1950: Tensions and river rise together

New Madrid County residents held their breath in 1950 as the overflowing Mississippi River rose, and the U.S. Army Engineers stood ready for last-ditch solution: breaching the Bird’s Point levee to divert water into the lowlands. This could save cities on the river but would destroy hundreds, if not thousands, of farms.

Other headlines this weekend included a new police chief, an unexplained murder and considerate car thieves.

No issues available: Jan. 18, 1925; Jan. 19, 1975.

SATURDAY

75 years ago

Jan 18, 1950

• The federal government began emergency preparations to blow the Mississippi River levee in New Madrid County. Missouri Gov. Forrest Smith entreated officials not to do it unless catastrophe was inevitable.

The U.S. Army Engineers have moved equipment to “fuse plug” sections of the Bird’s Point levee. These plugs are designed to be destroyed so floodwater can drain further into the Mississippi Lowlands, which are also fertile farm and pasture land. Reports estimated 8,000 people have already fled, about 75% of the region’s people.

Opening the levee would decrease flooding downstream and upstream. Cairo, Illinois is of particular concern since the river is expected to crest at 55.5 feet there tomorrow. Any higher and the Engineers may destroy the levee to prevent catastrophe.

“But only an imminent disaster of great proportions would justify this move,” Gov. Smith said. Residents of New Madrid and Caruthersville told him the Mississippi River was not yet at a dangerous flood stage.

50 years ago

Jan. 19, 1975

• Poplar Bluff’s incoming police chief has traveled a long road from Nebraska to California, Alaska, and finally Southeast Missouri.

Don D. Maxon was one of four candidates interviewed for the position. He was formerly a detective and senior deputy at the Riverside, California County Sheriff’s Department. He completed his criminology at the University of California and joined the Alaska State Troopers as an investigator in the Criminal Investigation Bureau major crimes unit.

He and his wife Tecia were interested in Poplar Bluff because they wanted to raise their four children in a decently-sized town with a farm community, “with all the advantages of solid citizen building that come with it.” Alaska’s oil pipeline expansion was turning Anchorage into another Southern California, he claimed.

SUNDAY

100 years ago

Jan. 19, 1925

• Unknown car thieves left their joyride in near-perfect condition. The vehicle, a Gardner auto, was stolen from outside a church during services on Jan. 18. Owner E.S. Howard and authorities searched for it within a 50-mile radius of Poplar Bluff. Today, a driver en route to Fisk alerted them the car was sitting on a road near Junland.

Whoever stole the car took excellent care of it, even draining the radiator so winter temperatures wouldn’t freeze and damage it. Police suspect the culprits were local youths.

75 years ago

Jan. 19, 1950

• Doniphan’s street commissioner is charged with first-degree murder after shooting a man this morning.

Witnesses saw Commissioner Rex Christian driving a city truck on Lafayette Street and Russell Sperry, a local barber, walking on the road. Christian met Sperry, stopped the vehicle and shot him twice with a 12-gauge shotgun. He reportedly said Sperry had caused him “enough trouble.” Sperry was pronounced dead at the scene.

Christian turned himself in at the Ripley County prosecuting attorney’s office soon after. His motive remains unknown.

Sperry moved to Doniphan from Texas to support his aging mother. He’s survived by her, two siblings, and a wife and five children in Breckenridge, Texas. He was 54. Christian is in his 40s and a father of six.

(Note: Details of this story were taken from the Jan. 19 and Jan. 20 editions.)

MONDAY

100 years ago

Jan. 20, 1925

• After much discussion, the Poplar Bluff City Council moved to purchase 10 strange street safety devices. The “turtle-backs” are lighted signs embedded in crossroads, designed for traffic to drive over, and displaying the names of the intersecting streets.

The council also authorized the purchase of 50 stop signs, which will be placed in conjunction with the passing of new municipal traffic laws.

75 years ago

Jan. 20, 1950

• Flood refugees celebrated good news about the Bird’s Point New Madrid levee today. The Mississippi River crested at 55 feet in Cairo, Illinois last night, a foot and a half below the point where New Madrid’s levee would’ve been blown open to relieve flooding. This measure was developed by the U.S. Army Engineers in response to a devastating 1937 flood.

Several thousand people have fled the basin amid localized floods, sheltering in homes and tents at Charleston, East Prairie, Malden, and an unnamed, abandoned Air Force base.

50 years ago

Jan. 20, 1975

• Fisk’s ambulance service ceased operations at the beginning of the year due to new requirements for vehicles. Butler County’s Safeway Ambulance Service said a recent test proved it can step in.

Safeway owner Bob Flota said at noon yesterday, four ambulances simultaneously drove to Fisk from Poplar Bluff, Dexter and Puxico, arriving in 10-12, 14 and 21 minutes, respectively.

“They didn’t think we could handle the Fisk area and we proved we could,” said Flota, referring to some uncertain Fisk residents who believed out-of-town ambulances were too far away.

The old ambulance service was run by a local funeral home.