Out of the past 6/5/06

25 years ago: June 5, 1981

"Human error" is being blamed for the escape of three prisoners from the Cape Girardeau County jail last night -- the first escape from the two-year-old facility; two escapees, captured Saturday in Cape Girardeau after their May 22 escape from a Georgia prison, escaped the Jackson jail with the help of a fellow prisoner who overpowered a guard.

Gov. Christopher S. Bond appoints lawyer William D. Kimme of Washington, Mo., and the Rev. Samuel W. Hylton Jr. of St. Louis to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents; Hylton is the first black man ever appointed to the board.

50 years ago: June 5, 1956

Farmers have started harvesting barley in Cape Girardeau County; the yield is exceptionally high, and the quality of the grain is good; most barley yields will be combined, and the grain stored for future sale.

Preliminary work on the A&P Store expansion project was begun Monday by the contractor, Charles A. Hood; the early work consisted of removing a large rock foundation immediately behind the present structure; with the rock out of the way, excavation will be started to prepare for the extension of the rear wall of the store back toward Lorimier Street.

75 years ago: June 5, 1931

Approximately 150 traveling men of Missouri register as the second day of the 40th annual convention of the Grand Council of Missouri, United Commercial Travelers of America, gets underway; despite the warm weather, traveling men, their wives and friends are here from over the state.

Representatives from 14 Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky towns meet at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce building to perfect an organization that will ask for the designation of an east-west route through Cape Girardeau as a federal road.

100 years ago: June 5, 1906

The county court met yesterday at Jackson, but nothing of importance was done; it was reported the contractor for the new county courthouse has started work, and by next Christmas the building will be ready for occupancy.

KENNETT, Mo. -- Jim Washington, an older black man who was born and reared on a plantation near Hallettsville, Mo., has invented and obtained a patent on an improved cotton baling press; those who have examined it say the machine will revolutionize the present method of handling cotton.

-- Sharon K. Sanders