Out of the past 5/14/02

10 years ago: May 14, 1992

Although short of its initial goal, committee established to preserve Old Lorimier Cemetery has raised enough money to erect security fence around Cape Girardeau landmark; group has raised about $19,000 for barrier and is awaiting cost estimates for fence's chain link portion.

Sales tax checks for both city of Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County were sharply down this month over May of 1991; county's May check of $105,154.77 was its lowest in may since 1986.

25 years ago: May 14, 1977

J. Ronald Fischer of Fischer's Food Stores, is installed on board of directors of Metro Retail Food Dealers Association at meeting of group in Cape Girardeau; about 60 members of association from Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois attend meeting.

Cape Girardeau's Naval Reserve Center changes command as Lt. John D. May is relieved by Lt. B.A. Ortiz, new commanding officer; May has been transferred to Newport, R.I.; he was commanding officer here since January 1975; Ortiz comes to Cape Girardeau from U.S.S. Charles F. Adams, DDG-2, home ported in Mayport, Fla.

50 years ago: May 14, 1952

Two additional recreation areas in spacious Arena Park are expected to be reclaimed within next 15 months under new plan of refuse fill that will close existing dump ground after Sunday and will culminate in adoption of sanitary fill method of rubbish disposal; present rubbish grounds near intersection of Park and Gordonville roads will be used through this week, but will be closed off effective Monday.

Several tombstones in Old Lorimier Cemetery have been overturned or broken, and it is believed vandals were responsible; police Tuesday received report of children playing in cemetery, but when officers arrived they found no one; many of stones are of soft native stone and are fragile.

75 years ago: May 14, 1927

Closing three-day home-making school conducted under auspices of The Southeast Missourian at Houck Field House, Mrs. Edna Riggs Crabtree last night spoke to crowd estimated at more than 2,000 in grand finale of first event of its kind ever held in Cape Girardeau.

Poplar Bluff - With memory of Monday's tragedy growing dimmer as reconstruction of its business section continues, Poplar Bluff is more concerned with handling of thousands of curious people who are certain to descend on town tomorrow; faced with problem of handling crowds who will come from miles to view tornado damage, mayor has arranged to augment his force of 100 civilian policemen; stringent traffic rules will be in effect; no automobiles or sightseers will be allowed within tornado-stricken zone, although they will be allowed to go within certain limits to make cursory inspection.

-- Sharon K. Sanders