Out of the past: Sept. 26

1996

Thousands of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. customers in parts of three counties -- Pemiscot, Dunklin and New Madrid -- were without telephone service for four hours yesterday morning; cause of the outage was a computer software malfunction.

After a brief ceremony, Cape Girardeau city officials cut the ribbon that allows traffic to stream through the Sprigg Street-Lexington Avenue intersections; motorists have been waiting more than a year for the moment; work began in July 1995 on what is for some a major time-saving route; with the completion of the last portion, Lexington extends 3.4 miles between Kingshighway and Highway 177.

1971

The annual autumn service at Old Apple Creek Presbyterian Church is held in the afternoon; the church is located a mile east of Pocahontas; the Rev. Robert Anderson of Farmington, Missouri, a retired Presbyterian minister, is the speaker; a basket dinner follows the service.

United Way Sunday -- designed to serve as an inspiration to campaign workers and donors -- is marked in Cape Girardeau churches in support of this year's record $117,750 drive.

1946

Upon a motion of Mayor R.E. Beckman, the Cape Girardeau City Council yesterday voted to relieve Chief of Police Marshall F. Morton of his duties and named Desk Sgt. Fred L. Schneider acting chief until a successor can be appointed; the step was taken by the mayor in line with a reorganization program for the police department.

The first homemade sorghum appeared in Jackson grocery stores this week and is selling at around $2.50 per gallon; a number of mills went into full-time operation this week; the shortage of sugar has cause a great demand for sorghum; standard sorghum price 10 years ago was 60 cents, plus the price of a tin bucket.

1921

Word has been received by President Joseph A. Serena of the Southeast Missouri State Teachers College from Gov. Arthur M. Hyde that the $15,000 appropriated by the last Legislature for rural educational work has been released and is available for immediate use; the money will carry on special work among the rural districts by the college and will also be used to carry on the six-week agricultural courses for farmers beginning Jan. 1, for which there will be no tuition charges.

At a meeting of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, five new members are elected to fill vacancies caused by removals from town; in addition, J.V. Martinez, a district representative from St. Louis, is present to get the board started on the annual campaign for funds to be put on early next month; a separate drive for Salvation Army funds hasn't been put on in this county, because the Army shared in the Community Chest fund; however, the Community Chest plan for raising funds next year will be abandoned, and each organization will have to look after its own finances.

-- Sharon K. Sanders