Out of the past 3/5/09

25 years ago: March 5, 1984

Oak Ridge voters will go to the polls in a special election tomorrow to decide the fate of a proposed $350,000 bond issue to finance construction of an addition to the high school; the addition would include two classrooms, a cafeteria and gymnasium lobby, a kitchen, food storage, a coach's office and officials' room, restrooms and storage space.

Following the recommendation of the chairman of the city police personnel board, the Scott City Council permanently makes Gary Atchley police chief and Gary Niswonger police officer.

50 years ago: March 5, 1959

Cape Girardeau County's share of Missouri's proposed 20-year highway construction program would be nearly $36 million, the State Highway Commission announces; Gov. James T. Blair Jr. has recommended a 2-cent gasoline tax increase to finance the program.

The Rev. M.J. LeSage, C.M., former president of St. Vincent's College, dies in New Orleans, where he had lived in recent years; he was 83 years old; he came to Cape Girardeau in 1918 as pastor of the church, remaining until September 1926.

75 years ago: March 5, 1934

The Campbell Mattress Mfg. Co., 27-29 S. Spanish St., is a busy place; according to the proprietor, Manuel Campbell, the plant is turning out an average of 500 mattresses a month; nine people are employed by the company.

If the Cape Girardeau City Council decides to purchase the site of Fort D, the Civil War fort just northeast of May Greene School, it will have to determine what will be done about roughly $3,200 in sewer, city and county taxes outstanding against the tract.

100 years ago: March 5, 1909

The Cape Girardeau City Council last night approved an ordinance permitting residents to make connections to the new sewer system; the council also approved the sale of the old jail and market buildings in Common Pleas Courthouse Park to the highest bidder.

River traffic has commenced on the Mississippi; yesterday, two boats, the Grey Eagle and the Saltillo, passed Cape Girardeau headed north; the latter was so heavily laden it couldn't take on freight here.

— Sharon K. Sanders