Out of the past 1/19/03

10 years ago: Jan. 19, 1993

While Cape Girardeau police corporal's back is turned, prisoner he is guarding ducks out door of City Hall, avoiding jail for few hours; but 21-year-old DeSoto man is back in custody in afternoon, facing new charges of escape from custody; he had been sentenced earlier in day to serve 30 days in city jail on municipal traffic charges.

Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, speaking to dinner audience of about 300 at meeting of Cape Girardeau Executives Club, predicts that within generation, world will have to increase its food-producing capacity by two-thirds to feed 3.5 billion more people expected to be alive by 2020.

25 years ago: Jan. 19, 1978

Digging out continues as residents shovel aside 15-inch snowfall that fell Sunday, Monday and yesterday; at same time, concern mounts over possibility of more snow tonight and Thursday; highway and street conditions have improved as result of crews working through night; authorities, however, are recommending that only necessary travel be attempted.

Cracked and broken rafters and bulges of six inches or more on both north and south sides of 99-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church have been cited as specific reasons building was declared unsafe for continued use; these were findings of Lennie O. Whitworth Jr., Sikeston engineer who made inspection of structural condition of church at Frederick and Themis.

50 years ago: Jan. 19, 1953

Almost 10 percent of public school enrollment is absent as second semester classes begin in city's seven schools; Superintendent Louis J. Schultz says most of 269 absentees are confined to their homes by bad colds; few cases of influenza are reported as well.

Problem of revising boundary lines of Cape Girardeau's voting wards is thrust by city council into hands of special bipartisan committee; Mayor Manning Greer appoints Republicans Joe M. Lesem, Gerald B. Rowan, Arthur L. Deneke and Mary Lee Rasmussen, and Democrats Jack Oliver, Lindsay W. Simmons, Mrs. Nat M. Snider and Mrs. Harry Andrews to panel.

75 years ago: Jan. 19, 1928

City council, at special meeting yesterday, took steps to give its official approval to plan to bring Missouri Pacific Railway to Cape Girardeau; ordinance giving Mo-Pac the franchises now held by Cape Girardeau Northern Railway was given first and second readings by council, and will be taken up for final action today.

Ordinance authorizing construction of combination sanitary and storm water sewer in Sewer District No. 2 was passed Wednesday at special meeting of city council; district lies between Bellevue and Mill streets, extending west from Mississippi River to Middle Street.

-- Sharon K. Sanders