Out of the past 2/28/05

25 years ago: Feb. 28, 1980

Dr. Bill W. Stacy, who for the past seven months has served as interim president of Southeast Missouri State University, is named permanent president of the institution by unanimous vote of the board of regents.

Pending a final inspection Monday, city and Cape Girardeau public school officials are hoping for a March 8 through 9 grand opening of the swimming pool at Central High School.

50 years ago: Feb. 28, 1955

The county court accepts petitions from a county library committee and sets April 5, school election day, as the date for an election to determine if rural voters of the county wish to support bookmobile services; voters will ballot on two propositions: To establish a Cape Girardeau County Library District and levying of an annual tax of one mill on the dollar to support the library.

City plumbers report to their employers in the morning, but withhold going out on jobs; the action is in the wake of a breakdown in negotiations over wages between master plumbers in the area and employees who are members of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 318 (AFL).

75 years ago: Feb. 28, 1930

Unless exceptions are filed by either the government or landowners, the federal government will pay $545 per acre for 17 tracts of land in Mississippi County, taken as rights of way for the setback levee to be constructed under the Jadwin plan of flood control.

Within another week, practically all of the work in constructing drives through Fairground Park as part of a beautification program will be completed; contractor F.W. Keller is taking advantage of favorable weather to grade the drives and remove trees necessary to make room for improvements.

100 years ago: Feb. 28, 1905

A telegram to The Daily Republican states that river transportation will open this week; the steamer Grey Eagle is expected to leave St. Louis Thursday morning and should "whistle in" here Friday morning; the ice has all passed St. Louis, and boats are able to leave that port in safety.

Through the agency of Louis Graessle, the large piece of property belonging to Ed Blumer has been sold; N.H. Carl was the purchaser.

-- Sharon K. Sanders