Out of the past: May 30

1998

When members of First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau decided to ordain women as deacons, they knew the church would be in a minority; the congregation on May 10 ordained six women to serve as deacons, becoming the first Southern Baptist church in Southeast Missouri to do so; the women -- Denise Lincoln, Cathy Matthews, Carol Robinson, Pam Pratt, Jane Stacy and Vlasta Foster -- join a group of 24 men who serve the varying needs of church members.

The Marquette Hotel, which has been a fixture at the corner of Broadway and Fountain since 1928, may once again look like the majestic structure of its elegant past; the Marquette, with its Spanish-style architecture, terra cotta facings and balconies, has been vacant for more than a decade; if a group in Houston, Texas, has its way, the 151-room hotel could be restored to its former glory; the group has expressed an interest in purchasing the building from owner Thad Bullock, said Tom Neumeyer, a city councilman and downtown business owner; "They've got an agreement, but nothing has been signed yet," said Neumeyer.

1973

Commenting on the weekend's downpour, Cape Girardeau City Manager W.G. Lawley says that, while proposed flood control structures along Cape LaCroix Creek might have reduced the amount of flooding here, they wouldn't have eliminated it; "I saw the amount of water in Arena Park and other areas, and I can't imagine a channel large enough to hold that much water," he says; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently making a cost justification study that might pave the way for further studies and future flood control projects along the county's major creeks.

As Cape Girardeans were striving to recover from a record rainfall of 9.71 inches over the weekend, brief thundershowers again hit the city last night, bringing total precipitation for the month to 16.64 inches; atop massive flood damage from the overflowing, record-high Mississippi River, property loss in Cape Girardeau alone could reach $3 million from the weekend's flash floods.

1948

It's Ladies' Day at the ballpark; all women are admitted free to see the Capahas play the Murphysboro, Illinois, Merchants at Capaha Park; the Caps stage a rally in the last of the ninth inning to score three runs and top the Merchants 12-11; Quinton Keller delivers the winning blow, a double to left center to score Gary Garrison.

Memorial Day observances are held in the morning and evening in Cape Girardeau churches, some in the form of special memorial sermons, while in other churches special programs are held; the Rev. R.C. Holliday, district superintendent of the Methodist Church, is guest speaker at a special afternoon service at Hobbs Chapel; it's part of an all-day program, specially arranged for Memorial Day.

1923

Cape Girardeau observes Decoration Day; although no organized ceremonies mark the day, business houses are closed at noon, the post office observes holiday hours, and banking institutions don't open at all; no special ceremonies mark the placing of flowers on the grave of Uriah Brock, the only Revolutionary War soldier buried here; a committee composed of Mrs. E.J. Deal and Mrs. Earnest Walker, representing the Dauthers of the American Revolution, place flowers on the veteran's grave in Old Lorimier Cemetery.

Nearly 50 rural mail carriers, with their wives and children, are in Cape Girardeau attending the annual meeting of the district association of carriers at Fairground Park; a basket dinner prepared by the carriers' wives is served at the park at noon, after all delegates had arrived.

-- Sharon K. Sanders