Cement Plant HQ and Other News

Cape cement plant office building built in 1926 11-10-2010A story in the Nov. 29, 1926, Missourian said “High officials of the Marquette Cement Manufacturing Company and affiliated corporations, have arrived in Cape Girardeau for the dedication late today of the new $50,000 office building near the plant in South Cape Girardeau. The new building, one of the most ornate and substantial in Cape Girardeau, has been completed and is ready for occupation.”

Although the late afternoon sun makes the color much warmer than it really is, the building looks like it has been well-maintained. It IS ornate.

Abandoned oxbows of Cape LaCroix Creek

Cape cement plant office building built in 1926 11-10-2010A view from atop the cement plant shows the headquarters building sitting near oxbows of Cape LaCroix Creek from the days when it used to join the Mississippi River close to the Diversion Channel instead of its present course north of the plant and south of what used to be Smelterville.

Other stories that day

Cape cement plant office building built in 1926 11-10-2010I can’t just read what I was looking for. I always get sucked into reading the stories around my target. Here’s what else was being written about on Nov. 29, 1926.

  • Bandit with mask and gun holds up the Kelso filling station on South Sprigg and makes off with $71 after forcing attendant Ray Ward into a closet and telling him, “Stay there for five minutes or I’ll blow your head off.”
  • Will Rogers not comfortable with his Louisville automobile ride when it hits 60 miles per hour: “Say, we might all get killed.”
  • KMOX in St. Louis to feature organ selections by William Shivelbine, the New Broadway Theater organist, and vocal selections by Dr. Jean Ruff, the Cape Girardeau baritone. The address on “Cape Girardeau,” to have been made by Julien Friant, “will not begiven, the time not being sufficient.”
  • Ernest Wagner, 68, a blacksmith put out of business by the automobile, died.
  • Two marriage licenses not returned to recorder (on the front page, with names, no less).
  • King Solomon takes 40th wife. Says it’s his last wedding, “since this was really and truly a love match.”
  • C. Hale, telegraph operator at Glenallen, writes The Missourian that he was not responsible for the error in a telegram which came here, which due to the transposition of the word “mother” and “motor” caused friends to believe Mrs. Max Weilputez had been drowned. It will be recalled that the message as received here said, “mother drowned,” but should have said “motor drowned.”
  • Geraldine Wilson secretly married to school teacher: Miss Geraldine Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Orren Wilson, 1325 Broadway, was married secretly to Frank Jones of Whitewater Sunday. According to Mrs. Wilson, mother of Geraldine, the ceremony took place in an Illinois town and was a complete surprise to her and Mr. Wilson. Mrs. Jones had attended College High School and was a senior at Central this year and would have graduated in voice in the spring. Mr. Jones has attended Teachers College here and is now teaching at Round Pond School near Allenville.

 

 

 

 

 

Central High School Marching Band

Wife Lila and I spotted some great clouds when we left dinner Thursday night. My car’s still at the transmission shop, so she’s driving a rental car. After shooting a dozen or so frames, I asked her to follow my cryptic directions to get to the new Central High School. When I passed it on I-55 the other night, I noticed the stadium lights were burning, so I thought maybe I could get a shot with them in the foreground and the neat sunset in the background.

When we got close enough to see the field, we noticed activity on the field – it was the Central High School Marching Band practicing for their September 2 opener. [Click on any photo to make it larger.]

You can’t beat a three-fer

I had been thinking all day that I should do something to commemorate the first day of school. Here was a chance to get the first day of school, the new football stadium and a weather shot all at one time. (I’m saving the earlier cloud shots for filler when I’m on my way back to Florida.)

Lining up to practice last routine

I got there just as the sun was setting and the band was getting set to practice their last routine. I’m pretty sure I recognized some of the kids from the Sikeston-CHS football game I shot last fall.

Band alums keep eye on practice

Former band members Billy Keys (seated) and Josh Lamar keep an eye on the green troops.

Band boosters like what they see

The woman in the front row, second from left, said she had three grandkids on the field.

Human lightning rod

When I first got to the stadium, there was an occasional flash of lightning in the clouds way off in the distance. It was far enough away that you couldn’t hear the thunder. Still, I was a bit uncomfortable as I was making my way across the metal bleachers. That’s when I spotted the human lightning rod at the very tip-top of the press box. I figured it would get him before it got me, and I felt a little better.

The lightning rod turned out to be veteran band director Neil Casey.

Casey’s in 29th year

Casey has been band director since 1983. This is his 29th and final year, he said. He followed Bill Ewing, Tony Carosello and William Shivelbine.

Megan Peters, color guard coordinator, said that her group had been practicing together since July.25. The band started August 1. They explained that the musicians received their music earlier, so they could start working on their pieces individually. Megan’s group has to be able to work together on their routines.

Marching Band Photo Gallery

Here’s a gallery of photos of band practice. Click on any image to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery.