Out of the past 7/19/05

25 years ago: July 19, 1980

A multi-alarm fire in the morning causes extensive damage to a two-story brick building at the northwest corner of Good Hope and Frederick streets and results in minor injuries to three Cape Girardeau firefighters; the fire guts the structure housing the Good Hope Furniture store and the Good Hope Grocery store.

About 300 graduates, their families, friends and university staff pack air-conditioned Academic Auditorium and the halls surrounding it to listen to the commencement address delivered by Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, professor of education at Rutgers University; the ceremony was moved indoors because of the heat.

50 years ago: July 19, 1955

An overflow problem in the Golladay Addition, brought on by concentrated rains such as that on Sunday night, was considered by the city council yesterday without any tangible solution growing from the discussion; during the 3.61 inches of rain Sunday, water flowed out of Walker Creek adjacent to the addition and ran into several houses.

An election to determine if the people of Cape Girardeau wish to issue bonds in the amount of $165,000 to build dual swimming pools and related facilities will be held Aug. 16; it will mark the second time the people have voted on a pool; in a 1949 vote, a $260,000 bond issue for a single pool was rejected.

75 years ago: July 19, 1930

Girardeans want the streetcars to remain in operation; 12 petitions circulated in the business sections and in two of the town's largest industrial plants reveal that of the 1,642 persons who expressed an opinion, 1,285 want the cars to continue to operate and 357 desire to see them removed from the streets.

Continuing its climb, the mercury convinces Girardeans they are experiencing another period of real summer heat; as the atmosphere assumes sweltering proportions in the afternoon, it is predicted that the mercury will climb beyond yesterday's high of 99 degrees.

100 years ago: July 19, 1905

Thomas M. Williams, assistant cashier of the First National Bank, has resigned that position; he has been offered a job with the firm of Wilson Bros., real estate agents; Williams had been connected with the bank since its founding 14 years ago.

The ferry is making nightly trips to neighboring farms for wheat for the Cape Girardeau flour mills; last night, the boat went up around "the bend."

-- Sharon K. Sanders