Out of the past 9/30/05

25 years ago: Sept. 30, 1980

A large crane lifts the fifth and final arch into place as new Trinity Lutheran Church takes on its own structural personality at the corner of Themis and Frederick streets.

Although structurally safe, the Cape Girardeau traffic bridge across the Mississippi River is one of many in Missouri a study has shown to be functionally obsolete; the study says nearly 66 percent of the state's 24,515 bridges are deficient by state and federal engineering standards, although not necessarily unsafe.

50 years ago: Sept. 30, 1955

Rain fell throughout the county and over much of Southeast Missouri last night, Cape Girardeau receiving its share in a 62/100ths of an inch reading on the riverfront gauge, the heaviest amount in a single fall since Aug. 29; at Jackson the rain measured 1.12 inches, and similar heavy readings were recorded elsewhere in the county.

New poles are being placed where necessary by the Missouri Utilities Co. on West Broadway for continuation of the mercury vapor street lights from Henderson Avenue west to Kingshighway; lights will also be erected on Kingshighway from Independence Street to the Arena Park entrance.

75 years ago: Sept. 30, 1930

W.B. McEndree of Cape Girardeau makes his last 25-mile rural mail circuit on the North Sprigg Street and Perryville Road route, which he has carried for 25 years; he will retire tomorrow, and his route will be assumed temporarily by James Wissman, a substitute carrier.

Tickets for the World Series baseball games in St. Louis, between the Cardinals and the Philadelphia Athletics, arrive in Cape Girardeau, or at least one set of the coupons for three of the games does; George Naeter of The Missourian receives his series tickets in the morning mail.

100 years ago: Sept. 30, 1905

Announcement has been made that a newspaper will be issued for the people of Chaffee, Mo., the new town in Scott County; the first issue will appear Oct. 7; at first it will be published in St. Louis, from the office of the Chaffee Real Estate Co., and later from Chaffee; the newspaper will be known as the Chaffee Review.

The Gill brothers, who recently bought the Franklin Hotel from Mrs. E. Graden, sell the hotel part to Joseph Zoellner; the Gill brothers, who are well-known railroad men, are having the saloon made into one of the neatest in the city and will conduct it in the future.

-- Sharon K. Sanders