Out of the past 7/22/02

10 years ago: July 22, 1992

Fire in three-story apartment building in central west end of Cape Girardeau in morning injures at least five people, one seriously; at least three people are trapped in smoke-filled building and have to be rescued by firefighters; building, one of number of apartment buildings in complex located in 100 block of Clark Street, near Central High School, isn't equipped with smoke detectors.

Donning orange and yellow boots as precaution, about 30 contractors considering cleanup of Missouri Electric site inspect property; pre-bid inspection is another step in federal Emergency Protection Agency's lengthy effort to clean up PCB-contaminated site at 824 S. Kingshighway.

25 years ago: July 22, 1977

Cairo, Ill. - New multi-million-dollar Bunge Corp. grain processing plant is heavily damaged when fire breaks out in basement and shoots up through several stories; much of damage is from smoke and water; opening of new plant will be delayed past projected Aug. 15 completion date, it is believed; cause of blaze hasn't been determined.

Avian Diagnostic Laboratory at University of Missouri-Columbia reports that analysis of water in Capaha Park Lagoon shows it is contaminated with botulism; according to Robert Gass, city park department superintendent, only way to rid lagoon of botulism is to drain lake and clean it.

50 years ago: July 22, 1952

Operations at two Cape Girardeau truck terminals - Kimbel and Tucker Lines - are almost completely tied up as result of union move growing out of strike of truck drivers operating within city of St. Louis; members of St. Louis union local throw up picket lines at terminals of Kimbel and Tucker.

Fire breaks out at St. Mary's Catholic Grade School in afternoon, when spark from sanding machine being used to remove varnish from floor ignites some liquid remover; fire is out upon arrival of city firemen, being doused by workers with fire extinguisher; floor and cornicework are slightly damaged.

75 years ago: July 22, 1927

Municipal swimming pool at Fairground Park is given its semi-weekly cleaning, fresh supply of water being run in to replace that which was drained out during night; empty pool is given through scrubbing with brushes, before being refilled; pool won't be opened to swimmers until this evening, as it takes entire day to fill it.

The Rev. Carney C. Fesler, pastor of Methodist Church at Doniphan and who had been associated with several churches in Southeast Missouri, drowns in Lake Killarney, near Ironton, in unsuccessful effort to save young woman; woman, Ivy Ricketts of St. Louis, had gone to rescue of two other girls; she also drowns.

- Sharon K. Sanders