Out of the past 8/27/09

25 years ago: Aug. 27, 1984

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Ray Johnson is appointed by the County Commission to fill a vacancy on the Cape Girardeau County Mental Health Board; Johnson replaces Milton Mouser, who resigned.

"Laughable" and "outrageous" are just a couple of the ways area residents describe Union Electric's proposed $639 million rate increase to the Missouri Public Service Commission at a public hearing in Cape Girardeau; the proposed increase is to offset the cost of the new Callaway nuclear plant.

50 years ago: Aug. 27, 1959

Exhibitors at the SEMO District Fair three weeks hence will compete for the highest amount of premium money ever offered in the 104 years of the event; the fair catalog shows $30,527.80 in premium money awaiting winners in 16 separate divisions.

Led by a $250 gift from the Cape Girardeau Lions Club, contributions to the Cape Girardeau Civic Center, Inc., the program for residents of the Smelterville area, now total $1,100; the amount is 20 percent of the budget adopted for operation of the program.

75 years ago: Aug. 27, 1934

The work relief program in Cape Girardeau County is moving forward, a mattress factory being in operation and preparations being made for opening a government meet canning plant early in September.

The rear of the brick building at 1 N. Main St., occupied by F.W. Woolworth & Co. Store, has been torn away, and a new two-story annex is being erected.

100 years ago: Aug. 27, 1909

Because of the low stage of the Mississippi River, the government boats are busy cleaning out the channel; in the morning, the snag boat Macom removes a very ugly snag which has been causing trouble and uneasiness near the wharf, where the steamers land at Cape Girardeau.

E.W. Hoffman and son of Chicago are in Cape Girardeau visiting friends; Hoffman lived here about 26 years ago.

-- Sharon K. Sanders