Out of the past 2/8/08

25 years ago: Feb. 8, 1983

The city of Jackson will operate on a $7.3 million budget this year, up substantially over last year's $5.7 million budget; the board of aldermen approved the budget last night.

Jackson Chamber of Commerce and city officials are planning to file a complaint with the Public Service Commission seeking to force the Missouri Pacific Railroad to repair flood-damaged tracks and restore rail service to Jackson; the branch line, which runs between Delta and Jackson, has been out of service about two months.

50 years ago: Feb. 8, 1958

Professor Jeptha Riggs, 79, retired head of the English Department at State College, dies unexpectedly at his apartment in Cape Girardeau; a faculty member for 44 years, Riggs served the college from 1905 to 1949, when he retired at the age of 70.

After four consecutive years in office, Mrs. L.S. Buncy of Cape Girardeau will retire as president of the Otahki Girl Scout Council at the annual council dinner meeting Wednesday; Mrs. Jack Oliver, also of Cape Girardeau, will be installed as new president.

75 years ago: Feb. 8, 1933

H.A. Nussbaum of Cape Girardeau has been appointed a member of the Cape Special Road District Commission; he succeeds W.F. Suedekum, whose term has expired.

Sweeping out of the northwest, the most severe cold wave of the season holds Cape Girardeau and the district in its grip; near-zero temperatures bring suffering to the needy, hamper traffic and cause considerable damage to fruit crop prospects; this morning's reading of zero degrees is the lowest on record since 1918.

100 years ago: Feb. 8, 1908

A message from Fred Naeter, one of the publishers of The Daily Republican newspaper and a delegate to the congressional convention at West Plains, Mo., reveals that the convention chose Edward Regenhardt as one of the two delegates to the national convention, where William H. Taft is expected to be nominated as candidate for president on the Republican ticket.

The residence of Roy Wilkins at Illmo burns in the afternoon; it takes only a short time for the wind-swept flames to fan through the house and destroy it.

-- Sharon K. Sanders