Out of the past: July 10

1993

The Southeast Missourian published a special edition in an effort to disseminate important information about flooding in the Cape Girardeau area.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission, meeting in special session, approved an order imposing a curfew in flooded areas of the county; Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said the action was taken because "the situation is going to deteriorate rapidly. We've got the big daddy this time"; the river stage at Cape Girardeau is 43.2 feet and is expected to crest at 47 feet Friday.

1968

A new gravel road north of Cape Girardeau is open, and work is starting on another to the west as part of the Cape Special Road District's plan for a circumferential drive around the city; open for traffic is an east-west road connecting North Sprigg Street Road and Oriole Road on the north line of the Jaycee golf course; it has been named Cypress Drive at the request of residents in the area who donated part of the right of way.

The Marquette Cement Mfg. Co. placed in operation a $350,000 electrostatic precipitator, almost three months ahead of the date originally scheduled; the dust-control equipment is designed to eliminate 95 percent of the dust being emitted into the air at Marquette's wet plant here.

1943

It is estimated receipts of the Cape Girardeau Post Office the past 12 months will run at least 15 percent ahead of the receipts for the previous 12 months; at the same time, adding to the daily load for postmen, the volume of franked or free mail is increasing; this includes mail from the various federal departments and agencies, and it all adds up for the packs the carriers must deliver.

The war has caught up with the squirrels in Courthouse Park; their menu isn't what it used to be, in fact, the pets are almost starving, according to Louis Brunke, caretaker of the park; he occasionally buys a little corn or nuts for the squirrels, but Brunke says none can be bought now at feed stores.

1918

The local board late yesterday received orders to have 143 men ready for induction in the national Army on or about July 31; one week from today, 41 white and eight black men will leave for military training camps.

Unsettled conditions caused by the great world war are having an effect on the automobile business here; on Aug. 1 the Harris Motor Car Co. will quit business entirely in Cape Girardeau and move back to Jackson, where it operates a garage; the Overland Safety First Garage, owned by the Ruderts, will move from the Miller building in Haarig to the building to be vacated by the Harris company.

-- Sharon K. Sanders