Out of the past 2/6/05

10 years ago: Feb. 6, 1980

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Fire early in the morning destroys a pallet manufacturing plant near here, with loss estimated at $400,000; cause of the fire that levels the Midwest Pallet Co. building on Highway 34 hasn't been determined.

Police are ticketing motorists they catch driving southbound around barricades at the intersection of South Sprigg and Independence streets; the barricades were erected last week because of sewer line work connected with the construction of the new city fire station at that corner.

50 years ago: Feb. 6, 1955

Jackson's gasoline hits an all-time low of 17.9 cents per gallon for regular and 19.9 cents for ethyl type gas; the price was cut at a station on Highway 61, and other stations along the route followed suit.

W.T. Moore of Cape Girardeau has purchased Young Motor Co. in Jackson, which will continue as dealer for DeSoto and Plymouth automobiles under the name Moore Motor Co.; the firm will also handle International trucks.

75 years ago: Feb. 6, 1930

Continued thawing of the ground makes travel on some Southeast Missouri highways uncertain and difficult; Highway 61 north of Fredericktown is closed because of the two-mile strip of soft road between the new pavement and the town; light traffic is using Highway 60 near Dexter, Mo., but all heavy trucks and motor buses are unable to negotiate the muddy road.

John J. Hunter of Cape Girardeau was named a member of the Cape Girardeau Special Road District commission by the county court yesterday, succeeding A.E. Keller of Cape Girardeau.

100 years ago: Feb. 6, 1905

Scores of young and old people alike took advantage of the good bed of snow yesterday and today, and the jingle of sleigh bells is heard constantly; it is seldom that sleighing like this is possible here, and as a consequence every old trap in town has been resurrected from lofts and storage sheds and put into commission.

It is doubtful that a city council meeting can be held tonight; city clerk George E. Chappell is ill and won't attend; he alone has the lengthy salary lists and other routine business in charge; it will be nearly impossible to get along without him.

-- Sharon K. Sanders