Out of the past 7/30/11

25 years ago: July 30, 1986

Voter approval of a proposed half-cent transportation sales tax in next Tuesday's election would spark a virtual marathon of road and bridge construction here over the next five years, say city officials; the proposed tax would bring in about $2 million a year in additional revenue that could be used solely for transportation purposes.

Since the South Carolina Haylift was announced a week ago, more than 2,500 bales of local hay have been shipped to livestock owners in the drought-stricken Greenville, S.C. area.

50 years ago: July 30, 1961

The Fifth Sunday Singing Convention is held at First Assembly of God Church; featured singers are the Talbert Sisters of Sikeston, Mo., the Gospel Music Makers of Dexter, Mo., the Mills Sisters Trio of Marquand, Mo., and local groups.

J.W. Hall is the new minister of Faith Baptist Temple; Hall, who will be ordained soon, is originally from Lilbourn, Mo.; he graduated in May from Baptist Bible College at Springfield, Mo.

75 years ago: July 30, 1936

Girardeans almost shiver as the temperature, reacting in sharp contrast to what has been experienced for a month, dropped 30 degrees overnight to the lowest mark in eight weeks; the mercury fell more than 2 degrees an hour, from 95 at 3 p.m. Wednesday to 65 degrees at 5 a.m. today on the crest of a brisk wind from the northeast.

City officials are busy listening to retail merchants and others protest the proposed new license ordinance which would levy an assessment of a half-cent tax on gross sales in lieu of the present sliding scale tax; one city official says he has heard nothing else this week.

100 years ago: July 30, 1911

Word is received at Jackson of the death of Bern Ferguson Jr., 44, in the Philippine Islands; Ferguson was a Cape Girardeau County boy, having been born and raised in Jackson; he served in the Spanish war in the Sixth Regiment; he later reenlisted in the 39th, and after that served with the Marines; he later had charge of a prison in Manila and, at the time of his death, was governor of a province.

Priscilla Richardson Hardesty, recently arrived from the East, has opened a studio at her residence, 242 N. Ellis St., and will give instruction in piano and harmony.

-- Sharon K. Sanders