Out of the past: Aug. 21

1993

Anther section of the former St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad's historic Belmont Branch between Delta and Oran, Missouri, will fade into history this year when its tracks are removed and the right-of-way turned back to adjoining landowners; the branch line, once the main line of the Iron Mountain, and later a branch line of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, was the first built into Southeast Missouri.

Cleanup continues in Cape Girardeau, as previously flooded sections of town begin to dry out; volunteers are moving sandbags from around homes and stacking them, allowing frontloaders provided by Mayor Gene Rhodes and Tex Bruns, a local businessman, to pick them up; the sandbags will be hauled to the landfill when it reopens to be used as "fill" material.

1968

A recommendation for fewer beds to be provided by the initial phase of construction of the new Saint Francis Hospital has been made to the hospital's board of directors by the consulting firm of Gordon A. Friesen International Inc.; 160 beds are now recommended in the original structure; during fundraising efforts for the new hospital, it was often mentioned that plans were for a 300-bed structure.

Raymond H. Vogel replaced Gary Rust as chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Republicans committee, while Edward L. Downs was re-elected chairman of the county Democratic committee in reorganization meetings of the two parties yesterday at Jackson.

1943

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Army flying school at McBride, Missouri, resumed training activities at its home field Monday, having returned from Vichy Field near Rolla, Missouri; cadets with only a few weeks of training flew the planes from Vichy, accompanied by their instructors; since there are more planes than instructors, some cadets soloed planes to McBride; there were no mishaps.

Signs reading "Approved by the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy" will be posted next week in all Cape Girardeau eating establishments that have been approved by the medical officers of the Naval Training Detachment V-12 at the State College and Harris Field.

1918

There is a movement gaining momentum in Jackson to erect a permanent monument in honor of the men who have gone forth to serve in Europe; it has been proposed to place at one corner of the courthouse square a giant marble boulder, on which are to be carved the names of the young heroes.

It is reported Everett Putnam, who now lives in Charleston, Missouri, has sold the Gem Theater in Jackson to a man from Caruthersville, Missouri; it is rumored the Gem will open its doors for the season on or about Sept. 1.

-- Sharon K. Sanders