Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 240, Decatur, Adams County, 12 October 1954 — Page 1

“/T United ' Way

Vol. LIL No. 240.

Chicago Battles Worst Rain-Flood ? - ’ ■& <»■. ■ ■■: - ■’ '■■&•* ' " WrgtfsM^BW k _y t •". 'vH * wfrw DAMAGE running above $10.■000,000 In Chicago, and with torrential downpours continuing into the third straight day. suburbs in a 20-mile radius of the city suffered most. Many, as in this southwest suburb, abandoned efforts to carry on in schools, at work). and with normal transportation. Floodwaters in downtown Chicago disabled two huge railroad stations and two of the city's most powerful electric venerating plants were down. -

Threat Os New Flood Waters In Two States Volunteers Battle Against Indiana, Illinois Floods CHICAGO (INS) — Rain-swollen streams threatened new floods today to Illinois and northern Indiana eommuiritles near Chicago and thousands of volunteers battled to stem the onrushing waters with sandbags and prayers. The Chicago weather bureau estimated at least half an inch of ruin would fall today and predicted more showers Wednesday. While communities.adjacent to Chicago and downstream from the Chicago river fought to stem rising waters, the nation's second largest city counted at least four dead and damage in excess of SSO million. Rapid strides toward restoring rail and surface transportation and cleaning up in the wake of the flood and deluge was being made. The half inch of raiu*expected by the weather bureau couldj have disastrous fesults in. nearby Hammond. Ind. and Calumet City. 111., where residents in the area joined with national guardsmen, police, fire and city employes to form a group of 5,000 flood-fighters. They worked throughout the night to build dikes along a two and a half mile stretch of the Little Calumet river which already has flooded 750 homes, made 2.200 homeless and caused at least $5 million in damage. Another flood-threatened area developed downstream from the Chicago river embracing communities ftotn Joliet. 111., southwest to Ottawa. There, volunteers fought swollen streams, creeks, a canal and a dam to a standstill. But residents feared predicted rain from overcast skies would spill water over restraining barriers. The-situation in both states was so critical that the Indiana national guard and the Illinois national guard were called out for the first time in the hood emergency. Ottawa, a city of 17,000 at the junction of the Fox and Illinois rivers 05 miles southwest of Chicago. was particularly hard hit. The two rivers rose six feet above normal and spread out over a large area. Families from a 10block area in Ottawa were evacuated. A dam at Dayton. 111., eight miles northeast of Ottawa, was in danger of breaking. Hundreds of spectators crowded the Ottawa waterfront area to watch the turbulent Illinois river, swollen by the mountain of water from the Chicago river, eover lowlands and dwellings near the downtown district. Indiana national guard units rushed to the swollen Little Calumet river to aid volunteers trying to stem the waters. Mayor Vernon Anderson of Hammond had appealed to Gov. George N. Craig for help.

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Franklin Woman Is Killed By Tornado Falling Tree Kills Woman At Franklin FRANKLIN. Ind. (INS) — A tornado plowed into Franklin, killing one woman and injuring several other persons. The freakish disaster st-uck late Monday. Mrs. Colleen Williams, 24, was injured fatally when she was struck by a falling tree. One other victim, George White, 60, of Hartsville. was hospitalised today after being trapped in a concrete block auction barn flattened by the twister. Four other persons inside tKe auction bam escaped with minor Injuries. Other persona were Hurt fn the storm, but none was reported serious. The tornado knocked out Franklin’s electrical service and the county seat of some 7.Q00 residents was without power for a time, but utilities were getting back to normal today. An emergency battery system was put into operation at the Johnson county memorial hospital. Press runs were delayed for the Franklin Star by the power lack. Several persons saw the funnelshaped cloud sweep in from the southwest, tearing the roof off a church four miles away, and damaging barns and houses. Several other parts of the state were hit by high winds of neartornadic velocity Monday afternoon. Spencer reported felled trees, snapped utility lines, and Coal City and Freedom, other towns near Spencer, and Richmond, In eastern Indiana, also listed similar damage. Hurricane Strikes Island Os Haiti Hurricane Hazel Strikes At Haiti MIAMI. Fla. (INS) --Hurricane Hazel, packing winds up to 115 miles an hour, etruck the extreme southwestern’ edge of the island of Haiti In the Caribbean Sea today. No Immediate estimation of damage was given. The storm, with gales extending out 125 miles in all quandants, is moving northward about seven mile* an hour and ehould reach northwest Haiti and extreme eastern Cuba this afternoon or early tonight. Winds are already Increasing over those areas. The Miami weather bureau warned (that precautions ;4hou.ld be continued.Ln those, areas ...tardestructive winds, heavy rains and (Continued on Ba<« Five) Mrs. Lena Schnepp Funeral Thursday ♦ Funeral services for Mrs. Lena Schnejjp, fonmer Decatur resident, who died Monday at Terre Haute, ■will be held at I:3d p. in. Thursday at the Zwick home. The Rev. L. T. Norris will officiate, and burial will be In the Decatur cemetery. Brief services will be held at a Brazil funeral hmne tonight, after which the body will be returned to the Zwick funeral home, Where friends may call after 2 p. m. Wednesday.

Denies Market Manipulations Caused Boost Declares Shortage Os Coffee Caused Increased Priced WASHINGTON (INS) —The president of the New York coffee and sugar exchange insisted under oath today that a shortage and not market manipulation w a s largely to blame for souring cob* fee prices early title year. . However. Sen. J. Glenn Beall (R-Md.) maintained that “there Is no evidence es a coffee shortage today nor during the past year” and yet housewives paid an extra 293 million dollars for the commodity in the first seven months ot this year. Exoltarege president Gustavo Lobo Jr., testified before Beall’s senate banking subcommittee in a resumption of hearings which were initiated last February, when tihe' prices started rising sharply. Lobo firmly denied the federal trade commission’s, charge that the exchange spurred coffee prices upward through use of a restrictive contract which the FTC charges, is in unlawful restraint of trade. FTC chairman Edward F. Howrey. who preceded Lotto to the stand, declined to discuss issues raised in the report made public by his agency Monday because hearings on it are tentativelyscheduled to rftart Dec. 14 in New York. Lobo told the subcommittee that because of frost damage in Brazil last year “the world today has about 5.6 million bags of coffee less than It was expected to have on the day preceding the frost.” He vigorously denied the FTC’s charge that the exchange is guilty of an unlawful restraint of trade through a restrictive type of contract which the agency says was largely- responsible for the rise in coffee price*. Howrey testified that in Wash ington. prices rose from less than one dollar a pound in January of this year to $1.32 for most brands by May. He said his agency Investigated “complaints of artificial inflation of coffee prices from the green bean all the way to the roasted product.” . Placing the cost of this inflation to the public at “an estimated 293 million dollars from January through August. Inclusive." Beall declared: "Homemakers ’have had to bear this tremendous household expense despite the fact that there is no evidence of a coffee shortage today nor during the past year, to justify the increase in price.” The senator described the FTC’s report as “a block mark against certain elements of the coffee industry” and sold that ‘‘studies by this subcommittee lead us to agree with tihe conclusions reached by the FTC.” Beall said his subcommittee is interested in getting congress to put the exchange under federal regulation since it “ie one of the few unregulated commodity exchanges which remain in tlhta country.” . • Lobo said hie orgenleation is op(ContlnuM on Page FLvj>) . . S. J

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, October 12, 1954.

Two Small Children, Air Force Pilot Killed As Jet Fighter Crashes

Mendes-France Wins Assembly Confidence Vote * i National Assembly Votes Confidence In French Premier PARIS (INS) — The French national assembly voted confidence in premier Pierre Mendes-France’s government today, giving him a free hand to negotiate the treaties putting into effect the London agreements to rearm West Germany. Victory for the youthful, quickmoving premier was assured by a last-minute vote of the Socialist Party’s national council to support his policies. Mendes-France needed a majority of the Socialist's 105 votes in the assembly for a decisive margin of victory. The major opposition to the resolution of confidence will come from the 90 Communist deputies, and a few conservatives opposed 1 to any form of German ' -usent. The Popular Republican (MftP) <who provided the major support for the rejected European Defense Community, were expected to abstain from the balloting. The MRP had sought to Impose conditions on Mendes-France’s future negotiations with the other Atlantic allies. _ The Socialists generally favored the same conditions, but decided to support the premier pn the basis that there was more danger in rejecting the London accords than in accepting them with some misgivings. Today's vote Is only on the “agreements in principle" reached at the nine-power London conference. The actual treaties making West Germany a member of the North Atlantic treaty organization (NATO) and the enlarged and strengthened Brussels treaty organization will be debated late in November. Mendes-France will face an even tougher fight at that time, but he apparently has decided to stake the fate of his government on completion of the program he agreed to in London. Mrs. Elsie Haines Dies This Morning Funeral Services Thursday Afternoon Mrs. Elsie Mabel Haines, 57, of Monroe, died at 1 o'clock this morning at the Adams county memorial hospital following an illness of two years of cancer. A former resident of Geneva, Mrs. Haines had lived at Monroe for the past eight years. She was born at Marysville Feb. 16, 1897, a daughter of U. L. and Rosie Days Hannon, and was married to Earl Haines Jan. 31, 1917. Her husband died Oct. 11, 1946. Mrs. Haines was a member ot the Monroe Methodist church. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Glen Lautzenheiser and Mrs. DeLane Bowman of Monroe and Mrs. Gail Runyon, west of Geneva; one son, Doyle Haines of Decatur; two grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. Russell of Monroe. Funerbl services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Monroe Methodist church, the Rev. Ralph Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery at Berne. The body was removed to the Hardy & Hardy funeral home at Geneva, where friends may call until noon Thursday, after which the bqdy wyj He In state at the church until tlmje of thd' services. • '• .„ ■r ■ ■

Community Fund's Drive Opens Today Kick-Off Breakfast Held This Morning The klek-off breakfast at the Zion Lutheran parish hall this morning launched this year's Community Fund drive in Decatur to raise money for nine member agencies. J. Ward Calland, principal speaker, told campaign solicitors and chairmen that "with confidence in yourself and in the people you are soliciting" the 111,666 goal would be reached without difficulty. Calland reminded the workers that they are living in a "nice community of nice folks” and that if the people realize the value of the Community fund they will give the needed amount. “Good luck to you and I know you are going to have good luck,” Calland concluded his brief remarks. The breakfast program also featured comments by E. W. Lankenau, chairman of the drive, and Newell Wright, industrial division chairman. , Lankenau thanked the workers for their cooperation. Wright remarked that the industrial division was ready, to go and that he expected a successful campaign in Deeatur industries. Each worker received a packet with lists of those to be solicited, suggestions for successful solicitation and other information. They were urged to complete their solicitation as soon as possible. The Red Feather campaign provides money for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, youth recreation, teen-age canteen, mental health, Adams county cancer society. Salvation Army and the United Defense fund. This year's goal is about 12,000 higher than last year. Program Completed For Fish Fry Here Annual Fish Fry Thursday Evening Doors of the Decatur high school gymnasium will open at 6 p.m. Thursday for the sixth annual cityrural fish fry. The complete program for the affair has been announced by Lyle Mallonee and it. J. Pryor, program co-chairman. The supper will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be served by members of the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event. The invocation will be given by the Rev. William C. Feller, pastor of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. A salute to colors will be presented by Georganne Mcßride at the organ A color guard will be formed by Boy Scouts. Girl Scouts, Cubs and Brownies. Miss Mcßride, a student at Decatur high school, will present organ music during the meal. Robert Heller will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. Following the dinner will be the introduction of officials attending. Membeis of the Treble Greenleaf 4-H land judging team, top winners in the six state Prairie Farmer contest, will be special guests and will be introduced. The program will continue with a welcome speech by Clarence rtiner, general chairman of the fish fry. Tbe response pn behalf of‘the farmers will be given by Ernest Busche. M. J. Pryor will award the door prizes. After a brief talk on civil defense by Miss Marlene Laurent, women's representative and secretary of the county civil defense council. Lyle Mallonee will Introduce the main feature of the program for the evening. Highlight of the evening will be entertainment by Jack Kurkowskl’s xylophone band. The ensemble Includes dancers, singers, a baton twirler in addition to the band. ?T ■ '

Flood Waters Drive Hoosiers Out Os Homes Northwestern Part Os State Is Hard Hit By Rainfall INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Hundreds of families left high and wet by the "flash flood” faced a prospect of additional showers today as they waited clearance to return to their homes in north western Indiana. For the most part, weathermen agreed that there was little danger of any great downpour today in that quarter of the state which was inundated by the heaviest rainfall in 70 years Sunday and Monday. Gov. George N. Craig ordered Indiana national guardsmen from Gary to hard-hit Hammond and the 377-men 113th Engineers Battalion moved into the area to help i evacuate residents and to sandbag swollen river banks. Water of the Little Calumet rlv- ! er knifed through sandbags apd sent 400 families in Mhrch of Rljfh ground in one Hammond sub-d I vision while residents of Munster, Dyer. Highland and Michigan City w r ere driven from their homes or threatened by the freak flood whose damage is estimated in the millions. Even as far east as the South Bend area, the heavy rainfall caused trouble. The Yellow river spilled over its banks at Plymouth and drove hundreds of persons to shelter. The city was declared a disaster area. State officials kept watch on the situation and alerted guardsmen at [Rensselaer, Logansport. South Bend and LaPorte to prepare for possible action. Swollen by the downpour which dumped nine inches of water in some areas were the Little Calumet river. Yellow river, Burns Ditch. Wolf Lake. Deep river. Lake George. Trail Creek, Plum Creek and countless secondary tributaries. Indianapolis caught what might be considered the whip tail of the (Continued on Page Five) Mrs. Maria Ortiz Dies This Morning Funeral Services Thursday Morning Mrs. Maria Isabel Ortiz, 68, of 733 North Hth street, died at 12:30 o'clock this morning at the Adams county memorial hospital following an illness of three months of complications. She was born in Mexico July 9. 1886, and had lived in the United States since 1915. Mrs. Ortiz was a member of St. M'ary’e Catholic church and the Rosary society. Surviving are her husband, John Ortiz: two sons, Floyd of Hicksville, 0.. and Louie of Decatur; four daughters, Mrs. Marla O. Ayala and Mrs. Reynaldo Arriaga of Fort Wtorth, Tex., Mrs. Manuel Jauregui and Mrs. Anisceto Villagomez of Decatur; 43 grandchildren ; 45-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Felipa Gutierrez of Sfalamana, Mexico, and Mrs. Rita Cardial of Detroit, Mich., and one brother. Damian Gutierrez of Sulamana, Mexico. Funeral services will be conducted at 9 a m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Very Msgr. J. J. Seimetz officiating. Burial will be In the Catholic cemetery. The body was removed to the Glllig A Doan funeral home, where friends may call after 7:30 o’clock this evening. The Rosary society will meet at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

St. Mary's River Near Flood Stage Lowlands Flooded By Continued Rain St. Mary’s river will reach flood stage today, Herman "Hi” Meyer, local weather observer stated, as the stream of muddy water flowed at 12.55 feet. Flood stage is 13 feet. Lowlands along the stream were inundated this morning and the stream may not crest until tomorrow, Meyer said. ........ In reporting Decatur’s .56 of an inch of rain today to the Baer Field weather bureau,. Meyer was informed that heavy rains in Ohio were the cause of the rapid rise of the river. Celina reported 1.10 inches of unneeded rain yesterday. Lowlands along the river were Inundated today, but no serious damage was reported. So far October has been one of the wettest months of the year. Rain soaked the local area eight of the 12 days this month. The sky tear buckets dashed 6.30 Inches of rain over the local area. JAeyer reported the following readings and the amount of rain on each date: Oct. 1, .31; 2, .11; 4. 1.78; 5, 1.27; 6. JI; 10, 1.43; IL 68 and today, .66 at an Inch. r A dreary outlook was given in the forecasts, more rain being promised today and through Wednesday. Plan Observance Os Veterans Day Nov. 11 Legion Post Plans For Celebratibn Plans for the celebration of Veterans Day on November 11, formerly Armistice Day, were completed last night by the American Legion, Adams Poet 43. An 11 a.m. ceremony, celebrating the exact time of the armistice, will be hold near the Legion flag staff, with a firing squad and bugler. T. D. Schieferstein has charge of the arrangements committee. . c Following the 11 a.m. ceremony,, the Rev. O. C. Busse will conduct brief memorial services for the veterans of America's great wars. The annual Veterans Day smorgasbord for American Legion members and guests will be held from 5:30 until 7:30 o’clock Thursday night, November 11. Robert G. Smith is chairman of the smorgasbord committee, which includes Wendell Macklin. Frederick Bieberlch, and Harold Hoffman. — Vincent J. Bormann and H. V. Aurand, of tbe auditing committee, presented a report on the year’s finances. Frank Detter, chairman of the membership committee, announced that Sunday, Obtober 34. would be the date of the Sunday membership drive, and all Legionnaires are asked to be present at the Legion Sunday either at 10 a.m. a m. or 1 p.m. to receive their instructions tor the drive. A dinner will follow the annual event. November 7 is the date for the last round-up membership drive. Chairman Detter reported that the membership stands about even with last year, but that much work remains. Rev. Busse reported on the district meeting at Fremont, and explained that membership, next year's state budget, and rehabilitation stamps for Legion members, were the big topics of discussion. He announced that the next district meeting would be at Fort Wayne post 82. and that since it would be the closest meeting to Decatur this year, all Legion members are urged to attend. Members should bring their wives, as the Poet 82 auxiliary will have an entertainment program, and then a joint banquet. ’ Commander Walter Koeneman (Continued on Pegs Five)

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Price Five Cents

Plane Loaded With Rockets Falls In Yard Children's Parents Critically Burned In Tragedy Today WASHINGTON (INS) — Two •small children and am air force pilot were killed today when, a jet fighter plane loaded with rockets crashed in flumes ft» the backyard of a Clint oh, Md. home. .. The dhild-ren’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Vaugihan, were critically burned in the tragic mishap. The bodies of tbe children — John, two years old, and his eistef Dorothy, sou found amid the twisted, burning wreckage of the disintegrated Sabrejet. The pilot of the craft bailed out but his parachute failed to open. Air force officials withheld bls name pending notification of next of kin. The plane hurtled inlto the bacl( yard of the Vaughan home, Which is in ,a wooded area, and set fire to tree trunks and outbiuldloga. Neighbors said the flaming plane zoomed over treetops and narrowly missed hitting a number of houses before plummeting into Hie Vaughan back yard. Police eatd that Mrs. Dorothy Vaughan, 23-year-old mother of the two youngsters, was taken- to Casualty hospital in Washington with burns covering 95 percent of her body. Her husband also received massive burns. The air force said the plane was attached to Hie 95th fighter interceptor equadron and was fully loaded with rockets when it crashed. Police began clearing the area shortly after the crash to prevent any poeetble injury from exploding rockets. - A charred toy red fire truck was found 1 at the blackened crash scene The plane burst into flames a few moments after its takeoff from Andrews air force base in a training mission. . Andrews tower personnel eaid they saw Games shooting from the jet fighter and watched the pilot use his ejector seat to free himself. " s - ■ - - They added that there apparently wae insufficient altitude for his parachute to open. Hie body wae found in a wooded area, his parachute still closed. Decatur Lions Will Meet This Evening W. Guy Brown, superintendent of Decatur’s public schools, will be the speaker at Lions club this evening, Fred 1 CoraJi. program ohaimnan, announced today. The Mons, meeting, originally reported cancelled because of the fish fry Thursday night, was reinstated by the board of directors meeting last Tuesday evening. Emanuel Bienz, 99, Dies At Plymouth LMts. Charles Hobrock has received w»rd of the death of her Bienz, aged 99, ofPlymouth, wtho died Monday at a Plymouth hospital. He was born at Schumrn, 0.. Jan. 22. 1866, but hod resided at Plymouth for many years. Mrs, Hob rock is the last surviving member of the faanily. A number of nieces and nephewe live in this community. Funeral services will be held ul 2 p. m. Wednesday at the Plymouth Lutheran ohurch. INDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy and cooler with scattered showers tonight. Wednesday partly cloudy and cooler. Low tonight 52-60. High Wednesday 68-75.