Out of the past 7/30/06

25 years ago: July 30, 1981

With the present landfill nearing capacity, the city of Cape Girardeau has taken an option on 82 acres of land on Highway 74 between Cape Girardeau and Dutchtown as the proposed site for a new city landfill; the city has agreed to pay $200,000 for an option on the land to Steve Landgraf Industries Inc.

Summer temperatures -- unlike last year's scorcher -- have been rather mild this year, and there has been no lack of water in the Mississippi River; the river is again on the rise, thanks to heavy rains that have fallen over much of mid-Missouri and northern Illinois recently; the river stage here in the morning is 32.7 feet, just above flood stage.

50 years ago: July 30, 1956

Construction of the first phase of the Main Street levee system is 67 percent completed -- 3 percent ahead of schedule -- and engineers estimate this part of the work will be finished in October; in the meantime, construction is set to begin on the second contract awarded for the flood-protection project, which includes the building of a floodwall and closure structure at the Missouri Utilities Co. plant.

Members of the New Bethel Baptist Church will hold services for the first time in the new building at 617 Pecan Street on the first Sunday in August.

75 years ago: July 30, 1931

The Rev. J.W. Ellis, pastor of Grace Methodist Church, returns to Cape Girardeau from a five-week European tour; his boat docked in New York Tuesday evening, and he came directly home; Ellis was accompanied to Europe by Robert Bauer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bauer, who remained in Germany visiting with relatives.

Erection of structural steel for the main building of the new Missouri Utilities Co. water plant at Cape Rock begins in the afternoon; several days will be required to put up the heavy steel beams supporting the floors of the structure.

100 years ago: July 30, 1906

Mrs. Frederick Wasserman dies at her home at the corner of North and Frederick streets; she was born in Braunschweig, Germany, Oct. 31, 1823, and was a resident of Cape Girardeau for about 60 years; her husband died about 30 years ago; burial will be tomorrow at Old Lorimier Cemetery.

William Woods & Co., the new firm of street-building contractors, purchased a magnificent street roller and grader last week at Port Huron, Mich.; the machine weighs 12 tons and is a monster; it cost $4,800.

~-- Sharon K. Sanders