Out of the past 9/9/12

1987

Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt, considered among the frontrunners in the Democratic presidential sweepstakes, will make a brief stop in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 17; the focus of his remarks here will be on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution.

Authorities are investigating a fire in a part of the Riverside Components and Supply Co. plant on Nash Road in the Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Park; the blaze guts the offices of the plant.

1962

St. John's United Church of Christ of Jackson observes its annual mission festival; a basket dinner at noon precedes an afternoon worship service; guest speaker is the Rev. Lee Tyler, program director of Caroline Mission of St. Louis.

Sen. Albert M. Spradling Jr., appearing in an interview at Columbia, Mo., says he is definitely interested in running for governor, but says he will make no formal declaration of his intent until after the legislature adjourns.

1937

A contract is signed between the chamber of commerce and the Superior Electric Products Corp. of St. Louis, which, in effect, is an agreement of the firm, a manufacturer of electrical goods, to move its headquarters here, providing the chamber and community raise $75,000 to construct a new building to house the industry.

Today is the 30th anniversary of Cape Girardeau's shoe factory; the International Shoe Co. plant here, one of the world's largest, started operation Sept. 9, 1907.

1912

Superintendent J. Nunn is working hard at improving the fairgrounds; a number of fine sheds and stalls have been added for the livestock exhibits and the poultry pens are among the finest in the state; he has five teams hauling nice clean gravel from Cape LaCroix Creek to regravel the walks leading all over the grounds.

J.H. Freeze is preparing to travel to Minot, N.D., with his Freeze New Model threshing machine to demonstrate its use in the North Dakota flax fields.

-- Sharon K. Sanders