Out of the past: Jan. 19

1993

The Scott City Council has voted to approved the city's contract with Quality Manufacturing Co. for a new firetruck and related fire-fighting equipment; Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan signed the contract after the council's unanimous decision in favor of accepting the $218,985 bid.

While a Cape Girardeau police corporal's back is turned, the prisoner he is guarding ducks out the door of city hall, avoiding jail for a few hours; but he's back in custody in the afternoon, facing new charges of escape from custody.

1968

As soon as weather permits, the first project of major development will begin at the Otahki Girl Scout Council campsite in Wayne County; Irvin H. Garms, president of R.B. Potashnick Construction Co. Inc., says the company will build a dam for a 30-acre lake at the camp.

Apparent efforts to scuttle a $2.4 million request for funds for an addition to the State College power plant were overcome by Rep. Marvin Proffer, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, at a hearing yesterday in Jefferson City.

1943

A cold wave, striking Cape Girardeau late yesterday, sends the mercury in a headlong plunge down to 2 degrees above zero early this morning for the coldest weather of the winter; the sudden cold brings suffering to the needy; a few transients are quartered by the Salvation Army, and the corps also has a few calls for fuel and warm clothing.

Despite the intense cold, workers with the George C. Bolz Construction Co. complete the laying of the last link of the War Emergency Pipe Line across the Mississippi River south of Cape Girardeau; the initial effort to cross the river was thwarted by a flood, which tore out the line after it had been strung nearly half-way across the river; new, heavier pipe was used for the present crossing.

1918

Fuel administrator L.B. Houck reports at noon only two railroad cars of coal are on Cape Girardeau tracks, and there are no others in sight; as the average daily consumption here is five cars, he says the situation is most serious; he has issued orders the garages cannot have any coal at present and later on can have only a ton a week; he says it's more important to keep people from freezing than it is to look after automobiles.

The governing board of the Masonic lodge in Cape Girardeau has issued orders to the several branches of the order using the building to suspend operations there after 8 at night; the order was issued to conserve fuel.

-- Sharon K. Sanders