Out of the past: Feb. 9

1999

An effort is underway to form a not-for-profit corporation to finance and carry out improvements to the U.S. 61-Interstate 55 interchange between Cape Girardeau and Jackson; involved in the movement is James Drury, who plans to develop the commercial area around the interchange, and Cape Girardeau County and city and Jackson governments.

The circa-1842 Steinbeck-Brock House at 9 N. Fountain St. is the 16th site to be named a historic landmark by the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission; the house was once owned by Daniel Steinbeck and his wife, a daughter of city founder Louis Lorimier; current owner is Lee Ragland.

1974

As a few more trucks seem to be rolling across highways in the state, two more incidents of violence are reported occurring in Southeast Missouri yesterday, apparently growing out of the strike; the State Highway Patrol at Poplar Bluff says that Diamond Metal Plating Co. of Madison, Illinois, reported one of its trucks was forced off Interstate 55 south of Scott City by two pickup trucks; four men from the pickups then slashed two of the trailer tires, threatened the Diamond driver and made him drive his truck as they followed him to the Arkansas-Missouri line; the other incident occurred in St. Francois County, when the windshield of a truck was cracked by an object dropped from the Route W-Highway 67 overpass.

A witness immunity bill gained first-round approval Thursday in the Missouri House; Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor A.J. Seier labels the bill “a great step forward”; he says the ability to grant immunity to witnesses who testify for the prosecution in major cases will increase opportunities for convictions; he predicts it will become a major tool in criminal investigations, particularly by grand juries.

1949

J.D. Mittelbach of Kansas City, Missouri, and W.H. Rodgers and Mark Blaylock of Cape Girardeau have purchased controlling interest in the Littleten Shoe Co. Inc., 725 Broadway; Mittlebach, who has been with the firm here six months and in the shoe business 37 years, and who purchased a large block of Littleten stock, is appointed sales manager and director of sales; Blaylock and Rodgers have been with the women’s shoe manufacturing company since the beginning.

Penzel Construction Co. has taken out a permit for construction of a two-story brick and concrete boiler room and laundry to be constructed for Southeast Hospital; the permit states the cost will be $20,000 and the size of the building 34 feet by 54 feet; boiler equipment will be installed in the basement and laundry equipment on the first floor.

1924

HERRIN, Ill. — The Carbondale company of the Illinois National Guard, arriving at dawn, takes control of this Williamson County mining town, torn by new disorders, and patrols the Herrin hospital, which was fired upon at 2 a.m. by a force of 200 men; the Cairo, Illinois, company arrives later in the day to help keep order; martial law for Herrin is imminent; Ku Klux Klan and anti-Klan sentiment flared in two mob fights here just before midnight, resulting in the slaying of a Herrin policeman and Klan leader and probable fatal wounding of a deputy sheriff of the anti-Klan faction.

The Red Head Club was organized Tuesday at the Teachers College; elected president was Mary Caton; May Canepa was made vice president and Catherine Thias secretary-treasurer; sponsor of the club is Agnes McKay, college music instructor; eight women and two men are among the charter members, who sport hair of a variety of shades of red.

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Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a blog called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper. Check out her blog at www.semissourian.com/history.