Out of the past 9/19/02

10 years ago: Sept. 19, 1992

The 137th edition of SEMO District Fair wraps up with parade of champion livestock in morning and crowd of more than 2,400 fans in evening to hear Billy Dean perform; while other fairs across country saw attendance fall because of economic hard times, local fair grew this year to 81,200, up 2,100 from last year.

For sixth time in less than year, vandals have again struck Old Lorimier Cemetery; latest incident, first vandalism this year, occurred this week, even as protective security fence is being erected around cemetery to prevent such vandalism; at least 15 grave markers were damaged, some of them severely.

25 years ago: Sept. 19, 1977

Municipal Airport's control tower, operated by Federal Aviation Agency, is one of 73 nationwide that may be closed for failing to meet agency's test for continued operation; FAA will hold public hearings Oct. 7 in Kansas City to hear comments on five options being considered by agency; city will send representative; local aviation interests are also expected to oppose shutdown of tower.

Waters of Mississippi River swelled to high-water mark of 26.2 feet yesterday, after hovering near 20-foot mark for past two weeks; river gained more than eight feet since last Monday, but National Weather Service forecast indicates river will now decline.

50 years ago: Sept. 19, 1952

Stuart Symington, Democratic candidate for U.S. senator, will speak in Cape Girardeau Oct. 11, it is announced; Mrs. Emma Latimer says she has received assurances from former Secretary of Air Force that he will be here for dinner meeting of Tenth District Democratic Women's Club at Memorial Hall on that date.

New Madrid -- Floyd M. Barton, 24, of Sarasota, Fla., was killed yesterday as his small airplane crashed into pasture five miles north of New Madrid; Barton, World War II Marine Corps veteran, had been employed during summer to spray local crops to control insects and crop diseases.

75 years ago: Sept. 19, 1927

Merchants on Main, Broadway and Good Hope streets plan to appeal to city to regulate parking on three business streets in order to protect stores from having their street space used during business hours as free garage; merchants will ask city council to impose one-hour parking during business hours in certain blocks on these streets.

Eleventh-hour coup, executed cleverly by representatives of Westminster College at Fulton, gave that school services on gridiron this year of Clarence "Tubby" Koch, just at moment when it seemed we would stay in his home town to play with Teachers College Indians; Jack Hopke, Illmo native and member of Westminster team, persuades Koch to attend Fulton school.

-- Sharon K. Sanders