Out of the past 2/15/10

25 years ago: Feb. 15, 1985

A ground-breaking ceremony marks the official beginning of construction of Saint Francis Medical Center's newest addition, a $1.25 million cardiopulmonary diagnostic and education building; the two-level, 12,480-square-foot structure will be on the west side of the North Wing.

The Cape Girardeau Central High School Chorus has been invited to attend a program in New York City in the spring of 1986, which is being offered by MidAmerica Productions in cooperation with the American Symphony Orchestra; in order to make the trip, the chorus must raise between $19,000 and $26,000.

50 years ago: Feb. 15, 1960

After failing in an attempt to pry open the safe, burglars took an undetermined amount of money from four cash registers at the check-out counters and a desk drawer in a break-in at Childs' IGA, 1736 Broadway, over the weekend.

William A. Schubert of Chaffee, Mo., division engineer of the River Division of the Frisco Railroad, is the guest at a surprise party in Cape Girardeau, the event is attended by Frisco personnel from a wide area; Schubert will retire March 1 after 38 years with the road.

75 years ago: Feb. 15, 1935

Col. Hugh Miller, Public Works administrator for Missouri, meets in the afternoon with members of the Cape Girardeau City Council, of the Cape Girardeau Special Road District, and with county officials to discuss probable PWA projects which can be started in the county this year.

Two people are injured -- one sustaining serious burns and the other suffering fractures of the left wrist and three ribs when she dives from a second-floor window to escape flames -- in an early morning fire at 210 S. Frederick St.

100 years ago: Feb. 15, 1910

It is learned that Martin A. Bierwirth, 65, died yesterday in Des Moines, Iowa; Bierwirth was a native of Cape Girardeau and a prominent businessman here until about 20 years ago; he built the Bee Store and was a partner in the woolen mills, the firm being Barren & Bierwirth.

Drury Lesem, a Normal School student and a member of the Normal military band, has been invited by the Kennett, Mo., band to accompany it to Mobile, Ala., where it will play for the old soldiers' reunion in May.

-- Sharon K. Sanders