Out of the past: Nov. 16

1999

With a simple vote, the Cape Girardeau City Council last night approved a resolution accepting annexation requests for slightly more than 190 acres of land west of Interstate 55 and set a public hearing for Dec. 6; the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, Christian Faith Fellowship, Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Inc. and James L. Drury and Wanda L. Drury have asked the city to be annexed so they can receive sewer and water service; in all, the city would annex 190.58 acres of land along Route K west from the city limits to County Road 206.

Blanchard Elementary School students could be moving into their new school before classes are dismissed for Christmas; superintendent Dr. Dan Steska told the Cape Girardeau Board of Education last night that the target opening date for the school is Dec. 11; architect Tom Holshouser and the construction superintendent representing R.L. Persons Construction indicated during a meeting last week that Dec. 11 is "a reasonable date to move into the school," Steska said.

1974

The baton passes without either runner losing stride as Lt. Donald Roberts replaces Lt. William W. Stover as Cape Girardeau’s interim police chief; both men were appointed to serve six-week periods as police chief from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1 by City Manager W.G. Lawley; the new chief, Henry H. Gerecke, will assume his duties here Jan. 1.

A $9.2 million budget for Southeast Missouri State University for the 1975-76 fiscal year, compared with $8.4 million this year, has been recommended by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education; much of the budget increase will go for higher salaries for personnel; the board also recommended a capital improvements request of $1 million for SEMO; the figure includes $160,000 to air condition the old Campus School building.

1949

Cape Girardeau coal bins have already started to get that well-filled look with the arrival in the city of at least 41 carloads of fuel over the weekend and up to today over the two railroads, replenishing the supply of dealers, which had dropped very low; the end of the coal miners’ strike last week was a happy occasion for local fuel sources, which had been harried by calls from those who needed coal.

A flash fire ruins the second floor of a two-story frame dwelling on the Sunny Hill Farms, on Bloomfield Road, a mile west of Highway 61, in the morning and destroys all furnishings the four upstairs rooms contained; Louis C. Blattner, owner, estimates the damage at $3,000; the seven-room house was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ben Vineyard and family; Mrs. Vinyard is at home when the fire starts in the attic.

1924

Ministers and church workers throughout Cape Girardeau and Perry counties mourn the passing of the Rev. J.K.C. Krueger, 72, pastor of the Lutheran Church at Farrar; he passed away last week, ending 48 years of active service in the ministry.

Boy Scout Day is observed at Centenary Methodist Church; the entire services are given over to the Scouts, and special sermons are delivered by the pastor, the Rev. H.C. Hoy, at both the morning and evening services.

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.