A century ago, a clever Poplar Bluff socialite leveraged her railroad connections to sweep a popularity contest. Other headlines from today are the dedication of Clearwater Dam and a narrow escape from a fiery plane crash.
100 years ago
May 31, 1924
• The results are in for what might be the biggest popularity contest Poplar Bluff’s history. A woman named Ollie Boyd came in first with 52,940 votes, followed by Dorothy Carnochan with 36,480 and Hazel Cornell with 19,373.
Boyd may be the most well-liked lady in Poplar Bluff, or she might be the best at marketing. According to the Poplar Bluff Interstate American, Boyd not only got family and friends to vote, but also leveraged connections with the railroad to get the votes of “the entire Missouri Pacific roundhouse force and trainmen,” who distributed ballots up and down the tracks from St. Louis to Texarkana.
Carnochan, too, utilized the Missouri Pacific and received many votes from staff at the railway superintendent’s office, plus friends and family. Cornell relied on her large social network of classmates, family members and acquaintances.
Contestants won more than bragging rights. Boyd’s prize was a diamond ring worth $150, Carnochan won a $45 watch and Cornell took home a $25 necklace.
The American Legion and Wortham Shows, a visiting circus, held the contest as a Legion fundraiser. The second act of the contest was a drawing for a new car, scheduled to take place at the circus later in the evening.
75 years ago
May 31, 1949
• Piedmont was flooded over Memorial Day weekend not by rain, but tourists. Over 5,000 people flocked to the region for Memorial Day festivities, the dedication of the Clearwater Dam, and a horse show. Hotels were reportedly booked for weeks in advance.
Piedmont celebrated Memorial Day with speeches and a parade of at least 300 vehicles. This was followed by the dedication of the dam at noon by multiple government officials and two veterans of the Spanish-American War.
“As the honored dead in whose memory we hold Memorial Day dedicated their lives to the welfare of this great nation so today we dedicate Clearwater Dam and Reservoir to the general welfare of the nation and all its people,” said Brig. Gen. Peter Faringa, president of the Mississippi River Commission and Division Engineers.
The dam was part of a wider flood control system for the Mississippi River downstream, Faringa continued, and increased recreational activities. Lt. Gov. James Blair Jr. flattered the crowd by declaring Clearwater Lake one of the most beautiful fishing spots in the state.
50 years ago
May 31, 1974
• A pilot from Cape Girardeau is in critical condition after his plane crashed with a load of fertilizer.
Bill Long, 45, suffered second- and third-degree burns on 85% of his body yesterday after his Piper Pawnee crop duster failed to gain altitude after takeoff. It nosedived into the ground and caught fire, igniting several acres of farmland. Witnesses said Long managed to escape the plane and tore off his burning clothes. A passerby assisted him until first responders arrived. Firefighters were called in to extinguish the field.
The crash occurred at an airport near Blodgett. Long was rushed to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, then transferred to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center near St. Louis, where the Daily American Republic said his condition was still critical.