Out of the past 4/1/13

1988

Former justice of the Missouri Supreme Court and former Cape Girardeau attorney James A. Finch Jr. dies in Jefferson City after a brief illness; Finch, 80, served on the Missouri Supreme Court from 1965 until 1978.

Commissioners of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority inspect the 1,800-foot slackwater harbor with representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers and Luhr Brothers Construction Co.; later, the board formally accepts the harbor and awards a contract to Continental Construction Co. of Memphis for construction of the public dock and wharf.

1963

Last year, the Capaha Park Lagoon was drained and dredged, riprapping added and a new outlet structure constructed; it now appears the effort and money spent may have been wasted; the water level is still below the full point despite recent rains; the low water is eroding the bank below the riprap.

The Jackson City Council meets in a jovial mood in the evening, before the election and following a dinner at Flossie's Cafe; the dinner is given by Jim R. Litzelfelner, retiring alderman; the council spreads the joy, passing an ordinance to raise city employees' salaries 2 to 4 percent.

1938

High water in the Mississippi and Ohio rivers is roaring toward their confluence at Cairo, Ill., but river observers doubt it will bring the severe flooding engineers feared unless precipitation in the two watersheds continues.

BENTON, Mo. -- Formal applications of Mrs. Wade Anderson, widow of the later Scott County sheriff, and John Hobbs of Chaffee, Mo., chief of police there, are filed for appointment by the county court as sheriff of Scott County.

1913

The Mississippi River continues to inch upward; at Cairo, Ill., the gauge reads 53.6 feet, while at New Madrid, Mo., it is 40.9; it is thought that today is the last day trains will be able to reach New Madrid, as the water is already over the tracks.

Police swooped down on the boxing match at the Grand Theater here last night, closing it down; the doors of the theater never opened, and 25 or 30 boxing fans were prevented from attending the first prize fight ever arranged for public presentation in Cape Girardeau.

-- Sharon K. Sanders