Out of the Past: July 18

1999

The Cape Girardeau City Council on Monday is set to move a little closer toward completing road projects funded by a citywide transportation sales tax; the council will consider ordinances that would allow the city to acquire land for the widening of Hopper Road between Kage Road and Interstate 55 and the construction of a portion of Vantage Drive and extension of Hopper between Mount Auburn Road and Kage Road.

The McDowell Capahas steamroll to their third straight National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional Tournament championship, routing St. Louis O.B. Clark 25-2 in a seven-game, run-rule game; but the Caps’ dominating performance is only part of the story of what transpires at muggy Capaha Field; in a rowdy fourth inning, a Clark pitcher is ejected and another player, who isn’t even in the game, mouths off to police officers; he is led away from the dugout in handcuffs for a cool down.

1974

“Growing your own” has become increasingly popular way to cut grocery bills, but Cape Girardeau County authorities drew the line yesterday when 35 5-foot-tall marijuana plants were found growing between the rows of corn and tomatoes at the home of a Delta Route 1 couple; the wife, 23, was charged with illegal possession of more than 35 grams of marijuana, and a warrant awaits her husband, when he returns from a business trip to Chicago.

Cape Girardeau city police last night presented a proposal to the City Council for a pay raise of $300 per month across the board; other items included in the proposal were a $9,600 annual starting salary for patrolmen, semiannual cost-of-living increases, incentive pay after a probation period, overtime pay for all above 40 hours per week, additional fringe benefits, hiring of three Black officers and retention of Police Chief Irvin E. Beard for another year.

1949

Forty-four boxcars passed over R.E. Dover, 30, of Fornfelt, at Illmo yesterday afternoon, but a severe scalp laceration is his worst injury; Dover, a brakeman for the Cotton Belt, was attempting to hop the northbound freight train and ride it from the Fornfelt-Illmo yards into Illmo, about 200 yards; in some manner he lost his footing and fell between the tracks and was dragged several yards before his clothing became loosened from the metal rods under the car; the rods tore all the clothing from his body, and after the train was stopped, he was wearing only one stocking.

Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport’s newly constructed runways are tested and approved by Naval Air Station officers and personnel; they give them a good going over with fast fighter planes simulating carrier-type landings and takeoffs in preparation for the inauguration of the Naval Reserve flight training program here Sunday in connection with formal dedication of the field; the pilots use two Navy Voigt Corsairs and two Grumman Hellcat fighters to make the runway tests.

1924

Cape Girardeau County, with a total of 4,469, leads all counties in Southeast Missouri in the registration of automobiles, according to figures announced by the Secretary of State’s office in Jefferson City; the total registration in this county is 1,377 over the nearest rival Scott County, and nearly 2,000 over Dunklin and Pemiscot, the next highest.

Cape Girardeau city officials plan to ask the County Court to make much needed repairs on Common Pleas Courthouse, in which the municipal offices are located; a grand jury last January recommended that a heating system be installed in the historic building along with other repairs; old-time stoves are used throughout the winter months to heat the rooms of the courthouse, using an endless amount of coal and not providing enough heat for warmth; the courthouse hasn’t been gone over thoroughly since 1890, when an addition was built.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a blog called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper. Check out her blog at www.semissourian.com/history.