Out of the past: June 23

1998

Local officials weren't exactly thrilled by the alternatives proposed by the state for a Highway 34 bypass, so they've come up with a highway improvement package of their own; representatives from Cape Girardeau County and the cities of Jackson and Cape Girardeau will outline the plan, which includes improving existing highways and some new road construction, in a meeting today with the Missouri Department of Transportation at the Jackson City Hall.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke signs on for another three years as president of Southeast Missouri State University; the Board of Regents offers the three-year contract, and Nitzschke accepts; the new contract, which begins July 1, provides an annual salary of $138,250, an increase from $131,250.

1973

Two federal agencies announce further assistance to area victims of the record-setting Mississippi River flood; the Small Business Administration is extending its deadline for low-interest loan applications to July 31; the Department of Agriculture is making emergency conservation funds available for repairing farmland.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department got their first look Friday afternoon at the city's new diesel fire truck, the first of its kind here. Fire Chief Carl J. Lewis, left, and firefighter Robert Cannon inspect the front of the vehicle, while Roger Johns, behind the wheel, and Ronald Moss, to the side, give engine a closer look. Southeast Missourian archive

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department got their first look Friday afternoon at the city's new diesel fire truck, the first of its kind here. Fire Chief Carl J. Lewis, left, and firefighter Robert Cannon inspect the front of the vehicle, while Roger Johns, behind the wheel, and Ronald Moss, to the side, give engine a closer look. Southeast Missourian archive

Members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department got their first look yesterday afternoon at the city's new diesel fire truck, the first of its kind here.

Unpublished. Cape Girardeau firefighters look over the departments first-ever diesel fire truck.Southeast Missourian archive

Unpublished. Cape Girardeau firefighters look over the departments first-ever diesel fire truck.Southeast Missourian archive

1948

Along with other postwar developments, the American Legion will apply the "new look" to its annual Independence Day picnic; in the first place, the event will be moved from Sunday, July 4, to Monday; but that's not all; in line with the times the picnic will be moved from cramped Capaha Park to spacious Arena Park, more and more the center of community activities; it also ends a 28-year tradition of July 4 picnics at Capaha.

A beauty pageant, with contests representing the various towns of this district, will be an addition to the 1948 SEMO District Fair; this year's expanded exposition, with an extra day for motorcycle races and numerous additional features, will be held at Arena Park from Sept. 13-19; a spectacular parade through the city with the beauty pageant candidates seated in open automobiles will be a feature of the morning, and in the afternoon and evening, a cavalcade of the candidates will be made from Hotel Marquette to the park.

1923

A petition, signed by 11 property owners on Painter Avenue between Broadway and Themis Street, is filed with the city clerk, protesting against the grading of that part of Painter leading from Broadway to Fountain Street; property owners refuse to accept the grade and will not construct the sidewalks until the grades are lowered at least six inches at the intersection of Painter Avenue and Harmony Street, according to the petition.

Henry Wright, St. Louis park engineer and architect, is preparing plans for a new house for Hazel Strickler, which will occupy the site of the H.F. Leuer house on North Lorimier Street; Wright designed the surroundings for the Charles L. Harrison home, which is adjacent to the Leuer property, and it is now planned to make the new house fit into a very attractive setting; the plans call for a house having two apartments, the upper floor being used by Strickler for her home; Harrison will have a sleeping porch and sun room added to the east side of his house, and the two buildings will be connected with a modern lawn development.

-- Sharon K. Sanders