Out of the past 4/10/06

25 years ago: April 10, 1981

The three commissioners of the Cape Girardeau County Drainage Ditch No. 1, who, it has been learned, never had any statutory authority to manage the ditch, resigned yesterday, ending efforts by some Delta-area residents to oust them from office; resigning were Wesley Bock, Truman Niswonger and Cecil Veale.

Cape Girardeau County authorities have been hampered in efforts to identify skeletal remains found near Oak Ridge Monday, partly because a skull wasn't recovered; two slugs from a small-caliber weapon were found at the crime scene.

50 years ago: April 10, 1956

No matter how much the people of Cape Girardeau might want a special election to select a mayor to succeed Narvol A. Randol, the commission form statutes under which Cape Girardeau operates make it impossible; city attorney Gerald B. Rowan says the next mayor will be picked by members of the city council to fill Randol's unexpired term.

Two Cape Catholic High School pupils -- Ruth Ann Schonhoff and Vicki McMullen -- were responsible for the apprehension last week of a woman who attempted to set fire to the White House in Washington; while visiting, the girls observed a woman gathering material to start a fire and alerted a guard.

75 years ago: April 10, 1931

To increase the safety of the milk supply of Cape Girardeau, the city council and the board of health have instructed W.D. Black, city health officer, to start enforcement of the city milk ordinance, which has been on the books for two years but never rigidly enforced.

Paving operations on Highway 74 near Dutchtown are halted temporarily by rain, but considerable progress was made on the project this week prior to inclement weather; work was started at Highway 25 at Dutchtown, and the paving is progressing toward Cape Girardeau.

100 years ago: April 10, 1906

Supporters are out in Cape Girardeau asking for subscriptions with which to buy instruments for a brass band; it is proposed to form a community band, with J.W. Phillips, E.W. Flentge and G.E. Schuchert responsible for the care of the instruments; the band, if organized, would furnish music free for the city on public holidays and other such occasions.

H.A. Aulsbury, a prominent member of the Normal School's current graduating class, has been elected principal of the public schools at Oran, Mo., at a salary of $100 per month.

-- Sharon K. Sanders