Out of the past 9/27/05

25 years ago: Sept. 27, 1980

The South American bird which escaped Wednesday from Birdie's Wings and Things has been located, but captors cannot persuade the valuable bird to come down out of the trees; the Military Macaw was spotted late Thursday in a tree behind city hall, but no one, including the bird's mate, has been able to coax it down out of the heavy foliage in the area.

The initial phase of Cape Girardeau County's reassessment program should be underway in November following approval of the plan by the Missouri Tax Commission yesterday.

50 years ago: Sept. 27, 1955

Construction work totaling thousands of dollars is being held up in Cape Girardeau by a continued shortage of cement, caused not by any curtailment in production, but by the tremendous demand for the product in all kinds of building, particularly in highway construction.

The Harris Cleaners building in the middle of Illmo was ruined by fire last night, with the clothing in for service and other stock destroyed; the frame building didn't burn down, but was entirely gutted; the owner of the business is C.P. Harris; only six months ago he had remodeled the building, redecorating and putting in new wiring and lights.

75 years ago: Sept. 27, 1930

Most of the right of way for construction of the new set-back levee along the south side of the Little River Diversion Channel south of Cape Girardeau from Nash, Mo., to near Allenville has been secured; the levee will be about 6 1/2 miles long, and bids for its construction will be examined Oct. 14 in the federal government engineer's office in Memphis, Tenn.

Missouri lawyers swing into the final sessions of the 50th annual convention of the Missouri Bar Association in Cape Girardeau, with the election of new officers billed as one of the chief features of the day; J.W. Jamison of St. Louis is chosen as the new president of the association.

100 years ago: Sept. 27, 1905

For the settlement of the estate, the property of M.J. Fagan is sold in front of the courthouse; attorney Benson Hardesty bought in all three pieces, declining to say for whom he acted; the lot at the corner of Lorimier and North streets brings $1,855; another tract facing on Fountain, back of the first piece, sells for $445, and the quarry lot on North Middle Street for $750.

George Meyer, who recently bought the W.H. Medley property on South Pacific Street, has also purchased the adjoining lot belonging to Adolph Meyer for $3,000.

-- Sharon K. Sanders