CENTURY PLUS 25: AREA COMPANY OBSERVING 125TH ANNIVERSARY

The year was 1869.

The Civil War had been over four years, and people in the United States and Cape Girardeau County were going about the business of rebuilding their lives.

A small group of church members from the Lutheran, Evangelical and Methodist churches in the Gordonville and Tilsit communities banded together to form a company to provide rural residents with mutual protection against losses by fire and lightning.

The Cape Girardeau County Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Association was officially founded that year. Its records and policies were written in German, reflecting the strong German heritage of the area.

The early policies recommended an assessment of 75 cents per $100 if the loss was $800 or less, or an assessment of $1 if the loss amounted to $1,200.

For a number of years the organization was operated by a three-member board of trustees, one each from the Lutheran, Methodist and Evangelical churches. During the fall of each year -- September, October and November -- the trustees as a group made rounds in the area, renewing policies.

That was the start of Gordonville Mutual Insurance Company, which this year is observing its 125th year in business as the second oldest insurance company in Missouri.

The company currently provides 750 policyholders with coverage in force of more than $37 million.

The company was recognized last month during its 125th anniversary meeting, held at Jackson High School. In attendance were more than 120 policyholders.

Also present at the meeting were Paul Marefield, territorial manager of the Columbia Insurance Group, who was primary speaker for the meeting, and Ron Borders, president of the Missouri Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. Marefield presented a plaque to Gordonville Mutual in recognition of its anniversary.

"Gordonville Mutual is run by policyholders for the policyholders," said Rudy Nussbaum of Whitewater, president of the company. "The firm is led by an elected board of directors made up of local farmers and business people who are policyholders."

Other officers of the company include Quentin Felty of Millersville, vice president, and Kathryn D. Miller, secretary-treasurer and office manager. Agents for the company are James E. Deneke, Van A. Sander and Miller.

The mutual company, which changed its name to Gordonville Mutual in the mid-1970s, had its all-time high membership following the turn of the century, in 1910, at 1,510 members.

Following declines caused by war and competing companies entering the area, the company still has more than 700 members, and has doubled it dollar assets.

Agents still call on policyholders, but now make appointments with members instead of the casual visits of old. Policy coverage change has also added to the overall longevity of the firm.

The company once issued only fire and lightning damage insurance to rural residents. The bylaws have been amended now to allow it to issue homeowners insurance and to allow "in-town" clients.

"We're not looking to become a big company like many of our competitors," said Nussbaum. "We just want to render a service to the members we have."

Many of the clients are second and third generation customers and have been with the company many years.

Ryan's Steak House is coming to Cape Girardeau.

The new restaurant is expected to locate near Drury Lodge.

There also has been talk of another restaurant -- Olive Garden -- in the West end area.

These are in addition to the Red Lobster, which will open this summer near the Route K and Interstate 55 intersection, and Papa Bear's Daiquiri Bar & Grill, which will serve Cajun food in downtown Cape Girardeau.

A new Dairy Queen will open near the Interstate 55/Fruitland intersection April 18.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled at 10 a.m. on that date to officially open the new restaurant.

Cape Girardeau businessman Jerry Davis, who owns McDonald's restaurants at Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Charleston and Sikeston, will add a second McDonald's at Sikeston, 1301 S. Main, in front of the Wal-Mart store.

A survey completed by the McDonald's company has revealed that Sikeston could support two of the fast-food restaurants there.

Meanwhile, construction numbers are looking good in Sikeston, where 33 building permits, representing more than a million dollars in construction, have been issued in early 1994.

Among the new projects at Sikeston, are the new McDonald's, Animal Health Center, Bethesda Cancer Treatment Center, Modern Floor Coverings and RR&G Fabrication.

New Hope Counseling, a Christian counseling agency, has opened at 1221 Kingsway.

Ruth Ann Ford, a nationally certified and licensed professional counselor, offers counseling on marriage and family and drug and alcohol problems.

Ford, a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, has a master's degree in education. She worked with Rainbow Counseling three years and has worked at the Missouri Baptist Children's Home in St. Louis. She also has completed work in a program at Washington University in St. Louis for marriage and family therapy. She is a member of Lynwood Baptist Church.

Appointments and additional information are available by calling 334-4499.

State and local officials are hoping to convince Transcraft, a flatbed trailer manufacturer, to remain in Anna, Ill.

Transcraft Chairman William Cunningham, who previously said he may move his plant to another area, now says he will make a decision on his plant's expansion plans soon.

Local officials have put together low-interest loans for Transcraft, and hope to obtain "enterprise zone" status that would reduce the company's property taxes and give it a discount on sales tax for materials bought within the zone.

Another company -- UNI Distribution Corp. of Pinkneyville, Ill. -- which warned it might move unless it got help to expand, will receive more than $1 million in direct and indirect financial assistance, incentives and tax breaks.

A $15.5 million expansion started Monday will ensure that the current 225 employees keep their jobs at the compact-disc packager and that at least 60 more are hired over the next two years, company officials said.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs will provide a $174,185 grant to help UNI train 60 new employees and upgrade the skills of 30 current ones. DCCA also is giving Pinckneyville a $600,000 grant to help cover costs of water and sewer improvements for the expansion. The city is contributing $378,500. UNI also will benefit from almost $200,000 in state and local tax credits and exemptions because it is in Perry County's enterprise zone.