Out of the past 12/17/07

25 years ago: Dec. 17, 1982

A truck filled with everything from blanks to Teddy bears is on its way from Waukesha Township, 25 miles west of Milwaukee, to Cape Girardeau; the 7,000 people of the township are sending aid to the Southeast Missouri victims of recent tornadoes and floods.

The Cape Girardeau County and Perry County courts will cooperate in taking part of the historic Old Appleton bridge out of Apple Creek, but the fate of the bridge after that point is uncertain; the old bridge was washed away by the flooded creek during heavy rains earlier this month.

50 years ago: Dec. 17, 1957

A contract for construction of the long-discussed Broadway storm sewer, to provide relief from surface flooding eastward from Pacific, has been awarded to the Cecil Lear Construction Co.; frequently during heavy rains, water rushing onto Broadway has flooded the street and basements of some buildings abutting on it.

Col. C.B. Schweizer, district engineer for the Corps of Engineers, says there has been no change made in the proposed location of the new sector of the floodwall along the Mississippi River from Independence to north of Broadway; there have been persistent reports that pressure from local interests has forced the relocation of the wall to nearer the river.

75 years ago: Dec. 17, 1932

Two inches of snow fell overnight at Cape Girardeau; temperatures moderated only slightly, with the mercury falling to 10 degrees; so far this season, Cape Girardeau has received 13 inches of snow.

Principal Louis Schultz of Central High School believes the soccer league at Central this year will prove interesting, since it is a new sport and very few people know anything about it; the game is for the boys who aren't participating in the basketball team.

100 years ago: Dec. 17, 1907

Charles Morton of Fruitland comes down on the Houck train in the morning; he is looking at some farms west of Cape Girardeau with a view to purchasing one.

Members of the Normal School military band are guests in the evening of Prof. Harry L. Albert at the home of H.P. Peironnet, north of Cape Girardeau; the band boys have a pleasant time.

--- Sharon K. Sanders