Out of the past 4/7/06

25 years ago: April 7, 1981

Cape Girardeau police chief Henry H. Gerecke confirms he has requested to retire effective June 30; city manager Gary Eide has accepted the request.

Voters approve two "firsts" in Cape Girardeau's municipal elections; Loretta Schneider becomes the first woman to be elected to the city council, and voters take their first step toward adopting a city charter by electing a 13-member charter commission to write it.

50 years ago: April 7, 1956

Mayor Narvol A. Randol announces he has accepted a position with Farmers & Merchants Bank and will resign from his municipal office on May 1 to take the post of assistant vice president; Randol is completing almost two years in office and on Tuesday was elected to a four-year term on the city council.

Frost is in the air and in the forecast for tonight, but fruit growers in the district say ruin isn't likely for the promising fruit crop; temperature readings of 34 degrees predicted overnight.

75 years ago: April 7, 1931

The Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday didn't adopt the proposed one-cent retail gasoline tax, but tabled the matter after arguments against it were heard; it isn't likely the question will be brought up again, city officials say, unless there is some special call from individuals or organizations giving support to the proposed tax.

Two Jackson men -- Bernard Aufdenberg, the driver, and Frank Williams, a merchant -- had a narrow escape from death Monday when their motor truck was struck and demolished by a northbound Missouri Pacific Railroad freight train at a grade crossing near Stroderville, Mo.; the men escaped without a scratch.

100 years ago: April 7, 1906

Cape Girardeau is the fastest growing city in the state; this fact has been proven by the census takers, who have just finished the work of taking a proper city enumeration; as of April 1, the city of Cape Girardeau numbered 10,266; in 1890, the figure was 4,297; in 1900 it was 4,815, and in 1905 it was 8,573.

The Caldwell Bros. announce their withdrawal from business in Cape Girardeau; the three young men came from Tiptonville, Tenn., three years ago and operated a successful dry goods and clothing store here; however, Hyman Caldwell, the active head of the store, has taken a job in Bronx, N.Y., and his brothers have decided to concentrate their efforts on their Tiptonville store.

-- Sharon K. Sanders