Out of the past: Feb. 24

1997

Supporters of Eagle Ridge Christian School haven't raised all the money yet, but they have faith they will be able to pay for a $1.2 million building; about 200 parents, staff and supporters of the school attended a ceremonial ground breaking for a planned building with 16 classrooms, a gym and cafeteria yesterday; the school will be located 1 mile west of Interstate 55 on the north side of Route K.

Nine-and-one-half years after its opening, the turnstiles at the Show Me Center clicked for the 3 millionth time Sunday at the Longhorn Championship Rodeo; the center honored its 3 millionth visitor -- Kerry Lasters, who farms between Bell City and Oran, Missouri -- with a ceremony.

1972

The chilliest spot in Cape Girardeau yesterday was undoubtedly the intersection of William Street and South West End Boulevard, following a freak accident that tumbled 24 ice blocks weighing 300 pounds each onto the pavement; traffic was partially blocked about two hours over the noon hour after a poultry truck loaded with ice lost much of its cargo; the driver had just picked up a load of 26,100 pounds of ice at Pure Ice Co., to be used to remove the body heat from processed chickens at the Bishop Poultry Co. in Perryville, Missouri.

Girardeans will be hearing some loud noises coming from the State College campus during the next three weeks, but there's no cause for alarm; the big bangs will result from a "shakedown cruise" for a large boiler in the new campus power plant addition, a $2.8 million project that has taken nearly two years to complete.

1947

Retailers say the toilet tissue situation, which has been in the category of one of the war-imposed shortages for several years and hasn't shown great postwar improvement, is growing more critical; and, with price controls off, the cost to many local consumers has jumped greatly; in Cape Girardeau there is a wide price range on toilet paper; one druggist reports he received a case which cost him 33 cents per roll of 2,000 sheets; "I just didn't have the heart to ask my regular customers a higher price than that, so I sold it at just what it cost me," he said.

Establishment of the 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard, as well as all other units of the military force throughout the state, are threatened under a House appropriation committee recommendation that its funds for the approaching fiscal year be slashed by $95,000; Capt. Laurence B. Adams, regimental adjutant for the 140th, explains that if the reduction goes through, it will mean rentals will have to be reduced on armory facilities and that administration must be pared to a considerable extent.

1922

Judge John A. Snider, at the February term of Common Pleas Court, will be asked to allow the Cape Girardeau Northern Railway to be sold; this decision was reached yesterday at a meeting of holders and representatives of holders of receivership certificates; it was reported the road has been rapidly deteriorating under the care of the receiver and that no interest on the certificates issued has been paid in three years.

Capt. J.L. Stout is being urged to be a candidate for mayor of Cape Girardeau in the coming election.

-- Sharon K. Sanders