Out of the past 3/3/06

25 years ago: March 3, 1981

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department says goodbye to the stately old structure at 538 Independence St., which has been its home for the better part of a century, and makes the final move to its new, $870,000 home at Sprigg and Independence streets.

A cut in the state appropriation is forcing the SEMO Regional Crime Laboratory in Cape Girardeau to ask the city of Cape Girardeau to increase its annual subsidy to the lab by more than 33 percent; with the state cutting the lab's 1981 fiscal year budget by half, the city is being asked to approve a $2,500 increase in its subsidy, bringing it to $10,000.

50 years ago: March 3, 1956

Construction is booming at the new Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. plant in Cape Girardeau, but Bert Provost, the construction superintendent for Kaiser Engineers, contractor for the huge $7 million manufacturing unit, says it is merely in the preparation stage.

William L. McLaughlin, incumbent commissioner of police in Cape Girardeau, files his petition and will be a candidate for nomination as commissioner at the March 20 city primary election; he was elected commissioner in recall voting in early 1955.

75 years ago: March 3, 1931

The first loan checks to war veterans in Cape Girardeau, who made application since the recent legislation giving the government power to make up to 50 percent loans on certificates held by servicemen, are expected to arrive this week.

During leisure hours, Cape Girardeau firemen and police will have to play such old-fashioned games as dominoes, checkers, fox and geese and others instead of a friendly little card game; Mayor Edward F. Drum, at the city council meeting yesterday, banned card playing.

100 years ago: March 3, 1906

An interesting case will be called in Judge Edward Hays' court in Jackson on March 12, and in all probability the higher course will eventually be called upon to decide the matter; a lot of stave haulers living near Burfordville determined that as the Supreme Court was too slow in ordering the toll gates abolished, as has been done most everywhere, they would act alone; on Feb. 23, it is charged, they chopped down the gates and proceeded over the road without paying toll.

Street Commissioner Mike Miggins is having his three assistants, furnished by the police court, scrape the mud from Broadway.

-- Sharon K. Sanders