Out of the past 4/1/05

25 years ago: April 1, 1980

Donald R. Strohmeyer wins a seat on the Cape Girardeau City Council, while incumbent Robert K. Herbst finishes second in municipal balloting, good enough to give the councilman a second three-year term; Loretta Schneider placed third and Curt S. Smith fourth.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ray "Dutch" Pourney, Perryville marshal for the past 14 years, wins reelection in a relatively easy victory over James D. Newcomer and Jim Brewer.

50 years ago: April 1, 1955

When the town of Delta switch from a fourth-class city to the non-existence status it holds today, it left outstanding obligations of $6,551.90 and has cash in hand totaling only $537.78; the largest sum owed by Delta is $3,000 due the Cotton Belt Railroad for the purchase of its water tank, which was to be used in the construction of a water system to serve the town.

Southeast Missouri towns, not including Cape Girardeau, will hold municipal elections on Tuesday; while interest doesn't appear to be great, contests in some few instances are expected to get out heavy votes; along with municipal balloting, hundreds of school district elections will be held the same day.

75 years ago: April 1, 1930

Polling a record vote, Cape Girardeau picks a complete new slate of city officers, selects three members of the school board and approves two tax levies for continued support of the schools; in the most spectacular upheaval in recent history, Mayor James A. Barks and Commissioner A.P. Behrens are swept from office; Edward L. Drum, police judge and former city attorney, is elected mayor.

Ernest L. Miller, incumbent, and B. Hugh Smith, a lawyer, are elected to serve three-year terms on the Cape Girardeau school board, winning easily over the third candidate, Orren Wilson.

100 years ago: April 1, 1905

A case of smallpox is discovered at the Union Station in the morning; the man comes over on the ferry boat from East Cape Girardeau, Ill., and is loitering around the depot, when the baggage man notices he has smallpox; authorities at once send him back on the ferry.

Albert Hall, the new Normal School dormitory for women, was formally opened yesterday; the opening of the dorm will help ease the shortage of living quarters for young ladies attending the Normal.

-- Sharon K. Sanders