Out of the past: Jan. 23

1990

For the fourth consecutive year, Cape Girardeau experienced no deaths from fires last year; there was a total of 976 reports of fire made to the Cape Girardeau Fire Department during 1989, down from 985 in 1988.

Agriculture and education are the primary topics discussed as a five-man Soviet Union delegation starts a farm-oriented tour of Missouri.

1965

Measures to establish clinics for mentally handicapped children, to expand state aid to public schools and to make emergency appropriations made gains in the Missouri General Assembly this week; Sen. Albert M. Spradling Jr., of Cape Girardeau introduced bills in the Senate to authorize nine clinics over the state, including one for this area.

Nine Southeast Missouri business places accused of violating the public accommodations provisions of the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- two in Hayti, two in Marston, two in Portageville, one in Howardville, two in Sikeston and one in Wappapello -- have voluntarily agreed to comply with the law; most of the businesses were eating establishments, while one was a motel.

1940

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- "The Christian Era," an organization composed of 50 black men, small farmers and sharecroppers, has purchased 2,000 acres of cut-over timber land in the spillway in Mississippi County and expect to farm it as a project to provide homesteads for their families.

A crowd estimated at 1,100 people, including 921 who paid admission, attended the opening session of the second Golden Gloves boxing tournament staged last night at the new fairground Arena Building under sponsorship of the Jaycees; eleven bouts were staged.

1915

Robert Lamkin, manager of the Buckner-Ragsdale store, leaves in the afternoon for New York, where he will spend several weeks buying spring goods for the Cape Girardeau store and also for the seven other Buckner-Ragsdale locations in Missouri; Mrs. Lamkin, who with their little son, has been visiting her parents at Marshall, Missouri, will join her husband for the trip, while the youngster will remain in Marshall.

The Dempsey Grocer Co. loses one of its fine big black horses in the morning, when the animal slips and falls on the ice, breaking a leg, which necessitates its killing.

-- Sharon K. Sanders