Out of the past 12/3/11

25 years ago: Dec. 3, 1986

Historic preservation leaders here are asking the City Council to establish a preservation commission and ultimately adopt a historic preservation ordinance; Martha Bender is leading the effort.

A community project to remove dangerous asbestos insulation from around the rusty boilers of the old steam locomotives at Capaha and Arena parks finally gets underway; workers with United Thermal Industries, a Marion, Ill., are doing the work.

50 years ago: Dec. 3, 1961

A one-day pharmaceutical seminar is held at Colonial Restaurant, with 125 persons attending from throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois; at an evening banquet, Cape Girardeau druggist Frank M. Finney is honored for 50 years of service in the profession.

It was reported to police yesterday that vandals broke all the ball point pens fastened to writing desks in the lobby of the post office, 339 Broadway; vandals also stole an air vent from a radiator in the lobby.

75 years ago: Dec. 3, 1936

The Cape Girardeau City Council has passed an ordinance calling for a special election Jan. 5, when voters will ballot on a $55,000 bond issue to provide funds for purchase of 50 acres of land and cover the sponsor's share of the WPA project; the land will be used as a park and fairgrounds.

It is announced that the permanent social security office for the district, to be set up shortly by the federal government, will be located in the Himmelberger-Harrison Building; a lease is being drawn for use of five rooms of the office building.

100 years ago: Dec. 3, 1911

A mission continues at St. Vincent's Catholic Church; conducting the mission are the Rev. M.G. Hanley, C.M., of St. Louis and the Rev. J.A. Murtaugh, C.M., of St. Vincent's College, recently of the Mission House in St. Louis.

R.L. Niedringhause for the Martell Automatic Instantaneous Heating Manufacturing Co., and I.R. Kelso for the Commercial Club have signed a tentative agreement, whereby the club offered certain inducements for the establishing of the water heater manufacturing concern in Cape Girardeau; the club will give the company four acres of land in the north end of town, loaning the company another 15 acres with an option to buy.

-- Sharon K. Sanders