Out of the past 12/3/07

25 years ago: Dec. 3, 1982

A freak series of heavy thunderstorms last night and this morning floods homes, closes roads, washes out bridges and forces the evacuation of several small area towns; hardest hit were Bollinger County and western Cape Girardeau County; there is an unofficial report of eight inches of rain at Lutesville, Mo.

OLD APPLETON, Mo. -- Flooding on Apple Creek washes away a historic truss bridge here and threatens to destroy an old grain mill.

50 years ago: Dec. 3, 1957

Approval for a loan from the church extension fund to construct the proposed St. Andrew Lutheran Chapel and education building was given recently by the committee on Missions and Church Extension of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod; approval was also given for an additional loan to purchase the residence of Dr. and Mrs. L.R. Seabaugh, 2336 Kingsway Drive, for use as a parsonage.

Jesse L. Rose of Jackson observed his silver anniversary as a State Highway Department employee this month.

75 years ago: Dec. 3, 1932

Cape Girardeau will be at the World's Fair in Chicago next year; a talking movie picture film, highlighting the city's history and its present activities, is being made here by the Allied Motion Picture Equipment Co. of New York.

An owl, which Thursday night flew against the windshield of an automobile driven by Clarence Vogelsang while he and his wife were motoring along Highway 61, has been adopted by Mrs. Bruce Decker, wife of the proprietor of the Hotel Idan-Ha; it has been given "employment" at the hostelry as the official rodent exterminator.

100 years ago: Dec. 3, 1907

The Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday ordered a thorough investigation into the water plant and the recent water famine here; in other action, the council was asked by the management of the Dreamland Theater to allow it to remain open on Sundays; it was promised that only pictures of a religious, moral and refining nature would be shown; every member of the council opposed the request.

Fire is discovered in the Terminal Hotel around 6 p.m.; unable to enter the smoke-filled basement, firefighters chop holes in the floor and pour water in; this is about the only damage done.

-- Sharon K. Sanders