Out of the past: Oct. 8

1991

A year-old city dispute resurfaced yesterday, when the Cape Girardeau City Council approved city membership in the Southeast Missouri Coalition for Better Highways, but snubbed Mayor Gene Rhodes' appeal to represent the council in the group.

A decision by the Missouri Public Defender Commission to re-situate its five-county office based in Jackson and a need for additional space for the juvenile department will result in moves of a number of county offices; the main offices of the prosecutor will be moved to Jackson, and the administrative offices and detention center for the juvenile department will be in separate places; the public defender commission, because of increasing office space needs, has decided to rent space from a building owned by Jackson Exchange Bank across from the courthouse on Main Street.

1966

The Cape Girardeau City Council, which has debated zoning problems at nearly every meeting in recent months, moves to consider zoning changes just four times per year; hearings and re-zoning matters would be taken up at the regular January, April, July and October meetings only under the new ordinance.

A needed boost came to the dwindling construction field here yesterday, when a Burton J. Gerhardt Construction Corp., applied for six permits at the city engineer's office, four for erection of commercial establishments; the company estimated the overall cost of the four buildings at $145,240; another permit was for a sign and the sixth was for the razing of the former Commercial Transport building at 2125 William St.

1941

Working against rapidly rising floodwaters, farmers on Mississippi River islands south of Cape Girardeau are moving their corn crop from lowlands to higher island ridges before the engulfing waters back up the recessed slough ponds and adjacent lowlands; the river has risen three feet here in the last 24 hours, reaching 28.8 feet.

The old, one-story, three-room brick residence at 17 N. Ellis St., which is owned by Frank Ruh, 21 N. Ellis, is being razed preparatory for the construction of a two-family, 10-room brick duplex apartment on the site by Ruh; the house was built 68 years ago by Christian Ritgerod, father of Mrs. Ruh.

1916

The Rev. M.D. Collins, pastor of the Catholic church at Jackson, arrived in Cape Girardeau Saturday on his way home from an extended lecture tour through New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other eastern states; he has been watching political affairs closely and believes Woodrow Wilson has the best chance of carrying New York, Ohio and Indiana.

September was another hard one on Cape Girardeau taxpayers; the city went into the hole $519.58 deeper, making the total deficit $7,511.89; it is thought most of this deficit will be overcome within the next three months, when most taxes for the year are paid.

-- Sharon K. Sanders