Out of the past: Feb. 18

1995

Mercantile Bancorporation Inc. plans to expand its presence in Southeast Missouri through a merger with AmeriFirst Bancorporation, headquartered in Sikeston, Missouri; AmeriFirst Bancorporation is the holding company for AmeriFirst Bank, which has two offices in Sikeston and a branch office in Cape Girardeau.

A handful of Cape Girardeau businessmen want the city council to postpone a transportation tax election until August to allow for the city to spell out in detail what road projects would be funded.

1970

John J. Kollker, a finance company manager and the general chairman of an organization developing goals for Cape Girardeau, files as a candidate for the city council; Kollker has been a resident of the city for seven years and is chairman of Citizens Goals for Cape Girardeau.

At a Cape Girardeau City Council meeting, Mayor Ivan L. Irvin proposes the city establish "mini-bike" trails in the new city park site off Perryville Road and Cape Rock Drive; he points out the area isn't presently being used and youngsters with mini-bikes are in need of a place to ride.

1945

M-Sgt. Glenn K. Fowler, who before his participation in the present war had a long period of service with the Missouri National Guard, as a member of Service Company, is one of the first soldiers from this area to return from the Philippine invasion; he came back to the States aboard a transport, on which he met Ed Landgraf of Cape Girardeau, who had also served in the Philippines and who was also on his way home.

A mammoth pack of 104,700 military surgical dressings, prepared by Red Cross workers in Cape girardeau, was dispatched yesterday, together with other supplies by the county chapter; in addition to the surgical dressings, items shipped out were 25 pairs of Navy gloves, five Navy watch caps, five Navy sweaters, 25 Army knitted scars, 35 Army sweaters, five pairs of Army gloves and 100 pairs of duck bedroom slippers.

1920

A health survey is being conducted here by U.S. Health Service and Missouri Tuberculosis Society, under the auspices of Cape Girardeau County Health Service and Tuberculosis Association; once the survey is completed at Cape Girardeau, one will be conducted in Jackson ad then carried to every school district in the county.

A.C. Jaynes, proprietor of the ferry at this point, has a new barge under construction for the Cape Girardeau landing; it is quite a bit larger than the present one and will improve the landing considerably.

-- Sharon K. Sanders