Out of the past: May 23

1995

Cape Girardeau tomorrow will witness its second-highest Mississippi River crest on record; the National Weather Service has revised the crest upward, calling for the Mississippi to reach 47 feet on the Cape Girardeau gauge; the record here is 48.49 feet, set Aug. 8, 1993.

Boyd Gaming Corp. says it will delay filing of a gambling application for a riverboat in Cape Girardeau to allow more time to develop plans; the decision will delay the start of riverboat gambling here by about a year.

1970

Razing of the north portion of the Missouri Utilities Co.'s old gas and electric plant has been started by C.A. Hood, general contractor, to make room for construction of facilities to produce propane gas in the amount of 4 million cubic feet for daily use during cold, peak-load months, which have been taxing the normal available supply; construction will also include three 60,000-gallon storage tanks to carry the emergency supply.

Richard Popp is expanding his A&W Root Beer facility at 335 N. Kingshighway by adding the longest automobile stall canopy in the city; the addition, to the west side of the building, is 120 feet long and provides 22 car stalls, the facility providing 32 stalls overall; the new canopy will include under-roof lighting and a system of speakers for customer order placement.

1945

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Pvt. Virgil Shackles, 28, an Army paratrooper and the father of five, was killed in action on Negros Island, Philippines group, April 28, his wife is advised by the War Department; the message said he met his death in his first offensive action against the enemy, but gave no further details.

The U.S. Engineers' flood-control plan, given approval by the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday, includes construction of a levee along the riverfront on Water Street from near the foot of Broadway to near the Frisco freight station; under the present plan, the present pavement on Water and other streets would remain as now, and the Frisco Railroad line would be placed on top of the levee, with a higher parapet, or wall, east of the tracks.

1920

Boy Scout Troop 1 leaves Cape Girardeau for Lone Rock, three miles north of Oran, Missouri, where the scouts will camp out this week; the boys travel by train as far as Oran and then hike from there to their camping spot, carrying tents and supplies.

Members of Centenary Methodist Church vote to increase their dues 25% for the next year in order to raise the salary of the pastor from $2,900 to $4,000; the increase will help secure a successor to the Rev. W.L. Halberstadt.

-- Sharon K. Sanders