Out of the past

25 years ago: May 25, 1983

The Mississippi River has been above flood stage at Cape Girardeau for 58 days this year, 53 of those days in April and May; because of floodwaters, the sawmill at the H.C. Tooke Log and Lumber Co. has been idle much of the year, gasoline tanker trucks have been unable to use the Standard Oil Co.'s river terminal here since early April and access to Central Foods Inc. has been disrupted.

More than 200 people attend the first showing of "Return of the Jedi" at the Town Plaza Cinema; theater personnel predict sell-out crowds for the third "Star Wars" movie for some time to come.

50 years ago: May 25, 1958

Baccalaureate services for the graduating class of Central High School are held in the school auditorium in the evening; the sermon is delivered by the Rev. George W. Heslar, pastor of Grace Methodist Church.

Seven men with tools showed up at the old Williams Cemetery on Bainbridge Road yesterday in answer to the call in The Missourian to help clean up before Memorial Day; it is one of the oldest cemeteries in the county, but in recent years it seems to have been forgotten.

75 years ago: May 25, 1933

Another squad of 84 conservation corps youths, 33 from Mississippi County and 51 from Scott, are examined by a staff of officers at the National Guard Armory in Cape Girardeau and then board a train for St. Louis and Jefferson Barracks.

The steamer Capitol is at Cape Girardeau for a moonlight excursion and dance tonight, under the auspices of the American Legion Post; for the dance the Plantation Cotton Pickers, an 11-piece orchestra under the direction of Benny Sampson, will play.

100 years ago: May 25, 1908

After an illness of some time, Ben F. Schwab, a well-known resident of Jackson and vice president of the Jackson Exchange Bank, died yesterday at age 59; Schwab formerly lived at Dutchtown, where he was a prosperous merchant; he retired about six years ago and moved to Jackson; he leaves a widow and four children.

Henry Running, a farmer living near Leopold, Mo., lost his house to fire Friday afternoon; the cause of the conflagration isn't known; a loss of about $400 was sustained.

-- Sharon K. Sanders