Out of the past: Jan. 1

1991

Authorities are investigating a "fire of suspicious origin" that destroys an apartment building in the 300 block of South Pacific Street; the fire is discovered around 6:19 a.m. by one of the tenants of the one-and-one-half story frame structure that had been converted into a five-unit apartment house; all tenants escape safely into the frigid early-morning darkness.

Jonathan Daniel McClard, the son of Dan and Tracy McClard of Jackson, is the first baby born in 1991 at Southeast Missouri Hospital; he is born at 7:19 a.m..

1966

Trinity Lutheran Church held a special service last night to welcome in the New Year, with the Rev. Oscar A. Gerken, pastor, preaching on the theme, "We Have Not Passed This Way Before"; a New Year service is also held this morning, with assistant pastor, the Rev. Jerry D. Ehrlich, preaching on "An Acceptable Year."

Total construction in Jackson subject to city building permits fell off sharply in 1965, going from $1,053,850 in 1964 to $742,980 last year; responsible for the drop was a decline in house construction, a decline in commercial construction, a huge drop in industrial construction and reduced school construction.

1941

In the most pretentious, extensive and expensive celebrations Girardeans, aided by their Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois neighbors, welcomed 1941 in an auspicious manner; the revelers jammed and packed every night spot in a 15-mile radius, some even paying out good money for "standing room."

Credit for bringing the first new resident to Cape Girardeau in 1941 goes to Mayor and Mrs. Hinkle W. Statler; Margaret Elizabeth Statler is born at 2:50 a.m., at Saint Francis Hospital.

1916

The engagement of Marie Marguerite Oliver to Russell Lee Dearmont is announced in the evening by Sen. and Mrs. R.B. Oliver at a formal dinner given by those distinguished parents at their home at the head of North Ellis Street.

Walter Frenzel, an employee of the shoe factory, is accidentally shot in the evening while on his way home; young Frenzel is walking through the business district of Haarig and, as he passes a half dozen fellows standing in front of the Green Tree Saloon, one of the men fires a blank cartridge; the wad strikes Frenzel in the right leg near the knee; he doesn't know he had been shot until he dresses for bed; he then finds a wound nearly half an inch deep.

-- Sharon K. Sanders