Out of the past: Aug. 11

1997

The last preparations are being made for tomorrow's start of the Jackson Homecomers celebration, a Jackson tradition since 1908; a little over 8,000 people attended the first Homecomers; today, the 89th Homecomers is sponsored by Jackson American Legion Post 158 and has grown considerably.

Charles N. Greer Jr., general manager for Delta Companies Inc., has been named round-table commissioner for the Shawnee District of the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America; Greer is a leader of Troop 16, chartered to Elks Club 639 in Cape Girardeau.

1972

BENTON, Mo. -- Suits challenging the results of Tuesday's primary election in Scott County are a virtual certainty, and suits may be filed in Stoddard County as well; alleged voting irregularities include voting by people from New Madrid County in Scott County, transposed figures on election returns and one precinct in which the number of votes exceeds the number of voters in poll books.

Prospects appear to be dimming that the Department of the Interior will heed the plea of conservationists that a full 8,000 acres of the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, rather than the department's proposed 1,700 acres, be recommended to Congress for a wilderness area; a letter from Nathaniel Reed, assistant secretary of the interior to the Southeast Missourian newspaper indicates it is the feeling of the department, and its Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, that to incorporate Monopoly Lake and other areas beyond the recommended 1,700 acres would be in conflict with wilderness definition.

1947

Wilting heat that has gripped this section for 17 days continues, but less severe than last week when 100-degree temperature readings were the rule; still, there is no forecast of any major break in the heat.

A projected 1948 DDT-spraying program for a seven county area of Southeast Missouri -- Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott and Stoddard -- is announced by Monroe L. Rhodes of Risco, Missouri, health educator of the district; the program will cost $64,800 for coverage of 43,200 individual houses, exclusive of the amount to be paid by the U.S. Public Health Service; the spraying helps protect residents against malaria, typhus and other insect-borne diseases.

1922

Demoralization of rail traffic in the West and Midwest continues with the spread of the Big Four Brotherhood strike; transcontinental train service over the Santa Fe is practically at a standstill with the strike reported to be spreading to the Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific; at Illmo, 25 strike breakers were brought in last night to replace striking shopmen of the Cotton Belt Railroad; they are at work, with the strikers looking on without any demonstrations.

Cape Girardeau is returning to normal following yesterday's decennial celebration of Farm Bureaus of Missouri; a large crowd estimated at 10,000 persons attended activities at Fairground Park.

-- Sharon K. Sanders