Out of the past: Aug. 21

1998

Southeast Missouri State University president Dr. Dale Nitzschke has ordered the condoms removed from the "welcome back to school" gift boxes given students; "We are not in the business of handing out condoms here," he said.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and her Democratic challenger, Tony Heckemeyer, agreed Thursday the farm economy is ailing; speaking on the steps of the Scott County Courthouse at Benton, Missouri, Heckemeyer told a crowd of about 30 supporters and officeholders the Freedom to Farm Act is a road to ruin for family farmers; but Emerson said the problems plaguing the farm economy can't be placed solely at the doorstep of Congress; she noted a bumper crop of corn, wheat and soybeans has left a worldwide surplus that helped lower commodity prices.

1973

Pickets from Carpenters Local 1770 continue to prevent completion of renovation projects at Lorimier, Washington and Franklin schools in apparent contempt of a temporary injunction issued yesterday by Circuit Court Judge Stanley A. Grimm in an effort to halt the walkout; the week-long strike centers on a wage dispute with the Southeast Missouri Contractors Association.

The Lead Belt -- centered in Iron and portions of St. Francois and Washington counties in Missouri -- may be moving deeper into Southeast Missouri; two rival companies, St. Joseph Lead Co. of Bonne Terre and Cominco American Corp., are engaged in mineral explorations in over 1,000 acres in western Bollinger County.

1948

Findings of a survey by city engineer John R. Walter of street marker needs in Cape Girardeau was presented last night to a committee of the Jaycees, which is spearheading a movement to repair and modernize the markers; the survey found that 25 markers will have to be replaced, unmarked streets call for more than 100 new signs, and all markers now in use require re-painting; the new signs alone will cost about $2,000.

The building committee of the Lloyd Dale Clippard Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is looking into the possibility of purchasing a seven-room dwelling at 315 Morgan Oak St., for use as a VFW home; the seven-room house, which is for sale, is owned by J.F. Lawler and sits on a 68-by-200-foot lot; it would be used as a meeting place, club room and for post activities.

1923

Paving of the space between the street car tracks on Broadway, between Main and Pacific streets, is to be delayed until after the Cape Fair, Sept. 18; a delay in getting a shipment of reinforcing iron for the work is the cause of the postponement; the street car company agreed to the delay; it is planning to repair the stretch of track on Broadway to make it permanent, installing new steel rails.

In a letter to A.Z. Zoelsmann, chairman of the traffic committee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Frisco passenger traffic manager J.N. Cornatzer writes it will be impossible for the railroad to place a Pullman car in service between St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff, Missouri; he says there is insufficient travel to justify the Pullman and contemplated improvements in train service are expected to decrease the need of a sleeper.

-- Sharon K. Sanders