Out of the past 12/16/08

25 years ago: Dec. 16, 1983

All Air Illinois flights are canceled at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport; officials of the Carbondale, Ill.-based airline say all flights have been canceled until at least next month as a result of a Federal Aviation Administration investigation into the airline's operations after an Oct. 11 crash of an Air Illinois plane.

The possible theft of jewelry from a woman while she was a prisoner at the Cape Girardeau County jail in Jackson has been under investigation for about two months; no arrests have been made.

50 years ago: Dec. 16, 1958

Workers yesterday began razing the 119-year-old Ellis-Wathen-Ranney House at 501 N. Main St., described as an outstanding example of early American colonial architecture and once recommended by the American Institute of Architects for preservation by the federal government; the house is one of the city's oldest.

The Missouri State Highway Commission, meeting in Jefferson City, gives its approval to a proposal for a new state road to border Trail of Tears State Park on the west; the road will extend the present Route V to link up with Route J.

75 years ago: Dec. 16, 1933

Verbally flaying those who are easily swayed by forces of the devil, praising motherhood and scorching the type of woman who cares not for the spiritual welfare of others, evangelist Billy Sunday gave one of his most touching sermons last night.

Adult education in homemaking is one of the developments of federal emergency relief, said Anne Moore of the department of education in Jefferson City; the plan is to work with the county and superintendents of schools in establishing day or night schools for mothers.

100 years ago: Dec. 16, 1908

The directors of the Freeze Threshing Machine Co., recently organized in Cape Girardeau, met yesterday to lay plans for the opening of the factory and the building of 10 test machines, which will be used to help sell the product.

The ferryboat City of Warsaw remains in dry dock, having been disabled yesterday by a broken wheel; in its absence, the ferry skiff of Ben Henson is making frequent trips to transport passengers to and from Cape Girardeau to Illinois.

-— Sharon K. Sanders