Out of the past 8/21/09

25 years ago: Aug. 21, 1984

The streets surrounding the courthouse in Jackson took on a carnival atmosphere last night as thousands of area residents turned out for the start of the annual Homecomers celebration.

An apparent escape attempt at the Cape Girardeau County Jail is stopped after a club is discovered in the cell of two inmates; the club, about a foot long, had been made from part of a chair in the jail's law conference room.

50 years ago: Aug. 21, 1959

A complete sewage disposal system to serve Cape Girardeau as directed by the Missouri Division of Health will cost $1,798,000; a federal grant of $250,000 will reduce the local obligation to $1,548,000.

A.W. Zimmer Jr. of Cape Girardeau, long a lay servant of his church, is designated a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope John XXIII.

75 years ago: Aug. 21, 1934

Both Cape Girardeau banks -- First National and Farmers & Merchants -- will cooperate in the modernization credit plan as sponsored by the federal government and will make loans for repairs on property; the government will insure up to 20 percent of the loans made by the institutions.

The Cape Girardeau County Republican committee authorizes Rush H. Limbaugh, chairman, to appoint a 10-man committee to recommend a list of candidates to fill vacancies on the county ticket.

100 years ago: Aug. 21, 1909

Rep. Charles A. Crow is on his way home to Caruthersville, Mo., after a trip of exploration in the wilds of Scott and Mississippi counties; recently, a break in the levee caused by the Mississippi River flood permitted thousands of acres of fine corn to be inundated and ruined.

A black roustabout, George Williams, saves little Willie B. Stevenson of North Spanish Street from a watery grave; Williams dives into the river to rescue the child, when he falls from a skiff.

-- Sharon K. Sanders