Out of the past: May 10

1994

Lone Star Industries, the Kasten Block plant, Consolidated Grain and Barge and the City of Cape Girardeau all will benefit from a timely financial boost from the federal Economic Development Administration; the EDA has notified the city it plans to pay $425,750 of the $567,670 needed to embark on a flood-recovery project in South Cape; the project involves elevating 2,000 feet of South Sprigg Street from old Highway 74 to the Cape LaCroix bridge.

A 30-year-old man, who escaped four days ago from the Martin County Jail in Shoals, Indiana, led police on a three-state chase ending in an alley in the 400 block of Commercial Street in Cape Girardeau; the escapee doesn't put up much of a fight when cornered by Sgt. Roger W. Fields; within seconds, dozens of officers from municipalities spanning from Perry to Scott counties are on the scene to assist Fields.

1969

The Cape Girardeau "White Hats" of Elks Lodge 639 greet more than 500 Elks from throughout the state in the morning at the opening business meeting of the 59th annual Spring Convention, being held here through Sunday; members of the host lodge are decked out in white western hats with purple ribbons down the front.

Rep. Marvin E. Proffer of Jackson reports the House this week sent most of the appropriation bills to the Senate, but the budget is still more than $30 million short of balancing; all in all, Proffer says, the House reduced the governor's budget by $14 million.

1944

In Cape Girardeau County, as in other counties, candidates for political office will be allowed extra gasoline for campaign travel, but so far there has been no rush by hopefuls to file applications.

Mississippi River floodwaters, temporarily held in check following fairly heavy rainfall, begin a more rapid fall, dropping to 38.8 feet at Cape Girardeau at 8 a.m.; the water's recession allows operations to be resumed at the shoe factory on Main Street; freight service also resumes over the Frisco main line.

1919

They are coming here on every train, those boys and girls from Southeast Missouri high schools eager to compete in the annual May meet; there are 180 entrants for the various academic and sporting events, 127 schools participating; the meet will be staged on the college campus.

Unnoticed by the majority of the people of Jackson and the county generally, a most historic event took place at the county courthouse in Jackson yesterday; in the afternoon the County Court, its clerk, the sheriff and a committee of citizens formally burned $438,400 worth of canceled railroad bonds; this tremendous indebtedness has been paid off, after having been a fearful burden for years upon the City of Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau Township since 1869.

-- Sharon K. Sanders