Out of the past 4/12/07

25 years ago: April 12, 1982

Cape Girardeau's new city council quickly becomes embroiled in controversy; the trouble arises over the method used to elect the city's mayor pro tem, Councilman Donald R. Strohmeyer; he is elected to the post by secret ballot over lunch at the Ramada Inn shortly after the swearing-in ceremony.

A call is made for a feasibility study to determine the practicality of constructing a clinic at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

50 years ago: April 12, 1957

A threat of subfreezing weather, accompanied by snow, poses a threat to the fruit crop in a wide area; the weather bureau predicts readings in the low 20s in the Cape Girardeau district.

Forty-one head of cattle, marooned in the backwaters of St. Francis River near Kennett, Mo., were rescued by National Guardsmen from Service Company, 140th Infantry, who had been dispatched by orders of Gen. A.D. Sheppard, adjutant general; operating two amphibious ducks from the service center in Cape Girardeau, the Guardsmen went to the scene Tuesday night and worked Wednesday and Thursday in removing the cattle.

75 years ago: April 12, 1932

The city of Cape Girardeau asks the Missouri Public Service Commission for an immediate order for operation of the new water plant at Cape Rock.

Cape Girardeau street department workers, under the supervision of Commissioner Louis Wittmore, are moving dirt from near Highway 61 west of the city to the southwest corner of Fairground Park, where it will be used to fill a depression; the dirt is being furnished free by the Cape Girardeau Special Road District and Albert Haman.

100 years ago: April 12, 1907

Cape Girardeau's new federal buildingmay not be built on Broadway, at least at the corner of Fountain Street; it is rumored that Federal Court Judge Dyer and District Attorney Wells H. Blodgett will write the government to choose an alternate site.

Cape Girardeau may be without the services of a ferry boat, for a time at least; it is said that Capt. J.M. Craig has successfully negotiated the sale of the City of Warsaw to a Kansas City, Mo., company.

-- Sharon K. Sanders