Out of the past 8/1/10

25 years ago: Aug. 1, 1985

The 900-acre Black Forest, a development containing a pair of full-scale 1870 vintage German settlements built by the late construction contractor Burton J. Gerhardt for his private use, has been purchased by Jerry Ford of Cape Girardeau.

Longtime Cape Girardeau fire chief Charles Mills retires after more than 36 years with the department; as a result, city manager Gary A. Eide says the organization of the department is being re-evaluated.

50 years ago: Aug. 1, 1960

Lory Stahly, unable to participate because of a broken leg that has him abed at Southeast Missouri Hospital, was elected commander of the Missouri Department, American Legion, yesterday at the annual department convention in Joplin; Stahly is the second member of the Louis K. Juden Post No. 63 to lead the state organization; the late J. Grant Frye was the other.

A fairly light vote is expected in tomorrow's primary election; voters will pick nominees for state and county offices in each political party.

75 years ago: Aug. 1, 1935

The Cape Girardeau City Council has voted to employ W.W. Horner and A. Shifrin, consulting engineers of St. Louis, to make preliminary plans for the proposed new West End sanitary sewer; cost of the plans will be about $1,300.

A slab of concrete more than a foot wide and extending across the pavement on U.S. 61 at the Bodenstein place, just west of Jackson, was blown out by an explosion caused by the heat yesterday afternoon; the detonation was heard at some distance and rattled the windows in nearby buildings.

100 years ago: Aug. 1, 1910

ST. LOUIS -- Edward F. Regenhardt of Cape Girardeau is sworn in as U.S. marshal for the Eastern District in the morning; he will leave for home this evening, in order to be there for the primary election on Tuesday.

A.M. Taggert, a tailor who ran a shop here for a short time several years ago, and who has since been living at Shreveport, La., arrived in Cape Girardeau Friday; he will open a shop here again.

Featured in "Men of Affairs" is J.F. Lawler.

-- Sharon K. Sanders