Out of the past: Aug. 20

1992

The Cape Girardeau City Council has taken steps to hire a second municipal-court judge to handle cases in which Municipal Judge Edward Calvin has been disqualified; but Calvin maintains the hiring of a conflicts judge isn't the solution. The legal issue has led to a backlog of cases.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department has acquired a solar-powered speed monitoring device. The $10,000 machine can be used to record and display the speed of vehicles without an officer present to operate it.

1967

In the absence of the pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, the Rev. J. Ray Trotter, who is on vacation, a series of guest speakers is filling the pulpit during August. Today's guest speaker is Kenneth C. Johnson, vice president of Central Methodist College at Fayette, Missouri; he is a native of Cape Girardeau and a former member of Centenary.

The Rev. A.H. Schmidt of Central Point, Oregon, retired pastor and former pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church at Egypt Mills, is the guest speaker at the afternoon centennial celebration of the church. He served as pastor there from 1924 to 1943.

1942

CAIRO, Ill. -- Assessment for taxation purposes of the part of the traffic bridge at Cape Girardeau that lies in Illinois has been set at $950,000 by assessor Clarence Gerhold of Alexander County, Illinois; the assessment represents an increase of $600,000 over last year.

Chairman Clyde D. Harris of the Cape County War Savings Committee has received a letter of commendation from Dan M. Nee, state administrator, on this county's war-bond sales during July. During the month, residents of the county purchased $178,575 in war bonds, which was 91 percent of its quota.

1917

Complaints, strenuous and many, are being heard of the Frisco train service between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau; the trains are jammed full of suffering humanity, who not only must endure the discomforts of hot coaches, but who must stand for a great part of the journey between the towns. Since the abolishment of the accommodation trains to St. Louis, the through trains have been continuously overcrowded. In addition, Frisco has been pulling off trains to help Uncle Sam transport soldiers to training camps.

A country club golf course destined to trample over about 90 or 100 acres of the St. Vincent's College farm property north of Cape Girardeau is to be organized. The exclusive club will offer only 150 charter memberships.

-- Sharon K. Sanders