Out of the past 5/1/07

25 years ago: May 1, 1982

The Cape Girardeau Police Department has undergone numerous changes over the past 12 months, ranging from a new chief to a change in uniform fashion. Many of those changes are due to a controversial evaluation of the department performed by the Public Administration Service of Chicago at the request of the city council early last year.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has approved the application of Boatmen's Bancshares Inc. of St. Louis to acquire Farmers and Merchants Bank at Cape Girardeau.

50 years ago: May 1, 1957

Through a gift of $13,000 by R.B. Potashnick, a Cape Girardeau contractor, State College becomes the first institution in the nation to offer schools in its area a complete course in physics on film. Potashnick signed a contract with Encyclopaedia Britannica Films Inc. for the series of 162 motion pictures.

The large amount of dirt found in seams between stone formations has caused the Mississippi Valley Engineering and Construction Co. to abandon an area adjacent to historic Capaha Bluffs on old Highway 74 as the source of stone for fill on the Main Street levee construction project.

75 years ago: May 1, 1932

Highway officials, members of Cape Rock Park Association and others who are at Cape Rock to see how many people would view the first work of the township highway commission in the building of a scenic highway from Cape Rock north and west several miles to Highway 61 west of the city, are grieved to see so many people leave their cars to gather wild flowers, dig up ferns, etc.

Jacob Statler, 88, veteran of the Civil War, died yesterday at his home near Caney Fork in Bollinger County; he served for three years in Confederate General Sterling Price's brigade.

100 years ago: May 1, 1907

An immense balloon floated over the west part of Cape Girardeau County in the morning; the balloon was launched yesterday evening at St. Louis and contains J.C. McCloy, a ballooning enthusiast, and Capt. C.D.F. Chandler of the Army.

The Madden sisters announce they will move their millinery store to the room just north of the Chenue jewelry store on Main Street in Cape Girardeau.

-- Sharon K. Sanders