Out of the past 2/1/12

25 years ago: Feb. 1, 1987

Cape Girardeau's new riverfront amphitheater is almost finished; only sealing of cracks remains to be done.

BENTON, Mo. -- Voters in north Scott County will go to the polls Tuesday to decide on two school bond issues, the future of the Illmo Special Road District and elect a six-member board to operate the North Scott County Ambulance District; in the Oran, Mo., School District, voters will be asked to approve a $1.2 million bond issue that would construct a new gym, 10 new classrooms and a vocational agricultural shop area; at Chaffee, Mo., school patrons will vote on an $830,000 bond issue to replace the Chaffee High School building.

50 years ago: Feb. 1, 1962

The first step toward eventual construction of a huge new interchange on Interstate 55 at Scott City was taken yesterday with the auctioning off of four dwellings in the right of way; the four, all north of the Cotton Belt tracks, brought $1,420; new owners have 60 days to remove them.

Russell L. Dearmont, who left Cape Girardeau 25 years ago to serve as receiver for the defunct Missouri Pacific Railroad, has announced his retirement as chairman of the board of the road; Dearmont asked that his resignation become effective Feb. 22, his 71st birthday.

75 years ago: Feb. 1, 1937

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Thirty-one men are reported missing as dredges grapple in murky waters where a steel barge carrying more than 100 levee workers sank Saturday night in the floodway; the barge, loaded with WPA workers, went down when it struck a stump.

Eighty WPA workers from Cape Girardeau County are included in the force being used to strengthen the levee at Point Pleasant, Mo., east of Portageville, Mo.; there are about 50 or 60 volunteers from this county still working on levee sectors north and east of Charleston, Mo.

100 years ago: Feb. 1, 1912

Trinity Lutheran Church is getting beautiful art glass windows; Hugo Pfeister, the well-known contractor and builder, has offered to install them free of charge; the congregation has gratefully accepted his generous offer.

Herman Glenn, vice president of Glenn Mercantile Co., and manager of the clothing department, has resigned his position; he is succeeded by Garrett Glenn.

-- Sharon K. Sanders