Out of the past 5/3/12

25 years ago: May 3, 1987

Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel marks its 20th anniversary with a service of praise and thanksgiving in the morning; the Rev. William A. Matzat, pastor, gives the sermon on the anniversary theme, "Growing in Christ."

Christmas came about five months late for members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department; but no one complained yesterday when a representative of Grumman Emergency Products of Roanoke, Va., delivered their new 102-foot aerial platform ladder truck; the $450,000 truck will be placed in service in about two weeks.

50 years ago: May 3, 1962

The A.B. Newton Co. of Vidalia, Ga., is the apparent low bidder for the construction of six new dormitories and a companion social center on the State College campus.

Cape Girardeau firefighters, wearing gas masks and using a special smoke ejector, climb through the bilges of the towboat Jefferson in the morning to douse a smoldering fire among rags and oil; the boat is tied up at the Missouri Dry Dock and Repair Co., 500 Aquamsi St.

75 years ago: May 3, 1937

A second evacuation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is ordered as the new Ohio River flood is predicted to go high enough by the end of the week to send water to a depth of 10 or more feet over the southern area of the spillway.

In charging the Cape Girardeau County grand jury in circuit court at Jackson, Judge Frank Kelly uses most of his address to jurors as a verbal indictment of illegal gambling machines.

100 years ago: May 3, 1912

The Jackson School Board last night elected the following teachers to fill vacancies: Grace McLain, Ella Browning, Mabel Henderson, Professor Bloom, Avis Baker and Florence Machen of Cape Girardeau.

E.P. Thomas of the Southeast Missouri Undertaking Co. returns here last night from St. Louis, where he purchased a coffin wagon and a casket-lowering device; the company will now use the ambulance for conveying the sick and injured only, and use the coffin wagon for all other work.

-- Sharon K. Sanders