Out of the past 3/16/09

25 years ago: March 16, 1984

The Women's Center and Safe House in Cape Girardeau, seeking funding relief, will ask to have a measure put on the August ballot to increase marriage license and divorce decree fees; the Cape Girardeau County Court yesterday voted that, if the center can present a petition signed by 10 percent of the number of voters for governor in the 1980 election, it would place the proposal on the ballot.

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson has scheduled a series of news conferences Monday throughout the 8th Congressional District to announce what is certain to be his candidacy for a third term in Congress.

50 years ago: March 16, 1959

Championship honors in the statewide small-bore rifle matches at Jefferson City yesterday were won by a team from the 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard; members are in Headquarters and Headquarters Company, based in Cape Girardeau; high point scorer in the match was Capt. A.G. Crow; he is the commander of the local team.

"The Tomahawk," Jackson's Teen Town, was formally opened Saturday night with 150 boys and girls attending.

75 years ago: March 16, 1934

Work on the new baseball park is to begin next week, says manager Billy Sullivan of the Capahas; Roy Mahy, the owner of the park site on U.S. 61, will have charge of the construction of the grandstand, but Sullivan will have to get to work on the grounds to have it ready for the coming season.

Brick is being laid for the walls of a gasoline filling station on Broadway just east of Broadway School.

100 years ago: March 16, 1909

At a meeting of the board of directors of the Cape Girardeau Water and Light Co. yesterday, a contract was made with the Light and Development Co. of St. Louis to take over the management of the plants here.

Three steamboats land at the Cape Gir­ardeau wharf and a fourth one passes down the river at the same time, making old-timers think of the good old days; the Saltillo, northbound, and the Grey Eagle, going south, meet here, and the ferry Warsaw is at the landing nearby; at the same time the towboat Chisco goes south with rock for the government service.

— Sharon K. Sanders