Out of the past 8/18/06

25 years ago: Aug. 18, 1981

A formal recommendation to use buses provided by a suburban Kansas City firm over those of a local transit company in the city's proposed transit system is expected to be made tonight by the Cape Girardeau Transit supervisor Steven D. Engelmann to the city council at the council's study session.

A half-dozen spades of dirt symbolically marked the start of construction Monday at the site of Southeast Missouri State University's $3.9 million addition to the Magill Hall of Science building.

50 years ago: Aug. 18, 1956

A skillful blending of pomp, pageantry and ceremony, inaugurated by religious services marking tomorrow's beginning of the memorable event, are expected to bring thousands of visitors to Cape Girardeau next week for the celebration of the 150th year of the founding of this old river town by French-Canadian adventurer Louis Lorimier.

The Southeast Missourian publishes its big Sesquicentennial Edition; the newspaper, filled with stories and photos that tell the 150-year history of Cape Girardeau, consists of four sections and 56 pages.

76 years ago: Aug. 18, 1931

Two would-be burglars escaped late last night after their attempt to enter St. Vincent's Parochial School, 150 S. Spanish St., was frustrated by a police officer who fired at them; patrolman John Wilson surprised the pair, and they fled hatless after abandoning a ladder they had set up to enter a window on the north side of the building in the shadow of St. Vincent's Catholic Church.

An ordinance appointing members of the Drum and Bugle Corps of the Louis K. Juden Post of American Legion as special police officers for Cape Girardeau and fixing compensation for their services at $600 annually was given its first reading and approved by the city council at its meeting last night.

100 years ago: Aug. 18, 1906

Contractor J.P. Patterson starts work on a concrete sidewalk extending along the south side of Broadway, from Ellis to Pacific streets, and south on Pacific Street for half a block.

Harmon Loeffle has the plans and specifications for the new steeples for the Catholic church at New Hamburg, Mo., a small place in Scott County; the church's original steeple was burned during the Civil War and was never rebuilt; Loeffle is asking for bids for the stone and other work.

-- Sharon K. Sanders