Out of the past 8/4/02

10 years ago: Aug. 4, 1992

City council voted Monday to study spending excess tourism funds on proposal to turn St. Vincent's College property into museum and Civil War interpretive center; council unanimously approved measure despite objections of some members that it was "slap in the face" to city's Convention and Visitors Advisory Board.

Early morning fire yesterday damaged Rumor Mill nightclub, 701 N. Main, and left authorities searching for clues to cause of blaze; fire started in basement.

25 years ago: Aug. 4, 1977

Illmo - Cotton Belt Railroad Depot at Illmo, built in 1904, is scheduled to be scrapped and replaced with new facility; according to Ralph Miller, company official from Scott City, new all-steel building will be constructed, probably within next two years about quarter of a mile west of old building.

Fisk - New element has been injected into controversy over proposed channelization of St. Francis River, with Corps of Engineers proposing its own alternative to original project; environmentalists and area farmers have voiced opposition to channelization; new plan will be announced in September.

50 years ago: Aug. 4, 1952

Wind and electrical storm, roaring out of northwest, apparently spends its force before reaching Cape Girardeau early in morning, and rain which falls with it in some places also avoids this area; despite heavy storm clouds that remind many of tornado that hit Cape Girardeau three years ago, rain here amounts to only 4-100ths of an inch.

Elmer Smith, 28, truck driver and co-operator of Oak Ledge establishment near Jackson, sustained fractured vertebra in his neck Sunday afternoon in dive into shallow water at Millersville; he is in fair condition at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

75 years ago: Aug. 4, 1927

Paul Ische, young high school graduate, dies shortly after 3 p.m. while working on car at rear of Elbert Vogelsanger home, 316 Independence; Ische, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Ische of Cape Girardeau, was washing car while Vogelsanger was connecting battery charger that was on running board of vehicle.

James A. Arnold, organizer and for two years head of Cape Girardeau Municipal Baseball League, announces he is disposing of his filling station on West Broadway and will leave next week for Colorado; illness of his wife is forcing him to find more favorable climate.

- Sharon K. Sanders