Out of the Past: May 29

1999

Cape Girardeau has become a way station for National Guard troops moving missiles from a Rock Island, Illinois, military depot to a base near Texarkana, Texas; about 570 National Guard troops are involved, with each group of soldiers serving two weeks; the operation, which began around May 15, should end by June 11.

Charter Communications Inc. has entered into agreements to purchase two cable companies that will add more than 1.5 million customers to its list of cable users; the purchase includes Falcon Cable TV, which has more than 1 million cable users in 27 states, including a wide area of Southeast Missouri; Charter has also reached an agreement to purchase Fanch Communications, headquartered in Denver; Fanch will bring 547,000 subscribers to Charter’s list of almost 5 million customers.

1974

Deadline under which Missouri — and perhaps Illinois — could take over operation of the Mississippi River traffic bridge at Chester, Illinois, and free it of tolls would be extended for one year under identical bills being introduced in the Senate and House; Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri and Sen. Adlai Stevenson III of Illinois are co-sponsoring the bill in the Senate, while Rep. Bill D. Burlison of Missouri’s 10th District will introduce identical legislation in the House.

A new 40-month contract between Noranda Aluminum Inc. and members of Local 7686 of the United Steelworkers of America is signed at Marston, ending a 118-day strike that involved approximately 340 union members; most of the striking steelworkers return to their jobs this morning.

1949

A tornado doesn’t respect property; three Cape Girardeau churches were damaged by the May 21 storm; three churches suffered significant damage from the tornado: Red Star Tabernacle, 1301 N. Main St.; Church of God in Marble City Heights, on Emerald Street; and Third Street Methodist Church; but the damage hasn’t broken the spirit of the congregation; members of Church of God hold services today in the pastor’s dwelling, which, destroyed by the storm, is being reconstructed; the Red Star congregation holds services at the church Education Building; and Third Street Methodist meets for worship in the church.

Memorial Day services are held at Hobbs Chapel, with the pastor, the Rev. M.A. Garrison, speaking at the 11 a.m. service, and the Rev. R.C. Holliday, Methodist district superintendent, speaking at the 2 p.m. service; a basket dinner is held at noon.

1924

Judge John A. Snider, in Common Pleas Court, orders the Cape Girardeau Northern Railroad to be offered for sale at public auction July 2, and a minimum price of $750,000 is fixed; the line, which has been in the hands of a receiver for the past 10 years, may be sold either as an entirety or in portions; all the rolling stock of the road, its rights-of-way and all property of the line are to be included in the sale; the line has a southern terminus near Ancell, runs through Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville; a part penetrates the Saline Valley toward Farmington and another eastward to Perryville Junction and East Chester.

Officials of the Cape Girardeau Special Road District say a new steel bridge, reinforced with concrete, will be erected across Sloan’s Creek on the Bend Road, north of Cape Girardeau; the new span will cost approximately $4,000 and will be 60 feet in length.

Southeast Missourian librarian Sharon Sanders compiles the information for the daily Out of the Past column. She also writes a blog called “From the Morgue” that showcases interesting historical stories from the newspaper. Check out her blog at www.semissourian.com/history.