CAPE GIRARDEAU INSTALLS PARKING METERS (50 YEARS AGO)

NOTE: In 1948, 425 parking meters were installed along Broadway, Main Street and Good Hope shopping areas. That number grew to about 950 meters in the early 1970s. In fiscal year 1957-58, parking meter collections hit their peak when receipts totaled $40,595.20. But the meters rarely proved to be profitable. Receipts were used to pay the salaries of police officers who wrote parking tickets and for repair and replacement of meters. In 1980 the parking meters were removed from Cape Girardeau's streets.

Thursday, July 1, 1948; Page 1

Reprinted from The Southeast Missourian

In their first three days of official operation Cape Girardeau's new parking meters collected $213.15, Miss Verna Lee Landis, city clerk, reported this afternoon after spending a part of the morning sorting the money and counting it.

Miss Landis had the assistance of Mrs. Camille Wilson, deputy clerk, and various city officers, but the counting job was still somewhat laborious.

Included in the collection was $8.20 in dimes, though the machines are not constructed to take the higher denomination coins and information had been given that they use only nickels and pennies.

The collection on Broadway alone was brought in first, showing a total of $86.55. Main Street and Good Hope Street areas were collected together and no separation was available for the two.

Based on an average collection of $71.03 for the three-day collection period, and discounting Sundays and holidays on which the meters are not effective, the annual collections would amount to $21,806.21. Half of the collection goes to the city, the other half to the meter company until they are paid for.

Collections will be made each Thursday. The hand count today was made merely as a check on proceeds. Henceforth the money will be counted at the bank by machine. A flat bed tray, with numerous holes cut in the metal bottom to allow pennies to fall through, has been devised to separate pennies from nickels.

Thursday, June 24, 1948; page 2

Meters receive $474 in week

In their first full week of operation, from last Thursday up to today, Cape Girardeau's parking meters took in $474.35, Mayor Walter H. Ford reported this morning after a force had spent a good part of the morning making the check at the city clerk's office.

Meters on Main Street took in $195.50. Those on Broadway collected $179 and those on Good Hope Street received $99.85.

The public still persisted in using dimes in the meters, though they are not made to accept the 10-cent coins. Collected was $16.10 in dimes. Collected in nickels amounted to $276.25 and pennies, $182.

In addition officers found two washers, two mills and three automobile keys. Sixteen of the meeters were found to need repairs and one, the lock apparently jammed, would not come open.