Out of the past 10/31/11

25 years ago: Oct. 31, 1986

Cape Girardeau city officials are considering seeking voter approval of a series of park fees covering everything from Arena Building concessions to Southeast Missouri State University's use of park facilities.

The newly appointed, seven-member utility committee met last night to begin studying the idea of a city-owned utility; it will review Cape Girardeau's franchise agreements with Union Electric Co.

50 years ago: Oct. 31, 1961

An ambitious summer program of street improvement in Cape Girardeau, now virtually complete, brought new asphalt to 46 blocks of streets and new concrete paving to 25 blocks at a total cost of $222,690.36 to property owners and the city.

The second floor of the original building of Southeast Missouri Hospital is set to open to patients next week, adding 16 beds to bring capacity to 135.

75 years ago: Oct. 31, 1936

Dr. J.F. Riddle, 68, of Bernie, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau, dies at a hospital at Poplar Bluff, Mo., after being a patient there two weeks; the Riddle family resided in Cape Girardeau for five years in the 1920s.

One of the big offensive assets of the Central High Tigers this season has been their forward passing attack; it has largely clicked because of the accurate, bull's-eye tossing of senior quarterback Carl Mayer.

100 years ago: Oct. 31, 1911

Superintendent J.S. Pyeatte of the Frisco, accompanied by several other railroad officials, spend some time down in south Cape Girardeau in the morning, looking over the situation in order to improve on track arrangements for the mills located in that part of the city.

John Feryenck, an oiler at the Cape Portland cement plant, gets his right arm caught in the gearing of some machinery as he attends to his work; he receives a painful skin abrasion.

-- Sharon K. Sanders