Out of the past 6/28/05

25 years ago: June 28, 1980

Of all the primary contests in Southeast Missouri this year, the race between state Sen. John C. Dennis and Lloyd "Jerry" Briggs is the most colorful, featuring all the flair of good old fashioned Bootheel Democratic politics; Briggs says he is conducting a "hard, door-knocking campaign and meeting a lot of people."

Martha Ann Maxwell, librarian at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, reports nearly 4,000 items were checked out during the first three days the new library was open; that compares with a total of only about 1,600 during those corresponding days last year.

50 years ago: June 28, 1955

On a tour of Missouri during which they are studying business, industry and government, 32 schoolteachers arrive in Cape Girardeau for a one-day stay before continuing their 1,100-mile, two-week trip.

G.R. Jones, general sales manager of the Oldsmobile Division, announces the appointment of Taylor Oldsmobile as an authorized Oldsmobile dealership in Cape Girardeau; the new firm will open for business this week at 1444 Independence St.; the firm is owned by Dean Taylor, who purchased the dealership from R.R. Deal, who operated the agency under the name Deal Sales Co.

75 years ago: June 28, 1930

After baring an extortion plot directed at three prominent Cape Girardeau men, Southeast Missouri sheriffs and a posse shoot it out with a gangster band in the Ozark hills of Madison County, preventing the bandits from carrying out their bold plans; six men are arrested in connection with the plot, and more may be implicated; threatening extortion letters, signed "The Organized Underworld of America," were received by Harry I. Himmelberger, Dr. O.L. Seabaugh and George H. Meyer.

W.E. Coffer, former Cape Girardeau city attorney, has moved his offices from 6 N. Main St. to the Cahoon building on Broadway.

100 years ago: June 28, 1905

One of the heaviest rains in many days falls early in the morning; a light rain fell most of the night, but it turns into a downpour at 6 a.m.; considerable damage is done to gardens, and the newly-graded streets suffer; Broadway drain pipes are again in a deplorable condition.

Charles Mortensen is in Jackson attending to the construction of the new Houck depot; the foundation is about complete, and next Monday the stone work will commence; the depot will be constructed of blue stone taken from the Jackson quarry.

-- Sharon K. Sanders