Out of the past 4/15/02

10 years ago: April 15, 1992

Cost of meeting city's budget is leading to elimination of about 12 city positions, including three held by long-time police officers; positions will be eliminated July 1, start of city's fiscal year; three officers were notified Monday about elimination of their jobs; employees holding rest of city positions will be told in next day or so; decision will end positions of Don Roberts, captain of police department's auxiliary services; Bob Ross, lieutenant who serves as station commander, and Carl E. Pease Sr., patrolman serving as maintenance worker for department.

25 years ago: April 15, 1977

Cape Girardeau County doesn't have money to replace 67-year-old bridge south of Allenville which collapsed beneath weight of farm tractor yesterday, says Associate County Court Judge Leonard F. Sander; Sander, who handles county road and bridge matters, says it will cost about $500,000 to replace span and all of county's federal revenue-sharing money is earmarked for construction of new jail; driver of tractor is in good condition at local hospital.

Perryville - Perry County Sheriff Gerald Pingel says he suspects his barn was burned to ground because of changes which have taken place in county law enforcement since he took office Jan 1; those changes, according to Pingel, involve tougher attitude on drug trafficking and abuse and underage drinking; the sheriff's barn, which was remodeled and was uninsured, was burned by arsonists shortly before midnight Wednesday.

50 years ago: April 15, 1952

Vernon Auer, salesman at Walther Furniture Co., has been appointed police judge by Commissioner Philip H. Steck; before making appointment, city council, at Steck's recommendation, accepted offer to resign sent several days ago by Lee Roy Friday, who had been serving as police judge the past four years.

Following announcement that three more dogs, slain in Cape Girardeau over weekend, had rabies, Roy Smith, city health commissioner, recommends that owners of dogs confine them until situation is investigated; this brings to eight the number of dogs in city known to have developed rabies since Feb. 1.

75 years ago: April 15, 1927

Reaching 38-foot stage in afternoon, Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is gradually moving upward past highest mark recorded in 83 years, and exceeding mark of 1922; river is expected to crest Easter Sunday at 40 feet; company of 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard, is ordered to Charleston to begin patrolling a 82-mile levee front in Mississippi and Scott counties, relieving civilians who have been on guard night and day since flood stage was reached; hundreds of families continue to leave threatened sections in Illinois across river from Cape Girardeau, heading for hill country, or taking refuge in Missouri Pacific Railroad boxcars.- Sharon K. Sanders