Out of the past 1/14/10

25 years ago: Jan. 14, 1985

Two blocks of North Water Street, between Independence Street and Broadway, and one block of South Main Street, between Independence and Merriwether streets, convert from one-way to two-way traffic as part of the downtown redevelopment plan.

A program honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is held at Southeast Missouri State University in observance of his 56th birthday.

50 years ago: Jan. 14, 1960

Police are questioning a group of boys in an attempt to solve a wave of shoplifting, petty larceny and vandalism that occurred in Cape Girardeau during the past few months; a recent disturbance at Old Lorimier Cemetery led to the discovery of nearly 40 headstones toppled over; about half of those were broken.

One wall of the dining room of Cheney Hall on North Henderson Avenue is damaged when fire breaks out during the night; damage is to a window frame and knotty pine wall paneling around the window.

75 years ago: Jan. 14, 1935

DEXTER, Mo. -- At a meeting of representatives of the Little Six High School Conference held here Saturday, it was voted to expand the conference to nine schools; hereafter, it will be known as the Southeast Missouri High School Athletic Conference.

WASHINGTON -- President Roosevelt sends to the Senate the nomination of Charles B. Faris of Missouri as a judge of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals; Faris, known to many in Cape Girardeau, served his first term as a jurist in the old 28th circuit, which included Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid and Pemiscot counties; he was elected in 1910.

100 years ago: Jan. 14, 1910

The breaking of the ice gorges in the Mississippi River yesterday made much havoc to boats and property south of the Missouri River; several boats were damaged, one was sunk, and much property wrecked; the ferry boat Warsaw, which was carried away from Cape Girardeau in December by ice and lodged on a ledge of rocks near Commerce, Mo., is now threatened by the mass of floating ice.

R.J. Cash and Henry Stovall of Grand Tower, Ill., are in Cape Girardeau on their way to Wittenberg, Mo., to look after the safety of some property on the river banks, endangered by the ice; they came around by Thebes, Ill., as it is impossible to cross the river because of the ice.

-- Sharon K. Sanders