Out of the past 4/13/12

25 years ago: April 13, 1987

State highway crews are checking 290 bridges in Missouri, including 27 in Southeast Missouri, which are similar in design to an Interstate 55 bridge that buckled in St. Louis last month; the focus on bridge safety was sharpened with the collapse of two spans in New York.

Planning for Riverfest ‘87 is well underway; four corporate sponsors for the summer festival are announced: First Federal Savings and Loan of Southeast Missouri, KEZS/KZIM radio, Saint Francis Medical Center and Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.

50 years ago: April 13, 1962

Sugar Creek Creamery Co., an institution in Cape Girardeau for 36 years, producer of a million pounds of butter annually, is closing its operations here; Clarence A. Loos, manager, says the company is going to sweet cream butter production entirely, with purchases of cream confined to processing plants instead of from individual farmers as had been the principal source for the plant here.

Cape Girardeau welcomes hundreds of high school vocalists from all parts of Southeast Missouri for the annual choral festival in Houck Field House.

75 years ago: April 13, 1937

MARBLE HILL -- As an economy measure, street lights in Marble Hill will be discontinued, it has been decided; the community is reportedly nearly without funds, tax money having been nearly exhausted; power for the street lights is purchased from Ste. Genevieve, Mo., at a cost of $22 per month.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Orville Zimmerman of Kennett, Mo., says Maj.-Gen. Edward M. Markham, chief of Army Engineers, has ordered the Birds Point-New Madrid levee rebuilt to its original specified height of 57.5 feet; previously, the height was switched to 55 feet.

100 years ago: April 13, 1912

Owing to the wet grounds on their own field, the Normals arrange for their baseball game with Christian Brothers College of St. Louis to be played on St. Vincent's College diamond; the game will start at 3:30 p.m. sharp, weather permitting.

Mrs. O.G. Peeler has retired from the tailoring and dressmaking business; the firm of Peeler & Miller having been dissolved, she is now employed at the Allison Toggery, a ready-to-wear business.

-- Sharon K. Sanders