Out of the past: Dec. 1

1995

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson believes "Blue Dog Democrats" and "Blue Dog Republicans" are barking up the same tree; he is one of the leaders of a newly formed group of 24 House Republicans -- the Mainstream Conservative Alliance -- that hopes to transcend partisan political bickering and work with conservative Democrats to push the conservative agenda; the top priority is to balance the federal budget within seven years.

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce pledges its support to keeping the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport tower open and adding a flight to the Trans World Express schedule; "We have ... offered to help in any way to keep the tower open at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport," says John Mehner, president of the chamber; Mehner's remarks followed the chamber's annual retreat, held at the Lone Star Natatorium.

1970

Fire of undetermined origin destroyed an unoccupied house in the 100 block of LaCruz in South Cape Girardeau on Monday, the first fire of its type since Sept. 10; the blaze spread to a nearby lumber pile owned by Bill Warfield; area residents were without electricity for a short time, when a utility pole caught fire; the fire brought to 20 the number of blazes occurring in South Cape since May 22.

Attorney Richard D. Jones is elected president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce during a meeting of the board of directors at the Golden Coin Restaurant; Jones, a member of the Oliver, Oliver and Jones law firm, will succeed George H. Wrape effective Jan. 1.

1945

In an informal poll of Main Street merchants and workers, made by a Missourian reporter after a business men discussed the possible installation of parking meters, sentiment was found slightly in favor of meters, but only slightly; however, those opposed were vehement in their opposition.

Nine Japanese families of 40 persons, described as expert vegetable growers, are occupying six dwellings, all in the process of completion, on the Godfrey L. White tract of 350 acres, 1 1/2 miles south of Arbor; the tract is to be developed as a high-grade truck gardening plantation, or, as the Japanese refer to it, a "ranch."

1920

The building committee of the American Legion, after a survey of many properties in Cape Girardeau, have come upon an original idea for a Legion "hangout," which is meeting with the approval of almost every member approached on the subject; the committee would build a large, spacious hut, fashioned after the ones used in the recent war for the amusement of soldiers overseas, which would be situated as nearly in the center of the city as possible; it would house a large ball room, kitchen, library, reading room, possibly billiard tables, and of course the indispensable player piano and phonograph.

With a vote of nearly 6 to 1, Cape Girardeau voters approved a $54,000 bond issue to complete the south ward school and finish the vocational building.

-- Sharon K. Sanders