Ken Steinhoff, Author at Cape Girardeau History and Photos

October 4, 2011

Cement Plant Dust in 1963

After I ran the aerial photo of dust coming out of the Marquette Cement Plant stack in 1966, Keith Robinson commented, “My dad took photos in 1963 from the top of the 16-silo mass. You could see the dust build-up on top of the buildings and vent louvers.”

Then to go one better, he sent me these two photos. He’s right. The whole place looks like it’s dusted with flour. (Click on any photo to make it larger.)

Dust piled up like snow

The louvers and roofs of the building look like it’s been snowing. Even the piles of coal have a coating of white.

Cement plant in 2010

This photo was taken in the fall of 2010 looking pretty much in the same direction as the photo above it. The conveyor system is used to move the cement to waiting barges. Shipping by water is the most cost-efficient mode of transportation.

Thanks to Keith and his dad for the photos and information.

October 3, 2011June 15, 2013

Paul Lueders

After I ran the piece on Lueders Studio the other day, Son Matt sent me a message that he was pretty sure he could put his hands on a photo that he had taken of Paul Lueders after he had taken Matt’s photo (below). Indeed, he did. After the formal portraits were taken, Mr. Lueders gave us a tour of the studio and sat around talking shop with us for about an hour.

This portrait of a Master Photographer, taken by Matt when he was about 15, does a great job of capturing the informal, laid-back style of one of the best photographers I’ve ever known. He’s relaxed, surrounded by his work, and his hands are a blur as he gestures to make a point.

Photographer Matt

Matt and his brother, Adam, are decent shooters. Both won national awards in Boy Scout photo contests and local competition. Fortunately, their geek genes were stronger than their photography genes and they decided to pursue photography as a hobby, not a profession.

October 2, 2011October 31, 2011

Marquette to Cut Emisson of Dust

“Marquette to Cut Emission of Dust” was the headline on page one of The Missourian on March 29, 1966, about the time I shot this aerial. The quarry is to the north of the cement plant. Click on the photo to make it larger.

In an understatement, Charles J. Line, vice president of operations and engineering, acknowledged that the dust “is a nuisance.” He pledged the company’s best efforts to alleviate the problem.

Dust from the cement plant coated cars, wash on the line, even the streets with a gritty white powder. Mr. Line said that to totally eliminate the dust would be virtually impossible; the reduction to half is about the best result which reasonably can be expected, he added.

Technology, regulations cleaned up the air

Looks like tighter regulations on pollution and better technology accomplished more than Mr. Line ever thought possible. Here is a photo I took Nov. 10, 2010 from the ninth floor of the Buzzi Unicem USA cement plant. The round object in the center is the equivalent of the dust-belching stack in the aerial photo from the 60s. The only thing I could detect coming out of the stack was heat, as evidenced by a slight distortion in the photo. The white building at the right of the frame is the Natatorium. The view is to the west.

October 1, 2011

Seattle Harbor Tour

While we were out in Seattle in August, we signed up for a tour of the harbor on the Spirit of Seattle. It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, gave us a nice overview of the city and learned some interesting factoids from the tour guide. (If it came from China, there’s a good chance it passed through this harbor, for example.)

This wraps up the photos from the trip. If you’re looking for a place with a variety of things to see, and you don’t mind dealing with traffic gridlock, Seattle is a great destination.