Out of the past: Nov. 6

1999

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has approved the formation of a local corporation to speed up improvements to the busy Interstate 55-U.S. 61 intersection; but MoDOT officials say the agency won’t move ahead with improving Center Junction unless right-of-way problems with Cape Girardeau developer Jim Drury can be worked out and Drury proceeds to develop the property around the intersection.

Residents of Oak Ridge said it over and over Friday: The people make it special; much of the town turned out for a parade and school assembly yesterday to celebrate the Oak Ridge School District's 125th anniversary; the events were the beginning of a weekend of festivities, which conclude tonight with the annual alumni banquet.

1974

Expansion of The Missourian and its operation over the past year in conversion to a new process of printing makes it necessary to cancel this year’s Missourian Art Exhibition, an annual event held in The Missourian offices for the past 27 years; space formerly used for the art show is now put to other uses, leaving no room for the display of the exhibits; Harry Naeter, publisher, says the art show will resume next year.

Six of the eight contested Cape Girardeau County offices that were up for grabs in yesterday’s general election were secured by Democrats, three of whom managed upset victories in unseating incumbent Republicans; the upsets were in the circuit clerk’s office — Charles P. Hutson over Leonard F. Sander; recorder of deeds — Pauline Young over Leonard J. Schumacher; and presiding judge of the County Court — Ervin Hobbs over Clarence W. Suedekum.

1949

Hundreds of worshipers from Cape Girardeau and nearby communities assemble in the evening at First Baptist Church to commemorate the 432nd anniversary of the Protestant Reformation; the annual Reformation Day service is sponsored by the Ministerial Alliance; the sermon is preached by Dr. Charles C. Morrison of Chicago, recently retired editor of the Christian Century and still its contributing editor.

August F. Vogelsang, 72, a retired Cape Girardeau building contractor and lifelong resident of this city, dies at a local hospital; Vogelsang and his brother, the late Henry Vogelsang, were in the contracting business and erected Central High School, Washington School, Broadway School and the Elks Building; they were also contractors for the Little River Drainage District and built roads in Arkansas; August Vogelsang is survived by his wife, the former Carolina Brinkman; daughter, Mrs. Louis W. Muegge; sister, Bertha Desselmann, and granddaughter, Suzanne Muegge.

1924

Secret Service operatives of the federal government have been sent to Scott and Mississippi counties by the district attorney’s office in St. Louis to investigate alleged intimidation of Black voters at polls in those counties during Tuesday’s election; eight Blacks were locked in the county jail at Charleston during Election Day, because they “attempted to vote illegally”, according to Mississippi County authorities; when a Secret Service agent appeared to question the action of the officers, he was allegedly threatened.

Between $1,500 and $2,500 in currency, checks and county warrants were stolen last night from the Bollinger County collector’s office at Marble Hill; bandits entered the office through a window, took the money from a cash drawer and escaped without arousing residents; the burglary is discovered this morning, when Collector Wesley L. Lutes opens the office for the day.

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.