Out of the past 3/10/06

25 years ago: March 10, 1981

Several hundred residents of eastern Cape Girardeau County gathered last night at Nell Holcomb School to discuss plans to establish a rural fire protection district for the area; the area is outside the boundaries of nearby fire departments; it is hoped a rural volunteer fire department can be established within the next two or three months.

MARQUAND, Mo. -- An explosion and fire that rips through the Missouri Brush and Crayon Co. here hospitalizes one plant employee and forces the evacuation of the town's residents for several hours; for most of the afternoon, the blaze threatens a number of steel drums stored in and around the plant containing flammable chemicals, so fire officials order the evacuation of the 400 Marquand residents.

50 years ago: March 10, 1956

Construction of the addition to Southeast Missouri Hospital is expected to start within a week to 10 days following signing of the contracts yesterday by members of the executive committee of the hospital's board of trustees; the contracts are with Gerhardt Construction Co. for general construction and electrical work at a cost of $689,543, and with Werner & Son of Jackson for plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning at a cost of $316,014.

Max G. Stovall, 31, a native of Cape Girardeau and a contractor, announces he will be a candidate for Cape Girardeau city commissioner and, if elected, would like to serve as head of the department of public works.

75 years ago: March 10, 1931

A special meeting of patrons of the Juden School District will be held tomorrow at School No. 1 to discuss construction of a new school building to take the place of two separate schools now maintained by the district; the district is immediately north of Cape Girardeau.

Working at four-fifths its production capacity, the International Shoe Co. factory in Cape Girardeau now employs about 1,200 people; this is an increase over the force of the past several months; around 400 cases of shoes are being made daily.

100 years ago: March 10, 1906

The Cape Girardeau County Court will meet at Jackson Monday to make annual settlement with the county collector; this will take up the full day; then, on Tuesday, the courthouse proposition will be taken up; architect P.H. Weathers has been notified to be present, and the business will be pursued with all possible speed.

Construction has started on John Herbst's big, two-story building at the corner of Broadway and Pacific; the second floor will be used as a dance hall and will be the biggest in Cape Girardeau.

- Sharon K. Sanders