Out of the past: June 14

1995

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill -- A county road from near East Cape Girardeau to north of Gale, Illinois, is open for traffic, but does have water over sections of it; the secondary road, which was being used to avoid construction delays on Illinois 3, was closed only one day; it was reopened Saturday morning, after motorists lodged a number of complaints with Alexander County authorities.

COMMERCE, Mo. -- Given the history of recent flooding in Commerce, Mayor Roy Jones says a federal buyout is the most sensible path to recovery; Jones points to a petition signed by nearly 80% of the residents during the 1993 flood and complaints from residents who have grown weary of the 1995 flood to support his position; in 1993, the city's trustees voted 3-2 against a buyout, but Jones thinks the current board would vote to support the move.

1970

The Rev. Ronald Feuerhahn, pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Cambridge, England, is the guest speaker at annual mission services at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson; Feuerhahn was born in Cape Girardeau; he was ordained into the ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau in June 1963.

The Rev. Darrell Rupiper is resident chaplain at the Newman Center for the summer session at State College; he was chaplain at the University of Illinois in Champaign last year, and previously served in Brazil four and one-half years.

1945

As the Mississippi River roars toward its predicted highest stage of the year, attention is centered on levees protecting the rich McClure basin in Illinois, where water-soaked dikes from the Big Muddy River to Gale are threatened by the mounting Mississippi; residents, flooded in 1943, are again battling against both the rising river and surface and seepage water covering hundreds of acres, water that can't drain out because of the Mississippi's high stage.

The Mississippi River has been over flood stage, 32 feet, at Cape Girardeau for 58 days since Jan. 1 and has been under 24 feet only one time in the past four months, Southeast Missourian records show; there have been five separate rises of the river in four months.

1920

At last many "doubting Thomases" are almost convinced that Cape Girardeau will have a new railroad passenger depot in the near future; construction has begun on the building on South Main Street; the foundation has almost been completed and is being filled in with dirt; the walls of the baggage room will be finished in a few days; plumbing pipes are being laid and work in general has started.

An unnamed Cape Girardeau hotel has received a letter from F.C. Rudiger, personal manager for Ernestine Schumann-Heink, engaging quarters for Wednesday; the singer's party will occupy four rooms and will arrive here at noon Wednesday; that evening the renowned contralto will perform at a concert at the Teachers College.

-- Sharon K. Sanders