Out of the past: Jan. 14

1996

Dr. James Kalthoff of St. Louis is guest speaker at Hanover Lutheran Church; he teaches the adult Bible class at 9 a.m. and preaches during the worship service at 10; he is the first guest speaker of the church's 150th anniversary year observance.

The value of new construction in Cape Girardeau last year topped $40 million for only the second time in history; two of the construction industry's main sectors here showed increases as permits were issued for more than $44.4 million, 14% above 1994 totals of $38.9 million; the 1995 total was only 8.4% below the record year of 1992, when two giant construction projects boosted the overall total to $47.9 million.

1971

Typical April showers -- but falling in January -- pelted Cape Girardeau and surrounding area with over two inches of rain yesterday, sending creeks bulging and flooding low-lying areas; had it been a bit colder, Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois may well have been digging out today from a heavy snowfall.

Plans that began almost a year ago for a new Lutheran Student Center on the State College have been rejected by the Missouri District Lutheran Mission Board with instructions to reduce the cost by at least one-half.

1946

Construction begins on an $18,000 brick-faced, stone-trimmed building at 904 Broadway to house the Cape Girardeau School of Beauty Culture; the structure, to be built by Gerhardt Construction Co., will be occupied chiefly by the beauty school, but a barber shop, with a separate entrance, will be located at the northwest corner.

The Mississippi River reaches the crest of its initial 1946 rise at a stage of 33.5 feet, about six inches under the forecast peak.

1921

Once more, the businessmen of Cape Girardeau have shown their faith in Southeast Missouri and their loyalty; last night, 80 businessmen gathered for an excellent dinner at the Chamber of Commerce rooms and took the first step in becoming a unit of the reorganized Southeast Missouri Agricultural Bureau; more than $3,000 was subscribed in just a few minutes to a fund for developing the eight counties of the district.

Yesterday's snow, the first of the season at Cape Girardeau, has boys and girls digging out bobsleds and coasters; automobiles returning home after the meeting at the Chamber of Commerce building last night had to be driven with care to prevent running down a bobsled filled with happy youngsters or a coaster with a single rider going "belly-buster" at lighting speed; even some of the businessmen took a turn on a bobsled that held a dozen.

-- Sharon K. Sanders