Out of the past 7/25/02

10 years ago: July 25, 1992

Friends call Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Dodd "an amazing American success story" who started motorcycle parts business in his garage and built it to multi-million dollar national operation; Dodd, 50, and Louis Rex Pettit, 43, both of Cape Girardeau, were killed Thursday when their twin-engine plane crashed in south-central Pennsylvania.

Inmates from Farmington Correctional Center who are on work-release program with Missouri Highway and Transportation Department have been cutting out trees along Walker Creek in 100 block of North Kingshighway; they have worked between Good Hope and Themis streets in joint cleanup project with city of Cape Girardeau.

25 years ago: July 25, 1977

Scott City - Elderly Kelso man narrowly escapes serious injury in morning when gasoline tanker overturns on his car at Interstate 55 down ramp and Route K; Albert Diebold is pulled from his 1962 Valiant by truck driver, Robert Dinkins of Wappapello; Diebold isn't hurt in accident, but rear left side of his automobile is crushed by heavy tanker.

Operation of Southeast Missouri State University's power generating plant is being studied by power consulting firm in St. Louis under grant from energy Resources Development Administration; study will cover all aspects of operation, ranging from its efficiency to discharge of pollutants from coal-fired boilers.

50 years ago: July 25, 1952

Construction has begun on $29,847.62 addition to Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. office building, which will be used for laboratory; Burton J. Gerhardt Construction Co. is doing work on one-story brick and concrete building; dimensions will be 23 by 40 feet.

Sgt. Percy R. Little of State Highway Patrol travels to Sedalia to attend graduation of his son, Jack Little, from Highway Patrol training school; younger Little will be assigned to troop and area of state, but won't immediately know to what city he is to be assigned.

75 years ago: July 25, 1927

Development of clay and silica deposits in immediate Cape Girardeau area will continue rapidly, according to Paul J. Hardt and S.M. Sandor of Chicago, fiscal agents for Cape Silica Co. who leave today after spending two weeks investigating company's holdings; company has acquired tract of land three miles northwest of Cape Girardeau, which will be used as site for clay plant.

Herman Lufcy, prominent Republican and editor of Stoddard County Tribune, visits Cape Girardeau; when questioned, he says he is candidate for state treasurer; Roy H. Monier, state warehouse commissioner, and Paul McCall, chief clerk for present treasurer, are also mentioned as candidates for that post.

- Sharon K. Sanders