Out of the past 9/14/01

10 years ago: Sept. 14, 1991

About 35,000 people crowded into grandstand in evening to hear country music group, Shenandoah; despite scorching daytime temperatures, attendance at week-long SEMO District Fair totaled about 81,500, increase over last year's attendance of 78,208.

Missouri Sen. Christopher Bond said Friday "showdown" to save Missouri Army National Guard's 1140th Combat Engineer Battalion at Cape Girardeau and 30 other National Guard units in state will begin next week in Washington; in telephone conference, Bond and Missouri's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. John M. Kiefner, expressed confidence Senate Appropriations Committee will reject Pentagon attempts to cut Guard's manpower nationwide by 136,000 men in proposed 1992 defense department budget.

25 years ago: Sept. 14, 1976

Ushered in by blue skies and warm temperatures, SEMO District Fair welcomes thousands of visitors for 1976 exposition opening day at Arena Park; featured attractions include Blue Grass Shows, First National Bank hot air balloon and tractor pull.

Benton - Four Scott County jail escapees, who split into pairs shortly after leaving jail, were captured without incident at separate locations last night; all weapons taken in breakout - including Thompson .45-caliber machine-gun - were recovered by officers.

50 years ago: Sept. 14, 1951

Southeast Missouri District Fair, still going strong, nears end of its six-day 1951 stand with prospects that tomorrow's program, as it did year ago, will attract largest throng of week to Arena Park show grounds; from all over county and district school children, clutching tickets sent out by Fair board, pass through gates today - Jackson Day.

Next week's liquor-by-the-drink referendum has brought out largest registration of voters since days almost 17 years ago when current registration system went into effect; Verna Lee Landis, city clerk and secretary of Board of Registrants, says that 200 persons registered yesterday, final day of registration.

75 years ago: Sept. 14, 1926

Benton - Marcella Tenkhoff, pretty high school girl of Oran, is to be "Queen of Neighbor Day"; she won honor in group of 11 contestants at meeting Monday night; she will be crowned queen at annual celebration by Gov. Sam A. Baker, who has agreed to come here for event on Oct. 7.

Campaign in Cape Girardeau County to defeat Proposition No. 4, which would repeal state dry law and leave enforcement to federal authorities alone, was opened Sunday at Gordonville when address was delivered by the Rev. O.L. Smith, pastor of First Christian Church of Cape Girardeau, at church meet at Zion Methodist Church; Smith declared that greatest contribution of United States to ideals of world in this century was passing of 18th Amendment.- Sharon K. Sanders