Out of the past: Dec. 30

1991

An old Haarig landmark, the Orpheum Theater building at 615 Good Hope St., has fallen victim to the ravages of time and soon will be demolished; it was decided to take down the 74-year-old building after authorities discovered the roof of the old theater had partially collapsed, which caused the upper west wall of the building to bulge.

After months of anticipation, the Salvation Army's Tree of Lights campaign is close to its $100,000 goal; with just two days remaining in the campaign, $3,500 needs to be collected for it to be considered a success.

1966

Cape Girardeau County's first auditor is sworn in in the morning, but it isn't clear whether he will be serving a two- or four-year term; James M. Haynes of Cape Girardeau is sworn in by County Clerk Rusby C. Crites and will officially take office Jan. 1; he was appointed to the post by Gov. Warren E. Hearnes.

Supersonic training flights by Strategic Air Command B-58 Hustler bombers will begin over the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area Sunday and will continue through March 31; the flights will originate at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and extend to near Detmold, Missouri, in western Franklin County.

1941

Cape Girardeau County's $10,000 Red Cross war-relief campaign is struggling to attain its goal, with little less than $4,000 yet to be raised; but workers are redoubling their efforts in order that most of the fund might be in hand by the time the new year arrives.

Lagging behind other communities in registering for volunteer civilian-defense duties, only 93 Girardeans have filled out questionnaires expressing their desire to help in any local emergency that may arise in connection with the war.

1916

This year -- 1916 -- broke all records in the building of new homes and business houses in Cape Girardeau; complete lists furnished The Daily Republican newspaper by the lumber dealers and brick plants show 200 buildings have been completed since Jan. 1 or are under construction here; this outdoes 1915 by 36 buildings; the finest business structure erected in 1916 was the two-story Buckner-Ragsdale store at Main Street and Broadway, costing approximately $35,000.

The new hook-and-ladder fire truck breaks down on Independence Street in front of the Lawler meat market in the afternoon; Martin Oberheide was driving the truck slowly when the transmission rod snapped in two near the differential; the second truck came to the rescue, pulling the broken-down machine to the fire station.

-- Sharon K. Sanders