Out of the past: April 23

1999

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A catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid Fault likely won’t occur for thousands of years, a University of Missouri-Columbia geologist says; it could take 14,000 years for an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale to occur, says Joe Engeln, an associate professor of geological sciences; Engeln’s findings were published in Science magazine this week.

Tarryl D. Booker of Sikeston has been hired as the director of Cape Girardeau’s inspection department and will begin his new duties May 17; Booker will fill the post vacated in November when Rick Murray left to take a job as a planning director at Fulton.

1974

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Eighteen Southeast Missouri State University instructors and administrators have been singled out for recognition for making substantial contributions to the development of the university during its first 100 years; the six living honorees will be acknowledged Friday night at a banquet in Memorial Hall ballroom; they are Dr. Mark F. Scully, Dr. Russell Michel, Dr. Homer R. Bolen, Lilly E. Gehrs, Dr. G. Carl Schowengerdt and Dr. Harold O. Grauel.

Union Electric Co. of St. Louis will proceed with plans to acquire Missouri Utilities Co. of Cape Girardeau as an operating subsidiary, says UE president Charles J. Dougherty; since the plan was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this month, Dougherty says UE by midsummer will be able to invite Missouri Utilities’ common stockholders to exchange each of their shares for 1.1 shares of UE stock.

1949

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Runway lights and beacons have been installed at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport and will be placed in operation in about two or three weeks, airport board officials say; final authorization to turn the switch is awaited from the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

An extensive remodeling program is underway at the former Charles James residence, 116 N. Middle St., which will house the Cape Motorcycle Co., now being moved from its former location on North Kingshighway; the dwelling is a five-room brick structure, just south of the James Garage; both the garage and the house are owned by Frank James and Joe James; the front of the dwelling has been glassed-in, so motorcycles, motorboats and motor boats may be displayed; the second floor will be used as a parts department; the Kingshighway property was recently purchased by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post.

1924

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Part of the crowd estimated at 5,000 persons lining Water Street on April 23, 1924, for the christening of the third steamer Cape Girardeau. The photo was made from the top deck of the boat.Courtesy of Raymond "Peg" Meyer ~ Southeast Missourian archive

Amid the strains of music by a Cape Girardeau band and cheers from more than 5,000 persons gathered at the riverfront, the new steamer Cape Girardeau glides into port at 10:50 a.m.; after speeches by Cape Girardeau Mayor James A. Barks, St. Louis Mayor Henry W. Kiel, Merrill E. Otis, chairman of the Missouri Public Service Commission, and Cape Girardeau native Charles Daues, judge of the St. Louis Court of Appeals, pretty Mary Christine Rolwing, 16, of Thebes, Illinois, crashes a silver-encased bottle against the boat’s prow and declares, “I christen you Cape Girardeau.”

A plan for carrying on school work next year, which provides that all pupils in the public schools above the sixth grade attend classes only a half-day, has been submitted to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education by superintendent John N. Crocker and has been approved; the plan is considered necessary to handle the increasing enrollment in the present inadequate school buildings.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a blog called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper. Check out her blog at www.semissourian.com/history.