Out of the past 4/14/06

25 years ago: April 14, 1981

The 13th annual Southeast Missourian Award for Outstanding Journalistic Achievement has gone to John Ritter, a Cape Girardeau Central High School senior, whose main work was in photography; he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ritter Jr.

A preliminary crime report released by the FBI reveals that serious crime continued to skyrocket across the country last year, increasing by an average of about 10 percent from 1979; a year-end crime report for 1980, released by police chief Henry H. Gerecke, reflects that Cape Girardeau is no exception to the national trend; increases were recorded in all serious crimes except robbery and homicide in 1980, according to the report.

50 years ago: April 14, 1956

Headquarters for dissemination of information about the Trail of Tears State Park bond issue April 24 were established yesterday at 501 Broadway, with Mrs. Clarence Suedekum and Mrs. George Rasmussen in charge; in other activity for the proposed park, the Jaycees are forming a speakers bureau to bring information to any club or organization wishing to lean about the proposed park; it is also planned to have a sound truck at work on the day of the election as a reminder to local residents to vote.

Trees have been removed, the dimensions of the building have been laid out, and work on the excavation and fill for the new addition to Southeast Missouri Hospital is expected to begin next week.

75 years ago: April 14, 1931

Dr. Jesse M. Dalton, 68, for years a prominent Cape Girardeau dentist, dies at Southeast Missouri Hospital; his death is the culmination of an illness that began five years ago; Dalton, a native of Millersville, began his dental practice in 1894; he is survived by his wife, Ella Miller Dalton, and their three sons, and a daughter from a previous marriage.

Willard Talley begins planting corn, one of the first farmers in Cape Girardeau County to begin that task this year; the Talley farm is just west of Byrd's Creek, on Highway 61.

100 years ago: April 14, 1906

Work begins in the morning on the construction of the street railway link connecting the Broadway and Main Street lines; several teams and a force of men are tearing up the street near Independence Street.

E.W. Flentge, Edw. W. Regenhardt and Charles Stones of Cape Girardeau go to Jackson to attend a session of the county Republican committee.

-- Sharon K. Sanders