Out of the past: Sept. 28

1998

Representatives from the Missouri attorney general's office listen at a public hearing in the evening to opinions and concerns of those who favor and oppose the proposed merger of Cape Girardeau's two hospitals; nearly 300 people crowd into a cramped meeting room at the Osage Centre to explain to James Layton and Forest Hanna III, both of the attorney general's office, why they support or don't support the proposed merger of Southeast Hospital and Saint Francis Medical Center; the two hospitals have been in talks since late last year about the possibility of merging.

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals' slugger Mark McGwire finished his record-setting season yesterday with his 69th and 70th homer, the last day of the season; the Cardinals topped the Montreal Expos, 6-3.

1973

Relentless rainfall is sending rivers and streams in western Missouri out of their banks and is predicted to cause a noticeable rise in the Mississippi River; Still, no serious flooding is expected in eastern Missouri; rain Thursday and again today causes a delay in resurfacing plans for Cape Girardeau streets; as part of the $100,000 program, barricades went up on Broadway on Monday, between Perry and West End Boulevard; that section of Broadway was expected to reopen to traffic Saturday, but the rain will cause the work to be delayed.

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missourians begin feeling the impact of new laws approved by the Legislature; those wanting to vote must now be registered, no matter where you live; if you're a public official, you must conduct most of the public's business in public, a result of the new open meetings law; and, if you're a doctor or nurse, you can't be punished for refusing to participate in an abortion.

1948

A comprehensive fire prevention program, 32 pages in length and covering every foreseeable circumstance regarding the origin of fires, is passed at a special meeting of the Cape Girardeau City Council; the new code gives the city power to make inspections at numerous business and industrial plants and provides for means of enforcing a set of standards recommended by the national board of underwriters.

The law firm of Buerkle & Vogel has opened offices in the Farmers & Merchants Bank building at South Sprigg and Good Hope streets; the firm also maintains offices in the Jackson Exchange Bank building in Jackson; members of the firm are Robert M. Buerkle and Raymond H. Vogel.

1923

County surveyor John Lucht is making a survey of the lower Bend Road, where it goes over what is known as Hobbs Hill, six miles from Cape Girardeau; the County Court will relocate the road in order to eliminate the sharp curve at the top of the hill, which has long been a dangerous place; John Hobbs, who lives on the hill, is preparing to build a new house, and the survey is being made at this time in order to aid him in selecting the proper location for his home.

Sixteen county school superintendents of Southeast Missouri counties are in Cape Girardeau attending a conference with Charles A. Lee, state superintendent of schools, at the State Teachers College; under discussion are plans for the formation of a general supervisory schedule for the rural schools of the district, with a view of cooperative agencies working to better the conditions in these schools.

-- Sharon K. Sanders