Out of the past 12/15/11

25 years ago: Dec. 15, 1986

WITTENBURG, Mo. -- Work continues on the Mississippi River, 33 miles north of Cape Girardeau, to complete off-loading several million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel from four barges that went aground on the Missouri side of the river Friday about two miles north of Wittenburg.

Jerry McClanahan, chairman of the air transportation committee of the Chamber of Commerce and secretary of the city's airport advisory board, says the municipal airport terminal building needs to be expanded or a new facility built.

50 years ago: Dec. 15, 1961

Dr. Raymond A. Ritter, Cape Girardeau physician, calls on the federal government to allow elderly people to "walk on their own" when possible rather than extending further government aid where it isn't needed; Ritter is one of several witnesses to speak at a Senate subcommittee hearing on retirement income held at Memorial Hall.

Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. announces it will close down its kiln Jan. 7 and two days later will begin installing precipitators expected to end the fallout of manufacturing residue from its high stack.

75 years ago: Dec. 15, 1936

Ten thousand pounds of live poultry, headed for the metropolitan markets and Christmas tables from the Goodwin Co. plant at Jackson, got a thrill ride yesterday when a poultry car of the Missouri Pacific Railroad train on the branch line was derailed at Jackson.

Their fate still hanging in the balance, two federal nursery schools in Smelterville -- one for black children and the other for white -- are still operating, although they had been scheduled to close today.

100 years ago: Dec. 15, 1911

Housewives in Cape Girardeau find the supply of butter is scarce these days; in St. Louis, the price of butter is the highest for 20 years, retailing at 40 to 45 cents a pound.

Cape Girardeau County is becoming a stock-raising mecca, as 25 loads of beef cattle where shipped from the little towns between Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Mo., this week; they traveled over the Houck road to Perryville Junction, where they were transferred to the Frisco.

-- Sharon K. Sanders