Cape Girardeau History and Photos

July 31, 2015July 31, 2015

Solving for the Unknown

What do the numbers 1965, 2015, Miss Rixman and X all have in common?

They have to do with solving for the unknown.

Staring into the eyes of my 50th Central High School Reunion weekend, the unknown I can’t solve – like X in Miss Rixman’s algebra class – is where in the heck has half a century gone?

Past reunions

July 29, 2015July 31, 2015

Making Math Difficult

When I started out as a substitute paper carrier making a whopping $2.50 a week, The Missourian cost 30 cents a week, making math easy when I went to collect on Saturdays.

We learned the times-three tables early in grade school, so figuring out 2 x .30 = .60, 3 x .30 = 90, and a month’s payment was $1.20 was no challenge.

Then the paper bumped up to 35 cents a week, making math much more difficult. I was not sorry to see the next increase take it to a much more easily multiplied 40 cents a week.

The receipts were issued in pads that were held in collection books like this one.

I hope this fixes it

I’ve been getting messages from folks saying that the email notification they are getting of new content has been broken. They were right. My best guess is that an automatic security update busticated something. Kid Matt deleted the email program and reinstalled it, so this is a test to see if it’s working again.

How much is it today?

I have a digital subscription to The Missourian, but I was curious how much home delivery costs today for someone living in Cape. What cost $1.40 in 1959 goes for $16.95 today.

July 27, 2015July 29, 2015

SEMO Indian R.I.P.

I was cleaning out the hall closet that held a bunch of newspaper clippings and old school papers this afternoon. In the midst of yellowing newsprint more suitable for confetti than reading, I found this folder from my 1965 freshman orientation.

Poor Chief Sagamore had no idea that he and every vestige of his Indian heritage would be exiled only a few decades later.

Look to your left, look to your right

This was a listing of special events. I must have been taking notes on it so I could perform my duties as The Missourian’s campus correspondence. I drove poor editor jBlue crazy because I was supposed to be covering the school, but I spent as little time as possible on campus. Chasing sirens was a lot more fun.

All I can remember from the Houck Stadium Freshman Welcome was sitting in the bleachers and hearing some guy delivering the old lines, “Look to your left, look to your right. Next [can’t remember if he said “semester” or “year”) one of you won’t be here.

He was right. Two years later, I transferred to Ohio University, a school that wasn’t run like a Charleston high school. If you think I’m exaggerating, check out the Student Handbook.

Songs

In case we felt like breaking into song, a small sheet of appropriate songs was included. I visited the SEMO website to find that the alma mater hasn’t changed (although the current version has another verse. Maybe ours did too, but they thought memorizing TWO verses might be too much for us frosh.).

The four songs contain seven references to “Indians” or “Braves.”

Give Me An “I”

The administration must have thought we more capable of cheering than singing because we were given a list of 13 cheers printed on canary-colored paper.

Give Me an “I” was a call and response where the cheerleaders would yell, “Give me an ‘I,” at which point we were supposed to echo “I” back at them. This was repeated for “N,” “D,” “I,” “A,” “N” and “S.”

To make sure we got it, the cheerleaders would ask, “What does that spell?”

The proper response was “INDIANS!” repeated louder three times.

July 24, 2015July 29, 2015

Lorimier Apartments

I’ve always been curious about the Lorimier Apartments, at the corner of Lorimier and William, across from Indian Park.

The earliest mention I of them I could find in The Missourian archives was a June 7, 1919, story that W.L. (Doby) Timbs was suing the city of Cape Girardeau for constructing what he said was a sewer line that was too small that caused flooding in the vicinity of the Lorimier apartments.

Sold to John Sackman for $15,000

March 25, 1921 – “One of the most important realty transactions of the new year in this city was reported today in the announcement of the sale of the Lorimier Apartments, corner of Lorimier and William Streets, to John Sackman. The consideration “$15,000 and other consideration,” the announcement says.

Leon Heisserer of Benton was the owner of the Lorimier apartments and the bungalow at the south…. The property has a frontage of 117 feet on Lorimier and 60 feet on William Street. The deal was made by the Ben Vinyard Realty company.”

Sold in November for $24,000

November 21, 1921 – “Two important real estate deals were consummated in Cape Girardeau on Saturday.

“The Lorimier Apartments … was sold by John T. Sackman to H.F. Dossett, a farmer living on the Rock Levee road, six miles from the city. The consideration was $24,000.

“Two hundred acres of land on the Rock Levee road, near Ramsey Creek, six miles from Cape Girardeau, were sold by H.F. Dossett to John Sackman for $28,000. The Cape Girardeau Real Estate Company, W.D. Deevers, agent, handled both transactions.

“Mr. Dossett stated today that he would rent the apartments as has been the custom. Mr. Sackman will build a fine house and barn on the farm, he intimated today. The farm will be rented out, he said.”

A more interesting Page One headline in that day’s paper read, “Malden Maids Ride With Cape Boys and School Fires Them.” Some high school girls got into big trouble when the city slickers “blew into” town.

Mrs. French and son travel

April 17, 1923 – Mrs. R.R. French and little son, Paul, of Lorimier Apartments are visiting relatives in St. Louis. They are expected to return here next Sunday. (In other big news of the day, “Mrs. W.H. Jacobs and Mrs. C.W. Kinsey motored to Jackson this morning to spend the day with Mrs. Jacobs’ parents.”)

October 3, 1923 – Mrs. R.R. French and little son, Paul, of Lorimier Apartments, left on the noon train today for Senath to visit relatives for about two weeks.

Bartels’ home damaged by fire

December 12, 1935 – “A gasket, blowing out on the intake of the city $10,500 two-year-old fire truck, handicapped firemen in fighting a blaze which badly damaged the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Bartels, 227 North Middle street.” The Bartels moved into Lorimier Apartments until their home could be repaired.

“Mr. Bartels, owner of Bartels Merc. Co., 735 Broadway, was at his store and Mrs. Bartels was attending a matinee at the Fox Broadway Theater. Miss Alma Enderle, who is employed at the home, was the only person there and was not aware of the fire until warned by neighbors.”