Out of the past: Feb. 10

1995

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, acting on a problem identified in a recent survey, will form a committee to study how city hall deals with commercial and residential builders; the task force will work with the city to resolve problems rather than draw adversarial lines, says chamber president John Mehner.

Well-known Cape Girardeau businessman Claude A. "Nip" Kelley III, who "rode out of Smelterville on a garbage truck," according to a proud friend, died yesterday at the age of 58; he was the founder of Kelly Transportation Inc. and Nip Kelley Trucking & Equipment Inc.

1970

Allen Laws Oliver, a force in the development and growth of Cape Girardeau and Missouri throughout his adult life, a lawyer and member of a family that has practiced law in Cape Girardeau County for almost a century, dies in the evening at a local hospital; Oliver, 84, was a member of a family that settled in this county in 1818,; his father was the late Sen R.B. Oliver, and his mother was Marie Watkins Oliver, designer of the Missouri state flag.

Ben H. Bailey, who operates the Down-Towner Restaurant, 108 N. Main St., with his wife, is the first candidate to file for one of two seats on the Cape Girardeau City Council to be filled at the April 7 election.

1945

Pollack Hide & Fur on Independence Street. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

Burglars, who forced their way into the building by drilling holes through the front door, made away last night with a 500-pound steel safe from the Pollack Hide & Fur Co. office building on West Independence Street at Highway 61; the safe contained cash and checks.

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Wulfers of Clark Avenue learn a fourth member of their family is entering military service; their daughter, Dorothy Wulfers, who graduated last May from St. John's Hospital in St. Louis, has been called to report to service with her Navy Nurses Reserve Corps unit; other family members serving are Seaman George Wulfers of the Merchant Marines, Sgt. Joe Wulfers and Sgt. John Wulfers.

1920

Southeast Missouri photographers meet here to perfect a district organization for the purpose of developing and bettering their work and to stress the art of photography; the Professional Photographers' Association of Southeast Missouri is the name chosen for the group; representing Cape Girardeau are Robert E. Fenton, August W. Schrader, G.A. Kassel, Chester W. Kassel, Arthur A. Kassel and Paul F. Kassel; here from Jackson is A.F. Williams.

Eleven ladies assembled last night at the county courthouse to form a women's voters league for Jackson; had the weather been more favorable, a large crowd would have been in attendance; the organization will be called the Jackson Women Voters' League.

-- Sharon K. Sanders