Out of the past: Sept. 10

1998

The northbound exit ramp off Interstate 55 at the Jackson-Cape Girardeau exit known as Center Junction will be widened to include an additional lane; traffic at peak periods often is backed up onto Interstate 55, and the additional lane will allow more vehicles to use the traffic signal while the right turn lane will let motorists turn toward Cape Girardeau without waiting for motorists to get through the traffic signal; construction will begin next month and should be completed by Jan. 1.

Hoping to boost sales and taking advantage of the publicity generated by home run record breaker Mark McGwire, the Southeast Missourian will include a souvenir, eight-page section dedicated to the Cardinal slugger in this year's YELL edition; the special newspapers will be sold Tuesday on street corners in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City; the $2 donations for these special editions fund literacy efforts in the community.

1973

Harry I. Himmelberger, 83, of Cape Girardeau, longtime resident and chairman of the board of Himmelberger-Harrison Lumber Co. and Himmelberger-Harrison Manufacturing Co., died yesterday at Southeast Hospital; he had been in ill health about five years and was hospitalized with a heart attack in March 1969.

Good news is in the offing for the new Saint Francis Hospital with the announcement that the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare has approved a staffing grant of $275,526 per year for operation of its mental health center; construction funds for building the mental health care facility previously were approved under the same federal program by a grant amounting to $603,060, but the staffing grant was in doubt until now.

1948

The Mississippi River isn't at a record low stage on the Cape Girardeau gauge, but at 10.5 feet and still falling, it caused one tow to go aground yesterday on a sandbar a short distance north of Cape Rock; the Irvin S. Cobb, double-tripping, was caught on the sandbar for 7 hours and 50 minutes, blocking the channel and causing the dredge Grafton to halt overnight until the passage was clear; other tows were also blocked until the Cobb could be freed.

BENTON, Mo. -- After being drafted by members of Republican committee from Scott, Cape Girardeau and Mississippi counties here last night, Benton attorney Stephen Barton agreed to become a candidate for the unexpired term for Circuit Court judge in the 28th Judicial District; the six members of the committee, meeting in the County Court auditorium, voted unanimously to nominate Barton; he will oppose Robert B. Oliver III of Cape Girardeau, who has been nominated by the three-county Democratic committee.

1923

A spectacular fire destroyed the plant of the Union Door and Sash Co., along with lumber and building materials belonging to the Forest Lumber Co., and the old Union Lumber and Manufacturing Co., on West Independence Street early Saturday night; the loss, partially covered by insurance is placed at $130,000; originating in the southwest corner of the yards, the blaze spread quickly through the mill plant, swept across Independence Street and for a time threatened homes in the immediate area; the wind was blowing from the southwest and swept the flames through the plant and yards.

The Rev. H.J. Schlueter, assistant pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church and pastor of St. Edward's Church at Dutchtown, has been transferred; the Rev. Louis Bruns of Kirkwood, Missouri, replaces him here, and he celebrated his first Mass in Cape Girardeau yesterday; no reason for Schlueter's transfer was given by Archbishop John J. Glennon; Schlueter is ill at his home in St. Louis and hasn't received notification of a new appointment.

-- Sharon K. Sanders