Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 55, Number 79, Decatur, Adams County, 3 April 1957 — Page 1

Vol. LV. No. 79.

FIRE DAMAGES DECATJUB STORE-, -

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DECATUR FIRE CHIEF Cedric Fisher examines the hole cut and bprned in the floor of the Holthouse Furniture company this morning about 9:45 o’clock. A faulty flue, with no metal between the chimney and floor, restated in a small fire which destroyed a sofa, and caused much smoke and water damage to the store. Assisting the Are chief is an unidentified fireman.

15 Killed As Tornadoes Hit InTwoStates . ’o' . •t ■* _C\ . />'**’, Dallas, Texas Hard Hit As Nine Dead, Destruction Heavy DALLAS, Tex. (UP) — A killer tornado whirled slowly across 16 miles of Dallas late Tuesday, crushing an estimated 800 homes, killing 9 persons and injuring upwards of 800 others. A 10th person was killed in Texas 100 miles northeast of Dallas and black tornado funnels swept on into Oklahoma, killing at least 5 others in that state and injuring 14 more, bringing the two-state toll to IS dead. At least 170 persons, many of them il critical condition, were injured enough to require hospital treatment in Dallas. The Texas Department of Public Safety estimated that 600 others were hurt, but not enough to go to hospitals. Boxcars full of bricks were flown from railreed tracks. Automobiles were blown over houses. Fire Marshal Guy Harbert said one automobile was blown over a house and it "worked fine, even to its radio,’’ after the tornado passed. Salvation Army Capt. Walter C. Wolfe said it would be at least Friday before the disaster area could be cleared out to tell if there are any more casualties. The tornado hit at about 4:40 p.m. CST. Children Among Victims "It was quite dark when the tornado hit,” Wolfe said. "Only a couple hours of daylight «ere left. Darkness set in before the area could be checked thoroughly for bodies.” "It’s the worst disaster I have seen and I have worked through several major floods,” he said. "Floods were never like this.” A heavy thunderstorm hit Dallas again early today and a downpour of rain and strong winds ruined what furniture may have been left by the tornado in the demolished homes. Four of the victims in Dallas were children, ranging from 5 years to 1 month. Police had to calm returning fathers who found homes wrecked and families gone. “My wife and I saw it coming,” Robert Thurman, 31, bringing his wife in to a hospital for treatment, said. “We had our children lie down on the floor. We just had time to do this when we looked out to see it coming on us. “It looked like the air was filled witn blue smoke and flying tin. There was a big roar and our house fell in on us. "I heard my wife and children crying and I dug them out.” T. M. Davisson, 41, and J. C. Newton were caught squarely in (Continued on Pago Six) INDIANA WEATHER Snow or sleet changing to rain extreme north and showers and thunderstorms central and south portions this afternoon and tonight, with chance of locally severe thunderstorms south. Showers ending Thursday. Windy this afternoon and tonight. Low tonight 40s north “ to near 60 extreme south. High Thursday low 50s extreme north to near 70 south. Sunset 7:li p.m„ sunrise Thursday .6:25 a.m.

DECATUR DAILY D

Furniture Store Is Damaged By Fire Holthouse Store Is Fire Scene Today Several hundred dollars damage from fire, water, and smoke resulted from a faulty floor-flue connection at the Holtbouse furniture company this morning. At about 9:40 a. m. today Mrs. Harry James, bookkeeper for the store, smelled smoke. She immediately looked through the store, and spotted flames leaping from behind a sofa on the north wall of the building, located on North Second street. Harry James, manager of the store, rushed to the scene with an extinguisher, and the fire department was called. The fire in the sofa was partly extinguished and the sofa was carried outside the building. The floor area was chopped away from the chimney, and fire chief Cedric Fisher said that it apparenty started because no metal was placed between the chimney flue and the wooden floor. James was slightly injured when he fell while rushing from the main floor to the basement with the extinguisher to prevent spread of the flames. Smoke filled the building, but was mostly cleared out in 20 minutes. The fire was completly extinguished in the building by 10 o'clock. Onlookers crowded the store to see the damage as firemen worked in a heavy snowfall. Heavy Unseasonable Snow Hits Decatur Streets, Highways Reported Hazardous Mother Nature neglected to look at her calendar today and delivered a large order of January snow instead of the more seasonal April showers. Four to six inches dumped in Decatur and the surrounding area brought out snow shovels, tire chains and snow plows. City streets and county and state highways were in hazardous condition because of the slippery snow, topped with sleet. Crews of the city street department and the county highway department went to work this morning to sand intersections and clear deepening snow off the travel routes. State police issued warnings that the roads aqe in poor condition all over the northern part of the state. One of two accidents which occurred this morning in Decatur was the direct result of icy streets, and garages were besieged with calls from motorists whose vehicles were stranded in snow along curbs and highways. A truck owned by Holthouse Furniture company and driven by James Myers, 32, of 921 Marshall Street, was hit in the rear by a car driven by Helen Railing, 34, of 1032 Russell street. The accident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. on Secpnd street near the Monroe street intersection. The truck was stopped for the traffic light and Helen Railing could not stop her car to avoid hitting the truck. Damage was estimated at $lO to the truck and $l5O to the (OontinuM on rag* <Mxj

Yarborough Is Winner Special Texas Election Democrats Retain Senate Control As Results Os Election DALLAS, Tex. (UP)—The Democrats retained control of the U.S. Senate today on the hard-fought victory of liberal Ralph Yarborough in a Texas special election. Yarborough torpedoed his Democratic opposition and Republican hopes in his first success in five tries for high office. He previously had lost three bids for the governorship and one for state attorney general. His election meant that the Democrats will continue to hold a 4947 edge in the U.S. Senate. The Republican Party went all-out in -an effort to get a GOP candidate elected and win a 4848 tie in the Senate. x"' 26 In Race W With Vice President Richard M. Nixon’s tie-tweaking vote, this would have given the Republicans control of the Senate. But Thad Hutcheson of Houston, upon whom the Republicans had pinned their hopes, never was in the running. All told, there were 20 men in the race—lß Democrats and two Republicans. The Republicans, concentrating on Hutcheson, had hoped that the Democratic majority would split its vote so widely that a Republican minority would be .enough to elect Hutcheson. Yarborough will fill the 21 months remaining on the term of Price Daniel, who resigned from the Senate to become governor of Texas. ■ • • The race was one between two Democrats—Yarborough and Con-gressman-at-Large Martin Dies. Dies Close Second Dies ran a close second as the hours ticked away, but when the Texas Election Bureau closed its doors for the night, Dies needed from 75 to 80 per cent of the remaining uncounted vote to catch Yarborough. When the election bureau quit counting Tuesday night, Yarborough had 310,842 votes to 255,016 for Dies and 202,721 for Hutcheson. A total of 184 of 254 counties had been heard from with 78 complete. The figure gave Yarborough a flat 37 per cent of the total vote. Dies’ had a percentage mark of 30.35 and Hutcheson 24.13. Robert Johnson, head of the election bureau which tabulates returns for newspapers, and radio and television stations, estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 votes were still out. Johnson said only "the deep forks of the creek” are to be heard from and the trend from that vote had been toward Yarborough. May Events Planned By Retail Division Chicken Barbecue Feature Os Event Plans' for the merchants showcase and chicken barbecue event to be held at the Decatur Youth and Community Center May 15 and 16, were discussed at the dinner meeting of the retail division of the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday evening at the Decatur Youth and Community Center. Harry James, general chairman of the event, which win be sponsored by the retail group, is expected to name assistant chairmen in the next few days. t Tickets for the barbecue will be sold in advance. The barbecue will be served on both days from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Highlight of the event win be displays of merchandise offered by Decatur retailers. The general public in Decatur’s shopping area will be invited to attend. Guided Tour Also discussed at Tuesday’s meeting were plans for a guided tour of the city, which will be extended to a home demonstration club group from Paulding county, O. The Decatur Chamber of Commerce will be host to the group. A group of about 20 women win visit the city next Tuesday. Transportation in Decatur win be provided by Zintsmaster Motor Sales. Decatur Super Service, Schwartz Ford company, Mansfield Motors and the Phil L. Macklin company. Mrs. Dan Tyndall, of the Welcome Wagon service, win serve as guide for the tour, which win begin at 9:30 a.m. with a visit to Wayne Novelty company. The group win then tour Central Soya company and the Decatur Bag Service and win conclude the morning with a drive through the Decatur residential and park areas. (Conthraaa on Pare Six)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, April 3, 1957.

Eisenhower Denounces Reports He’s Planning To Resign Presidency

Favors Record Budget Cutßy $2-3 Billion Undersecretary OF f Treasury Testifies To Senator Group < WASHINGTON (UP)-Treasury Undersecretary W. Randolph Burgess said today that he believes President Eisenhower’s record peacetime spending budget of $71.8 billion should be cut by $2 billion to $3 billion. He made the statement under questioning at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on legislation to increase the interest rates on federal savings bonds. "My personal opinion is that it (the fiscal 1958 budget) could be cut $2 billion to $3 billion and that would be a sound thing to do,” Burgess said. If this is done, and the fiscal 1959 budget is held to about $69 billion dr S7O billion also, be said, “we can cut taxes next year." He said a budget surplus of $2 to $3 billion would justify a tax cut. Burgess is a former New York banker. Earlier in the year his chief, Secretary Georgq M. Humphrey, also expressed alarm at the size pf tJto budget. Burgess’ views conflicted sharply with those of Mr. Eisenhower. The President, continuing to defend the size of his budget, told his news conference today that he did- not believe it could be reduced by as much as $2 billion without impairing national security and curtailing needed domestic programs. Mr. Eisenhower said there could be a general tightening-up in government spending to save money, but that he doubted whether this could lead to a large budget cut. The President also declined to say whether he believes there can be a tax cut next year. But he said he hoped there can be one before he leaves office in 1961. Sen. Harry F. Byrd (D-Va) revived his proposal that Congress lump all appropriations in one bill and limit government spending for each fiscal year. Byrd, Senate Finance Committee chairman, said in a statement that Thursday he will introduce the proposal for the fifth time. The Senate approved it in 1953 but it died in the House. “If federal expenditures are to be reduced by amounts which will allow reduction in dangerous and terrible taxes, control must be recaptured by Congress,” Byrd said. Byrd issued his statement as: —The House continued its economy fight over the administration’s $2.9 billion budget for the Labor and Health, Education and Welfare departments. The House Tuesday slashed $1.4 million from the education office's salaries and research budget. It called up an amendment today that would cut off funds—sso million—for the government’s new program to help states and communities build sewage disposal plants. —High administration officials offered fresh hope of tax cuts next year. , Treasury Undersecretary Randolph Burgess and Budget Director Percival Brundage said the cuts could come from budget cuts (Continual on Pa-ja Six)

Lenten Meditation <l. “ ■ • ■■ (By Rev. Traverse W. Chandler, First Christian Church) “THE SHUTTLE” "My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” Job 7:6 Few things are more fascinating than weaving. The warp is prepared by placing hundreds of threads into the loom. It is difficult for one to count them, and when they are considered individually they are frail and easily broken. But when the shuttle flies across the warp, strong sailcloth or beautiful tapestry is produced. In the completed whole the weakness of the single strand becomes the combined strength of the fabric. Just so does God intend our lives to be woven into a pattern of spiritual strength and beauty. In nature, “the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork,” while in the individual it is his life that reflects God's marvelous creativeness. As we approach the Easter season may the pattern of our lives be so woven that the world may know the shuttle in the Master’s hand has .wrought a master’s work.

Krick Street Sewer Plans Submitted Action Postponed Until Conference Plans and specifications for the -proposed Krick street sewer were ffted by city engineer Ralph Roop with the city council at Tuesday night's meeting. The plans wen* 1 approved but action on the matter was postponed until after a conference with John Ward, Consoer-Town-send engineer, on another proposed sewer in the south part of the city which might have a bearing on the Krick street project. The estimated cost of the Krick street sewer, according to Roop’s plans, is $2,960. City officials also plan to meet with officials of Krick-Tyndall company, Whose land will be affected by the installation of a sewer in that area. Also filed with city counciil last night was a request by residents of North 16th street between Madison and Monroe streets for permission to construct a sidewalk. The petitioners have agreed to pay the cost of construction and ask the city to indicate the location and specifications. The matter was referred to toe city street and sewer committee. A contract between toe city and Sheldon and Agnes Daniels for a nisbl power line extension was approved Ixf- toe council. Letters from toe Pennsylvania and Erie Railroad companies were read. The Pennsylvania officials indicated that they will investigate toe Dayton avenue crossing problem. School children are frequently forced to cross toe tracks at that point without protection. The letter from toe Erie railroad stated that the maintenance department has planned a program to rebuild all crossings in Decatur this year but that temporary repairs would be made until the program gets underway. Mayor Robert Cole announced that he had contacted officials at Decatur Industries and that the company has planned to provide off-street parking for their employes, which will alleviate toe parking problem in that area. (Com:uuea on rare Six) More Ships Handled By Panama Canal PANAMA (UP) — The Panama Canal handled more ships last month than any month in its 42year history. The Panama Canal Co. released figures showing 981 vessels used toe waterway in March, 123 more than the previous record of 858 set last December. Former Director Os U.S. Budget Dies SAN FRANCISCO (W — Rowland R. Hughes, 61, former U.S. director of toe budget, died in the Christian Science Sanatorium Tuesday night. Hughes resigned as budget director in April, 1956, for “compelling personal and family reasons.” A prominent New York banker, he was named to toe post by President Eisenhower in April, 1954. He achieved the first oalapced budget in five years.

Western Areas Are Hard Hit By Blizzard Transportation Is Snarled By Massive SprfMlizzard ByTSiITED PRESS A massive spring blizzard snarled transportation in sections of the West today and spawned a flurry of deadly tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma. A single tornado lashed Dallas for more than 30 minutes Tuesday afternoon, churning up a long path of death and destruction. More than a dozen twisters raked toe two-state area, also causing death and injury. in Durant, Okla., and near Ardmore and Stratford, Okla. To toe north, a second giant blizzard in two weeks dumped more than 16 inches of snow at Denver and piled up to an unofficial depth of 48 inches in the Colorado Mountains. A United Press count in toe twin storms showed at least 15 killed intornadoes and two in the blizzard for a total of 17 weathercaused fatalities. Some 190 persons were injured in toe twisters. Three Persons Missing - liT Wtei, 5 W te. eran reported missing in the eastern Colorado snowstorm, Including a pregnant woman enroute to a hospital. The snowstorm blanketed sections of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska. Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana. Hardest hit were Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico where more than two feet of snow stalled transportation, isolated communities and disrupted power and communications. Winds up to 40 miles per hour whipped toe snow into huge drifts and sent the storm racing toward toe Kansas and Nebraska plains today. All major western Colorado highways were closed. Air flights were cancelled in Denver, trains and buses were behind schedule and hundreds of schools in the state were closed. TV Blacked Ont Colorado Springs was isolated Tuesday night by a 15-inch snowfall, arid a power failure halted electricity to hundreds of homes. A one-story building at Pueblo was evacuated when toe weight of soggy snow threatened to cave in the roof. More than half toe city was without power for a time. At Denver, falling tree limbs knocked down telephone lines to about 1,700 subscribers. All television stations were blacked out during toe night by a power failure. City traffic was reduced to a trickle. Fire destroyed a pump house at (Continued on Para Six) Registration Set At Catholic School First Graders Will Register Next Week Registration for toe children who will enter the first grade at St. Joseph’s Catholic school next fall, has been scheduled for next week, according to an announcement by toe Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seirrietz, superintendent of the Catholic schools. ' Sr. M. Rosemary, C.S.A., school principal, will be in charge of the registration, which will be held April 9, 10 and 11 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. each day in toe principal's office on the .first floor of toe school building. All parents of children who will be eligible to enter toe first grade for the 1957-58'school season are requested to see that their children are registered on one of the three days . School officials reported that they expect next year’s first grade class to be the largest in toe history of the school. Records indicate, that close to 100 children will be registered.

OCRAT

Retail Store Hours Discussed Tuesday Three Proposals On Hours Under Study Store hours in Decatur, a perennial problem of the retail division ot the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, came up for discussion ht the regular dinner meeting of the division Tuesday night at the Decatur Youth and Community Center. Discussion failed to bring about agreement among the local retailers as to the best night or nights to remain open. Three schedule proposals were finally submitted and will be submitted to each member for study before a vote will be taken. One proposal suggests opening at tioon on Monday and remaining open until 5:30 p. m. Thursday, until 9 p. m. on Friday and closing at 5:30 p. m. on Saturday. A second proposal adds the extra hours to Wednesday in addition to Friday and a third proposal incorporates the late Wednesdays and Fridays and suggests closing all day Monday. Barney Brooks has been appointed to draw’up each of the proposals in forms of petitions and to secure the signatures of all local retailers on one of the petitions. In this maimer it will be determined which schedule is the OTflSl Pttrawto? to the greater number of retailers. Local Rotary Club Is Awarded Podium Attendance Winner At District Meet The Decatur Rotary club was presented with a beautiful podium for placing first in attendance of members at the annual conference of district 224, Rotary International, which was concluded at Michigan City late Tuesday afternoon. The local club had the largest attendance of any club at the conference. Five Decatur club members and their wives attended the entire conference, which opened Sunday, and 13 members were in attendance for the closing sessions Tuesday. The club delegation was headed by Joe Kaehr, president, and (Clarence Ziner, district goverpo&elect. More than 250 persons* attended the Sunday sessions, and more than 300 the district banquet and ball Monday evening. Highlight of the conference was the presentation and dedication of the Rotary centennial monument of the Michigan City club, which is to be opened in 2027. Included in documents sealed in the monument were a personal letter from Pres. Eisenhower, letters from each of the 39 clubs in the district, and front pages from all daily papers in the district, including the Decatur Daily Democrat Elkhart Youth Wins Feature of Tuesday’s closing session was the district Rotary speech contest, which was won by Richard Hummel, Elkhart high school student. Miss Ethel Hatton, of Gary Tollestbn high, placed second. Hie Decatur club was represented by Miss Ellen Welch, local high school senior, who had previously won the school, local club, group and sectional contests. Other participants in the contest were Larry Poland, Warsaw, and Miss Virginia Flenker, Delphi. Raymond Snyder, LaPorte Rotarian, was chairman of the contest, and J. L. Brenn, Huntington, district governor, presided. A group of Miss Welch’s classmates attended the luncheon meeting and discussion contest Tuesday as guests of the Decatur Rotary club. Students attending were Gene Baxter, Jerry Kaehr, Sara Brunnegraff, Gloria Fugate, Marilyn Jefferies, Twanette Magley, Sharon Michaud and Sue Petrie. They were taken to Michigan City by Mr. and Mrs. Homer Arnold, Dr. R. E. Allison and Gene Rydeß ' Also attending were Miss Welch’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Welch, 1 and Deane Dorwin, Decatur high ! school speech instructor. I

; Six Cents

Ike Declares Intentions To Serve Out Term Terms Reports Rot On Any Plans To Resign Presidency WASHINGTON (UP)—President Eisenhower today denounced as rot reports that he is preparing to step out of office and turn the reins Os government over to Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Mr. Eisenhower was asked at a crowded news conference about reports that he was preparing to quit the presidency when world conditions permit. He replied that there is no reason for anyone to doubt his basic integrity and honesty, and that he fully intends to serve out his elected term of office. • Other highlights of the news conference: —He-expressed hope that a tax reduction would be possible before he leaves office in 1961. But he declined to estimate whether such , a reduction would be possible next year. ' ' ' ■■ Defends Foreign Aid —He said that from the Ameri J can standpoint the Communists are - not keeping the Korean armistice r in ‘its Original terms. —He denied a report that Adm. Arthur W. Radford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had recommended a United Nations build up in South Korea with the addition of jet aircraft. —He said it is possible to achieve some savings in foreign aid. But he said the administration still regards the $4.4 billion foreign aid request in the budget as the best estimate of a minimum program if the United States is to achieve its objectives in .the free world. —He said in response to a question that it would be possible to cut federal personnel a great deal without the operation of the government suffering unduly. But he said he has no specific plan. Hopes for School Bill —He denied flatly he had given Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of Nationalist China assurances that this country would, if necessary, come to the defense of Quemoy and Matsu islands off the coast of Red China. The President said he had never given any assurances that went beyond the American law and had not given Chiang any private assurnces. A biography of Secretary John Foster Dulles by John R. Beal said Mr. Eisenhower had given Chiarig such assurances Mrs. Elizabeth Darr Is Taken By Death Mother Os Decatur Woman Dies Today Mrs. Elizabeth Echo Darr, 89, died at 1:25 o’clock this afternoon at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Roy Stewart, 1123 Nuttman ’Ave., following an illness ot eight and one-half months. She was a lifelong resident of Rochester until coming here to reside with her daughter sevefll months ago. She was bom in Fulton county Nov. 12, 1876, a daughter of Homer Leroy and Nancy Alphretta Ash-ton-Tipton, and was married to Charles N. Darr in 1897. Her husband preceded her In death April 8, 1946. Mrs. Darr was a member of the Trinity Evangelical church. Surviving in addition to Mrs. Stewart are three other daughters, Mrs. Pauline Easter, Rochester, Mrs. Evelyn Dodge and Mrs. Marjorie Bryant, both of South Bend; two sons, C. H. Darr, Rochester, and Howard Darr, Bremen;'' four grandchildren; five great-grand-children, and two sisters, Mrs. Bessie Gross and, Mrs. Celia Nelson. One sister preceded her In death. The body was removed to the Zimmerman Bros, funeral home at Rochester. Funeral arrangements have not been completed.