Out of the past: April 26

1997

More than 350 buyers were on hand yesterday for the first day of the Mid-America Animal Auction at the Fruitland Livestock Sales Inc. auction barn; with buyers here from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, the sale continues today with a crowd estimated at between 400 and 600 buyers.

Cape Girardeau residents could see higher garbage collection fees, while city employees would get slightly higher than usual raises, if the City Council goes along with city staff recommendations; the raises would bring salaries closer to parity with comparable cities in Missouri; but the increases would come at the expense of replacing some of the city's aging equipment because city revenue isn't increasing like officials predicted.

1972

The Jackson School District's elementary school probably won't be ready for use before December; school board members were informed last night that a shortage has developed in the brick being used on the building, which will cause a 60- to 90-day construction delay; while construction is generally on schedule and the brick shortage won't affect completion of the classrooms, it will be impossible to roof the central part of the building until the brick work is complete; that will mean the building may not be ready until December.

One more candidate filed for a Cape Girardeau County office before the deadline yesterday; Harold G. Cobb of Cape Girardeau is seeking the Democratic nomination for county coroner at the August primary; his opposition on the party ticket is R. Gene Wiggins of Jackson.

1947

By formal action of the Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday morning, three square miles were added to the city; the council gave approval to a formal ordinance accepting the vote of citizens Tuesday, when they overwhelmingly ordered extension of the city limits to include new territory to the west and north; 500 to 1,000 persons were added to the city's population by this action.

Moving back upward in a new flood threat, the Mississippi River pours its murky tide back on Water Street, where only four days ago the mud and debris of the high water of the past two weeks had been washed away; traffic on the street has again been suspended; river watchers say the floodwaters could crest here Wednesday at 38.5 feet.

1922

The new Frisco railroad passenger station, closed a week because of the high water from the flooding Mississippi River, reopens, and passengers are boarding trains there; the freight station, two blocks south, had been used to board passengers since the closing of the new station; water is completely off the intersection of Main and Independence streets, but puddles remain on South Main near the station.

Max Wielpuetz says the new Wielpuetz Bakery at Poplar Bluff, Missouri, will open May 6; the building has been constructed of the latest fireproof material and has the "last word" in baking equipment; the bakery will have a capacity of from 15,000 to 18,000 loaves of bread a day.

-- Sharon K. Sanders