Out of the past 6/24/05

25 years ago: June 24, 1980

A group of urban planning consultants, headed by Dr. A. David Greenberg of Des Plaines, Ill., is meeting with Cape Girardeau city officials and civic leaders to investigate the potential for urban redevelopment here; the consultants begin touring several Cape Girardeau business districts in the morning.

Reassessment in Cape Girardeau County could end up costing around $1 million, says county Assessor Jerry L. Reynolds; Reynolds originally had estimated reassessment work in the county would cost $869,590.

50 years ago: June 24, 1955

Increased production at the Cape Girardeau plant of the International Shoe Co. is indicated in a company statement that it is discontinuing all shoe manufacturing at its three factories in New England, and that it expects a 15 percent increase in sales in the fall of men's and boys' shoes; the company is in the process of opening another manufacturing unit at the local plant on North Main Street.

A library program to serve the rural areas of Cape Girardeau County and the possibilities of joining in a regional library were considered by the Cape Girardeau County Library Board at its first meeting in Jackson yesterday.

75 years ago: June 24, 1930

In an effort to keep cool, Cape Girardeans have consumed more than twice as much ice and ice cream during the present heat wave as during normal summer weather; the local ice cream plants report more than 900 gallons of the sweet stuff are being sold per day.

Petitions are being circulated, and residents are being asked whether they want the street cars continued or eliminated; no particulars are given, and it is said city officials merely wish to ascertain the sentiment of the people.

100 years ago: June 24, 1905

Cape Girardeau is preparing to entertain its residents and all the visitors who come in a proper manner on the Fourth of July; a grand barbecue and picnic will be given at the fairgrounds, and all kinds of amusements will be furnished, including horse races, concerts and a grand display of fireworks.

A badly misinformed weekly newspaper down in the swamps has published an account of an immense land deal near Rockview, Mo.; it states the Frisco Railroad has paid the Chaffee Real Estate Co. of St. Louis, Mo., $140,000 for "the Witt-Heeb-Owens-Hunt lands," where the road will build a town.

-- Sharon K. Sanders