Out of the past 12/3/05

25 years ago: Dec. 3, 1980

In August, the Cape Girardeau City Council granted a request by Cape Girardeau Cable Television for a four-month extension on the deadline for the completion of the basic cable system here; however, with that deadline just two weeks away, cable officials report that work on the basic system will be forced to extend beyond the new deadline.

An independent building contractor, Paul C. Kaufmann, is the eighth resident of Cape Girardeau to file for the Feb. 3 city council primary election; all eight hopefuls are vying for the council seat now held by Mayor Paul W. Stehr, who has said he will not seek re-election.

50 years ago: Dec. 3, 1955

The welfare assistance rolls in Cape Girardeau County took a significant, though small, dip in all but one of six categories in November; Mrs. Eileen E. Caruthers, director of the Cape County Welfare Office, says total payments in the county last month amounted to $96,057, down from $97,047 in October; old age assistance cases, the largest category of payment, dropped off three from October to November to 1,369.

A Cape Girardeau man, Phillip Bock, will be a contestant on Tuesday's television broadcast of "Name That Tune"; Bock, 23, will have a chance to win $25,000; it will be his third appearance on the show.

75 years ago: Dec. 3, 1930

The midnight Mass at the two Catholic churches in Cape Girardeau, which for many years have proven popular, won't be held this year and may be permanently discontinued; Archbishop John J. Glennon, head of the diocese, has issued a pastoral letter asking that midnight Masses not be held this year.

Eight employees will be added to the working force of the Cape Girardeau post office during the Christmas mailing rush; they will assist the present force of 22 clerks, carriers and regular substitutes.

100 years ago: Dec. 3, 1905

J.F. Beggs goes down to Sikeston, Mo., with a gang of men to work on a $11,000 frame residence for C.D. Mathews Jr.; it will be one of the finest homes in Southeast Missouri.

The Rev. Abe Mulkey of Texas, an evangelist, has been directing a revival at the Methodist church in Jackson the past 10 days; an effort was made to raise $30,000 for the construction of a new church, and when the meeting closes today, all but $4,000 of that amount had been signed for.

-- Sharon K. Sanders