Out of the past 7/10/09

25 years ago: July 10, 1984

The Cape Girardeau City Council last night gave final approval of the downtown redevelopment plan.

The panelists and moderator for the John Ashcroft-Gene McNary debate Friday night, sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, are announced; Michael J. Sexton, publisher/general manger of the Missourian, will be moderator; the panel of newsmen will consist of Mike Shain of KFVS12; Jim Grebing, political editor of the Bulletin-Journal newspaper, and Don Gordon, Missourian managing editor; Ashcroft and McNary are Republican candidates for Missouri governor.

50 years ago: July 10, 1959

Cape Girardeau County retail outlets enjoyed the best first-quarter volume of business in their history this year, figures supplied by the Division of Collection of the State Department of Revenue show; retail business amounted to $7,378,472.

Groundwork for the new Town Plaza Shopping Center on William Street at Kingshighway is placed underway, with erection of a $1,500,000 first unit to start in the fall; the first section will be built at the north side of the tract, facing south toward William Street.

75 years ago: July 10, 1934

Henry Vogel and Walter Ford, both of Cape Girardeau, had planned to open a funeral home at 411 Themis St., but that has been delayed; residents nearby don't want the business in that neighborhood.

Two shades of blue and white are the colors being used to decorate the front of the Burger Bakery, 1029 Broadway; the work is being done by Schaefer Brothers, painting contractors.

100 years ago: July 10, 1909

George E. Weiss, a farmer living five miles north of Cape Girardeau on the lower Bend Road, is in Cape Girardeau asking about the latest river predictions; if the 30-foot stage is reached again, the lowlands will be flooded and hundreds of acres of corn and other crops ruined; Weiss has an extra fine patch of corn and a big field of potatoes, and he is fearful of the overflow.

Robert C. Goetz of Cape Girardeau, who recently graduated from West Point military academy with honors, yesterday received his commission as a lieutenant in the Army.

-- Sharon K. Sanders