Out of the past 10/19/11

25 years ago: Oct. 19, 1986

The 20th birthday of St. Mark Lutheran Church is celebrated by the congregation at all worship services; guest speaker is the Rev. Terry Dufur of Richmond, Ill.; he was interim pastor at St. Mark; the church was dedicated Aug. 27, 1967.

First Baptist Church in Jackson dedicates its newly acquired 21-note chimes; the Mayland Chimes were given by friends and family as a memorial to Mrs. Grace Vinyard Kies, a longtime member and organist at the church.

50 years ago: Oct. 19, 1961

Representatives of Williamson and Associates, the engineering firm designing Cape Girardeau's planned sewage disposal system, are here making on-the-scene studies preparatory to drawing final detailed designs; the State Water Pollution Board has given the engineers through May to complete the design.

A new furnace is being installed in Common Pleas Courthouse this week, paid for jointly by the city of Cape Girardeau and the county, co-owners of the historic building.

75 years ago: Oct. 19, 1936

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Speaking before hundreds at a democratic rally at Charleston in the afternoon, U.S. Sen. Harry S. Truman of Kansas City declares, "This [Roosevelt] administration has done and is doing more for agriculture than all the administrations since the Civil War put together."

About 5,000 people attended the two-day Farmers Institute fair at Oak Ridge, the largest attendance in its 29-year history; Oak Ridge farmer leaders are looking toward a permanent fairgrounds upon which they can broaden the scope of the exposition.

100 years ago: Oct. 19, 1911

Clements Roelker, 16, an employee of the shoe factory, has a close call in the morning, coming close to being decapitated; thinking the car is below him, he sticks his head into the elevator shaft; as he does so, the elevator comes from above catching his head, cutting his lip badly and severely bruising his head and neck.

Gov. H.S. Hadley appoints 46 "good road" enthusiasts to represent Missouri at the first congress of the American Association of Highway Improvement, which convenes Nov. 20 in Richmond, Va.; representing Southeast Missouri are Otto Kochtitzky of Cape Girardeau, D.W. Danforth of Charleston, C.M. Barnes of Marston and W.H. Poe of New Madrid.

-- Sharon K. Sanders