Out of the past 3/23/07

25 years ago: March 23, 1982

Despite mounting protests against the Reagan administration's reported choice of Peter Meyer, of Matthews, Mo., as head of the Agriculture Department's Soil and Conservation Service, Meyer says he considers himself qualified for the post and he wants it.

Cape Girardeau's multipurpose building advisory committee meets for the first time to discuss a method of establishing some sort of civic arena in the city; committee members pick Mayor Howard C. Tooke to chair the ad hoc group, which will meet bimonthly.

50 years ago: March 23, 1957

A colorful ceremony is being planned for the formal installation of Dr. Mark F. Scully as the 10th president of Southeast Missouri State College on April 27.

A serious fire at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau is narrowly averted when a youngster selling candy nearby sees smoke pouring from the building and sounds an alarm; firemen find curtains on a confessional booth ablaze; considerable damage is done to the confessional.

75 years ago: March 23, 1932

Plans are being made to secure a large delegation to go to St. Louis on a special Frisco train Monday for the Democratic state convention; organizers hope 200 people from throughout Southeast Missouri will ride the "Dearmont special" to the convention.

Casting a record number of votes, residents of Cape Girardeau yesterday picked two candidates for mayor and selected six nominees for commissioner from a field of 34; facing each other in the April 5 general election will be incumbent Edward L. Drum and Rush H. Limbaugh for mayor; vying for the commissioners' spots will be Louis Wittmor, Phillip H. Steck, A.P. Behrens, E.P. Ellis, Henry Brinkopf and Edw. Willer.

100 years ago: March 23, 1907

Peter Hoeller, father of Clem Hoeller, came home yesterday from Appleton, Wis., where he had been visiting for several months.

The brewery at Appleton, Mo., which has supplied the people of Cape Girardeau and Perry counties with their beer for a long time, is destroyed by fire during the night; the flames are discovered around 11 p.m.; the soda factory nearby also catches fire and burns to the ground.

-- Sharon K. Sanders