Out of the past 8/21/05

25 years ago: Aug. 21, 1980

The state bank board votes to uphold a decision granting South East Missouri Bank a charter to establish a bank in Cape Girardeau; the decision, by a vote of three to two, upholds a May 30 decision by the Division of Finance granting a charter to South East over the application of the Bank of Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday gave its approval to a request from the Cape Girardeau Industrial Development Authority for the issuance of $600,000 in revenue bonds for expansion of the Thorngate, Ltd., plant.

50 years ago: Aug. 21, 1955

An open house is held in the afternoon, affording the public a chance to inspect the new Maple Avenue Methodist Church parsonage at 620 S. Ellis; the home, which was recently purchased, has been entirely redecorated; the Rev. and Mrs. J.A. Wilson have moved form the old parsonage at 720 Maple, which will now be used as a Sunday School annex.

Mayor Narvol A. Randol was endorsed as Cape Girardeau's next postmaster at a two-hour meeting yesterday of the Cape Girardeau Republican Committee members from Cape Girardeau and Randol townships.

75 years ago: Aug. 21, 1930

A squadron formation of about 30 airplanes, traveling over Missouri as a goodwill tour conducted by the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce, will stop in Cape Girardeau the third week of September; arrangements are under way to prepare a field for the squadron's landing.

Fire of unknown origin practically destroys a barn of the Cape Coal Co., 44 S. Frederick, in the evening; four horses die in the blaze, and the loss caused by the flames is expected to exceed $2,000; although every effort is made by firemen to get the horses out of the burning building, the animals refuse to come out, huddling in the corner of their stalls where they are overcome.

100 years ago: Aug. 21, 1905

Representatives of most of the labor unions in Cape Girardeau met at the Sons of Veterans' hall yesterday and appointed various committees to arrange for the annual Labor Day celebration; because they are unable to secure the use of the fairgrounds, it was decided to hold the picnic at the old fairgrounds and sell only soft drinks.

Today being pay-day on the Frisco, Cape Girardeau's stores remain open until late to accommodate the railroad people.

-- Sharon K. Sanders