Out of the past: May 4

1998

CHESTER, Ill. -- Traffic has been reduced again to one lane on the Mississippi River bridge at Chester; the bridge, which is undergoing sandblasting and painting of steel and guardrails and some deck work, had been open for two-way traffic through the winter, but that was stopped recently when work resumed; workers who started the $4.7 million project in April 1997 completed about 75% of the sandblasting and intermediate coating of the bridge before closing down in November.

Standing on the steps of Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau yesterday amid the cheering faces of his supporters, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon pledged to fight for the state and its families if elected to the U.S. Senate; Nixon -- accompanied by his wife, Georganne, and their two sons, Jeremiah and Will -- was in Cape Girardeau on the second day of a three-day senatorial campaign kickoff tour that began Saturday in Independence and ends today in St. Joseph.

1973

It will be a major task cleaning up the city's sewage treatment plant in South Cape Girardeau once floodwaters move out, says public works superintendent L.W. McDowell; he's sure there will be some damage, but is unable to say how much until the water recedes; most damage, he says, will be to the plant's electrical systems.

Following the escape attempt of one federal prisoner and the arrival of six more, Sheriff Ivan E. McLain announces he will refuse to accept any more federal prisoners in the 65-year-old Cape Girardeau County jail in Jackson; the overcrowded, outmoded jail hums with unusual activity, as the disgusted sheriff and his staff attempt to handle 29 prisoners in a facility designed to hold 18; the attempted jailbreak occurred about 7:43 a.m., when a deputy entered the cell block to feed the prisoners

1948

Three prominent Sikeston, Missouri, citizens go on trial in Federal Court on charges growing out of the 1946 general election there; indications are the trial will last at least three days; three witnesses in the first 45 minutes of this afternoon's session refuse to answer questions of government counsel relating to the election; those on trial are charged with setting up an $800 fund to pay as $1 bribes to voters and $15 to cab drivers for use of their vehicles.

Marble City Heights and Monticello Addition both moved a step nearer sanitary sewer service yesterday on City Council action approving plans, specifications and estimate of cost for a proposed $39,722.60 sewer improvement program; this follows on the heels of contract awards totaling $27,523.84 to two contractors for paving three streets.

1923

Undaunted by three days of rain, which have spoiled prospects for the smashing of several records in track events, officials of the Cape Girardeau Teachers College say the track portion of the 18th annual athletic and oratorical meet for Southeast Missouri high schools will be held "rain or shine" tomorrow at Fairground Park; declamation and music contests begin this afternoon and will continue Saturday.

McCLURE, Ill. -- Farmers living in this section plan to plant approximately 250 acres of cotton on lands that before have been cultivated to wheat, corn and hay crops; the largest acreage of cotton planted in Illinois this year will be on the farm of Dr. John D. Porterfield, who will plant about 200 acres.

-- Sharon K. Sanders