Out of the past: Jan. 7

1992

The Cape Girardeau City Council hustled through a 10-minute meeting last night, where it approved a study of the city's public transportation needs and the purchase of property to expand Shawnee Park; the council also approved a motion to proceed with final engineering plans for the extension of Sprigg Street north from Bertling to Melody Lane.

The Jackson Board of Alderman began the new year Monday by approving several major expenditures, including the repair of a damaged electrical transformer, the purchase of two new cars for the police and fire departments, and purchase of a new telephone system for city hall offices.

1967

The demolition of the old post office-federal court building on Broadway is scheduled to begin about Feb. 1, unless a government snag in financing occurs; the General Services Administration will receive bids for the construction of a new federal building on Feb. 10.

The turnpike proposal for Missouri, mentioned by Gov. Warren E. Harnes in his message to the General Assembly this week, is receiving strong backing in Southeast Missouri, says Sen. Albert M. Spradling Jr., of Cape Girardeau; the proposal is embodied in a bill co-authored by Spradling which was one of a large number of measures introduced during the first week of the session.

1942

Called back to active service in the Navy after being retired for 21 years, G.C. Wilson of Cape Girardeau went to Chicago last night to formally resume service; now 64 years old, Wilson said he supposed he would be assigned to drill duties, although he said he preferred more active service; Wilson, a chief petty officer when he retired in 1920 after 20 years in the military, spent 10 years of the time in China, Japan, the Philippines and in the islands in the Far East.

Guarding against any possible failure of power, water or gas facilities through sabotage, the Missouri Utilities Co., has taken thorough precautionary measures in all of its plants; visitors to plants are now prohibited, and signs are posted at the entrance of all properties; in Cape Girardeau, as well as at other points, barbed wire barricades have been placed; through cooperation of the Cape Girardeau municipal government, a police officer now guards the water plant on Cape Rock Drive each night.

1917

Chris M. Freeman, proprietor of the Crescent Lunch Room, yesterday bought from O.N. Yarbrough the Mecca Restaurant; Yarbrough opened the Mecca last summer, but his health has since failed him, and he decided to sell out.

The Rev. W.S. Hoke, a Christian minister of Sikeston, Missouri, pleases the large audiences at the Christian Church here in the morning and evening; he will be called here to accept the pastorate of the church, if he and the pastoral committee can reach an agreement.

-- Sharon K. Sanders