Out of the past 12/17/05

25 years ago: Dec. 17, 1980

Two more candidates have entered the race for the Cape Girardeau City Council, bringing to 12 the number of names that will appear on the Feb. 3 primary election ballot; filing yesterday --- the final day for entering the race -- were Billy Joe Keele and Sandy E. Moss.

The city of Cape Girardeau won't pursue a citywide disaster warning system, at least not in the immediate future, if a motion to drop plans for such a system is adopted at tonight's city council meeting; four council members at last night's study session concurred that the city's present financial situation won't allow the required quarter-million-dollar expenditure for sirens throughout the city.

50 years ago: Dec. 17, 1955

The Cushing Music Co., 128 N. Main St., opens, with a formal opening planned for next week; owner of the business is Frederick R. Cushing, who is a piano tuner, technician and builder; he is selling a line of Kimbel pianos, Minshall organs and organos, Columbia CBS television sets, band and string instruments.

Sale of its two retail outlets by the Hirsch Brothers Co. and retirement from the retailing field of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hirsch are announced; the Hirsch Brothers No. 1 store at Good Hope and Sprigg streets was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon V. Fee; the No. 2 store at Main and Mill streets was sold to George Hirsch.

75 years ago: Dec. 17, 1930

Voters of Cape Girardeau, at a special election yesterday, rejected proposals of the Missouri Utilities Co. to renew its water and electric light franchise, casting an adverse majority against each of the propositions.

If sufficient interest is shown, Cape Girardeau has an opportunity to get a factory that will employ 40 men and 50 women; the factory is now located in a large city, and its owners hope to move it in order to reduce their overhead.

100 years ago: Dec. 17, 1905

No morning or evening services are held at the Methodist Church; the daughter of the pastor, the Rev. E.T. Adams, is very ill with diphtheria, and physicians have advised the pastor and his wife to remain home to prevent spread of the contagion.

Dies, Mrs. Sarah Sherwood Dodge, age 76; she was the daughter of the Rev. Adriel Sherwood, one of the most prominent Baptist divines of his time; she is survived by two sons and four brothers; she will be laid to rest in Sedalia, Mo., where her husband, Egbert Dodge, is buried.

-- Sharon K. Sanders