Out of the past: July 1

1995

Cape Girardeau would cash in on riverboat gambling under a Boyd Gaming Corp. development plan; in its first year of operation, Boyd would pay out nearly $1.7 million combined to Cape Girardeau city, the local school district and two civic organizations -- Colonial Cape Foundation and the Greater Cape Girardeau Historical Association -- if the gambling venture attracts 860,000 customers as envisioned; the city would receive nearly $1 million of that; in return, Boyd wants the city to give it exclusive riverboat gambling rights for the next 15 years.

The federal government won't chip in as big a share toward flood repairs this year as it did in 1993, but money is available if you know how to ask; officials with local governmental agencies learned how to apply at a meeting with representatives of the State Emergency Management Agency on Friday; a Disaster Recovery Center will open next week.

1970

McCLURE, Ill. -- Final approval has been obtained for a $238,000 loan to finance a water system for McClure and East Cape Girardeau, Illinois; construction should start immediately, with the contract for the water system being awarded to L.D. Fern Construction Co. of Marion, Illinois; it will consist of a treatment plant, storage tank and distribution system.

The Cape Girardeau City Council sets July 15 as the deadline to receive bids on the long-planned improvement of North Sprigg Street from Amethyst Street to Bertling Street; the council handles several other street items and hears complaints on the proposed paving of sections of Wayne and Mason streets.

1945

The Church of God Mission holds its annual outing, with members going to Fairground Park immediately after the Sunday school hour; a basket dinner is served at noon.

Anticipating the approach of Independence Day, the Rev. Bernard A. McIlhany, pastor, preaches on the theme "Perils of Patriotism" at the morning worship service at Presbyterian Church.

1920

A Cape Girardeau woman, Mrs. William W. Martin, is the talk of the National Democratic Convention at San Francisco; an alternate delegate to the convention, she recently spoke against Sen. James A. Reed as a delegate, saying "as soon as he was safely elected, he turned on us all (Missourians) and began to oppose everything that (President Woodrow) Wilson did. He was against food measures in the war; he opposed conscription; he blocked us in every way. We mothers of Missouri were giving our sons to the country and Reed was in our path"; her plain speech swayed political leaders and the credentials committee voted 39 to 9 against seating Reed.

A Seeburg orchestra piano, costing $1,800, a type rarely seen here, will be the principal feature of William Brodtman's new "home" in the building just completed next to overland garage at 706 Broadway; his restaurant will be on the east side of the building, and he will also have charge of the dance hall on the second floor.

-- Sharon K. Sanders