Out of the past 3/20/09

25 years ago: March 20, 1984

Lightning struck a 70-year-old private mausoleum in Lorimier Cemetery over the weekend, causing thousands of dollars in damage and making it necessary to temporarily remove two of the five caskets inside.

Officials of St. Mary's school and cathedral, as well as area businessmen, are opposed to a request for a liquor-by-the-drink and package liquor license for an establishment at 616 Good Hope St.

50 years ago: March 20, 1959

A group of law enforcement officers from Cape Girardeau and surrounding counties convened at the Colonial Inn Restaurant last night to discuss the possibility of obtaining a polygraph machine, a trained operator and the necessary building for such use within the district.

A group of State College students warms up at Capaha Park for tryouts for the college baseball team; that sport is being reinstated this spring; among those trying out are Barry Shryrock, Don Mabury, Carl Gordon, John Reid, Dave Hawkins, Bob Cearnal, Keith Black, Bob Matthews, Jake Reid, Ronnie Trout, Richard Withers, Jorden Vesper, Bob Reid and Bill Mabrey.

75 years ago: March 20, 1934

Cotton producers in Southeast Missouri are generally opposed to the Bankhead cotton reduction bill; it would drastically limit cotton yields and put a prohibitive government tax of 50 percent on that grown beyond the limit to be set for counties and states.

C. Douglass Booth of London, an authority on international questions, lectured yesterday at the Teachers College auditorium in the evening; he is here under the auspices of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

100 years ago: March 20, 1909

The Civic Improvement Association met at the Commercial Club rooms yesterday afternoon; it was announced that the owners of the vacant lot on the corner of Themis and Lorimier streets have given permission to use the lot as a playground for children and to improve it with flower beds.

Andy Wilds will begin work next week on a nice new residence out on Route No. 3, northwest of Cape Girardeau; it will be north of Vancil Hauptmann's place.

-- Sharon K. Sanders