Out of the past 2/14/07

25 years ago: Feb. 14, 1982

The Rev. Thomas M. Mark has been installed as pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Pocahontas by Joseph Hulterstrum, assistant to the bishop; he previously served two congregations at Granville, S.D.

A large crowd stood in line outside the Cape Girardeau Salvation Army headquarters on Broadway yesterday afternoon to receive 5-pound blocks of cheese being distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture; about 600 blocks of cheese are available for distribution.

50 years ago: Feb. 14, 1957

Cape Girardeau County retail outlets did their largest third-quarter business on record in 1956, records of the Division of Collection of the state Department of Revenue show; during the three-month period of July, August and September, county firms did a business amounting to $7,651,651.

The Friederich Sheet Metal Co. of Jackson is awarded the bid for repair of gutters on the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau by the County Court; the firm submits a bid of $1,075 for galvanized metal gutters to replace the badly worn, built-in guttering now on the historic building.

75 years ago: Feb. 14, 1932

Fair weather is tempting Cape Girardeau youths, especially high school-age girls, to roller skate on sidewalks in business districts, and on West Broadway and Highway 61; police Friday took four girls to headquarters, and all were lectured by police chief Jesse Crafton and released.

Within two weeks, the tabernacle being erected by the Red Star Baptist congregation will be completed and ready for use, says the pastor, the Rev. W.E. Hicks; the new building has no floor, but will be supplied with one of chat or cinders, similar to that used in other tabernacles.

100 years ago: Feb. 14, 1907

The old shack of a depot the Iron Mountain Railroad had imposed upon the people of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for several years was destroyed by fire yesterday.

Charles Juden began work yesterday on his $75,000 country home out on the Bloomfield Road, and it will be rushed to completion as rapidly as possible; Vogelsang brothers have the contract.

-- Sharon K. Sanders