Out of the past 4/23/08

25 years ago: April 23, 1983

Six men indicted by a federal grand jury on charges stemming from St. Louis gang wars are being held in the Cape Girardeau City Jail; among the men are some members of the Leisure family.

Next week will mark the 35th anniversary of Craftsman Office Supply Co., Inc., 835 Broadway in Cape Girardeau; president and founder of the firm is Carlston A. Bohnsack.

50 years ago: April 23, 1958

The Cape Schlitzers of the SEMO Softball League have seven returning players from the 1957 squad: Joe Gleason, Bill Mabrey, Bob Wunderlich, Junior Wunderlich, Douglas Froemsdorf, Roger Schnurr and Bill Klaproth; pitcher Earl Cotner is undecided as to his playing.

A low bid of $15,039.34 is submitted by B.W. Birk Plumbing and Heating Co. for construction of four sewers on Water Street as a part of the Main Street Levee Improvement District floodwall project; two other bids are received from Continental Constructors of St. Louis and C.A. Hood Construction Co. of Cape Girardeau.

75 years ago: April 23, 1933

The Calvary Baptist congregation, formed about six weeks ago at Jackson, uses its new tabernacle for the first time; the tabernacle has been built on the old brickyard, one block east of Highway 25 at its intersection with U.S. 61; the building is of typical revival design, constructed of rough pine material with a sawdust floor.

The 518-acre Van Gundy farm at the Highway 61-74 intersection, has been sold to James Adams of Neelys Landing by the Phoenix Joint Stock Land Bank; the farm is cut in four parts by the two highways and has a 19-room frame dwelling, which is on Highway 74, barns and other small buildings.

100 years ago: April 23, 1908

Since the big Roberts, Johnson & Rand Shoe factory opened, visitors have been welcomed at all times and shown around the plant; however, now that several hundred people are employed there and all departments are kept rushing, superintendent H.L. Nunn has ended the open house; in the future, visitors will be made welcome every Tuesday at 2 p.m.

L.B. Houck returns in the afternoon from a tour of the Houck railroad lines; he returns by way of the Frisco.

— Sharon K. Sanders