Out of the past 4/23/06

25 years ago: April 23, 1981

A change in ownership of Old St. Vincent's Church and property is taking place between the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians) and the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau; as soon as a quit-claim deed arrives, the ownership by the diocese will become official.

An interpretive center tracing the history of the Trail of Tears has been proposed for Trail of Tears State Park, and the project could become reality within the next two or three years; a preliminary study and plan for the center has been completed.

50 years ago: April 23, 1956

Voters in all of Cape Girardeau County's 42 precincts will ballot tomorrow to decide if the county should issue $150,000 in bonds to acquire 3,000 acres of scenic ground along the Mississippi River for conversion into Trail of Tears State Park.

Organization of an Optimist Breakfast Club in Cape Girardeau is announced with an initial membership of 26; sponsored by the original Optimist Club, which was organized here 30 years ago, the new club will hold meetings each Monday at Hotel Idan-Ha.

75 years ago: April 23, 1931

Plans have been discussed for constructing a building on the site formerly occupied by the Ruehmann Hide and Fur Co. building on North Main Street, which burned several months ago; construction of the building depends upon finding someone who would lease the structure; plans call for a one-story building, such as would be sufficient for a warehouse.

The rag market in Cape Girardeau has gone ragged; the price local junk dealers are able to pay for rags is hardly worthwhile, only 40 cents per 100 pounds.

100 years ago: April 23, 1906

In the morning, the Broadway streetcar hits the Glenn Mercantile Co.'s delivery wagon at Sprigg Street, knocking the rear wheels off; the young man driving the wagon jumps out in time to escape injury, and the horse is also uninjured.

Kurre & Walters, contractors, start work in the morning on a big barn for August C. Heise, who lives on the Jackson gravel road; it will be 90 by 60 feet and most substantially built; the lumber for it was sawed by Henry Brinkopf.

-- Sharon K. Sanders