Out of the past 8/26/05

25 years ago: Aug. 26, 1980

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Eugene Coombs announces that sheriff's deputies will now begin actively enforcing the speed limits on county roads; in the past, rural county residents have often complained about the lack of traffic enforcement on county roads.

U.S. Rep. Bill D. Burlison has turned down an invitation to debate challenger Bill Emerson in Cape Girardeau in October because he believes the debate would benefit Emerson more than himself, says a member of the Cape County League of Women Voters.

50 years ago: Aug. 26, 1955

A seasonal shortage of cement, apparently brought on by the efforts of contractors to get concrete poured before the onset of winter, has caused a slowdown in some construction work in the Cape Girardeau and a halt to operations in other instances; practically all lumber yards and similar suppliers in Cape Girardeau have been out of cement or in short supply for the past week.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Phil M. Donnelley appoints Marshall Craig, a Sikeston, Mo., lawyer, to be judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit -- Scott, Mississippi and Cape Girardeau counties; he succeeds D.W. Gilmore of Benton, Mo., who resigned effective Sept. 1.

75 years ago: Aug. 26, 1930

Members of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps of Cape Girardeau are expected to return later today from Chillicothe, Mo., where yesterday they placed second in the annual contest for such organizations held in conjunction with the state Legion meeting; the Joplin, Mo., post took first-place honors.

Condemnation proceedings probably will be filed within the next few days to secure the right of way through two plots of land for the farm-to-market road between Dutchtown and Whitewater; Judge W.J. Kies of the county court says the committee to secure the right of way has been unable to come to an agreement with Maj. Giboney Houck and the Modern Woodmen of America lodge at Dutchtown.

100 years ago: Aug. 26, 1905

The premium lists for the Cape Girardeau Fair are given out for distribution in the morning; the lists were printed by Cross Publishing Co. and well represent the coming fair, which will be the best ever held.

Grading on North Frederick Street, from Independence Street to Broadway, in preparation for the new street railway began last night.

-- Sharon K. Sanders