Out of the past 1/4/02

10 years ago: Jan. 4, 1992

Time capsule, buried behind Common Pleas Courthouse during Cape Girardeau Sesquicentennial celebration in 1956, is opened as part of city's bicentennial celebration; items contained in stainless steel drum suffered extensive damage from moisture; Bicentennial Commission hopes to eventually display capsule's contents.

Saying their work has only just begun, two incumbents on Cape Girardeau Board of Education say they will seek re-election; Ed Thompson and Lyle Davis plan to file for re-election on Tuesday, first day of filings; Thompson has served three years on school board; Davis was elected for one year to fill unexpired term.

25 years ago: Jan. 4, 1977

Subzero weather over weekend froze almost everything in sight in Cape Girardeau, but didn't quite do complete job on lagoon at Capaha Park; ice on lagoon is still at one-fourth inch from four-inch thickness specified for skating in city ordinance; bonfire will be maintained at lagoon by Park Department, once skating is permitted.

Earthquake of minor magnitude which centered at Old Appleton shook this area yesterday at 4:57 p.m. and was followed by six aftershocks; magnitude of quake measured 3.6 on Richter scale; quake was second in recent weeks along Ste. Genevieve fault.

50 years ago: Jan. 4, 1952

Southeast Missouri's ice belt - from Poplar Bluff east to Mississippi River - is slowly emerging from worst winter storm on record, but residents, apprehensive over forecast of new cold spell, are wondering what is in store for weekend; survey shows that thousands of homes in towns and rural areas are still without electric power, light and telephone service; hundreds of workers for utilities companies, augmented by forces of private construction concerns, are working doggedly to return conditions to normal as quickly as possible.

Elaborate communications system requiring use of microwave towers to relay telephone messages on direct beam from one place to another is being installed by telephone company to give emergency service to isolated area of Southeast Missouri.

75 years ago: Jan. 4, 1927

Charles Desselmann, who yesterday took office as new clerk of Common Pleas Court, announces appointment of Ruby Wolters as deputy clerk; Judge O.A. Knehans approves appointment; Wolters has been deputy under F.A. Kage for more than two years; Kage has been sworn in as justice of the peace, retiring from clerk's office after eight years.

Merle Bertram, 12-year-old son of the Rev. and Mrs. J.A. Bertram of Maple avenue, dies of injuries sustained when he was struck by car yesterday; accident occurred when driver swerved to miss other children, who were playing in South Ellis street, and struck Bertram youth.

-- Sharon K. Sanders