Out of the past 8/22/11

25 years ago: Aug. 22, 1986

Today is Fred Boeckmann's last day as Cape Girardeau city attorney; on Monday he will begin a new job as city attorney of Columbia, Mo.

At a news conference in the Chamber of Commerce office, city and civic leaders discuss their efforts to lobby state officials concerning an enterprise zone designation for Cape Girardeau; such a designation, they say, would promote economic development and growth; the zone would encompass the city's downtown and central business district south to the city limits.

50 years ago: Aug. 22, 1961

Fair August weather is aiding road construction in Southeast Missouri; work on the Interstate 55 project is well underway; grading and structure work is being completed from near Fruitland south to the Diversion Channel.

The inaugural go-kart races of the World's Championship Rose Stakes at TWIKA Speedway, scheduled for this evening, are postponed until tomorrow night because of rain.

75 years ago: Aug. 22, 1936

A moving picture concern from St. Louis has dispatched its cameraman to Fruitland to make movies of the activities of the Koss Construction Co., which is preparing the roadbed of Highway 25 for the placing of a concrete slab; powerful machinery has torn the roadbed up on a stretch of about seven miles, beginning at the northern limits of Jackson and extending north of Fruitland; hundreds of men are working on the project, tying up most of the available housing in Jackson.

A barge of cement owned by Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co. runs aground on a sandbar near Commerce, Mo., to prevent sinking after it struck a rock.

100 years ago: Aug. 22, 1911

City councilmen almost came to blows last night as the result of the election of George Chappel as city clerk over Chris Betten, the incumbent; Councilman M. Morrison questioned the citizenship of Councilman Joe Haas; the latter produced papers to prove his citizenship, along with a cane with which he threatened Morrison.

Walter D. Black has bought the Barrett Cotner interest in the Hope-Cotner Automobile Co. on Independence Street; Black will continue to run his passenger cars between this city and Jackson; Cotner will open a complete automobile supply store on Main Street.

-- Sharon K. Sanders