Out of the past 7/17/11

25 years ago: July 17, 1986

If the city council agrees, two steam locomotives that have stood for more than 30 years in Capaha and Arena parks will become the property of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway and will be displayed at Jackson; the anticipated move was prompted by the discovery of exposed asbestos insulation around the rusty boilers of the engines.

A study is presented to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents that makes 19 recommendations for placing funding for athletics on a sound footing; the study says fundamental changes must be made in financing athletic programs to avoid continuing deficits or elimination of some sports.

50 years ago: July 17, 1961

A surprise alert, called at its first meeting, found the recently organized 9548th Air Reserve Recovery Squadron equal to the emergency at its first weekend training at Malden Air Base; 65 reservists from a wide area, including two from Columbia, Mo., participated in the Saturday-Sunday training program.

Robert Wilson of Cape Girardeau has assumed his duties as special night police officer on Broadway, assigned to the six-block stretch from Lorimier to Pacific streets.

75 years ago: July 17, 1936

With the rest of the Midwest still broiling under a terrific heat wave, Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri enjoy a respite; temperatures sagged in this area with Thursday's showers and electrical storm in the early evening.

Big Elam Vangilder will carry the pitching burden of the Cape Girardeau Capahas on their first out-of-town trek Sunday when they invade Illmo for a tussle with the Big Bucks at Tri-City Park.

100 years ago: July 17, 1911

A strange meteor was observed by many Girardeans last night; flying to the east at a slow rate of speed, it exploded over the woods leading up to Cape Rock, two miles north of Cape Girardeau.

Henry Brune, former owner of the property on Broadway between Middle and Frederick streets on the south side, has been ordered to clear the property of the old blacksmith shop and all other incumbrances; the order came through Bowman Brothers, real estate agents, acting for S.H. Cress & Co., of New York, proprietors of more than 125 10- and 20-cent stores in the country.

-- Sharon K. Sanders