Out of the past 10/31/03

10 years ago: Oct. 31, 1993

Four Cape Girardeau churches meet for Reformation Sunday communion service in afternoon at First Presbyterian Church; sponsoring churches are Evangelical United Church of Christ, First Presbyterian, St. Mark Lutheran Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The Rev. Alan Berry begins his duties as pastor of Red Star Baptist Church; Berry comes to Cape Girardeau from Fredericktown, where he was director of missions for St. Francois Baptist Association for three years.

25 years ago: Oct. 31, 1978

Wall Street's great October slide, which continues this morning after brief recovery attempt yesterday afternoon, hasn't caught local investors up in emotional wave of selling; local stockbrokers agree investors here haven't been pulled into selling their holdings.

Halloween is quiet time for police, with few incidents of vandalism or pranks; only three or four eggings are reported, while no reports of tainted treats are made; Capt. William D. Stover says number of incidents is low in part because Halloween falls during the week.

50 years ago: Oct. 31, 1953

Campaign for fund to purchase land for location of additional industry in Cape Girardeau has been formally extended another week by chamber of commerce officials, who report that contributions have risen to $30,000.

Illinois State Police raid 18 alleged gambling rooms from McClure to Cairo in Alexander County, across river from Cape Girardeau; precisely at 10 p.m., uniformed officers walk into each of places, stride past crowds of Halloween revelers, and enter rooms where dice, roulette or card games are in progress; plain clothes officers who had entered establishments earlier also join in raids; no arrests are made, although in simultaneous raids on two houses in Cairo, 18 women are arrested on morals charges.

75 years ago: Oct. 31, 1928

Halloween ghosts and goblins do little damage in Cape Girardeau; for most part festivities are orderly, with only vandalism being damaged plate glass window on Main street, where sharp instruments make permanent marks; police interrupt four boys intent on rolling heavy road scraper from Houck Field to Broadway; boys, under supervision of officers, push scraper back to its place.

New store building on South Sprigg, which will be occupied by Unnerstall drug store, will be completed next week, and fixtures will be installed soon afterward; fixtures are finished in red Duco shade.

-- Sharon K. Sanders