Southeast Missouri celebrates Independence Day and navigates holiday weekend troubles and tragedies. The most difficult year was 1949, with a fatal pedestrian accident and two drownings. These deaths contributed to a new national record of accidental deaths over the holiday period.
Thursday
Independence Day — No issues available.
Friday
100 years ago
July 5, 1924
• Poplar Bluff celebrated Independence Day with pre-season horse races and the great American pastime, baseball.
Local racehorses competed in a mixed trot and pace race at the fairgrounds yesterday. The first race was won by Alma D with a time of 2:19 1/2 and the second by Honest John at 2:50. The races were followed by a dance, which “was enjoyed by the young people until a late hour,” said the Poplar Bluff Interstate American.
Meanwhile, the Poplar Bluff Baseball Club beat Doniphan 8-6, ending a losing streak. More games are scheduled for today and tomorrow.
75 years ago
July 5, 1949
• Most people had a hot, crowded, fun Fourth of July weekend in Southeast Missouri, but three tragedies struck local and visiting families.
The first casualty was George Miller, 40, of Portageville. He was fatally struck by a car while walking on Highway 61 near his home on July 2.
Hubert Hayes, 22, of Neelyville drowned in the Black River while swimming with friends on July 3. They were in a secluded area seven miles south of Poplar Bluff, and Hayes went under while attempting to help his fiancée Irene Hooper, who was struggling in the water. She survives. Hayes was a WWII veteran and paratrooper.
The same afternoon, a 10-year-old became the first drowning victim at Clearwater Lake. Charles Kirberg of St. Louis sank in a hidden underwater pit while wading near the new Clearwater Dam. His father Otto dove in after him and nearly drowned as well.
Rescuers found Kirberg after 45 minutes underwater. Miraculously, he was still alive, and Piedmont doctors spent two hours trying to revive him. He passed away while an oxygen pump was en route from Poplar Bluff.
In a different article, the Daily American Republic declared celebrations as a whole were “remarkably free from casualties considering the number of people who were celebrating.” This conclusion perhaps stemmed from a grim nationwide record set over the three-day holiday weekend: 819 deaths by traffic, drowning and accidents were reported, surpassing the previous record of 628 holiday deaths in 1941.
50 years ago
July 5, 1974
• The age of majority is dropping from 21 to 18, according to a new Missouri law taking effect in August. Eighteen-year-olds will now be eligible for jury duty.
• The Wayne County Sheriff is investigating a string of boat thefts at Lake Wappapello. Eight boats of various sizes have been stolen sine June 6, two of which were discovered missing on July 3.