Out of the past: April 25

1997

By mid-morning Thursday, 11 houses purchased by the city as part of the flood-buyout program were no more; since Wednesday, three track homes owned by Nip Kelley Equipment Co. knocked down the 11 houses that sat in South Cape Girardeau; another 21 houses that encompass the first phase of demolition are also slated to be destroyed in the next 45 days; the entire program involves demolition of 63 structures purchased by the city in flood-prone areas along the Mississippi River.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission is considering asking the City of Cape Girardeau to annex the remainder of the county's North Park; in addition to easing expansion of city services into the park, county commissioners hope annexation might make a future Missouri Department of Conservation nature center possible.

1972

Dr. Mark F. Scully, president of Southeast Missouri State University, takes exception to a state audit report released yesterday; he rebutted several recommendations made by State Auditor Christopher "Kit" Bond, who questioned the college's operation of a 90-acre dairy and poultry farm; Bond said the college could purchase milk for the dormitories at the same price from local dairies, arrange for a visitation program for the "relatively few students" enrolled in agricultural programs and use the farmland more effectively; Bond even suggested using the farm as the site for the new student union, a recommendation Scully called "ridiculous."

With today being the deadline for filing, two new candidates are seeking election to county offices; Mrs. W.A. Ownbey of Cape Girardeau files for public administrator on the Republican ticket; the incumbent county surveyor, Carl M. Friese of Cape Girardeau, files for reelection; he is also a Republican.

1947

Port warden Lee L. Albert receives a flood warning the Mississippi River will go to a stage of at least 38 feet here by Wednesday, which may not be its crest; the predicted stage will cover the lower portions of Main Street and effect several business houses in the immediate area of Main and Independence streets; the new volume of floodwater apparently is the result of heavy rains north of Cape Girardeau.

Going into secret session to discuss the proposition, the Cape Girardeau City Council authorizes payment of $500 per month for June, July and August to defray expenses of a summer playground program.

1922

Two attempts to dynamite the levee near Gale, Illinois, have been made within the past two days, according to reports reaching Cape Girardeau; one charge was set off at 8 p.m. Sunday and another shortly after noon yesterday; both charges exploded, but failed to cause a large breach in the levee; citizens of Gale guarding the levee say farmers from the East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, district are attempting to blow the levee to cause the water in that district to flow out through Gale.

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau dropped only about an inch overnight, registering 36.7 feet at 8 a.m.; the slow recession is caused by a rise in the Ohio River.

-- Sharon K. Sanders