Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 72, Decatur, Adams County, 26 March 1947 — Page 1

■XjXLV. No. 72.

EADLY GAS SLOWS MINE RESCUE EFFORTS

Kzil Youth SL ? Two And Kes Own Life far IM - Boyer's Daughter Kes Os Exposure Hollowing Attack lh>!. Mur 26— il l’)-A youth killed P-r-! SK t ..| , oniini '‘''l suicide todayi lit;.- daughter died of ex when ■-h , ‘ fled from him | .hivering in » wool” for was Russell Bryan. 1K veteran Who worked in a, g^K r y Coroner Walter <’. Bond , shot and kiHe<l hi* wife Ib-tiy J’an Bryan. | with a revolver tn the, home near Brazil. (iv. year-old daughter. and her grandmother. aßwiti.fred Thompson. 77. ran house toward a wool*. whom Bond said was because hi* wife filed suit 3&ivor. >- yesterday, chased his and aged mother In-law and them with the butt of the ording to police. 'S, ■. he ran back into the Mb, grabbed a shotgun and fira^K charge into hi* hea l. Thompson and the little huddled together in a Mp of trees for three hours. K and neighbors who organiz search for them found them JS-ring in 26-degree temperaK and high wind* Officers were nearly frozen little girl died in Clay hospital a few hour* later Mr*. Thompson, also from exjioßure. was re■d in critical condition and ] unable to tell police just what i ■ate police said that the young j them before she died that went to the Thompson > K late last night and Iterated iflwib- for seeking a divorce, said Thompson tried to Bryan leave the house. went Iterserk. shot hint in of anger and then turned the! Mr*. Bryan Thompson grabbed the an I ran out of the house pursued them, overtook and struck the child in the with the gun. knocking her He also struck the aged state police said. who hoard the shoot M called police. Officer* found fl three )>odies in the house All Be dead of gunshot wound*. Bh<- Bryans were separated one ■Tm Tn 1. Column 71 I

wives Os Entombed Men Wait through Cold Night For Word

by LAURA ETZ BiiHl Pr.-SH Stuff Correspondent) ■ -'•"■•‘lia. 11l , March 2« —(UP> Vh<- wives of the miner* tried ■eomhct one another as they I ©* 1 through the lone, cold night ’■word <>f their entombed hueJ? curious folk, who crowded H* 1 'he shaft of mine No. 6. for y~* a,, * r 'he explosion. finally Jt>t home to !>ed. But the minere' B* f, ayed on. said they couldn't sleep " “ they knew whether their Stands were dead or alive J ,u of ‘he women who waited W* Mrs Clara Barnes, about <O. Ks * , W * r Valen,,n '- about 50 W* wore bandannas over their B?* Their faces were white. ■ m ’“'“a to wait until I know - good or bad." Mrs. 1 said she had driven to! , ? Mw * , J r “» Pick “P her Es .. da > foreman, after E M Her firm word at the ex E** M tir *■* f «»n> « Jul lutn * * wife. who hbid "somer*' 1 happened; something's E*f.„ **„’«» home and told w >rt

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ' ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY -

Centralia Merchants Aid In Rescue Work j Centralia. 81.. March —(UP)— Hardware proprietor* opened their stores and gave away free ham- ' met.t, wffadas and other tools for pescue work at the mine Varlyn Murray, Centralia patrolI man. said 'they just opened up everything they had and told us Ito take what we needed. - ’ 1 Truman Foreign Policy Heading For UN Airing Warren To Address UN Council Friday On Program Os Aid By United Press President Truman today drew an implied rebuke from secretary general Trygve ide of the United Nations for disregarding UN machinery In submitting direct to congress his 1400.00ff.000 "quarantine Communism" program for Greece and Turkey. Lie'* statement was considerably toned-down from an original draft in which he had proposed to speak more bluntly regarding the Truman program. He revised his remark* after the White House de cided to send UN delegate Warren Austin before the UN security council Friday to make a statement on the American program for Greece and Turkey. In Washington Mr. Truman and hi* *en*te leader. Sen. Alben W Barkley. D.. Ky.. expressed hope that congress would move forward with greater speed in considering the quarantine plan. The senate committee heard witnesses opposed to the President’s i plan. They included Prof. Broadus Mitchell. Rutgers university. Char I le* V. Bolte, chairman of the i American Veterans Committee, and A. J. Muste. representing the Fellowship of Reconciliation*. Lie's speech was a curtain raiser on what may turn into a full dress UN security council debate of the new U. 8. policy on Friday W’arren 51. Austin. American 1 security council member, will address the council on the GrecoTurkish affair It was thought likely that Andrei Gromyko. Soviet delegate, might seise the occasion to present for the first time an official Russian reaction to the farreaching Truman proposals Other top developments included: Developing opposition among member* of the house foreign affairs committee to proposals for (Turn To I'.ige 8. Column *t

silently to a nearby warehouse to Aide the warehouse. Uttered with coal dust, neighbors prepared hot coffee and food for some 150 j wives, sister*, mother*, and rescuers The women didn’t talk much and there were no tears. They leaned against the side of the building and stared silently into e|»cc Occasionally they would tell one another: This is the most terrible thing that ever happened to Ceatralla.’’ . 1 carried several cups of steaming coffee to the women. •Wouldnt you feel better, if you had some coffee?" I aeked "No,” they said, "we just couldn't drink any." In the warehouse last nhrht they ;had seen rescued miners brought In on stretcher* to the mlnerw' "wash up room" In the rear. Blanket* colored completely the face and clothe* of the rescued men. but the women crowded about the stretcbei* a* they, moved through the room, seeking a clue to the mana identity. All bat officials and nurse* were barred from the waslut? room, hastily converted into a Bret aid Station After the rescued met. were taken to hospital* word e< the*

House Clears Way To Pass Tax Cut Bill Adopt Gag Rule To Forbid Amendment, Debate Is Limited Washington. Mar. 26— (UPl — Th»- house today cleared the way for certain passage tomorrow of a GOP bill to cut personal income taxes of nearly sb.ooo.twwi persons 20 to 30 percent this year. By voice vote the Republicancontrolled chamber adopted a "gag rule" forbidding amendments from the floor and limiting debate tn six hours. The senate later is expected to make some changes—at least to the extent of having the tax cuts start July 1 instead of making them retroactive to Jan. 1. There was some talk of a possible presidential veto if the tax bill finally passed would necessitate deficit spending. But Mr. Truman dodged the question at a news conference. Meanwhile, congressmen also had a big handful of other developments to consider, such as: Communist Eugene Dennis, secretary general of the American communist party, refused to give the house unamerlcan activities committee hl* "real name." So the committee, before which he had planned to argue that his party should not be outlawed, threw him out. It also served a subpena on him. but Dennis angrl ly flung it to the floor He saiif it wasn’t legal and he wouldn't accept It. The U. S. chamber of commerce presented an anti-com-munist program, but questioned the wisdom of outlawing the party Succession - The senate rules committee recommended a Mil under which speaker Joseph W. Martin. Jr.. would become president If anything happened to President Truman. Since there is no vice president, present law would put secretary of state George C. Marshall In the White House if Mr. Truman died. The bill would make the house speak er and senate president next In line of succession, in that order, to the vice president. Unification— Adm. Chester W Nimitz told congress the joint chiefs of staff have completed plans covering every eventuality horn local hostilities to "participation in a major war." He also (Turn Tn Page J. Column S) — - Demurrer Filed By City School Board

Demurrer Set For Hearing April 18 A demurrer to the amended complaint filed in the damage suit of Eugene Melchi against the city school laiard was filed today by Arthur Parry. Fort Wayne attorney. representing the school board. The demurrer was set for a hearing 'by Judge J. Fred Fruchte c.n April 18. In hi* action. Melchi. through his attorney. H. R. McClenahan. has asked for 22.500 damages fur the alleged wrongful death of hi* son. Max. in a kick ball" game played In the high school gxjnnasium In 1944. The demurrer to the amended e implaint aver* that it does not state 'fact* sufficient to constitute a cause of action, since the school city is not Hable for acta of negligence on the part of it* officers or ayent* in the absence of any statute imposing ««Mh liability. It further avers that the members of the school board are no; Individually liable for acta p*r formed in their official capacity which involve the exercise of judgment or discretion In per forma nee: . That dutermlaaiL.ti ot the ««*■ Uaa as to whether kicktoall could be rofely Played in the gymnasium

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, March, 26, 1947

March Shows Lion Qualities DETROIT POLICEMEN work to keep their car windshield clear as 60-mile an-hour winds blow in eight inches of snow In sy March blizzard that showed no lamblike tendencies. Hundreds of plate glass windows broke as the gale winds disrupted electric service and left untold damage in the latke Erie region.

To Begin Work Soon On City Directory Individual Data To Be Compiled Here Collection of individual data for the Decatur directory being compiled here will start soon, it was announced today by A. E. Beetham. representative of R. L. Polk A Co., publishers of directories. Mr. Bccthain said that a supervisor from the Polk company will come to Decatur and employ several person* to secure the data. Every house in the city of Decatur and on Decatur rural routes will be contacted. The name, narital status, occupation and address of each person 18 years, of age and over, as well as the name, official personnel. nature and address of each firm and corporation in the city all arranged in alphabetical order, make up one of the six major departments in the directory, which is expected to be available for distribution about July. Mr. Beetham said. The miscellaneous department presents list* of city, county, township and federal officials, post office and public school directories, statistical review, trade and civic surveys. A directory of householders in chides name* of street* in alphabetical order, nunii*rs of residences and business houses in numerical order with names of intersecting streets appearing at respective crossings with a special feature designating tenant owned homes and places having a telephone. Another department is a numerical telephone directory arranged in cooperation with the local telephone company. A buyers’ guide (Turn To Pag* 2. Column I) o Warning Flasher At Street Intersection ■' — Install Flasher At 13th And Nuttman An electric warning flasher light is to be installed at the intersection of Thirteenth street and Nuttman avenue in the near future.. it was made known today. Police chief Ed Miller said today that the city had been offlciaily informed by a representative of the state highway com mission that the commission had approved installation of the light. No exact date of Its Installation wa* made known, however, to local authorities. The light i* needed there. It was pointed out. since it la also the Intersection of federal road 234 from the west with federal road 27. running north and south. Several eccMeata have occurred there. Chief Miller said that IM waraiag light to expected to be of

Alexandria Workers Go Out On Strike Alexandria. Ind., March 26 — — (UP) Picket lines were formed around the Aladdin Industrie Corp plant today as some 709 workers went on strike for higher wages. Plant manager T. A. Blain said office workers were still on Ihe I job, however. Striking employ*-* were members of local 248. United Electrical. Radio ami Machine Woikeiw of America ri.'lOi. o Approved Report In Partition Suit Distribution Is Ordered By Court Judge J Fred Fruchte In Adam* circuit court has approved the tinal report of the commissioners in the partition suit of Jacob Barger ifgainst Edwaid Barger, and others, ami has ordered them io make the distribution set out in the report. The report shows n total of 1 $54.892 45. to lie distributed as follow*: Jacob Barger. $22,114.97; Ferd L. Uttorer for laxro. $65 76; Mary E. Barger, $2.186 78; Oracle Mankey. $4,724.96; Theo Byerly and Vera Chandler. $1.453.?5 each; Or- ' vlile Barger. Floyd Barger. Glen Barger. Doyle Barger.Aita Byerly. $487.39 each: Kate Barger. Elizabeth Griffllha. Ella Ja< kson. and U*la Ehrman and Aleda Byerly. Katherine Bovine Harden. $1.635 56 each; John Barger. 11.090. Homer Arnold. Mary Arnold. El»le Arnold Andrews, Varnun Arnold, Kenneth Arnold and Giennys Arnold. 15181.73 each; Frank Arnold. John Arnold. Noah Arnold. Luther Arnold. Floyd Arnold. Margaret Stucky and Naomi Bieirerich. $155 83 each: I Sarah Martin. Edward Arnold, and Rosie Milroy. 81.999.39; Elmer i Bryan. $1,365.70; Ferd L. Litterer for court costs. $3 75; Velma Clouser. Dessie Doty. William Bryan and Llo>d Bryan. $1.36X 45 each The report shows that $12,550 i was -eceived from the sale of real estate to August Schlickman. *12,700 from sale of real estate to Floyd Barger and $34,100 from sale of real estate to Jacob Barger for a total of $59,350 It shows $4,457.55 , expenditure* for bond*, advertising. , (Turn To S. Column 7> Lions Entertained By Speech Students Member* of Deane* Dorwin'* speer h class at Decatur juniorsenior high school entertained the Decatur Lions club In the weekly meeting at the Knights of Pythias lodge taut evening Gordon Letts acted ss • hairmau and the speaker* were Mis* Earlann Striker. Herman Andress and Raymond Lek tea a WEATHER ***^* w> * 4»"'9»»t

ZZ2 Entombed Miners Are Feared Dead After Blast In Centralia, 111. Mine

Truman Urges Price Cut By Business Asks Reductions To Aid Inflation Fight Washington. March 26.—(UP)— President Truman today asked business to reduce prices wherever possible because continued rising prices might toticlf otf an inflationary spiral and another round of big wage increase demands. Mr. Truman told his news conference he was satisfied with present wage negotiations, particularly the agreement reached in the rubber industry. That agreement gave the United Rubber Workers Union (CTO) a compromise raise. The rubber industry said it probably would not have to raise prices and even reduce them. .Mr. Truman said he was concerned over high prices and their possible inflationary consequences. The President added that he hop e<l business would «ee the handwriting on the wall so this spiral did not take place. He pointed out that some major industries already have cut the prices of their product*. He ex pressed the hope that other businesses would follow suit. Mr Truman was asked to elaborate on his phrase handwriting on the wall. This meant, he said, that he did not want to see a spiral In prices which would cause inflation and lead to another round of new wage demands. This process could be endless if prices continue to rise, the President said. He said lie had been concerned for months about rising prices and that Itis council of economic advisers Is now making a survey of the price situation. It will make recommendations to him when the survey is completed. Monthly Waste Paper Collection Saturday The monthly waste paper collection will t>e made Saturday by the Decatur Boy Scouts The collection wll| start at 10 am. and resident* are asked to place their papeis, securely bundled, on the curbs In front of their homes. A truck will also be sent to Preble Saturday inornijffg to make a collection in that town, following requests made of the Decatur Scouts. The newly-organized Monroe Scouts will also conduct a collection in Monroe Saturday. ii n* — Local Lad To Start House Page Duties John Doan Leaves Saturday Morning John E. Doan. 15-year-old Decatur junior-senior high school freshman. will leave Saturday morning for Washington. D. C.. to assume hi* duties as a page In the I?. S. house of representatives He is believed to be the first Decatur lad to be accorded the honor. John’s school records will follow him to the nation's capitol and he will attend classes there during his two-nionth* stay. Hi* schedule will be a rugged one. since the special school for pages starts at 6:30 ».m and lasts until 19:30 am.. when he must go to the house to begin his work John, the son of Mr. and Mrs John M. Duan, of Jefferson street, must wear the prescribe! blue serge double breasted suit and it’s a teat pant* salt bow. rather than the old knee-paat* type that used to mark the page boys. The youth will toave Fort Wayae Saturday evapipg st U:M o'clock and arrive In WartingWe at 9 am

Mine Disasters By United Pres* Major coal mine disasters in the United States: Place Date Killed Monongah. W. Va. Dec. 6. 1907 361 Dawson. N. M (let 22. 1913 263 cherry, 11l- Nov. 13, 1909 219 Jacobs Creek. Pa. Dec. 19. 1907 239 Scofield, Utah May 1. 1900 200 Mather. Pa. May 19. 1928 195 Coak Creek Tenn May 19. 1902 134 Eccles. W. Va. April 23.1914 131 Castle Gate, Utah Mar. 3. 1924 171 Bartley. W. Va.. Jan. 10. 1940 91 Red Ixulge. Mont. Feb. 27, 1943 75 Mowequu. 111. Dec. 23, 1932 54 Pine Ville, Ky. Dec. 26. 1945 24 - Bevin Resists U. S. Proposal On German Pact Marshall Denies Soviet Charges On Reparations Moscow. Mar 26 (UP) —British foreign secretary Erne«t Bevin tonight bluntly resisted the American proposal that the future German government wntilJ be free cf the onus of signing the German peace treaty This was the first major Ameri can-Britlsh disagreement at this conference. ilevln sided completely with Soviet foreign minlrirr V M Molotov, asserting that a German government "must” sign tin- lten ty because it is the only way to place responsibiliy for executing the obligation of the treaty Tito Anglo-American disagreement develope.l after Ih vin and secretary of state George C Mar shall had conferred at Fpasso house Itefore the regular council session. Earlier Marshall denied Soviet charges that the Anglo-Americans had got |I9.OOO.O(W».O<W> in reparations from Germany Marshall presented a formal document to the count iI of foreign ministers itemizing the reparations the United States has receive I They Uitnlled "less than 1275.000.000." One week ago Molotov accused (Turn To Pise ■>. Column 7»

Survivor Os Mine Disaster Gives Account Os Explosion

Editor's note: One of the miner* who escaped the disaster at the Centralia Coal company mine No S was John Pick. Jr. Ills account of the explosion follows'» By John Pick, Jr. (As told to the Vnited Press! Centralia. 111, March !C ll’Pi —I looked at my watch and saw it was pretty near quitting time That was around S:SB yesterday afternoon. We started up. laughing like we always do. and thinking of that fresh air we would be getting in a few minutes. We were about 500 feet underground when all of a sudden there was a rumbling explosion that rocked everything. I was knocked cold for a minute <>nd when I came to I could feel the earth still strembling There was so much dirt and coal dust It was almost impossible to breath. You could ju»t feel old man death rolling through the tunnels and corridors There was terrible caafnetaa. aaoagn l» make a man ersxy I rmt s»ch .ii .ear I could emol! deoth tee. » »•»

Price Four Cents

Rescuers, Equipped With Gas Masks And Oxygen Tanks, Move Slowly Toward Men Centralia. 111.. March 26 <l’P>--Resciie squads equipped with gaw masks and oxygen tanks advanced a few feet at a time today through the gas-choked corridors of tho Centralia tool company mino where 112 miners were entombed and feared dead Shortly after noon (CSTI tho rescuers believed they were within a thousand feet of where most of the trapper! miners were working at 3:30 p.m. yesterday when an explosion ripped through the mine corridors. The rescue work was slowed by the heavy collection of carbon monoxide gas which seeped through the tunnels in the wake of the explosion. More than 20 hours after the explosion only one body had been brought up from the tunnel 540 feet underground. Twenty other bodies were reported discovered at the mine level. As the regciie work progressed, an attorney for the United Mine Workers charged at Washington that the government had failed to correct safety violations at th« wrecked mine. Welly Hopkins. UMW attorney, charged that the alleged violations of safety regulations had been called to the attention of secretary of the Interior J A. Krug but that he had failed to act. Hopkins charged the violation* caused the explosion Meanwhile, state official* here disclosed that one miner believeil tripped actually was safe at home. The miner had lieen scheduled to work yesterday, but he failed to report Officials reported that, of the 142 men in the mine when the blast secured. 29 were saved. There was tittle hope for the safety of the others still missing deep in the four miles of tunnels within the mine. In a report to the Bureau of Mines at Washington, district engineer Charles A. Herbert said there were two possible causes of tho disaster He said one might have been the practice of bia-ting at the end of a shift, while the men still were In the mine. The blasting could have caused the explosion. he said Herbart said it was iMtssible hut not likely that the explosion was caused by gas escaping from oil wells drilled In the area. The mine operators were warn(Turn To l , .iK- S. Column <»

a blanket, and traps you In a hole snuffs out your life It's true about your whole Ufa unfolding before you when you think you're a goner It's just like a movie I remembered I had been mean to a dog once when i was a kid. and I remembered th« first time I went to church. I thought of dad right away, too (John Pick. Sr 541. who had gon« down into the shaft with me this morning, lugging his lunch box and yelling "ao long. Jack See you at quit tin' time." We separated right after that So far as I know he's still down there, fighting for a hreath of air with the others I called out for some of the men who had started up with me-Joe llancil. (larry Greathouse. Eddie Ihinn. and a couple of others. I called them by name and they all answered. It seemed like an eternity before we got ourselves straightened Mt and finally made it np to the top : through an air shaft). I mast have pnar-d mil again. b*» •’**’*# '