Out of the past 3/8/09

25 years ago: March 8, 1984

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Nearly all 240 employees of the Thorngate Ltd. plant here walk off their jobs in a wildcat strike to protest pay cuts of 50 percent and more as well as other grievances, according to picketing workers.

The sale of Lenco Inc., a Jackson manufacturing firm specializing in custom plastics, welding equipment and broadcast electronics, is pending and could be closed in about 10 days, says Lenco president Andrew Perrin.

50 years ago: March 8, 1959

A roundup comes to an end about noon on the Mississippi River, as towboats complete corralling 15 barges, each loaded with 1,440 tons of coal; the barges broke the heavy steel cables that tied them to the shore yesterday morning; four went aground below the Marquette Cement Co. docks after demolishing 17 clusters of pilings and destroying the company's loading facilities.

Operation Raccoon comes to halt late in the day, but it will probably be resumed next winter as a project to reduce the raccoon population in the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge; 150 hunters catch 112 of the animals for a total of 193 for the two Sundays the hunt is held.

75 years ago: March 8, 1934

The last train to be operated on the north end of the Gulf Line of the Frisco will run next Wednesday; the morning of March 15, no train will move down the Cape Girardeau-Brooks Junction route; because the route is being abandoned, Commerce and Benton will be left without railroad service.

Plans for the establishment of an enclosed baseball park on U.S. 61 are announced by William Sullivan, manager of the Capahas; the park will be at the southwest intersection of U.S. 61 and Independence Street.

100 years ago: March 8, 1909

The Hotel Idan-ha, on the corner of Broadway and Fountain Street, is thrown open to the public, serving supper in the evening for its first meal; the new hotel is nicely furnished throughout.

Great numbers of Woodmen of the World come to Cape Girardeau on the noon trains and the steamer Grey Eagle for their state convention.

-- Sharon K. Sanders