Out of the past 12/26/06

25 years ago: Dec. 26, 1981

Final negotiations are in process for the First National Bank to relocate its home office from Main and Broadway to Independence and Mount Auburn Road; the institution, which is to become Centerre Bank Jan. 4, has contracted with Cape Girardeau Medical Arts, Inc., for the purchase of four acres at the new site.

A hot flue pipe from a wood-burning stove is listed as the cause of a blaze Thursday night that caused extensive damage to the home of Billy Rutherford, 1904 S. Sprigg St., in Cape Girardeau; fire damaged about 75 percent of the house.

50 years ago: Dec. 26, 1956

A few flurries of snow Monday afternoon and evening, just enough to excite wishful thinking about a white Christmas, gave way yesterday to clear and crisp weather with the temperature hovering around 40 degrees most of the day.

Word is still being awaited from St. Louis on assignment of a Hungarian refugee family to Jackson under the relocation program being sponsored by the government and handled in part in this area through St. Stephen's Church of Hungary in St. Louis.

75 years ago: Dec. 26, 1931

Workers are erecting a new front on the Wachter Service Station, 134 S. Frederick St., in Cape Girardeau; the front of the building, which was constructed of cement blocks, has been torn away, and the new brick front is being set farther back from the east line of the street.

Although marred in a measure by tragedies caused by car accidents and shootings, the Christmas observance in Cape Girardeau was orderly with a spring-like day; violets and roses bloomed in yards.

100 years ago: Dec. 26, 1906

Word has been received in Cape Girardeau that the office of the Illmo Headlight newspaper was destroyed by fire one night late last week; Jack Pelzer, a well-known printer of this city, established the Headlight a year or more ago and conducted it up to the time of its destruction.

A Christmas night dance took the young people of Cape Girardeau to the Elks Hall last night; about 17 couples attended the enjoyable event.

-- Sharon K. Sanders