Out of the past 4/2/07

25 years ago: April 2, 1982

CAIRO, Ill. -- The newly created Cairo Terminal Railroad Co., which began operations here yesterday with three employees, has already achieved big things; chief among them is the retention of the city's largest employer: Burkart Foam Products.

Kate Capshaw, daughter-in-law of Robert H. and Juanita C. Capshaw of Chaffee, Mo., stars in "A Little Sex," which opens in the evening at the Town Plaza Cinema in Cape Girardeau.

50 years ago: April 2, 1957

Daylight saving time, once before tried in Cape Girardeau and then discarded in mid-summer when its use became too cumbersome to continue, receives a sound trouncing in a city straw vote.

Teachers in Cape Girardeau Public Schools are assured an increase in salary, and Mrs. H.B. Newman and J.J. Russell are elected members of the board of education at the annual school election; by a margin of 97 votes, approval is given a 25-cent tax levy for a four-year period, thereby assuring an increase in pay for the teaching staff and administrative personnel.

75 years ago: April 2, 1932

Workers are removing letters of the word "Cherry" from the Surety Savings and Loan Association building, 320 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, and will replace this name with black glazed tile letters, spelling the word "Surety."

Preliminary work is being done to establish a power line from the Jackson power plant to the town of Gordonville; many farmers living along the five-mile line have agreed to extend lines to their homes and become permanent users of electric current.

100 years ago: April 2, 1907

Capt. John Langlois of Cape Girardeau, whose career on the Mississippi River began during the Civil War, died yesterday at his home in Cape Girardeau; for many years, he was associated with the Anchor boat line, retiring only five years ago.

Dick Hoffmeister, the tonsorial artist and capitalist of Jackson, comes to Cape Girardeau to look after his financial matters at the trust company; he drives his $6,000 Blaylock colt, which is the envy of Joe Schmuke, Charles Daues and other fine horse fanciers.

-- Sharon K. Sanders