Out of the past 9/30/06

25 years ago: Sept. 30, 1981

Missouri Utilities Co. natural gas customers will pay 28 percent more for gas this winter than they did last and will pay as much as 37 percent if the company gets the full rate increase it has requested of the Missouri Public Service Commission; company officials blame the higher rates on phased-in deregulation of natural gas prices and increased operating costs brought by double-digit inflation.

Cape Girardeau police chief Henry H. Gerecke holds his final morning briefing session with his senior officers before starting his retirement tomorrow.

50 years ago: Sept. 30, 1956

Dr. W.D. McGraw, district superintendent of the Oregon Pacific District of the Church of the Nazarene, is guest speaker at the morning worship service at the Cape Girardeau Nazarene Church; McGraw is a special worker in three area Sunday school conventions being conducted in the Missouri district.

Trinity Lutheran Sunday School's annual Rally Day worship service is held in the morning; the children march from the school to the church in a body, led by the second graders, who wear robes and occupy seats at the front of the church.

75 years ago: Sept. 30, 1931

A concert given by the St. Louis Symphony Artists in assembly at Teachers College delights an audience of more than 1,000 people -- student body, faculty members and visitors.

Representatives of the American-LaFrance Corp., manufacturer of fire-fighting equipment, meets with members of the Cape Girardeau City Council to discuss the purchase of a new fire truck; city officials plan to interview representatives of a number of fire equipment manufacturers before purchasing the new truck.

100 years ago: Sept. 30, 1906

The Rev. Theo. Ludwig, pastor of the German Methodist Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau, preaches on "The Mystery of the Victory of the Church of Christ" during the morning worship service; Ludwig was absent last week, while attending an out-of-town conference; he also visited for some time at Moweaqua and Walker, Ill., with his parents and son.

A.J. Landl has removed from South Ellis Street to the Wilson property on lower Broadway.

-- Sharon K. Sanders