Out of the past: June 12

1994

The 1994 edition of Cape Girardeau Riverfest opened to a huge crowd Friday night, due in part to ideal weather conditions; but an early afternoon thunderstorm put a brief damper on some of Saturday afternoon's activities, and forced more than an hour delay in the evening's fireworks display.

Missouri has an official flower, tree, instrument, song, even an official fossil, but no official animal -- at least not yet; members of the American Legion Post 63 in Cape Girardeau are spearheading a statewide campaign to get the Missouri mule, a fellow veteran, named the state's official animal.

1969

Proposed elimination July 1 of an important factor in Medicare reimbursements has brought concerned protests from Southeast and Saint Francis hospitals; they, with others across the country, have been notified by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare a 2% allowance agreed upon at the outset of the health care program for the elderly will be terminated, forcing non-Medicare patients to pay a portion of costs for those on Medicare contrary to the provisions of the law.

Among the pastoral appointments announced by Bishop Ignatius J. Strecker of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese is that of the Rev. James M. Thompson as pastor of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, replacing the Rev. Wendelin J. Dunker; two new associate pastors -- the Revs. Edward Eftink and Bosco Westrich -- have been appointed to St. Mary's Cathedral.

1944

This is Cape Girardeau's D-Day; at 3 p.m., hundreds of city residents begin filing into the 21 war bond induction centers, their aim being to reach the community's $650,000 Fifth War Loan quota by 9 p.m..

Solving the offerings of two hurlers for 19 hits and 15 runs, the Capahas had little trouble defeating the Mount Vernon, Illinois, Carbuilders, 15-1, Sunday at Fairground Park; Roy Smith, making his pitching debut for the Caps after returning from Toledo, Ohio, allowed eight hits and had a shutout until the ninth frame.

1919

Dr. Adolph List, 75, the oldest dentist in Cape Girardeau and one of the pioneer residents of the city, dies at his home at the corner of Broadway and Lorimier; he was born in Germany and emigrated to America in 1870; he applied for citizenship immediately, but before that could happen, he was called back to Germany by the Franco-Prussian War; as soon as the war ended, List returned to this country, entering a school of dentistry; after first practicing in Nashville, Tennessee, and Evansville, Indiana, he came to Cape Girardeau 49 years ago; he is survived by his wife and two sons.

Edward Hely, proprietor of the Hely quarries and stone crusher in Cape Girardeau, has purchased the sand business formerly owned by G.I. Moore at Gray's Point.

-- Sharon K. Sanders