Out of the past: April 14

1998

The nylon bubble that covers the Central High School pool was taken down yesterday after gusty winds caused a 6- to 8-foot-long tear in the fabric just before noon; the 30 people in the swimming pool were escorted outside, and recreation coordinator Doug Gannon called 911 as a precaution; the pool is closed until further notice.

Gene H. Patterson has purchased controlling interest in River Eagle Distributing Co., a Cape Girardeau corporation that distributes Anheuser Busch products; Patterson, who was one of three partners that founded the business in 1990, was an equal partner with James A. Rust before purchasing Rust's interest recently; Patterson is the company's president and chief executive officer and had served as general manager for the former Thilenius Distributing Co.; R. Clifford Smith, the third partner, is secretary-treasurer.

1973

Officials of the Security Barge Lines in Greenville, Mississippi, say they are trying to determine how two barges of a tow ended up on the railroad tracks in the Neelys Landing area this morning; the tow Issaquena was traveling upstream on the Mississippi River with about 22 empty barges when it apparently strayed off course and headed into the willows of the floodwaters outside the riverbanks; two of the barges are atop the railroad tracks that run along the river's edge.

As he recalls the nearly 5 1/2 years of his life spent as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, Lt. Cmdr. Earl G. Lewis Jr., a Navy pilot, says he plans to remain in the military, although "I might be a little more selective in my duty assignments"; such flashes of humor are sprinkled throughout a press conference at the Naval Reserve Center here as he tells of his capture, the torture and propaganda to which prisoners were subjected.

1948

A spirited battle for the Democratic nomination for Congress from the 10th District looms with four candidates in the race for the seat made vacant by the recent death of Cong. Orville Zimmerman of Kennett, Missouri; in the race for the nomination are two veteran politicians, State Sen. L.D. Joslyn of Charleston, Missouri, and Col. Paul C. Jones of Kennett; the two newcomers are H.W. Kobert of Doniphan, Missouri, and Joseph H. Allen of New Madrid, Missouri.

Following a 60-mile-an-hour chase through Cape Girardeau, an automobile stolen at Chaffee, Missouri, last night is recovered by city police at 4:30 a.m., when the wheels of the machine become wedged in the railroad tracks on Water Street; the driver of the 1937 Buick escapes.

1923

BENTON, Mo. -- A franchise has been issued by the two trustees of Benton to the Light & Development Co. to string its wires along the streets in order to provide electrical service to the community and also entered into a contract for 14 street lights; in the past few years, the town has had four street lights, which were powered by an electric plant in the courthouse.

Lawana Rose Fisher, attractive little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.G. Fisher of South Sprigg Street, leaves for Boston, where she will enter a dancing school; she is accompanied by Mr. Fisher's aunt who resides in Boston.

-- Sharon K. Sanders