Out of the past: Oct. 28

1996

Jehovah's Witness volunteers from a 200-mile radius journeyed to Scott City over the weekend to begin and end construction of a Kingdom Hall at 215 Chester St.; those with construction experience do the building, while others provide support for them.

The Trail of Tears State Park near Fruitland is adding more of what it's named for: trails; for the first time in possibly 20 years park officials are opening three new paths, through some of the scenic areas of the 3,000-acre park.

1971

A faltering financial situation has forced Cape Grocers Association Inc. to liquidate its warehouse at 1901 Independence St.; the association was incorporated in 1927, and the warehouse was constructed in 1952; the association was a non-profit supply house for grocers in the Cape Girardeau area.

Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport Board recommended Lewis Rogers Construction Co. of Dexter, Missouri, as contractor for the proposed maintenance and office building at the airport during a luncheon meeting with the City Council yesterday; but discussion bogged down on the question of financing the structure; the new building will replace the main hangar at the airport destroyed by fire in July.

1946

A crowd of around 700 persons attended the 'coon dog trials sponsored by the Cape Girardeau County of the Missouri Conservation Federation at the J.V. Priest farm west of Jackson Sunday; 43 dogs were entered in the trials, and more than 100 canines were on the grounds; over a course laid out surrounding a high hill from which the big crowd could see every foot of the trials run, a blue tick hound owned by Howard Shaner of near Jackson took honors in both the line and treed ratings for the dogs under 5 years of age.

Final payment of $25,253.94 for the tract of land between west Broadway and Independence Street, site of the proposed new high school building, is approved by the Board of Education; payment of notes for lots in the Hahs tract comes slightly less than two years before they would have matured at 4% interest.

1921

At last night's meeting of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, a motion was unanimously adopted by about 50 leading men of the city calling upon president H.L. Albert to appoint a special committee to work out a plan for rebuilding Fairground Park into a memorial park, the necessary money to be provided through a bond issue; Julien Friant explained that a body of residents who are interested in the Cape Fair, the American Legion, the baseball club and the children's playground has been conferring informally and has concluded it would be advisable to rebuild the park this fall so it can be used next summer.

COMMERCE, Mo. -- Old Commerce residents are discussing the early life of Mrs. William F. Cody, widow of the late Buffalo Bill, famous western pioneer and Indian fighter, who died at her home in Cody, Wyoming, last week; when young, it is said she lived with her parents on a farm a mile and a half south of the here, moving to the West with them in 1878; her brother, Frank Frederick, married Millie Buck, sister of R.L. Buck, Scott County collector; they reside in North Platte, Nebraska.

-- Sharon K. Sanders