Out of the past: April 15

1994

MILLER CITY, Ill. -- The Len Small levee near Miller City gave way Wednesday night to the rising Mississippi River; the levee was breached during last year's record flood, and construction crews had worked around the clock this week to complete repairs to it; by yesterday afternoon, a 1,200-foot gash in the southernmost part of the levee had forced many area residents to flee their homes.

A line of severe thunderstorms with powerful winds lashes parts of Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky in the morning, causing extensive property damage; in the east Perry County, Missouri, communities of Frohna and Altenburg, high winds blow off part of the roof of a lumber storage shed; the roof of a computer-cable assembling plant is also damaged.

1969

The expanded capital improvements budget proposed by Gov. Warren E. Hearnes includes $654,080 in projects at State College and a new training center for mentally retarded children in two Southeast Missouri localities; specific items in State College's share of the new proposals are $256,520 for an addition of classrooms to the Music Building, $84,500 for an additional third story to part of the Industrial Arts Building, $164,020 for rehabilitation of property and $149,040 for extension of utilities.

Approximately 150 district high school students from 27 Southeast Missouri schools will be on the State College campus Friday and Saturday to participate in the annual speech contests; the events will take place in the Language Arts Building

1944

The Cape Special Road District is set to immediately make plans for the construction of 1 1/2 miles of new road to connect South Sprigg Street and Highway 61 southwest of the city; if the right of way can be secured from the Houck estate and the Pettis interests of St. Louis, some work on the road could begin this summer; the route will leave Sprigg Street at the foot of the hill at Boundary Street and will extend due west to Wilson Road.

Because of a $75,000 reduction in the assessment, the traffic bridge at Cape Girardeau paid less to the city, county and school districts last year than it did in 1942; in 1942, the bridge paid $5,790, while last year it paid $4,297.50.

1919

The Cape Girardeau Sand Co. will begin operating within the next two weeks, says Linder Deimund, one of the proprietors of the concern; the boat, which has been under construction for the past month, is about completed, and Deimund expects to put it in the river Saturday.

Lt. Floyd Couchman and Ed Margrave arrive in Cape Girardeau, having received their discharge from the Army after spending nearly a year overseas in the railroad service; they came across together, arriving last week, and then were discharged at the same camp.

-- Sharon K. Sanders