Out of the past 7/10/03

10 years ago: July 10, 1993

The Southeast Missourian publishes special edition detailing local flooding and efforts to cope with rising waters.

Cape Girardeau County Commission, meeting in special session yesterday, approved order imposing curfew in flooded areas of county until further notice.

Amid sweltering summer heat, Dutchtown residents and volunteers are filling and stacking sandbags along quarter-mile stretch of Highway 74 as they brace for approaching floodwaters, visible in distance; small, Cape Girardeau County town is threatened by floodwaters from nearby Diversion Channel.

25 years ago: July 10, 1978

Farmers are delighted with rain that began falling yesterday and continues today, marking end of two-week drought in Southeast Missouri; in Jackson rain measures one and a half inches, while at Municipal Airport, precipitation amounted to .88 of an inch; chance of rain continues through day and into tomorrow.

Lightning strikes three residences during morning thunderstorm, causing mostly minor damage; first bolt strikes home of Virginia Willier, 354 N. Park; second strike is at house at 3106 Westfield and causes small fire in one of eaves; lightning burns out furnace motor and causes light smoke at residence of Renita McGeurick, 517 Terry.

50 years ago: July 10, 1953

Circuit Judge D.W. Gillmore late yesterday afternoon ordered grand jury summoned; it will report to court in Jackson Monday, and jurors will be selected by Sheriff Alvin F. Klaus; there was no comment from any official source as to purpose or scope of grand jury's investigation.

Jefferson City - Bids on 63.8 miles of road improvements estimated to cost around $1,050,000 are asked by State Highway Commission for July 30; while most of work is on farm-to-market roads, three short major system projects are involved.

75 years ago: July 10, 1928

Construction of viaduct over Frisco railroad on Highway 61, three miles south of Cape Girardeau, will begin next week, with Linus Penzel of Jackson and his associate, Walter Lemaster of Wolf Lake, Ill., doing work; Penzel is notified of acceptance of his bid of $55,148 in morning by telegram from Missouri Highway Commission at Jefferson City.

Kennett - Proposal to issue $50,000 worth of bonds for construction of municipal light and power plant is defeated by vote of 5 to 2 in special election, in which more than 800 votes were polled.

-- Sharon K. Sanders