Out of the past 5/7/09

25 years ago: May 7, 1984

THEBES, Ill. -- A federal plan to buy out 11 owners in downtown Thebes, whose homes or businesses are in the flood plain, has received preliminary approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency; about $150,000 has been allocated by FEMA for the buyout.

A 30-acre site on the northeast corner of the junction of Interstate 55 and U.S. 61 may be offered as a site for the proposed Cape Girardeau multipurpose building; Jim Drury of Mid-America Hotels Corp. is considering donating the land as the site for the arena.

50 years ago: May 7, 1959

It is announced that construction of the administration building at the municipal airport will be started tomorrow; a number of changes were made in the plans to make it less elaborate, whittling down the price tag for the building.

Representatives of the Little River Drainage District and the Missouri Cotton Producers Association appear in Washington before a House appropriations committee to seek aid in diverting water out of the Southeast Missouri during heavy rainfall; they'll appear before a Senate committee tomorrow.

75 years ago: May 7, 1934

A one-story brick annex is being constructed at the north end of the Harris Motor Co. building, 323 Broadway, to be used for storage of new automobiles; the building is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long; Herman Pape is the contractor.

Street commissioner Paul R. Brooks is authorized by the Cape Girardeau City Council to have 45-degree angle parking areas marked off on Sprigg Street in the vicinity of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church; this will be done on the west side of the street only.

100 years ago: May 7, 1909

A fire at 3 a.m. in Haarig badly damages the Apex Saloon and completely burns the stock and most of the fixtures; the loss to saloon stock and fixtures amounts to $2,000, and the damage to the building probably about the same; firefighters respond promptly and are able to keep the flames from spreading to the adjoining buildings.

Adolph Kraft of Cape Girardeau, a member of the bakery firm of Kraft brothers, died last night in St. Louis.

-- Sharon K. Sanders