Out of the past 7/31/07

25 years ago: July 31, 1982

All three Democratic candidates for the 8th District congressional seat -- State Rep. Jerry Ford, Frank X. Hastings and John L. Woodward -- are predicting victories in Tuesday's primary.

The state appropriation for Southeast Missouri State University in the current fiscal year will be lower than first thought; according to sources in his office, Gov. Kit S. Bond has decided to withhold the "governor's reserve" from the 1983 Fiscal Year state appropriations, which will cut Southeast's anticipated $17.3 million appropriation by 3 percent.

50 years ago: July 31, 1957

Illinois officers concentrate a manhunt in the McClure, Ill., area after three men, convicts who fled Menard Prison at Chester early Sunday, kidnapped a Menfro, Mo., man and crossed the Mississippi River traffic bridge at Cape Girardeau last night.

Peach growers in the Campbell, Mo., have started harvesting an estimated 155,000 bushels of Elbertas, and growers of Puxico, Mo., Cape Girardeau and Scott County are preparing to start shipping their crops the last of this week and the first of next.

75 years ago: July 31, 1932

Virtually all the Protestant churches of Cape Girardeau County have brief services to discuss the prohibition question, in cooperation with the United Dry Organization of Cape Girardeau County.

The Rev. A.H. Beardsley, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, speaks in the evening at the union service at Courthouse Park; in addition, a combined chorus renders a number and a quartet from Grace Methodist Church also performs; members of the quartet are Leo Happel, Albert Kuehle, W.J. McBride and John Hargens.

100 years ago: July 31, 1907

Pape Bros. have about completed the extensive alterations in the Buckner-Ragsdale Store at Cape Girardeau; when the space was the Flentge store, it consisted of two rooms connected at front and back by large arches; now the two rooms are one.

Mrs. George F. Owens, formerly of Cape Girardeau, arrived yesterday from Poplar Bluff, Mo., to spend a few days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. Bremmermann.

-- Sharon K. Sanders