Out of the past: Dec. 7

1994

In an effort to prevent traffic congestion in downtown Cape Girardeau, the city Planning and Zoning commission is urging that William Street east of Sprigg be widened to four lanes to help additional traffic that will be generated by a riverboat gambling development; commissioners want the developer, Boyd Gaming Corp., to pay for the improvement.

Members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Chapter III gather at the Brookside Park Memorial to Veterans of All Wars to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; a memorial prayer is led by the Rev. Rodney Travis of First Baptist Church; guest speaker is the Rev. Roethemeyer, pastor of Emanuel United Church of Christ.

1969

The Leo A. Daly Co., has been chosen by the Saint Francis Hospital board of trustees as architect for the hospital to be built on Route K in the western city limits; for virtually all purposes the original plans for the structure have been deleted, and a new design will be employed.

Long distance telephone service -- incoming and outgoing -- was cut off for up to five hours in five area communities last night by thieves who took approximately 11,200 feet of cooper wire from poles between Delta and Advance, Missouri; the theft left residents of Advance, Marble Hill, Lutesville, Patton and Bell City, Missouri, without long distance service from about 6:15 to 11:15 p.m.

1944

An American parachute made of nylon which 2nd Lt. Milton W. Ueleke, 28, used in a jump from an airplane in India has been sent to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Ueleke of Cape Girardeau, and is on display at the Bahn store on Main Street; all members of the plane crew landed safely, and Ueleke came down in a rice paddy, getting the chute wet; for this reason it couldn't be used again.

A group of 72 Cape Girardeau County selective service enrollees went to Jefferson Barracks last night for pre-induction physical examinations; 23 are named today to report at the barracks Monday night for induction, as well as five black men who will report Friday night for pre-induction physical examinations.

1919

The Rev. William E. McCord of Flushing, New York, has been extended a call by Christ Episcopal Church vestry to take charge of the parish and has taken the call under consideration.

The contract for the new Frisco passenger station was let yesterday to contractor J.W. Gerhardt of Cape Girardeau on a bid of $57,400, about $3,500 over the estimate made by the Frisco engineer; the contractor has been given until Aug. 1 to have the new station completed.

-- Sharon K. Sanders