Out of the past 8/31/06

25 years ago: Aug. 31, 1981

The Cape Girardeau County Court sets the county tax rates following a public hearing; as was expected, the general revenue is reduced from 21 cents to 11 cents per $100 assessed valuation; county taxpayers, however, won't see any reduction in their total tax rates this year because the 10-cent cut is offset by the addition of a 10-cent mental health tax which voters approved last year.

Southeast Missouri Bank has moved into its new building at 111 S. Broadview St., just seven months after the establishment of Cape Girardeau's newest financial institution.

50 years ago: Aug. 31, 1956

The ever-increasing pressure of incoming college students is expected to give State College the largest enrollment in its 83-year history next week, boosting the figure of last fall by almost 11 percent on a wave of an estimated 1,900 collegians.

Eugenia D. Schwepker, who died Aug. 25 after an illness of several years, left bequests totaling $18,700 to three Roman Catholic churches and to other religious orders, her will, filed in Common Pleas Court, discloses; gifts of $3,500 will go to St. Mary's and St. Vincent's churches in Cape Girardeau and St. Mary's Church of Anna, Ill.

75 years ago: Aug. 31, 1931

An ordinance paving the way for the operation of passenger-carrying motor buses within Cape Girardeau's city limits is given its first reading by the city council; a second reading of the measure is ordered for Sept. 9.

The appointment of Albert D. Sheppard, Doniphan, Mo., newspaper owner, as a captain of the new Missouri Highway Patrol is expected to eliminate other applicants from this district, among whom was Capt. Charles Schweer of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

100 years ago: Aug. 31, 1906

Cape Girardeau's centennial committee is advertising for wagons; 10, low-wheeled wagons are needed for floats for the historical parade; wagons for rent may be brought to Will Bergmann on Broadway at once.

The steamer Chester arrives at Cape Girardeau at 7 p.m.; it had such a big load of freight to unload at every point, that it was delayed several hours beyond that caused by the fog.

-- Sharon K. Sanders