Out of the past 10/7/08

25 years ago: Oct. 7, 1983

What some believe to be Cape Girar­deau's oldest tree — an American Elm at 1455 Rose Ave. — is being cut down by the Cape Tree Service, the victim of Dutch elm disease.

The executive vice president of the Centerre Bank of Columbia, Mo., has been nominated to succeed Bill M. Stanfield as president and executive officer of Centerre Bank of Cape Girardeau; the nomination of Maurice R. Standfort will be submitted Oct. 17 to the bank's board of directors.

50 years ago: Oct. 7, 1958

Murtaugh Park on South Main Street, the last remnant of Cape Girardeau's one-time flourishing downtown park system, has been saved, at least temporarily, from destruction to make way for more parking space; another area, between the Frisco depot and the new pumping station, has become available.

A delegation of Cape Girardeau firefighters, representing members of Local 1084, International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, appeared before the city council last night to propose a benefit program that includes a 10-cent-per-hour wage increase.

75 years ago: Oct. 7, 1933

Employees of the Cape Special Road District are clearing right of way at the Chris Haman farm, at the edge of Highway 61 west of Cape Girardeau, where the Outer Drive is to join the state-federal route.

Thursday was the 47th anniversary of the sinking of the steamer La Mascot near Neelys Landing, recalls Barney Kraft of Cape Girardeau; killed in the tragedy were several Cape Girardeans, including Fred Lind, and Mrs. William Wheeler and her two children.

100 years ago: Oct. 7, 1908

Harry Bridges, the mail clerk, who came in on the Gulf train at noon yesterday, reports that the forests are afire in Pemiscot County between Caruthersville and Gibson; smoke fills the skies like great clouds.

"Pope Schrader," head of the Divine Catholic Church, came to Cape Girardeau yesterday with "Dr. Dowie," brother of the famous Chicago fakir, John Alexander Dowie, who died a year ago; the two have taken apartments at 12 S. Spanish St., where they plan to heal the halt and the lame; they hope to establish a branch of the church here.

— Sharon K. Sanders