Out of the past 6/15/05

25 years ago: June 15, 1980

Moving day is a large task, but when moving day means packing 90,000 books it's an event; volunteers at the Cape Girardeau Public Library were knee deep in that event yesterday, as packing began in earnest; the library will be closed until June 23 while the moving process is completed.

Tenth District U.S. Rep. Bill D. Burlison of Cape Girardeau and Mrs. Opal Parks of Caruthersville, Mo., have been chosen delegates to the national Democratic convention; they are the only two national delegates chosen from the 10th Congressional District.

50 years ago: June 15, 1955

A two-pronged question -- whether to expand present generating capacity of the municipal power plant, or whether to purchase required power from a private utility -- is before Jackson residents; it is presented at a public meeting called by the city council; present for the meeting are representatives of Russell and Axon, consulting engineers of St. Louis; Missouri Utilities Co. and the Citizens Electric Corp. of Ste. Genevieve.

The A.T. Utley Construction firm, on a bid of $153,168.60, has been awarded the contract for the construction of the Rodney Vista sanitary trunk and lateral sewer system.

75 years ago: June 15, 1930

The Red Star Baptist Church has before it a program of reorganization, to be completed within a year, looking eventually to the erection of a new building; Red Star recently added 86 new members, and the congregation now numbers 375 people.

Breaking a drought which had gripped this section for a month, a rain general in character sweeps over Southeast Missouri during the night, bringing relief to crops over a wide area.

100 years ago: June 15, 1905

Architect L.B. Blackwood has made plans for two handsome residences to be built in Cape Girardeau; Charles J. Juden will erect a colonial stone house just outside the southwest city limits; the building will be of white stone with a red tile roof; A.R. Ponder has started work on a large press brick residence in the southwestern part of town; it will also be of colonial design.

About midnight last night, people in the neighborhood of the Common Pleas Courthouse were awakened by five shots fired from a revolver; Policeman Miles shot at two men escaping from the city jail behind the courthouse; that seems to happen every time a man is placed in the dilapidated calaboose.

-- Sharon K. Sanders