Out of the past: April 15

1997

Cape Girardeau wants the reputation of being a user-friendly city; toward that end, blue-and-white, easy-to-read directional signs have been installed in key locations to inform visitors of points of interest throughout the city; the markers, 23 in the city and four giant signs along Interstate 55, will guide visitors to Southeast Missouri State University and the Show Me Center, as well as the Mississippi River waterfront, a number of city parks and facilities.

Three teachers in the Jackson School District have been named 1997 Educators of the Year by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce; Andrea Sachse was recognized in the elementary school division, Marilyn Jansen in the middle and junior high school division, and Sonja Davis in the high school division; the teachers have a combined 62 years of experience in education.

1972

Heavy rains, accompanied at the offset by lighting and thunder, sweep the area resulting in at least two power outages, isolated flooding and the threat of more severe flooding before the storm relinquishes; that may not be until tomorrow afternoon.

Southeast Missouri farmers have been cooling their heels, fidgeting and pacing back and forth waiting for some cooperation from the weather this spring, and today's cloudburst doesn't help; by this time in most years, Bootheel farmers would be finishing up their corn plantings and getting ready for cotton; in the hills, from Cape Girardeau County north through Ste. Genevieve County, corn planting would be getting into full swing about now; but this year everything has been delayed by rainfall and cooler weather than normal.

1947

The Mississippi River appears to be nearing the crest of its current rise at Cape Girardeau, after climbing four-tenths of a foot in 24 hours to reach a stage of 35.9 feet at 8 a.m.; the crest is expected tonight at 36 feet.

For the first time in its history, The Southeast Missourian newspaper this week was forced to ask its advertisers to reduce the size of their ads; all regular users of space were asked to curtail their advertising by at least 20%; this was made necessary because of the scarcity of newsprint.

1922

Following five weeks of nearly daily rain, rivers in the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri river basins are overflowing, causing millions of dollars in property damage and intense suffering; hundreds have been driven from their homes; the heaviest loss will be suffered by farmers through drowned livestock and inability to get into their fields to prepare the crops, due to the cold, rainy weather.

Members of the Crable family, who have been living in a new home extending over the bank of Sloan's Creek in North Cape Girardeau are forced to move, when backwater from the Mississippi River forces the creek up into the house; the water is several inches deep on the first floor of the house, which was completed only a few weeks ago.

-- Sharon K. Sanders