Out of the past 12/20/04

25 years ago: Dec. 20, 1979

Ernest L. Hahs, an office equipment company owner, has become the third candidate to file for two available seats on the city council in April; Hahs joins Donald R. Strohmeyer and Timothy L. Kelley in filing for the race.

Cape Girardeau's Veterans of Foreign Wars post and its women's auxiliary launch a "Fly the Flag" program for the hostages in Iran; 4,000 flyers have been printed for distribution encouraging Cape Girardeau and area residents to fly their flags daily until the American embassy staff in Tehran is released; today is the 47th day of captivity for 50 American hostages.

50 years ago: Dec. 20, 1954

Petitions asking an election to determine if Commissioner Philip H. Steck should be retained in office are declared sufficient by the city council; the council, however, at Steck's request, delays setting a date for the required election.

A special office for fingerprinting and photography work is being constructed at police headquarters; the office will also be used by Capt. F.L. Schneider, assistant chief, in administrative work.

75 years ago: Dec. 20, 1929

Traffic over Southeast Missouri highways resumed late yesterday and continues normally today following clearing of the principal routes of snowdrifts which blocked the roads following the storm of Wednesday night; overnight, the temperature fell to a new low, one degree above zero.

Mrs. Mariah Griffey, 90, died from infirmities of age yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hattie Wilkerson; Griffey was born into slavery near Cape Girardeau; she served pioneer Girardeau families and continued to reside here after the Civil War.

100 years ago: Dec. 20, 1904

Little Robin Obermiller, a cute little fellow, is the new operator at the Western Union office; he took the position which Mr. Payne was forced to vacate for a few months when his father was injured in a wreck near Kansas City, Mo.; when his replacement was also forced to leave, young Obermiller was given the job.

A very light vote is being polled on the sewer question today; at noon there were not 100 votes cast in the First Ward, 90 in the second, 75 in the third or 75 in the fourth; at that time there seemed to be an average of 5 to 1 in favor of the proposition.

-- Sharon K. Sanders