__100 YEARS ago__
Aug. 9, 1923
A Cape Girardeau man’s life is taken by the Mississippi River. F. E. Moore, an engineer, was in a small boat with two of his companions when a leak had sprung in the boat. Luckily, the men were only about 40 feet from the shore and swam to safety. Moore swam back out into the river to retrieve his hat. Only after a few feet Moore was dragged under the river by a strong current. The two men and others tried to reach him, but failed.
__75 years ago__
Aug. 9, 1948
The residents of Poplar Bluff were pleased by their economic gains registered for the year. According to a survey of buying power conducted by Sales Management, it was found that of the city’s 4,400 families, they shared a buying income of $16,706,000. That was a 38.9% increase compared to the survey results from two years prior. About 84% of the net income was put toward retail purchases, and the rest was tucked away into Poplar Bluffians savings accounts.
__50 years ago__
Aug. 9, 1973
The Missouri Attorney General’s office files suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to release funds that were approved to go out for water pollution control construction projects.
Editor’s note: This is part of a regular series looking at today in Poplar Bluff’s history through the pages of the Daily American Republic and its early predecessors.