Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 103, Decatur, Adams County, 1 May 1947 — Page 1

J.XLV. No. 103.-

IGHT INDIANA MINERS DIE IN EXPLOSION

Four Killed In Train Wreck

J Injured In itik Accident is Morning Thick Steel Plates Slide OH Freight, Slice Open Coaches L thick «t*-l I’l****** „ . b e .ide or afrel * hl rar i * nd - open two passenger coachea 1 Pennsylvania •’alkoad ex- ... train »« ar ,l *' rP h " lay ’ bar persona were killed. And . railroad reported the alh-ieiK ,! njured at lea*' « °‘ h ' ,ra n r w of the dead were soldiers , the fourth an unidentified n believed to he the mother ‘ tv. month old baby girl who a injured dead Identified were: j*, P h Seinick. Jr., in. Pleasant IP. P» u „ (prlieri Bertram Huetach. R 2 Columbia. 111. falart F Heaver*. Trenway. O. The American, bound from New trk to St Louis. wax passing the Hah! when the steel slid from i snorings. H oerapod the pas Mrt locomotive. gouged Into a it! car. an express ear ami a Bbinatkm baggage and a pas-ttr>-r roach. Then if ripped the steel sides mi two passenger coaches; The Hue" coaches were ripped Intumbles before the emergency ikes brought the train to a Ming halt In the early morning darkness, other freight piled into the «rkage and its locomotive am* Mer were overturned. J C fllair Memorial hoapita? re was jammed with injured. A Itilycirgantoted relief train was it from Altoona. 25 miles away, i! took back more than 30 inred and three of the dead. fcn*-* at Altoona hospital said in of those injured were in riw> condition. They seem to i suffering heavy shock,” an atMan: said. The American left New York at 5* p m last night. It was wding through the Juniata ’er gap in the eastern foothills the Allegheny mountains. At the pMsenger train overtook d passed the slow-moving Hpht on an adjacent track, the of steel slipped, A bail of fire like hot coals t*d to float by our car, ’'Re:!" ■* of Casville. Ark., a pas •W in a following r oach said? ►ribing the crash of steel and J® "h seemed like a meteor." fl* Stswn, a sailor from T * 1 - Mid ft,, wa , aß | e ,.| l IT e" T n Pag, j, column Si tonmouth Graduate ft Is Announced Annuol Exercises Wednesday, May 7 M «<l«nts of the MonrmS.* bOOI w “ l «* « radu n * l » t * - Ma y ’ Sisio? ,o,nnien< ement exertaLL hOOI bulldi “<- It was be** hr C. E Striker, M * rb * rt Bredemeier, n w * <-»ncordht College, ttoeit*' ad l !' < ** l ‘ VPr ,to < ’ om ‘ Iks Vi addre "’ l ** m has been nam ‘ ** Vinsol of Uw ’ and hut ur)1 * *** '**“ selected as i/'* 1 "* is Is 4 | IM or the gradu . tjL A k'" n, u n ' v,rlan Baam * Hoi/t J? a , rllyn B ‘* r - **•’* h» 01H ., J ° na,d Buhlman, De- *». *»*« G-ll- ■*». j r v 1r0,,, an, William Ms*,. Vrgln,a Kukeihan. « *«tehan u*“" Ue,,y Mlller- " 8eh “«l»r. Walter » «nd

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Dies Today *> BIWW 1 .B W * JK jflH Henry Fndfrhk Linn, promin* ent Ocatiir resident, died thin * morning at his home in this city. I x - H. Fred linn Dies Early This Morning Funeral Services Saturday Afternoon Henry Frederick Linn. 84. prom Inent retired contractor, a former city councilman ami city street commissioner, died at 7:4;> o clock this morning at his home. 355 1 Mercer avenue, after an illness of two weeks of complications and old age Prominent as a contractor until his retirement a few years ago. Mr. Linn had supervised construction of the Decatur city hall the ■ former Central grade school in this city, the Bethany Evengellcal ' United Brethren church here, the Gene Stratton Porter home in Geneva. ami numerous rural schools In Adams county. Elected three times as a Demo cratlc member of the city council, he was serving his third term when appointed by Ueorge M Krick, then mayor, as city street commissioner During his years of service on the city council. Mr Linn served as chairman of the street and sewer committee, leading In the elimination of square curbs at several of the leading street in , tersections in the city. As street commissioner, he was In charge of improvement and beautification work at Hanna Nuttman park when the area was deeded to the city of Decatur. Mr Linn, a lifelong Democrat. ' was active in political circles in the city and county for many years. He was a member of the Bethany Evangelical United Brethren church. Funeral Saturday He was born in Sandusky county. ().. September 13. 1862. a son of Solomon and Mary Miller-Linn, hut had resided in Decatur practically his entire life. He was united in marriage to Margare. Annora Lower, who preceded him in death several years ago Surviving are three sons. Joseph. William and Lawrence Linn, all of Decatur; one sister. Mrs A. S. Elzey of Ossian; one brother. Todd F. Linn of Fort Wayne, and four grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o’clock Saturday afternoon at the Black funeral home, with the Rev. F. H. Willard officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after I o clock I- 1 i day afternoon. 17 Cars Os Freight Train Are Piled Up .Mentone. Ind.. May 1 <1 P> Seventeen cars on a < hicagobound Nickel Plate railroad freight train piled up near here early to-1 day. There were no casualties Railroad personnel had no comment either here or In Fort Wayne. i It was believed, however, that a broken wheel support on one of the bog cars caused the derailment. i

Senator Lucas Asks Increase In Exemotion • Urges Substitute For GOP Measure To Reduce Taxes Washington. May 1— (UP) Sen Scott W. Lucas. I).. 111. urged on congress today an exemptionincreasing tax reduction bill as a substitute for the GOP measure to cut most personal income levies 2o percent. latcas toll the senate finance ' committee whose Republican ma jority was certain to reject his proposal — that he sided with President Truman against tax reduction now. Hut because the Republicans are determined to cut taxes anyway, Lucas said he favored reduc tion for small earners through an increase in personal exemptions ' Two former treasury officials gave the committee conflicting, testimony Roswell Magill, undersecretary of treasury In 1837-38,' approved the GOP bill. Randolph < E. Paul former treasury general counsel, opposed 11. It was a day of pro and con arguments about a lot of things, as indicate) by these other congres ' sional developments: Rents The house neared a vote ( on a Democratic motion to send back to committee for revision a rent control bill that few con gresstnen liked in all respects Democrats disliked the bill, to continue controls at least for the rest of this year, because they thought it would weaken rent regulation. Many Republicans disliked it because it provides for no general rent Increase or he cause they think controls should lie allowed to die lathor —Sett James E Murray. D. Mont., denounced the senate labor bill as a measure to "wipe out of existence labor’s vital safeguards." Senate Itepuldicans. however, believed they would be able to get the hill through, with some toughening amendments, by a margin of about 2 to 1 The first test vote yesterday resulted in defeat of a proposal to split the bill into four parts. Foreign policy- Sen. Arthur If. Vandenberg. It . Mich., told a law (Turn T-i Pag*- <*«durnn {>) - - - •—O -— John McKean Dies Here This Morning * Funeral Services Saturday Afternoon John W McKean. 79. retired Monroe township farmer, died at 9:15 o'clock this morning at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Ran some Barkley. 120 South Eighth street. He had been ill from com plications for several years and | bedfast for the past two weeks. He was a member of the Monroe Methodist church. His wife, formerly Josephine Brandyberry, preceded him in death. Surviving are six daughters: Mrs. Barkley. Mrs. Floyd Lihy of Monroe. Mrs Menno Roth and Mrs. Harry Klopfenstine. both of Bluffton. Miss Alice McKean. Mrs | lira Shoudell of Airburn; five I brothers: Charles and William McKean of Monroe. Homer of Waterloo. Dr. T. J. McKean of Montpelier and J. T. of Granite City, III.; five grandchildren and one great grandchild «One brother and three sisters are deceased Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Saturday at the Floyd Llby residence, one mile weet of Mon- . roe. and at 2:30 o'clock at the Monon Methodist church, with the Rev E. O. Keg-'ireis officiating Burial will l>e in the Decatur ceme tery. The body may be viewed after 7 o’clock this evening at the Zwick funeral home until 5 pm. Friday, when it will be removed to the Li by residence.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana Thursday, May 1, 1947

Sets White House Precedent FIRST MEXICAN PRESIDENT to pay an official visit to th.- United Slates is Miguel Aleman t right) who receives personal welcome to the White House from President Harry S. Truman

22 Pensioners Are Dropped From Rolls Foil To Sign Lien Against Property i Twenty-two recipients <>r old age I assistance were dropped today from the pension rolls in this 'county, because they failed to sign agreement* placing a lien on their property, the county welfare de partment announced "Thia number is less than nine percent of the approximate 2SO recipients in the county." Miss Bernice Nelson, director of the welfare department stated. t'nder anamendment to the welfare act of 1936. 'he state legls lature re-enacted the Hen clause on real rotate property’ owned by a recipltnt. The act. approved March 12, reads: "I hereby agree that the state of Indiana and any county In Hie state from which I receive old age assistance shall be reimbursed for all assistance paid to me or on my behalf on and after May 1. 1947.” It is eeimated that fewer than 5.000 of the 56.000 old age pen sion recipients in the state will be removed from the pension rolls for refusal to sign the property Hens Notices were sent to local county recipients about March 22 and In the meantime those who desired additional Information, were con tacted by visitors from the county welfare department’s office. Miss Nelson said Only two of the 22 names deleted from the list had not signified their intention of signing • Turn To Page 2. Column *» — -O — Labor Unions Aid Cancer Fund Drive Stage Drive Here Among Membership In an effort to put the cancer campaign over the top, the labor unions in three of Decatur’s leading Industries are staging drives j among their memberships. In the Central Soya Co.. Decatur Casting! and Kraft Foods Co., represents-| lives of the unions, in co-operation with the management, are giving the workers an opportunity to con-1 tribute to the cause by passing the cancer cannisters throughout the factories. The money collected will be turned over to T F. Craliker. treas urer of the Adams county canceri committee. While the drive of-I fidally ended April 30, it is hopedj by the committee that contribu tlons will still be forthcoming un-| til the end of this week so that, the 11.000 quota can be reached , Contributions by the pupils at the Lincoln school totaled 113.79 and at the St. Joseph school 32.64. The cannisters at the junior-senior Turn To Page 3. Column 7)

Tessa Rose Funeral Services On Friday Funeial services for Mrs. Tessa Barkley Rose, of Fort Wayne, formerly of Decatur, who died Wednesday, will be held Friday afternoon 'at 2 o'clock at Klaehn funeral home and burial will be in the Decatur cenetery. Mrs Rose had been ill for several weeks. She was the widow of Arthur K. Rose Surviving are a daughter. Mis. Margaret Plogsterth: of Fort Wayne; three sisters. Mrs. Lulu Schroeder, Sylvania. O.: Mrs. Nellie Boyles, Los Angeles, Cal. Mrs Ethol Parrish. Fort Wayne, and a brother William Barkley. Fort Wayne. Another sister. Mrs Minnie Reid, died a few Week* ago. 0 Michigan Man Has Two Accidents Here Two Other Wrecks Are Reported Here Having wrecks almost became a habit with W .1 Roe. 74. of t'nlon City. Mich , last night Sheriff Herman Bowman and deputy Sam Bentz answered a wreck t all three and one half miles north of federal road 27 about 11:30 o’clock last night to find Roe's auto and one driven by Norman Leonardson.l7. Deca tur. involved in a crash The Roe| auto was damaged some, and a two wheel trailer it was pulling, was ■ demolished Damage to the l*’o nardson car was estimated at 1250. j About 1:30 o’clock this morning the sheriff answered another wreck call four miles further } ! north and it was Roe again. This time his car and one driven by lot I all names! Clifford Roe, 30, Mon-; roe. route one. collided Both cars were damaged and this time the Michigan man could not conI tinue on his way. so a wrecker was called to tow in his vehicle.' After the first wreck Roe and I two elderly companions transferred a load of household articles from the smashed trailer to his auto. No one was hurt in either , crash. Two More Craehea The sheriff's office also investigated two more wrecks late Wed nesday. At 4 31) pm. two cars and a truck were Involved in a wreck . Sheriff Bowman said a car driven by Howard Nussbaum. 32. Berne, crashed Into another driven by Sam Parr. IK. of near Decatur. as the Parr auto started to turn into the Hicks garage driveway, one mile south The Parr auto in turn struck s parked truck, owned by George Strickler Total damage was estimated at 1260. (Turn To Pam- J. (’..lnion ■>> WEATHER Clearing and cooler tonight, ascent continued cloudy estreme north portion. Generally fair and rather cool Friday.

Men Readying Coal Mine For Resumption Os Work Killed, Three Escaped

Tornadoes Continue To Take Death Toll Storms Continue In Southeast States By United Press Twenty five persons were dead and hiitulreds were left homeless today in tile wake of four tornadoes which struck In the middle west, southwest and southeast. One twister smashed into a hill near Dallas. Tex., and another knifed away the edge of a North Carolina tobacco marketing town yesterday, adding three more per sons to the tornadic death toll that began Tuesday, when a Missouri town and an Arkansas village were levelled Tin- storms continued In the southeast today, with high winds and heavy rains lashing the city of Atlanta. Ga I’. S. meteorologists said yesterday’s twisters were "unusual" in that they struck such widely separated areas. Tlie toll might have been far greater. Both tornadoes just missed striking the heart of heavily populated towns Tl>e North Carolina twister whipped through the edge of Fairmont. killing a four year-old negro girl and destroying more than 5o homes C.B. Stafford, set rotary of the Fairmont Chamber of Com merce. estimated that .’’IM) per<on were left homeless In the Mossiiir and Arkansas [ twisters Tuesday 13 persons were killed at Worth. Mo. and eight I were killed in the hamlet anil j farms near Rogers. Ark Another ' person was killed near Rolla. Ark The tornado cut a soniile path of destruction through the farm lands Stafford estimated damage at B),t (Ut.lHMl, and said the death toll was minimized by the fact residents were working in the tobacco fields The other funnel ilro|i|M-.| down from tin- clouds on the eastern outskirts of Dallas and headed for Garland, a suburb of 6.mm popula lion It suddenly veered, struck a hill on the outskirts of Rockford. 23 miles from Dallas, boumed (Turn T.. i-ag- Column St o Zwick Is Reelected By TB Association Annual Meeting Is Held Last Evening — Nearly all officers of the Adams county tuberculosis association | were renamed last night in the I annual organization meeting, held |at the Decatur junioreeuior high! school. Robert J. Zwick. local business >man. was reelected tv the post of association piesident. Other officers are E. M Welth. of Berne, vice president: Mis W Guy Brown, secretary; Dr Roy • Archbold, treasunA Rev I. Vichti(as. Dr. James M Burk. Mrs ! Ernest Reicheldeffer. John B. Stults and Walter J Krick, executive hoitrd. Directors are: Mrs. J Ward Calland. Charles Fuhrman. Mis. Nellia Coppess. Mns Adolph Weldler. R II Everett, L L Hann. Helen Kenney. Alice Michaels, Dale Ross. Mrs Xariffa Walters. Tressie Glendenning. John It. Stults. Walter .1 Krick. Dr Burk. Mrs Riednldef fer, Mrs. Irene F eidh-y. Mre Eli Graber. Harry Johnson. Rhea Strayer and Rev Vichuras. Plan Mobile Unit Plans were launched for bringing a mobile unit into the county to X-ray school child en. industrial and business concern employes, which Is expected to be available next year. The plan has already been approved by the etafe board of health and the Adams county medical society During tlie past year the association held four clinics, cooperated with the Irene Byron sanatorium. (Turn Tu Page i. Column <)

Phone Strike Showdown Is Believed Near 1 Company Wage Offer Expected By Union To Be Made Today r' i i Washington. May 1 (I’l’l Union officials confidently pre I dieted a company wage offer to i day in master negotiations here • that will had to settlement of the 25 day <>ld nationwide telephone • strike. i The break in tlie strike was ex - pei ted at or shortly after 3 p m CST Both here and in New York ’ union officials said the break was - expected al that time in the key II talks between the American Telei phone a- Telegraph Co. and long • distance operators Henry Mayer, a union attorney, r said lie believed tlie company would give in to union demands I for a D’l weekly wage increase i Mayer, an attorney for five in- .- dependent unions and l<> aftlliat ed with tlie National Federation of Telephone Workers, said that when the "qompriny sees that i their abortive attempt to end the • strike in New York with a (I i Increase has failed, they will I capitulate - New York telephone workers re fused to return to wo'rk today in I tile nations largest city although their leaders agreed yesterday to -a fl weekly increase for four independent unions Mayer who was attorney for the unions, y- • I terday charged it was a "sellout " I Mayer said an announcement • would he mad*- by tin- A T A T at tin- department of labor at I p m EST All signs tsdiiti-d to a showdown in negotiations Robert Creasey, chief negotia--1 tor for tin- key loin- distance work ers. also reported that a break in th*- long de.idloi k*-d negotiations was possible some time after I p m EST. Negotiations with the American Telephone A- Telegraph Co, were adourned to that hour when the parent Hell firm failed yesterday to come through with an antici , ! pitted * ish wage offei "I would say that shortly after I pm A T A- T will make a * I urn T * 1* *«*• ' ■l-eio, ; i o Local Man's Sister Dies This Morning Mrs. Leah Speicher Is Taken By Death Mrs Leah Nyffeler Spoil her. 61. wife of Edwin Sis-ii-h'-r. of one , and one half miles northeast of Geneva, died at 6 50 o'clock this morning at (lie Otis hospital iu Celina. O Death followed an ill news of 10 years and was attributed to carcinoma She was born in Switzerland June 8, 1885. a daughter of Charles and Rosina Nyffeler. She was a member of the Cross Evangelical and Reformed church in Berne Surviving in addition to the husband are two sons. Carl and Mar cus Edwin Speicher. both of Celina: one daughter. Miss Martha Speicher, at home: one grand child, six brothers. Charles .Nyf feler of Decatur. Otto of Ossian, j Lewis of Fort Wayne. William of Indianapolis, and Oswald and Dr Edwin Nyffeler. both of Herne; and one sister. Mrs Rose Brauclit of Fort Wayne. The biuly was removed to the Yager funeral home Funeral arI rangements have net been comI pieted.

Price Four Cents

Dust Explosion Set OH By Blasting Operations Kills Eight Wednesday Terre Haute. Ind. May I (UPt Th*- bodies of eight millers, killed by an underground explosion as they prepared the small Spring Hill coal mine near here for federal inspection, were recovered , and brought to the surface early today. Th*- lives of the eight were snuffed out yesterday afternoon when a dynamite charge set off a major explosion wlileh rocketed through th*- 2.<HMf fool passageway. filling it with deadly carbon monoxide, gas and smoke. Three otlier members of th** repair crew, working on a venti- . lating system fa) feet beneath the . surfae. had left their companions at th** far end of the corridor ami were near the elevator shaft. "We heard the noise, and It wasn’t very loud Adams Harmon, on** of th*- survivors said. "The smoke came rolling down the tun n*-l and we ran for th*- elevator" Harmon. Frank Balikrazio and Everett Marshall found the elevator in working condition, rod--- to th** surface and summoned help Deus*- smoke pouring rom the , min*- tipple held rescuers on I the surface for mor*- than three I hours before they could enter the . ( shaft and begin their search for 11 victims or survivors. i Th*- II miners had entered th-* diggings rttrlier in the day to re pair and improve the ventilating system The mine had been closed since th*- general safety shutdown of April Ist It failed to pass the first federal inspection and under an agreement between Ho- I' S bureau of mines ami owner Harry Kearnth*- men were permitted to enter the tunnel and *-orr*-< t conditions. Th*- rescue crews, some memhers of which took part in the dramatic efforts to save the 111 miners killed it Centralia. 111, Man !i 25. said the initial dynamite i-harge was set off to loosen rock and *nal for th*- ventilating system pi pelt apparently ignin-d coal dust in th*- min*- mitidor and the multipl*- explosion killed the eightman * r*-w workin ■ at the head of th*- diggings Relatives and friends of th« miners pushed against police lines throughout th*- early part of the evening, hoping that some word would num- from below reporting the men safe or only Injured However, rescuers returned to th,, surface, stepping from the lift into th*- bright glare of a power driven emergency electric system, ami told of finding all eight men d*ad Th*- mine, four miles south of here, normally employed tin men *nd produii-d about 4<H) tons of **>al daily. This was the fourth seriou-v mine accident to occur this year Besides the C-litralia disaster, ' 1<) miners were killed April 10 in a gas explosion at Exeter. I’a : and on Jan 15. (Ifte* n were killed I at Plymouth. I’a Physicians said the bodies were not burned or mutilated indicating that all eight men had died of poisonous gasses or suffocation. (Turf* To Pig** Column O o 5.54 Inches Os Rain Here During April April** rainfall was 554 Inches compared to 26 of an Inch for the (same mold!) a year ago. Herman "HI” Mover, local weathe- observer. -tated Today. St Mary’s river measured 15 26 feet and Mr Meyer believes the flood waters will crest at that figure A year ago April was a dry : month, th*- river reaching a high i point of only 3.20 feet, compared 'to 13*15 feet yesterday. The wet weather has canned a delay in i farm work and only a small porjtion of the usual oata crop has been seeded, farmers state Little work has been possible on corn and aoy bean planting, those acquainted with agriculture activities declare