Out of the past: July 15

1990

Astronaut Linda Godwin of Houston is among those who will be honored later this year when they receive Southeast Missouri State University's Alumni Merit Awards; the other recipients will be education consultant R. Eleanor Duff of Columbia, South Carolina, retired educator Wayne Thurman of Carmel Valley, California, history professor Alonzo L. Hamby of Athens, Ohio, and accountant E. Gene Greable of Winnetka, Illinois.

The city council is considering issuing $6.1 million in bonds through the city's Public Facilities Authority to finance flood control and airport improvement projects.

1965

The Navy tentatively plans to award in December a general contract for construction of a reserve training center north of Arena Park; cost of building the center is estimated at between $300,000 and $500,000.

Construction on Interstate 55 from Benton, Missouri, to Scott City is running ahead of schedule, but no completion date for the project has been set; it is expected the Scott City interchange will be one of the last parts of the Scott City-Benton section to be completed.

1940

Judge Lee L. Bowman, judge of the Common Pleas Court, declares his opposition to the proposal of the city to trade off the building site of Courthouse Park as a location for a new federal building, with the city to get the old federal structure; Bowman says it has taken 120 years to develop an attractive Courthouse Park, and he isn't in favor of turning the choice part of the park over to the federal government.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- E.A. "Gus" James of Lutesville, Missouri, is the legally elected second district County Court judge, according to a ruling by Circuit Judge Taylor Smith; James, called winner in the vote count by seven ballots, has been serving since January 1939.

1915

The city jail and fire station are threatened by fire shortly after midnight, when Fred, one of the big gray fire horses, knocks a lantern off the fire wagon causing it to explode; flames are scattered over the horse stalls and the entire lower floor of the fire department; the building might have burned down, but for the quick action of fireman Casey Ransom, who hears the explosion and calls for assistance.

Frisco Railroad employees have had to get out this week and ice the rails on the levee front to keep them from buckling and sending trains into the river.

-- Sharon K. Sanders