Out of the past: Aug. 16

1999

Some of Southeast Missouri’s smaller school districts offer big starting salaries to attract teachers; school districts in Charleston, Hayti and Scott City all have base salaries for beginning teachers thousands of dollars higher than the larger districts of Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

Wiethop Truck Sales Inc., 2359 Independence St., recently observed its 45th anniversary; Wiethop, which moved to its current location in 1963, specializes in sales, parts and service for International trucks; Carroll Wiethop founded the business in July 1954 at 20 S. Sprigg St., after moving to Cape Girardeau from the St. Louis area.

1974

Pending endorsement by the County Court, Cape Girardeau County will be among other Missouri counties requesting emergency loan assistance this year because of massive crop failures resulting from freezing, excessive rains and drought; these natural disasters combined this year to drastically reduce production of soybeans, corn, sorghum, wheat, oats, hay and pasture, according to a Farmers Home Administration report.

New bids probably will be sought within 45 days on improving the 1.9-mile section of Nash Road along the Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Park, the State Highway Commission in Jefferson City says; the commission Wednesday turned down the lone bid made by R.B. Potashnick Construction Co. of Cape Girardeau, received at the first bid call July 26; that bid of $1,093,890 was found “too high” by the commission.

1949

Reviving a custom followed more generally in bygone years, high officials of the Frisco Railroad paid an overnight visit to Cape Girardeau, during which they renewed some friendships and made new ones; for the top official, S.J. Frazier, general manager, the visit was in the nature of a homecoming as 45 years ago he engaged in railroading in Cape Girardeau and in subsequent years served this, the River Division, as division superintendent and assistant superintendent.

Residents of Illmo who are rudely awakened by the roar of a low-flying plane Friday morning can take comfort in the knowledge they are sacrificing their sleep in the interest of public health; starting promptly at sunrise, John Seesing of Seesing Airways will begin spraying operations which should blanket the entire city of Illmo with a DDT mixture; Illmo city officials recently decided to have the spraying done to combat flies and mosquitoes and as an added deterrent to the spread of polio.

1924

Final preparations are being made by Boy Scouts in Cape Girardeau and all through this section for the first annual encampment of the Miss-Cape-Scott District; the big day falls on Monday, when approximately 100 Boy Scouts from this city will leave for Baker’s Mill for the 10-day outing.

Dr. J.A. Whiteford, new superintendent of Cape Girardeau’s public schools, arrived here yesterday and is spending time becoming acquainted with the school board and the city; starting Monday, Whiteford will begin the organization of the school system for the coming year and will assign grade teachers to their schools.

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 semissourian.com/history.