Out of the past 9/1/01

10 years ago: Sept. 1, 1991

First Christian Church of Cape Girardeau will be starting new program this fall, Logos Youth Club; club will be midweek program for children in kindergarten through high school, and will focus on theology and practice of Christian relationships.

James Strauss is speaker at Mt. Auburn Christian Church; Strauss is professor of theology and philosophy at Lincoln Christian Seminary in Lincoln, Ill.; he speaks during morning worship service, and at afternoon dedication service for new church education wing.

25 years ago: Sept. 1, 1976

Beer party involving group of Southeast Missouri State University students ended tragically last night, when 19-year-old university sophomore was critically injured when struck by Frisco freight train just north of Cape Rock; Overland youth is in critical condition at St. Francis Hospital with skull fracture, two broken legs and internal injuries.

Mississippi River is beginning to get mean; and its meanness could hamper flow of commercial river traffic unless heavy rains are received soon in northern portions of states; river stage in Cape Girardeau is 7.11 feet, after dropping from 7.84 yesterday; barges are beginning to curtail their loads; towboat that normally powers 25 barges filled to capacity now pushes only 20 that are filled with lighter loads.

50 years ago: Sept. 1, 1951

Assistance of State Highway Patrol in getting state to install blinker warning lights along stretch of Highway 61 through Cape Girardeau so as to warn motorists of 35-mile-per-hour curb on speed is asked by Chief of Police William A. Mills; in letter to Col. D.E. Harrison, Patrol superintendent, Mills calls attention to inadequate warning signs now in place and advises him that many drivers, when stopped, have complained they didn't see signs.

After suspension of one day, service on St. Louis-Cape Bus Line resumes after settlement of walkout of drivers and shop workers as result of wage increase dispute.

75 years ago: Sept. 1, 1926

Kelso - John Blattel, 81, retired farmer of Kelso, died at his home in Kelso last night after extended illness; Blattel was born in Germany, coming to this country at age of 19; he enlisted in Union army soon after start of Civil War and served throughout period of warfare; he was married twice, and his second wife survives him, along with two children from first marriage and eight from second.

Recently organized Cape Girardeau County Historical Society is attempting to secure old copies of newspapers once published in this county but are now extinct; it is explained that society has no money with which to pay for papers, but that if they are presented as gifts, old newspapers will be preserved.

- Sharon K. Sanders