Out of the past 6/8/03

10 years ago: June 8, 1993

Cape Girardeau voters reject riverboat gambling by margin of 53 to 47 percent; ballot measure, which passes in only four of city's 16 voting precincts, is defeated 5,506 votes to 4,940; while voters here reject riverboat gambling, similar measure passes overwhelmingly in Caruthersville, 1,238 votes to 597.

Cape Girardeau senior citizens hope to celebrate July 4th in their new Senior Center building; plans call for June 24 moving day; kitchen at new facility should be open for noon meals on June 29; initially, seniors hoped to hold New Year's Eve party at facility, 921 N. Clark, but construction delays have pushed back opening six months.

25 years ago: June 8, 1978

At least five county officials believe county sales tax might be answer to inequities posed by property taxes; that opinion is voiced by three members of county court, by County Auditor H. Weldon Macke and County Clerk Rusby C. Crites in view of Tuesday's vote in California to slash property taxes; but until any move to allow counties to enact sales tax and do away with property taxes becomes reality, state-wide reassessment of all property is only way some of inequities can be smoothed out of controversial property tax method.

Richardson Tire Co. on South Kingshighway has been purchased by city for use as Public Works Building; bought from Charles N. Harris, $375,000 price tag is described by Mayor Paul W. Stehr as "a real bargain."

50 years ago: June 8, 1953

Contract has been signed and work is expected to begin soon on excavation work preparatory to construction of new Catholic High School to serve Cape Girardeau and area, says the Rev. Marion F. Forst, pastor of St. Mary's Church; Archbishop Joseph Ritter has signed general contract with J.J. Altman Construction Co. of East St. Louis, Ill.

Today marks beginning of fourth consecutive week in Cape Girardeau and most of Southeast Missouri in which there has been no rain; crops, at stage where they need showers to produce growth, are showing effects of three-week drought.

75 years ago: June 8, 1928

Maintaining its position that it is giving sufficient service to Cape Girardeau shippers, Frisco Railroad in reply brief answering exceptions taken to examiner's report recommending refusal of Missouri Pacific's application to establish service here, reiterates its contention that entrance of another railroad would mean only a division of business; it maintains that proposed new line from Illmo to Cape Girardeau wouldn't serve any new territory, nor create any additional business.

Foundation for addition to Erlbacher Machine and Foundry Shop on North Main street has been completed, and construction of building will begin soon; building will house about same amount of machinery and other equipment that is in present structure.

-- Sharon K. Sanders