Out of the past: July 24

1995

About 10,000 people attended the three-day Balloons & Arts Festival '95, sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri; weather hampered yesterday's competitive balloon flight, with only four balloons flying; about 50 balloons competed in two flights Saturday.

Shoppers hurried into the new Target store in streams before rain fell in sheets yesterday afternoon; the discount store at 2020 Siemers Drive held its official grand opening Sunday, with about 400 people standing in line when the doors opened at 8 a.m.

1970

Having settled a strike with the Southeast Missouri Contractors Association earlier this month, members of the Local 282 of the Builders Laborers Union here dropped their hammers and picked up picket signs once more at numerous construction sites throughout Southeast Missouri on Wednesday and Thursday; at least four sites in Cape Girardeau are affected; while the number of laborers idle isn't known, at least 400 workers at Noranda Aluminum New Madrid set up picket lines Wednesday morning.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Exchanges of gunfire between whites and blacks in Cairo erupted late last night, but no injuries are reported; the Rev. Manker Harris, public relations director for the United Front, which has been conducting a boycott against white-owned businesses, says more than 200 bullets were fired in little more than an hour; the shooting was concentrated at the Pyramid Courts housing project.

1945

Farmers of Cape Girardeau County have largely given up trying to hire extra workers, although much work is to be done every day the sun shines; they are depending almost solely on members of the family for workers; however, there is some farm-to-farm swapping of labor, even beyond the usual wheat-threshing practice.

Arrangements have been made by the transportation committee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce to place an air marker on the roof of Houck Field House, identifying the city to visiting airmen.

1920

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Fire, resulting from an explosion in a garage at 10:30 last night, destroyed three buildings occupying a half block in the heart of Sikeston, entailing a loss of at least $100,000, as follows: building of the Best Motor Co., including 22 cars; Mayfield building, housing American Hotel, Sam's shoe store and Crain's restaurant; and fire equipment belonging to the city, which had been stored in the Best building.

The U.S. sub-chaser, No. 330, consigned for use by the Navy Department in St. Louis and district, passes Cape Girardeau at 11:20 a.m. on its way up from New Orleans; the craft, the fastest boat in this part of the Mississippi River, is a standard U.S. sub-chaser, 110 feet long and used in special service during the World War.

-- Sharon K. Sanders