Out of the past: Feb. 27

1998

Firefighters from three Cape Girardeau fire stations responded yesterday morning to a report of smoke coming from a building at 709 Broadway; when they arrived, they found the building, which housed Local Area Web, an Internet provider, filled with smoke and a small fire in the back; firefighters were able to gain entry to the building and bring the fire under control in just a few minutes.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The Marble Hill Board of Aldermen has received complaints about a store doing business on Sundays, but it appears that unless a formal complaint is filed nothing will be done to stop it; the board recently discussed complaints about the Dollar General Store being open on Sundays in violation of Missouri's Blue Law; Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Hopkins and Sheriff Dennis Willis say they don't intend to do anything about it at this point, since no one has made a formal complaint.

1973

Petitions for the formation of a tax-supported rural fire protection district in Cape Girardeau County are being circulated, another step in a procedure so lengthy that rural areas will remain without fire protection for much of the year; the 10-member steering committee that proposed the district handed the petitions to the 45 persons attending a second county-wide public meeting last night, urging them to return the papers to the committee in one week.

Although over 160 American prisoners of war in southeast Asia have been released, persons wearing POW-MIA bracelets bearing these men's names are urged not to dispose of their bracelets yet, but to continue to wear them until the desires of the POWs' families are known, according to Voices of Vital America, initiator of the bracelet campaign; in the Cape Girardeau area, over 2,500 bracelets have been distributed through the Naval Reserve Center; many bear the name of Lt. Cmdr. Earl G. Lewis Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl G. Lewis of Cape Girardeau, a Navy pilot who became a POW on Oct. 24, 1967.

1948

Work is to be resumed shortly by Eddie Erlbacher on his new building on Broadway, opposite the Houck Stadium entrance; construction of the structure has been delayed for several months following completion of the foundation, because of the steel shortage; however, all material has been received, and steel has been cut for assembly of the 12 big trusses which will hold up the roof.

Force of a high wind was sufficient to collapse this huge oil storage tank, one of several under construction at the Standard Oil Co.'s Mississippi River terminal in South Cape Girardeau. The tank, with a capacity of 672,000 gallons, was being constructed of three-eighth inch steel, is 49 feet high and 50 feet in diameter.G.D. Fronabargeer ~ Southeast Missourian archive

Force of a high wind was sufficient to collapse this huge oil storage tank, one of several under construction at the Standard Oil Co.'s Mississippi River terminal in South Cape Girardeau. The tank, with a capacity of 672,000 gallons, was being constructed of three-eighth inch steel, is 49 feet high and 50 feet in diameter.G.D. Fronabargeer ~ Southeast Missourian archive

A strong wind sweeps Cape Girardeau in the afternoon, heavily damaging a 48-foot high steel tank under construction at the Standard Oil Co., river terminal; the wind collapses one entire side of the big tank; in addition, it uproots trees, knocks down some power lines and damages the home of Mrs. J.J. Schneider, 319 N. Middle St.

1923

Ten persons, including one woman, are arrested, 750 gallons of mash are destroyed and 20 gallons of whiskey confiscated by federal Prohibition agents and police in raids in Cape Girardeau and vicinity; all are lodged in the Cape Girardeau jail pending their appearances before U.S. Commissioner Russell L. Dearmont, when they will be given an opportunity to make bond.

Ben R. Caldwell, for 10 years connected with the Cape Girardeau Building and Loan Association, tendered his resignation yesterday as secretary of the organization; within a short time he will be associated with K.A. Brumback in a general real estate and insurance business.

-- Sharon K. Sanders