Out of the past: May 1

1997

A survey by state Rep. David Schwab has added a spark of life to a controversial Bollinger-Cape Girardeau County lake that was declared dead in the state Senate earlier this month; Schwab conducts a yearly survey of his constituents, and for the first time he included a question about the proposed, much-debated 7,700-acre lake; the question asks if the people would "support legislation authorizing a local vote to create a lake authority"; Schwab said 50% of the 1,100 people responding said they would support the legislation, 7% had no opinion and 43% said they would not support the legislation.

The Cape Girardeau Civic Center is out of money, but not hope; the center's board of directors met yesterday to find a way to tide it over until the local institution can get more stable funding from grants or the United Way; the most pressing concerns are upcoming utility and insurance bills; the board decided to hold a fund-raising auction in the next four to six weeks.

1972

Realignment of Cape Girardeau voting precincts to conform to the new legislative districts and realignment of County Court districts are discussed by the Cape Girardeau County Court; action is taken in regard to the legislative districts, but the court simply gathers factors regarding reapportionment of the court districts; the Legislature, in setting up new representative districts along one-man one-vote principles, divided Cape Girardeau Ward 11.

In an emergency situation, the Jackson City Council approves a $30,104 construction contract without competitive bidding for initial work on the electrical expansion project.

1947

Reaching a crest of 38.73 feet at 4 p.m. yesterday, the Mississippi River has begun a slow fall at Cape Girardeau; the news is greeted with relief by merchants on Main Street; a more or less rapid fall in the river stage is anticipated.

Houses are unroofed, a highway department equipment shed is demolished, and heavy damage inflicted to the Arbyd, Missouri, community in Dunklin County by a tornado which strikes that section and adjacent Arkansas around 4:30 a.m.; storm damage to lines of the Arkansas-Missouri Power Co. is reported to have left most of Pemiscot County, Missouri, without electricity, while at Caruthersville, Missouri, private water service is suspended to save a remaining supply for emergency use.

1922

For the second time in four months, yeggs blew the safe in the office of the Standard Oil Co., 503 Maple Ave., yesterday morning and escaped with $26.70 in cash and a check payable to August Haman for $20.33; this is the fourth robbery of the office, four safes there having been ruined.

A large crowd of baseball-hungry fans were at Fairground Park Sunday afternoon for the opening game of the season for the 1922 Capahas; they see their pets hammered into submission by the Wabash Railroad team of St. Louis, 6-5; Capahas supporters say the team's fortunes will improve when Jean "the Sphinx" Dale arrives here tomorrow to take up his pitching duties with the locals.

-- Sharon K. Sanders