and David Benton and Patricia Benton Vivone -- will graduate from Southeast Missouri State University in winter commencement exercises in the afternoon.

Attracting considerable attention is the newly constructed turret-like pillar designating the location of West Park Village on Route K; the granite block structure was designed by Jack Kohrumel of Merrick Electric and constructed by the Drury interests.

50 years ago: Dec. 12, 1956

An effort is being made by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce along with other district cities to induce the federal government to consider this district as a possible location for a maximum security federal prison.

Bonds from which Cape Girardeau County will acquire the land for development into Trail of Tears State Park are received by County Clerk Edwin J. Sander from the purchaser, Zahner Co., of Kansas City, Mo.

75 years ago: Dec. 12, 1931

Some material is being moved to the Diversion Channel near Dutchtown, where S.J. Cohen & Co. of Blytheville, Ark., will build a bridge across the channel; the old span, a wooden structure, will be used while the new one is constructed.

Workers have started rebuilding the old Albert house, 1127 Broadway, which was damaged by fire Nov. 13; A.H. Gerhardt, Cape Girardeau contractor, is supervising the repairs, which probably will cost about $4,000.

100 years ago: Dec. 12, 1906

An advertisement is running in The Daily Republican offering for sale a two-story brick building on Broadway and opposite the new federal building site; the property, known as the Simms property, is owned by a partnership that has been dissolved, and the sale is necessary to make a settlement; it must be sold within 10 days.

The juvenile orchestra at Lorimier School is practicing hard for an upcoming holiday program; members of the orchestra are Marie Patton, Harry Danks, Leslie Patton, William Danks, Elbert Vogelsanger, August Rodenmayer, August Rodenmayer and Alvin Harnes.

-- Sharon K. Sanders