Out of the past 6/3/12

25 years ago: June 3, 1987

Only two of five fee measures were apparently approved by Cape Girardeau voters in a special election yesterday that was marked by confusion over vote totals; measures to increase golf course and Arena Building usage fees passed.

With further depletion of the end-of-the-year balance in the Cape Girardeau School District budget anticipated for next June, the school board is strongly indicating it will ask voters in October to approve an increase in the district's property tax levy.

50 years ago: June 3, 1962

In a newly decorated church building, members of Trinity Lutheran Church join in a brief dedicatory service in the morning; the Rev. Ralph C. Fessler, pastor, makes the formal dedication of the pulpit, lectern, altar brass, communion rail, 700 new hymnals and other items.

A stock car enthusiast from the East St. Louis, Ill., area was killed, along with two companions, when their light aircraft crashed near Raddle, Ill., as the trio is returning home from Cape Girardeau, where they had been spectators at the Arena Park races.

75 years ago: June 3, 1937

Several local farmers are trying out electric fences and report they are working well, making livestock stay in the proper field; L.C. Blattner of Sunny Hill Farm, F.J. Armstrong of Silver Springs Farm, Will Schwab and others have fences of this type in operation.

A new floating steel dock has been built and put into service at 300 N. Water St. by K.A. "Kenny" Head, local commission agent for the Sinclair Refining Co.; the deck, a steel barge built by Eddie Erlbacher here, is equipped with facilities for servicing all motor fuel consuming boats plying the Mississippi River.

100 years ago: June 3, 1912

Professor J.H. Abbott, the celebrated spiritual medium of Australian and English fame, has closed his parlors in Cape Girardeau and is now in some other town telling the unsuspecting mortals what they want to know.

"Uncle" Henry Bauer has returned to Jackson for his annual summer sojourn; he spends his winter months with a friend in St. Louis, but during the summer months he feels more comfortable in the fresh air of Jackson than in the stifling atmosphere of the large city.

-- Sharon K. Sanders