Out of the past 7/22/03

10 years ago: July 22, 1993

Phone lines were laid and tables were brought into basement of Centenary United Methodist Church Wednesday in preparation for tomorrow's opening of FEMA disaster application center; center, at 300 N. Ellis, will be staffed by 10 to 30 people.

Like floodwaters edging up at Cape Girardeau, costs of fighting back Mississippi River are rising; direct costs incurred by Cape Girardeau city government and levee districts, as of Tuesday, topped $100,000; approximately 120 residential structures, and 275 people have been affected by floodwaters.

25 years ago: July 22, 1978

Dr. H.O. Grauel, keynote speaker for summer commencement ceremony at Southeast Missouri State University, tells graduates of value of concern and curiosity in their lives; Grauel, professor emeritus of English, is first retired university faculty member ever asked by board of regents to be keynote commencement speaker.

Officials of Missouri Department of Transportation confirm that several miles of rail tracks within Cape Girardeau are potentially subject to abandonment; 3.4 miles of track, known to department as Cape Girardeau industrial switching tracks, include several blocks of tracks in middle of Independence Street.

50 years ago: July 22, 1953

Officials of Cape Transit Co. will be in Cape Girardeau within next week or so to investigate possibility of firm acquiring bus run from Cape Girardeau to tri-cities of Illmo, Fornfelt and Ancell; manager Eddie Mitchell says there are several factors being considered, but if operation could be shown to be profitable, company would be interested.

Break in wheat storage situation which will add thousands of dollars to income of Cape Girardeau County farmers comes when Production and Marketing Administration office at Jackson receives approval for government storage of wheat in elevators of Cape County Mill & Supply Co.

75 years ago: July 22, 1928

The Rev. R.M. Barrett, pastor of General Baptist Church, delivers sermon at union services at Courthouse Park in evening; his theme is "Christ Knocking at the Heart's Door"; members of General Baptist also furnish vocal music for program.

State Senator A.L. McCawley, Democratic candidate for governor, is in Cape Girardeau and attends Sunday school with some of his friends here.

-- Sharon K. Sanders