Out of the past: Feb. 3

1998

When voters approved Cape Girardeau's half-cent transportation sales tax in 1995, Perryville Road was at the top of the list for improvement; yesterday, city officials gathered to mark the official start of that project; the $1.7 million project, which covers a one-mile stretch from Meyer Drive to the city limits, calls for widening Perryville Road to 36 feet, adding sidewalks, improving sight distance at intersections, providing safer turning on and off the road from residential streets and improving drainage.

Dutchtown, the small community often besieged by big floods, took a step toward solving those problems Monday when it became incorporated as an official town; Dutchtown residents are interested in a levee to protect the town and traffic along highways 25 and 74; but the Corps of Engineer's involvement in such a project requires a governmental entity to take the lead, as well as $8,000 up front to begin the project.

1973

Rep. Marvin E. Proffer, D-Jackson, has introduced a bill into the Missouri House which would give the state the first opportunity to acquire abandoned railroad land; the bill says if the railroad companies desire to sell their railroad rights of way when they are abandoning certain lines, the state will be notified, giving it the opportunity to purchase the right of way for a trail.

The Cape Girardeau County Court has received notification that Ronald L. Gray has been promoted to juvenile office administrator and that Richard L. McGill has been named chief deputy juvenile officer; the promotions were made by Circuit Judge Stanley Grimm.

1948

The Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday had only minor business transactions before it, approving the transfer of a house over the city streets, a street lights petition, installation of two fire hydrants and other miscellaneous matters; G.M. Tines asked permission to move a small cottage from the rear of the 600 block on Morgan Oak Street to a location at his coal and wood yard on Frederick Street; the council refused to allow its installation there, but gave permission to make the move to South Fountain Street.

Fire, apparently starting from an overheated stove pipe, burns a 6-by-8-foot area of the wall and ceiling of the Shady Grove barbecue stand on South Sprigg Street shortly after noon; the blaze also chars the woodwork in a storeroom which adjoins the dancing room where the fire originates; the establishment is operated by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Miller, but was closed at the time of the fire; the fire is discovered by a passing taxicab driver.

1923

Two men were seriously injured late yesterday afternoon when piling, being unloaded from a flat car at the Cape LaCroix Creek trestle to be used in replacing the washed-out structure, rolled off the car, burying the men beneath the timbers; injured were William Elsbrook of Chaffee, Missouri, and Roy A. Cleveland of Rombauer, Missouri, both employees of the Frisco working with the pile driver brought here to assist in replacing the trestle; their conditions are improved at Saint Francis Hospital.

Charles Bess will represent the Teachers College in the Inter-Teachers College Oratorical Contest to be held here March 23; he won the inter-student contest at the college last night, besting a large field of contestants; his subject was "Russia's Challenge to America."

-- Sharon K. Sanders