Out of the past: July 23

1993

The Mississippi River is predicted to crest at Cape Girardeau some time today at an all-time record flood stage of 46.6 feet; weather forecasters have warned the river may not fall below flood stage here until some time in mid-August.

During a visit to Cape Girardeau County yesterday morning, Gov. Mel Carnahan praised the work of volunteers and the National Guard in battling floodwaters and promised the state will do its part to fund disaster relief efforts.

1968

Plans for the completion of Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau County are 90 percent finished, some of the right of way has been acquired and contracts should be let during the 1970 construction year.

A tidal wave of negative votes in the Advance, Missouri, area overcome substantial support in Delta and Chaffee, Missouri, for a three-way school measure and sends the proposition down to a convincing defeat; the unofficial vote was 892 in favor of the consolidation and 1,170 opposed.

1943

Forty-eight men, all employees of the Cape Institute of Aeronautics at Harris Field, were inducted into the Air Corps Enlisted Reserve yesterday in a ceremony conducted at the field by 2nd Lt. Harold R. Phelps, recruiting and induction officer from Jefferson Barracks; the act releases the men from future action of the county draft board, but subjects them to call to active duty in the Army.

The government has given approval for construction of concrete pavement on West Independence Street; the letter of approval comes from the regional War Production Board office at Kansas City, Missouri; tentative plans are to build first the sector west from Keller Avenue, at top of the Independence Street hill, to Highway 61; this will be done this summer and fall, with the paving of the street east to West End Boulevard possibly to go over until next spring; the street surfacing now is of blacktop material.

1918

Chief of police Arthur Whitener has handed in his resignation to Mayor H.H. Haas, to take effect Aug. 1, when he will leave Cape Girardeau for New Madrid County to take up farming near the town of Gideon, Missouri; just who will replace him as chief hasn't been decided, but friends of policeman E.L. Hutson are boosting him for the job.

The Rev. M.J. LeSage, C.M., pastor of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, has been appointed an Army chaplain with the rank of first lieutenant; he is now in St. Louis, where he will remain about 10 days before returning to Cape Girardeau to arrange his affairs; he then will go to the chaplain training school near Louisville, Kentucky.

-- Sharon K. Sanders