Out of the past 9/27/02

10 years ago: Sept. 27, 1992

Cape Girardeau lawyer Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. turns 101 years old; oldest practicing attorney in Missouri, Limbaugh's son, Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr., serves as federal judge; for many years, elder Limbaugh practiced law with another son, Rush H. Limbaugh Jr., who died in 1990.

Jewish families from throughout area congregate at Temple B'Nai Israel in downtown Cape Girardeau at sundown to begin celebrating Jewish New Year; Rosh Hashanah begins with brief service tonight and continues with reading of Torah Monday and Tuesday.

25 years ago: Sept. 27, 1977

Heavy rains which move into area from Southwest Missouri early in morning cause near flash-flood conditions, resulting in evacuation of some residents and all-night vigil along area creek banks by Cape Alert-React; extremely heavy rains between 1 and 2 a.m. cause creeks prone to flooding to rise rapidly to tops of their banks.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Bradshaw Smith announces he is giving up his private law practice to devote full time to his duties as prosecutor, step he says is necessary because of increasing demands of office; at same time, he reveals that law partner Edward E. Calvin has purchased Smith's share of Smith and Calvin law firm.

50 years ago: Sept. 27, 1952

About quarter of Missouri's 410,000 bale cotton crop has been gotten out of fields as ideal cotton-picking weather has prevailed throughout area all through September; fine weather has caused bolls to open all at once all over area; this has aroused some concern, as growers say rain now could badly damage crop.

Pinched finances are in prospect for Korean veterans attending State College, who have been told not to expect any money under new GI Bill until about Nov. 3; State Veterans Services Office estimates that 50 students in Cape Girardeau are affected by delay; under Korean GI Bill of Rights, vets receive $110 a month, but must pay their own tuition and fees.

75 years ago: Sept. 27, 1927

Sale of two sections of Cape Girardeau Northern Railroad to C.A. Vandivort & Co., for $134,000, stands approved by Judge Oscar A. Knehans in Common Pleas Court, subject to payment of purchase price in cash within 60 days of Sept. 26, date of court order; extension of this time will be granted, court says, should purchaser find it necessary to consummate sale.

Sixty-ninth annual Cape Fair, with record-breaking number of exhibits in all classes, is set to open tomorrow at Fairground Park; with exhibits in agriculture and home handiwork in place at Floral Hall, livestock is in its pens, and racers fretting at their halters in stables, arrangement are complete for what appears to be greatest Cape Fair in its history.

-- Sharon K. Sanders