Out of the past 4/16/09

25 years ago: April 16, 1984

Burglary and other offense reports will be made available in the future following a controversy over the suppression of a burglary report at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

Missouri Pacific Railroad's recently announced plan to abandon a branch line through Cape Girardeau will apparently force the city council into taking a stand on the issue; the council learns it will be asked by Sydney Pollack, owner of Pollack Steel Supply Inc., which is served by the line, to oppose abandonment; there are other businesses that also rely on the rail service.

50 years ago: April 16, 1959

Thirty-five young men from State College packed themselves into a telephone booth at Capaha Park, placed a call, and thereby laid claim to a new world record for this latest collegiate activity; they packed in head-to-foot, starting from the bottom and working their way to the top.

The congregation of Grace Methodist Church has given its approval to the transfer of its old edifice at Sprigg and Independence streets to the city of Cape Girardeau for use as a police headquarters and municipal court structure.

75 years ago: April 16, 1934

A stop sign is placed on the northwest corner of the intersection of Independence and Fountain streets by patrolman Edgar Hirsch, directing all vehicles going south on Fountain to stop before entering Independence.

According to a summary of work compiled by Sen. R.L. Dearmont, county Civil Works Administration chairman, it took an average of 817 men 146,022 1/2 hours to do the work on 34 projects in the Cape Girardeau County CWA program; the wages spent for man labor totaled $70,931.44.

100 years ago: April 16, 1909

Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Hawkins of San Juan, Porto Rico, arrive on the noon train from St. Louis on a visit to relatives; Mr. Hawkins was for years a resident of Cape Girardeau, but has been in business in Porto Rico several years; his mother, Mrs. D.L. Hawkins, and sisters, Mrs. R.H. Schultz and Mrs. Chris. F. Betten, reside here.

Mrs. Ruth O'Donoghue of Themis Street is celebrating her 70th birthday; she is one of Cape Girardeau's pioneers.

-- Sharon K. Sanders