Out of the past: Feb. 2

1998

Visitors to Southeast Hospital last week who thought they might be seeing double were right; three sets of boy-girl twins were born within five days, perhaps setting a record; Craig and Michelle Heisserer's twins -- Mitchell Preston and Madison Nichole -- were born Jan. 20; twins William Grant and Taylor Christine were born to Bill and Christie Shivelbine the next day; and Sam and Claire Tillman welcomed Charles Hayden and Mary Claire on Jan. 25.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Becoming a private, not-for-profit business will make Perry County Memorial Hospital more competitive in the long run, hospital officials say; the administration and board of directors have been studying the feasibility of converting it from a public, not-for-profit hospital; it would continue to receive tax support -- approximately $150,000 a year from the county's meal levy, says Ralph Paulding, hospital administrator; the hospital board will meet Feb. 10, "and we hope we'll come to a decision," says Bill Wingerter, board president.

1973

Modernization and beautification of Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 N. Ellis St., are the main goals behind a $650,000 renovation project to begin this spring; the congregation has approved the project by an 88% margin, and Anthony A. Ciuffa of St. Louis has been employed as the architect; the project includes cleaning and tuck pointing the exterior, reversing the sanctuary so the altar is at the east end, an addition on the north for office space and to connect the education and church buildings, a chapel at the point of the present Ellis Street stair-step entrance and entrances to both church and education building from ground level.

Construction begins on a restaurant building at the northwest corner of Morgan Oak and South Frederick streets; the building, for the Coleman Barbecue chain, will be 40 by 40 feet and will be a duplicate of the one built last year on West Broadway; Burton J. Gerhardt Contracting Corp. is erecting the structure, and the restaurant will be operated by James Lindsay.

1948

Members of the Community Development Committee discuss whether to disband or to hold the group's activities in abeyance until after the city manager election is held later this month; the decision is made that an approximate 60-day period should elapse before any further concrete business is undertaken by the committee; at the outset of the meeting, chairman Fred A. Groves tells members, "It looks like we've reached a pretty sorry pass in our community. I don't know how to answer it, but maybe after the election we can settle things."

At the stage where it must begin making concrete plans, and at the urging of Rush H. Limbaugh after an extensive conversation, the Cape Girardeau Board of Education adopts a motion to appoint a three-man committee to gather facts and delve into full construction particulars for a new high school building; appointed to the committee are H.A. Lang and Supt. Louis J. Schultz; the third chair is left open for the time being.

1923

J.T. Pearson, section foreman for the Frisco Railroad, and William Hogg, foreman for the Hely rock crusher, who lives near the Cape LaCroix Creek railroad trestle in South Cape Girardeau, had a narrow escape last night, when the south bank of the creek caved in; the two men were standing near the south end of the trestle, discussing the likelihood of the trestle "going out" before the rushing stream, when the ground suddenly gave way beneath them; Pearson turned quickly and leaped to safety; but Hogg, a little slower, was carried for a distance down the creek bank with the slide; he managed to extricate himself from the avalanche of dirt and grabbed a small bush on the creek bank, holding on until help reached him; it's the second time in two weeks the railroad bridge has washed out.

Mrs. T.J. Caruthers, county nurse, this week set in motion the first successful warm lunch plan in Cape Girardeau County's rural schools; Rock Levee School on South Kingshighway had the honor of carrying to completion a plan which gives pupils warm lunches at the noon hour; children bring food sealed in quart fruit jars that are heated in a "wash boiler" on a small stove.

-- Sharon K. Sanders