Out of the past 7/13/12

25 years ago: July 13, 1987

Louis C. Wagner Jr., a native of Jackson and an Army career officer, has been assigned as general manager of the Army Material Command and promoted to the rank of general.

Naval reservists are cleaning out a tributary of Cape La Croix Creek, which runs adjacent to the Naval Reserve in Arena Park; Seabees are busy cleaning debris from the ditch and straightening the channel to eliminate bottlenecks for better drainage.

50 years ago: July 13, 1962

Sprigg and Independence streets are believed to be the oldest concrete-paved streets in Missouri, and plans are being made for an observance of that distinction; the streets were paved in 1912, and a year later, Themis was similarly surfaced.

Chester M. Brown, president of Allied Chemical Co., has been named the firm's chief executive officer; Brown is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Brown of Cape Girardeau.

75 years ago: July 13, 1937

The Cape Girardeau School Board has decided to close Broadway School when new Lorimier School opens in September; all but 75 of Broadway's pupils were scheduled to move to new Lorimier anyway; those remaining students will be absorbed into Franklin, Washington and Jefferson schools.

Razing the old convent of the School Sisters of Notre Dame has begun by a dozen workers preliminary to construction of an addition to St. Mary's Parochial School; Anton Haas & Son has been awarded the general contract for the new building.

100 years ago: July 13, 1912

The town of Illmo is in gloom because of the sudden death of John S. Norman, banker and real estate dealer, and founder of the town; Norman, about 50, dies shortly after midnight; he is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. Maude Stevenson.

A special train over the Frisco to Nevada, Mo., departs in the afternoon, taking members of the Sixth Regiment to the National Guard's state encampment.

-- Sharon K. Sanders