Out of the past 8/20/09

25 years ago: Aug. 20, 1984

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- A proposal to add a fifth police officer to the Chaffee Police Department meets strong opposition from Mayor Robert Capshaw, who counsels the board of aldermen not to vote on the proposal that he characterizes as a waste of taxpayer money.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen votes to take preliminary action to obtain grant funds that would be used to pave Lee Avenue.

50 years ago: Aug. 20, 1959

Chamber of Commerce directors authorize the employment of a professional organization -- Cumerford Inc. of Kansas City -- to conduct a financial campaign for $300,000 to establish an industrial development program in Cape Girardeau.

Faculty changes at St. Vincent's College were recently announced; the Rev. William A. Ryan, C.M., leaves the position as president of the college to assume duties as director of the major seminaries at St. Mary's Seminary in Perryville, Mo.; his successor here will be the Rev. Edward Virgets, C.M.

75 years ago: Aug. 20, 1934

Sales in retail stores in Cape Girardeau County amounted to $7,036,000 during 1933, and employment at these stores showed a gradual increase during the year; there were 434 stores in operation in the county, having 441 proprietors and 702 full-time and 250 part-time workers.

Dixie Walker and his strikeout ball failed to work well yesterday, with the result that the Capahas lost to the Illmo-Fornfelt Big Bucks, 4-2.

100 years ago: Aug. 20, 1909

Edward F. Regenhardt, chairman of the Taft Day celebration committee, learns there will be special trains running to Cape Girardeau over two lines that day, bringing visitors from Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Campbell and Malden, Mo.

Fred Kain has a contract to excavate all the surface dirt for the downtown streets where wood-block pavements are to be laid; he has found that in many places the dirt hasn't been tamped down in trenches where sewer pipes have been run into houses and business places; he will have to haul in dirt to even up those places, an expense not estimated in his contract.

-- Sharon K. Sanders