Out of the past 3/5/12

25 years ago: March 5, 1987

Extensive rainfall in western Missouri over the weekend results in a nearly five-foot rise in the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau; the stage here in the morning is 24.6 feet.

The Cape Girardeau City Council moves ahead on establishing a waste transfer station here during a special study session, but reaches no final decision on whether the facility will be privately or municipally owned.

50 years ago: March 5, 1962

The William Francis Construction Co. of Lutesville, Mo., has been awarded the contract for construction of an addition to the grade school building at Scott City; the low bid was $119,547.

Voters will ballot tomorrow at 28 Cape Girardeau County polling places to decide the fate of Amendment No. 1, the provision giving cities and counties a share of state gasoline tax revenue; if the vote is affirmative, the additional 2-cent state tax levied for six months last October would become permanent and municipal gasoline taxes would be abolished.

75 years ago: March 5, 1937

A bond issue proposal projected to finance a community building at Fairground Park and possibly to provide three playground centers won't be submitted to voters for a year or more; that decision was made yesterday at a second conference called by the city council to discuss replacing the fire-ruined Community Clubhouse.

In pursuit of three men involved in an automobile wreck on South Sprigg Street yesterday, chief of police H.F. Wickham commandeered the locomotive used in the Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. yards to chase them through the marshlands toward Illmo and Fornfelt; one of the men pursued was caught by police.

100 years ago: March 5, 1912

The Cape Girardeau City Council has ordered bids to be received for construction of a new water and light plant for the city.

Mayor F. Kage reports that the Water and Light Co. has refused to bid on supplying lights at certain residential areas of the city; the city council has authorized him to make a contract with the electric railway company for installing and furnishing current for the lights wanted.

-- Sharon K. Sanders