Out of the past 5/31/09

25 years ago: May 31, 1984

Gov. Kit S. Bond signs bills providing for area capital improvement projects at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport; included in the bills are $3,190,000 for the first phase of a multipurpose building here, $711,000 for a road to the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority and $341,646 for renovation of a railroad line between Jackson and Delta.

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents yesterday approved the discontinuance of the certification program in library science and the major in agricultural economics.

50 years ago: May 31, 1959

Fire, thought to have originated around a deep freeze, does more than $60,000 worth of damage to the Town and Country Store and the living quarters of the store's owners, Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Hargis, on Bend Road at Cape Rock Drive.

High temperatures yesterday sent hundreds of persons to the municipal swimming pool in Capaha Park on its opening day; more than 700 swimmers enjoyed the cool waters on Memorial Day.

75 years ago: May 31, 1934

Louis Weiss, hurler of the 75 Club in the Municipal League, will accompany Mrs. Elam Vangilder and daughter, Betty Lou, on Sunday to Dallas, where he will try out with the team's pitching staff; Elam Vangilder of Cape Girardeau, who is in his second season with the Texas club, recommended Weiss.

Henry Vogelsang, owner of the Cape Brewing Co., announces that the first beer manufactured in the local plant since the end of Prohibition will be placed on sale tomorrow; Ideal beer will be sold by the keg.

100 years ago: May 31, 1909

Inclement weather prevented the carrying out of the regular Decoration Day program yesterday in Cape Girardeau, although the Sons of Veterans did decorate veterans' graves in the city.

The Emerson show boat arrives early in the morning and gives a calliope concert; the Emerson may be one of the few show boats to dock here this summer because of the prohibitive fees; Mr. Emerson pays $50 for a city license, $14 for a county license and a wharf fee as well.

-- Sharon K. Sanders