Out of the past: May 11

1990

SIKESTON, Mo. -- An estimated $250,000 to $300,000 in property went up in smoke yesterday, and a four-building corner of the downtown area was engulfed in flames; 50 firefighters battled the blaze about two hours before bringing it under control.

Teachers in the Nell Holcomb R-4 School District will make $1,600 more during the coming school year; the school board voted Thursday to give teachers an across-the-board $1,400 raise; counting an automatic, $200 salary-schedule increase for each teacher, the overall pay increase comes to $1,600.

1965

The Cape Girardeau School Board has authorized the construction of an auto body shop near the auto mechanics shop, which was built last summer at Cordelia Avenue and Whitener Street.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department has placed "no parking" signs on several cross streets between Caruthers Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in the vicinity of Central High School in an effort to relieve traffic congestion on Independence Street at Caruthers Avenue.

1940

Carpenters are creating a new city council chamber, where the city engineer's office was; the floors of the building are no longer strong, and workers have to be careful so as not to drop something that might break through.

The Cape Girardeau Capahas will pry off the lid of the baseball season tomorrow, meeting the Murphysboro, Illinois, Red Wings at Fairground Park; Lou Weiss is expected to start on the mound with J.T. Cotner and Elam Vangilder in reserve; catching will be Joe DeLassus; the infield is composed of Carl Meyer, John Hunze, Howard Hinton and Morris Gaines; Pete Schwab will patrol left field, Bob Hopper center field and Bobby Bauer or Harley Eddleman right field; reserve players will be Bud Burns, Paul Howe and Stein Hinton.

1915

The first special train of delegates to the state convention of Knights of Columbus arrives on the Frisco from St. Louis at 12:30 p.m., with at least 300 delegates and visitors.

The Jackson City Council is in a hopeless deadlock; this was demonstrated last night, when Mayor E.G. Sibley nominated Joe Call for street commissioner, and the application was rejected by a vote of three to five. The mayor then nominated George Green for the same position, with the same results. E.E. Williams was nominated by the mayor for collector of water and light rates; he was similarly rejected by the same score. It is useless to beat around the bush: The council is deadlocked upon a strict wet and dry vote.

-- Sharon K. Sanders