Out of the past: July 17

1994

More than 500 people from 14 states and Peru met at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau over the weekend to trace their family roots during the Maryland and Kentucky Catholic Reunion.

A truck being loaded with supplies to help flood victims in Georgia remains open on the Schnucks parking lot; Capt. Elmer Trapp of the Salvation Army says the truck is about 40% filled, and they're hoping to have it completely full when it heads to Macon, Georgia, on Monday.

1969

Through special arrangements among the city, Mid-South Finance Co. and a Carbondale, Illinois, firm, the American flag will be flown on Cape Girardeau streets in the business areas during the remainder of the Apollo 11 flight; residents here have also been urged by Mayor Ivan L. Irvin, patriotic groups and civic clubs to fly the Stars and Stripes in honor of the moon launch.

The floodwaters of the swollen Mississippi River, stabilized at 38.8 feet for two days, rise to 39.1 feet in the morning, which river watchers say is its crest; the water is covering portions of East Cape Rock, Rand Street and North Main Street in the northern part of the city, and Second, Bourbon, Vine, Boundary, Holly, Pecan, LaCruz, Locust and South Sprigg streets in South Cape.

1944

Dr. Washington Strother Dearmont, former president of State College and for the past seven years president emeritus of the institution, and long a civic leader in Cape Girardeau, dies at 1 a.m. at his home, 903 College Hill; with Dearmont when he passed away are his wife, Julia McKee Dearmont; son, former Sen. Russell L. Dearmont; and granddaughter, Mrs. Ceylon S. Lewis Jr. of St. Louis.

The home run count by shortstop Eddie Chism of the St. Louis Negro Giants in the first inning of yesterday's game was the longest of the season at Fairground Park and perhaps for many years; left-fielder Harley Eddleman of the Capahas, who chased down the ball, says it hit the ground where the race track formerly was located and rolled across into the bushes at the foot of the embankment; Chiss was across home plate before the ball could be relayed to the infield.

1919

As the result of last night's meeting of businessmen at the Commercial Club rooms, three committees will spend tomorrow morning securing the remaining subscriptions to the shoe factory fund; Robert Vogelsang reports a deficit of about $11,000 in the fund; Cape Girardeau is collecting funds to help build a big annex to the shoe factory on North Main Street.

Travelers along Kings Highway between Jackson and Cape Girardeau Wednesday afternoon probably thought the Cape Fair had been moved to the county farm; about 1,500 men and women gathered there to see a practical tractor demonstration; the event was so interesting, they tramped over a 40-acre field for hours to watch the performance of each of the eight tractors.

-- Sharon K. Sanders