Out of the past

25 years ago: Aug. 4, 1983

The Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday gave initial approval to an ordinance establishing a downtown special business district, a move that Main Street merchants and Chamber of Commerce officials say will aid downtown redevelopment.

A U.S. House committee has approved authorization for $24.7 million in flood-control work along Cape LaCroix and Walker creeks in Cape Girardeau; the bill doesn't appropriate money for the project; that will be considered later.

50 years ago: Aug. 4, 1958

A Cape Girardeau baseball team has been selected to represent Missouri in the Great Lakes Region Division Connie Mack League Tournament in Chicago on Aug. 15-17; the champions of the local Connie Mack League, the Haarig Aces, were picked as the team to represent the state.

John Wittenborn, former 240-pound guard at Cape State College, is doing well at the San Francisco 49s rookie camp in San Francisco; Wittenborn was recently selected as one of the top seven rookies in the camp.

75 years ago: Aug. 4, 1933

The Roth Tobacco factory in Cape Girardeau is the only plant of its kind in the United States that immediately subscribed to the NRA blanket code and is now operating under it.

The Rev. A.A. Wempe of Perryville, Mo., a Catholic priest, files a deed for 1.47 acres of land from the Cape Girardeau Northern Railroad; the property includes the stone railroad building, known as the Friedheim station; it is rumored that the building will be converted into a mission chapel for the Catholic church.

100 years ago: Aug. 4, 1908

F.M. Clements, representing the Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co. of Kansas City, is in Cape Girardeau to consult with the city council on the benefits of installing his fire alarm system here; Clements installed two alarm boxes of different sizes, an alarm recorder, and the connections in the west room of the Common Pleas Courthouse to give demonstrations.

County Court convened yesterday for the first time in its new quarters in the new Jackson courthouse; it required a little more dignity than heretofore displayed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders