Out of the past: Nov. 11

1999

Veterans Day; from a program at Cape Girardeau Central High School to a ceremony at Capaha Park to an Avenue of Flags at Cape Girardeau County Park to a parade in Jackson, veterans are praised and thanked for serving their country and helping preserve freedom.

Despite concerns from neighboring property owners, members of the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission couldn’t find any reason to deny a rezoning request from St. Andrew Lutheran Church; the commission yesterday unanimously approved the church’s request for rezoning as a commercial property; St. Andrew sought the change so it can become the temporary location for Saxony Lutheran High School when it opens in fall 2000.

1974

Little effect would be felt in Southeast Missouri by large users of coal supplies for at least 30 to 90 days, if coal workers go on strike nationwide because of coal stockpiling the past few weeks an months; even if President Ford’s strike contingency plans which call for diverting coal supplies from some electric utilities to other industries were put into effect, local power suppliers would be in a position to to continue normal power distribution for at least 90 days.

Lt. Cmdr. James W. Dowdy, commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Center in Cape Girardeau, recites the increasing presence of the Soviet Navy and its buildup as equal to and in some cases superior to the U.S. Navy in a Veterans Day address in the morning; the traditional Veterans Day observance, sponsored by the Joint Veterans Council, is preceded by a parade of numerous units west on Broadway from Lorimier School under the marshalship of Charles T. Nelson, retired Army master sergeant, and Glenn W. Lampley, retired lieutenant colonel.

1949

Armistice Day; city and county offices at Common Pleas Courthouse, along with Cape Girardeau banks and the post office, are closed in observance of the holiday; however, business houses, in both Cape Girardeau and Jackson, remain open during regular hours.

The Marjodon, a confectionery and delicatessen at 1923 Broadway, will have its formal opening this weekend, announces the owner, Joseph Rigdon Jr.; the building is housed in a new, one-story, buff-colored brick structure, with facilities for drive-in service; the name of the establishment is a contraction of Rigdon’s three children: Martha Christine, Joseph III and Donna.

1924

Armistice Day; the holiday isn’t generally observed in Cape Girardeau; while the banks of the city close in recognition of the day, they are nearly alone in observing the holiday, as the post office, city hall and business houses remain open.

Mrs. A.T. Davis, resident of North Cape Girardeau and wife of a traveling salesman, wins the lot given away by the M.E. Leming Co. at the drawing in the new Sunset Terrace suburb, as a conclusion to the successful lot sale; approximately 2,500 persons gather in the new addition to witness the drawing for 29 other gifts.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a weekend column called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper.