Out of the past 5/19/02

10 years ago: May 19, 1992

Cairo, Ill. - Cairo has new police chief; Harold Nelson, 60, retired Illinois State Policeman who was named assistant chief in February, has been elevated to chief's position; he becomes first black police chief in Cairo's history; move follows last week's announcement by Burl Pickett that he was resigning as chief to return to his previous duties as Cairo's representative on Southern Illinois Drug Task Force.

Bids have been let for construction of four-story, 105,000-square-foot clinical services building at Southeast Missouri Hospital; contracts totaling more than $13.3 million have been let to three firms;.

25 years ago: May 19, 1977

Over misgivings of Mayor Howard C. Tooke on whether Westborough Mall will be built as developers promise, city council yesterday approved new plans which call for March 1978 completion of one building in proposed regional shopping center; despite verbal assurances by developer George C. Staples of Charleston that he intended to do what is in plans, mayor voted against changes in ordinance needed before building permit would be given.

Design engineer forgot to include intake line for city's new $6.5 million secondary sewage treatment plant, the oversight nearly costing some engineers their jobs; oversight has also embarrassed whole array of experts who approved plans and specifications for plant that is scheduled to begin operation in June.

50 years ago: May 19, 1952

Total of 262 degrees are awarded by State College in commencement ceremony in college auditorium, where the Rev. Paul C. Reinert, S.J., president of St. Louis University, speaks; candidates for degrees are presented by Dean Forrest H. Rose and degrees are conferred by President W.W. Parker.

Greatly-needed rain covered Southeast Missouri area over weekend, relieving parched pastures and making germination possible for seeds that have lain dormant through month-long dry spell; rain, which is indicative of amount in district, was 1.75 inches in Cape Girardeau; it is first rain of any consequence since April 14.

75 years ago: May 19, 1927

Establishment of plant of Missouri Amesite Co. in Cape Girardeau is formally announced, as construction work starts on building which will house equipment and machinery; plant, which with its equipment will cost $70,000, will be located on site of Hely Stone Co. on South Kingshighway, east of present Hely plant; company will engage exclusively in manufacture of amesite, a street and road surfacing material.

May, striving its best to equal April's unprecedented rains, added to its laurels again last night when rain of nearly one-half inch brought total for 18 days of month to nearly six inches; April broke all records for that month in 35 years that records have been kept by producing 10.53 inches of rain.

- Sharon K. Sanders