Out of the past 2/2/10

25 years ago: Feb. 2, 1985

Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Mo., New Madrid, Mo., and Malden, Mo., outline their proposals to lure a Saturn car-manufacturing plant to the area at a news conference in Cape Girardeau; they are not only offering to provide free land but also to pay the cost of bringing all necessary utilities to the industrial site.

Cape Girardeau's first new major building project for 1985 will be the cardio diagnostic-education building at Saint Francis Medical Center; contract for the $1.25 million structure has been awarded to Kiefner Bros. Inc.

50 years ago: Feb. 2, 1960

Question of possible removal of the Frisco Railroad passenger depot on Main Street with placing of a metered parking lot there was brought up during the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting yesterday; the move would be based on a reported plan by the railroad to provide a combination rail station farther south, likely near the old building now serving as a freight depot.

Two Cape Girardeau youths are facing investigation by federal authorities and juvenile officers as the result of the theft of two National Guard vehicles from the unit's motor pool on East Rodney Drive last night.

75 years ago: Feb. 2, 1935

Gaylor's, an exclusive shoe store at 104 N. Main St., was formally opened last night; C.S. Gaylor, owner, came to Cape Girardeau from Denver, where he was a purchasing agent for 20 years for the May Co.

After two years and eight months in the Navy, Coxswain Robert Bock, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Bock, is home on leave until March 1, when he will sail for Alaska; for two years he was in China with the fleet and for the last eight months he has been on tour, touching ports in Australia and other parts of the world.

100 years ago: Feb. 2, 1910

While other towns have "Jack the Ripper" and "Jack the Hugger," Cape Girardeau has "Jack the Shaker"; Sunday evening, a young, neatly dressed man accosted two young ladies as they walked home from church on South Ellis Street; he grabbed one and gave her a good shaking, before she managed to make her escape.

Magnus Dempsey leaves on the noon Frisco train for New Orleans, where he will enjoy the Mardi Gras festivities.

-- Sharon K. Sanders