Out of the past: May 16

1996

The Illinois Department of Transportation will spend almost $14 million over the next five years toward construction of the Mississippi River bridge and approach work along Route 146 to the bridge; the money is part of more than $151 million the state will spend over the next five years for road improvements in the state's 13 southernmost counties; about $9.7 million will be spent on the bridge and $4 million on approach work along Route 146 from east of East Cape Girardeau to the bridge; the four-lane bridge just south of the existing bridge at Cape Girardeau is expected to cost about $78 million, with 80% of the funding to be provided by the federal government.

Lt. Michael Morgan, the administrator of the Cape Girardeau County jail, was named the recipient of the Timothy J. Ruopp Award; Morgan and several other members of the sheriff's department were honored at an awards ceremony yesterday in conjunction with Law Enforcement Memorial Week.

1971

An old-time mission festival marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of Hanover Lutheran Church; services are held outdoors, and the money derived from the event will buy a Jeep for a South American missionary; the Walther League of the church makes and sells ice cream; the men of the church have been growing beards, and the women wear clothes similar to the attire worn 125 years ago.

The mother church of Presbyterianism in Cape Girardeau, Apple Creek Presbyterian Church, observes the 150th anniversary of its founding; the church is one-half mile east of Pocahontas and was chartered May 21, 1821; John L. Oliver of Cape Girardeau starts off the sesquicentennial program in the morning with an historical address; a special worship service is held at 2 p.m., with all Presbyterian ministers in the area participating.

1946

Heavy continuing rain over night, flooding creeks and small streams throughout Cape Girardeau County, gives a further setback to farming operations and makes replanting of much corn and cotton in the district certain; J.F. Schnurbusch of Old Appleton reports Apple Creek at the highest stage since May 11, 1943; water is 6 inches deep on the mill floor at Old Appleton and volunteers are helping to move feed; water has also entered the boiler room at the brewery, forcing suspension of operations.

With the wheat scarcity bread is becoming more and more precious in Southeast Missouri; bakeries are limited to output, with their flour supplies frozen, and virtually all retail shelves are cleared of bread each day; one local baking company isn't selling bread retail in its store, but is instead putting the full supply of loaves out on the retail route shelves.

1921

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Thad Snow of Charleston, Missouri, is elected president of the newly organized Southeast Missouri Agricultural Bureau at a meeting of the directors of the bureau, representing each of the eight counties in the district.

The Rev. W.L. Halberstadt, former pastor of Centenary Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, is here spending several days with friends; Halberstadt is now the head of Howard-Payne College, a school for girls at Fayette, Missouri.

-- Sharon K. Sanders