Out of the past 9/2/01

10 years ago: Sept. 2, 1991

Labor Day.

The 26th annual Muscular Dystrophy Telethon over Labor Day weekend raises $233,495 in 38-county local region and record $45,071,857 nationwide; last year, telethon raised more than $44 million nationally and $218,193 in Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky district.

East Prairie - Residents of this small Southeast Missouri town, still reeling from announcement last week that Brown Shoe Co. would close nearby plant, were served another blow last week; employees of Prairie Manufacturing Co., a uniform manufacturer, were told that plant's future is questionable; facility employs 70 persons.

25 years ago: Sept. 2, 1976

Ignoring recommendations of Public Library Board, City Council Wednesday night appointed three members, including two persons of its own choosing to fill vacancies; it did, however, re-appoint Donald T. McNeely as library board had requested; McNeely heads site selection committee; other persons suggested for appointment were passed over with council going its own way in naming Richard Hammond and Larry Foote.

As much water as possible is being released to alleviate low-water problem of Mississippi River from five major dams in Peck-Sloan Plan on Missouri River by Army Corps of Engineers; river stage at Cape Girardeau is 6.62 feet, down from 7.11 yesterday.

50 years ago: Sept. 2, 1951

Cape Girardeau's Golden Troopers, drum and bugle corps of American Legion post, puts on magnificent display of pageantry that wins them their eighth Missouri drum and bugle corps championship in St. Louis; recall of men to active duty in armed forces, and other factors, keep several corps that otherwise would have competed out of competition this year.

Twenty-six officers and men of 440th Engineer Bridge Co., organized reserve unit based in Cape Girardeau, return home after spending 15 days of field training at Camp McCoy, Wis.; men spent period building panel and floating bridges, working with demolition materials, figuring map problems and practicing firing weapons.

75 years ago: Sept. 2, 1926

Frisco Railroad has practically abandoned its railway shops in Cape Girardeau, has moved all equipment to other points in system, and all but two of 35 employees who have been working here have been given option of discharge or transfer to other locations; all machinery has been moved within past four days, and employees were told that, since their jobs here have been abolished, their services would no longer be needed unless they cared to transfer; only four have agreed to move.

Frank Foster Jr. and Walter Post Jr. return from Milwaukee, Wis., where they have been for past three months; they left immediately following close of school in spring to hike to Milwaukee, but accepted many rides offered by generous tourist; return trip was made in similar manner; boys were employed in steel mills during day and in evening as ushers at one of leading theaters in city.

- Sharon K. Sanders