Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 294, Decatur, Adams County, 15 December 1958 — Page 1

Vol. LVI No. 294.

HONOR SKIPPERS OF NUCLEAR SUBMARINES-Secretary of the Navy Thomas S. Gates, Jr., awards the Legion of Merit to Capt Richard B. Laning (left), skipper of the nuclear-powered submarine Seawolf. The craft was cited for setting an undersea record last October by staying submerged for 60 days. Comdr. James F. Calvert (right) also received the Legion of Merit,'as skhSoer of the Skate, for crossing beneath the ice pack in the North Pole last August. The awards were made aboard the submarine Skate, New London, Conn.

Fresh Snows Pelt U.S. As Cold Continues No Major Break In Cold Wave Foreseen By Forecasters United Press International ‘ Fresh snows swept out of die Southland and die Northeast today. Weathermen foresaw no major break in the bitter weather cloaking much of the nation. The brunt of the Eastern storm moved out into the Atlantic Ocean Sunday night, but deposited moderate snowfall amounts along its flanks from northern New Jersey to southern New England. Earlier, the storm slammed into Dixie, dumping six inches of snow at Richmond, Va. It left one to four inches from northern South Carolina to southeastern New England. As the cold snap stretched well into its second week, readings plunged to zero or below as far south as Fayetteville, Ark. During the night and sub-freezing temperatures ranged through Georgia and northern Florida. Weather Pattern Reversed However, a warming trend in the northern plains created a reversal of die usual weather pattern. Great Falls and Cutbank, Mont., each recorded 35-degree readings at midnight, while along the Gulf residents of Mobile, Ala.,' and New Orleans shivered in 29 and 33-degree temperatures, respectively. The Southland's cold wave was felt during the night from Texas to northern Florida, where at least five deaths have been' attributed to the icy temperatures. Oswego, N.Y., was pelted with four inches of snow Sunday morning, boosting the total that has fallen in that snow-crippled city in the last eight days to 85 inches. Oswego Digs Oat Skies cleared during the afternoon, and highway crews made the most of the reprieve to clear Oswego of snow and a foot and one-half layer of ice in the streets. ‘“lt looks like wq>e pulling out of it," an official said. No snow was predicted for the city today. About an inch of snow fell on Chicago, bringing the accumulation to 11 inches in the past week. Temperatures fell beloe zero during the right for the sixth day of zero or sub-zero readings in the city this month. BULLETIN WOONSOCKET, R. I. (UPI) —A missing plane with seven persons aboard crashed in a snowstorm today five miles southwest of here. Fate of the two crewmen and five passengers was not known immediately. INDIANA WEATHER Light snow spreading over much of north portion this afternoon and evening, cloudy south. Becoming partly cloudy later tonight and Tuesday except for scattered snow flurries continuing extreme north. Not so cold tonight. Low tonight zero to 5 below extreme north, 5 to 15 above south. Sunset 5:22 p. m. Sunrise Tuesday 7:59 a. m. High Tuesday 15 to 20 north, 20 to 30 south. Low Tuesday night 10 to 15 north. 15 to 20 south. Outlook for Wednesday: Partly cloudy with chance of snow flurries north, not unite .so cold. High in mid-20a north, to low 30s south.- < - \

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAI ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

_ - Democrats Seeking Skip-Election Law Seek Year's Delay In City Elections INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — Hoosier Democrats plan to push a skip - election law in the 1959 General Assembly designed to delay the municipal elections slated for 1959 until 1960. Avowed purpose of the proposal would be to save taxpayers the price of an election. But the cold facts are tha' such a law would add one year to the terms of all mayors and c.ty officials. About 80 per cent of the present mayors are Democrats, and only 20 per cent are Republicans. The strategy was revealed by Democratic Mayor John Devine of Peru. Devine said he had been asked by Senator - elect Vance Hartke, former Evansville mayor, to draft a skip - election resolution for Democratic lawmakers. Both Parties Guilty “The most important point and added incentive to such a proposal would be the saving of cost to the taxpayers,” Devine said. According to the proposal, the municipal elections would be held when voters also will choose a President, governor and state officials. Both Democrats and Republicans have been guilty of passing skip-election laws during the past quarter century. In 1933, the Democratic Legislature, under Gov. Paul V. McNutt, postponed a mayprality election slated for 1933 until 1934. And in 1945, a Republican General Assembly, during the term of Gov. Ralph F. Gates, delayed the municipal election scheduled for 1946 until 1947. Both Democratic and GOP chiefs said piously at the time that the step would save taxpayers many thousands of dollars. However, Democratic officials said privately the big idea in 1933 was to give city candidates the advantage of the prevailing Democratic national victory trend at a time when congressional seats would beat stake. Handley Veto Seen Similarly. GOP leaders said in a hush-hush manner that their motive in 1945 was to avoid another Democratic advantage in years when national issues were being stressed. Irfdiana’s Democratic - controlled House Is nearly certain to pass a skip-election bill. But the GOP-managed Senate is almost as sure to defeat such a bill. Although there will be half a dozen Republican rebels in the Senate, there was doubt whether they would give such anti-Repub-lican cooperation to the Democratic minority with respect to th<* bill. Governor Handley is sure to veto such a measure should it reach his desk, but. his, action could be overriden by a’ simple majority of each House. The scheduled 1959 majority election campaign was high on the agenda at a meeting today of about 400 Republican district and county chairmen and vice-chair-men here at which Handley was host. Huntington Girl Is Drowned Saturday HUNTINGTON. Ind. (UPI) — Seven-year-old Laura Ann. Smith drowned in the Wabash River near here Saturday while playing with . three companions. She apparently walked onto the. Jcecovered stream into open water. Her body was recovered by flramen.

Tough Allied Stand Is Taken On West Berlin •I Reject Communist Ultimatum To Quit City Or Face War PARIS (UPI) — A tough Allied stand on West Berlin and rejection of a Communist ultimatum to quit the city or face possible war gave renewed hope today to West Germany that East - West talks may yet reunite the divided country. The America., British and French foreig ministers met Sunday with the West German foreign minister and issued a communique reaffirming their intention to remain in West Berlin and to have free access to the cityadvance rejection of any blockade attempt. The Sunday talks began a week of important NATO meetings. Most important of these is the threeday session of the NATO council opening Tuesday. Today there was a series of lesser meetings including U.S.-Canadian defense talks . Not A Formal Reply The four ministers did not reply formally to Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev’s Thanksgiving Day note demanding West Berlin be turned into a “free city” with all Allied troops withdrawn. But they stated their position in words so clear there could be no doubt of their firm intentions. The four foreign ministers will meet Tuesday with the entire NATO council of ministers to discuss a reply to Khrushchev. Informed Western sources said they were prepared to discuss German reunifications with the Soviets at any time but only on the old basis of reunification following free allGerman elections. There already were Soviet complaints about any attempts to negotiate a German settlement. Pravda, the official Communist Party newspaper, said today In Moscow Western attempts to start “fruitless, headache-giving talks” will not stop Russian plans for West Berlin. Repeats Soviet Demands The first direct Soviet comment on the Western communique came from Tass, the official Soviet news agency. It said the Sunday communique “gives no reply to the Soviet proposals,” and repeated Soviet demands that the Allies must get out of West Berlin and that the city cannot continue as a threat to Communist security. The communique was signed by Secreary of State John Foster Dulles, British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd, French Foreign Minister Maurice Couve de Murville and West German Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano. Six Persons Killed By Gas Explosions Pennsylvania Inn Destroyed By Blast ALLENTOWN, Pa. (UPI) — A series of gas explosions destroyed the Mountainville Inn Sunday, killing six persons including photographer for the Allentown Call-Chronicle. The first explosion in the street in front of the inn routed about 30 guests and employes from their beds. They were joined by 100 residents of the area who gathered to watch firemen fight the blaze that erupted in the street The second blast shattered the hotel, killed all six victims instantly and injured 24 persons, two critically. One of the dead was identified as Lester Kraft Jr., 29, a darkroom technician and photographer for the Call-Chronicle. Police said Kraft apparently stopped at the fire en route home from work to photograph the blaze. The other victims were identified as William Bnfoer and Perry Miller, both 16; Maynard Haebner, 39; William J. Mad Lean, 35, and Walter .Leitget, 37. Chinese Reds Pound Lightly At Quemoy TAIPEI, Formosa (UPI) — The Communist Chinese pounded Quemoy with light barrages today. Nationalist Chinese officials feared that intensive gun duels may erupt again soon on the off-shore front. The defense ministry said the Red guns lobbed 173 rounds of shells on the Quemoys up to noon today.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, December 15,1958.

19-Year-Old Girl Dies, Three Persons Injured In Wreck Early Sunday

23 Cardinals Are Created By Pope John Urges Worldwide Prayers For Church In Red-Held China VATICAN CITY (UPI) — Pope John XXIII formally created 23 new Roman Catholic cardinals today and in a speech called for worldwide prayers for the persecuted church in Communist China. Among the new cardinals were Archbishops Richard Cushing of Boston and John O’Hara of Philadelphia. In a secret consistory with his old cardinals in the Vatican Palace, the Pope asked for and received their formal approval of his nomination of 13 Italian and 10 foreign churchmen as new princes of the church. Elevation of the new princes increased the Sacred College of Cardinals to an unprecedents 74 members and gave the body its greatest international representation. In a speech announcing creation of the new cardinals, the Pope asked bishops the world ever to call public prayers and penance for the Roman Catholic Church in Communist China. Pressured Into Separation He said Roman Catholics in Red China were being pressured into “schism” and separation from the Vatican. He said “a feeling of sadness burdens our heart thinking of those children, so dear to us, who in some countries suffer bitter anguish for their profound faithfulness to the Divine Redeemer.” The Pontiff said he referred particularly to China where, he said, missionaries have been “slandered, imprisoned and finally expelled.” Contrary to expectations, the Pope did not announce any new maximum strength for the Sacred College. He merely said he had “departed, as far as necessary,” from the regulations of Pope Sixtus V, which set the limit at 70 members. He said there were many other deserving churchmen whom he may appoint as cardinals in the future. receiving approval of his nominations from the old cardinals, the Pope formally declared the new cardinals members of the Sacred College. Continued on page five

Mayor Cole Discusses Proposed Utility Sale

(Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of articles by Mayor Robert D. Cole discussing the various aspects of the proposed sale of the city’s electric utility to Indiana & Michigan Electric company. Today’s article deals with tax revenue.) by Mayor Robert D. Cole Hie revenue that the city of Decatur would receive should its citizens elect to sell our utility to Indiana & Michigan Electric company would not stop with the I & M offered purchase price of $2,102,300. Approximately 20, per cent of I&M’s gross revenue annually goes for taxes —local, state and federal. According to I&M’s annual report, the utility paid more than $13,000,000 in local, state and federal taxes in 1957. Should I&M assume the supply of electric service to Decatur, we too would realize our proportionate share of taxes on I&M real and personal property that would be located in the city. Tentative estimates place the 1 prospective Decatur tax revenue with the adoption of I&M service at $30,000 annually. This $30,000 annual Income would more than offset the complaint of some citizens who argue that the sale of our utility to l&M would see the passing of the

Record December Cold To Continue South Bend Coldest At 10 Below Zero United Press International Indiana’s record December cold Wave today served up below-zero temperatures for the seventh straight day and forecasters said “no moderation” was in sight before the middle of this week. South Bend reported 10 below aero this morning, Goshen had 9 below, Fort Wayne and Lafayette 7 below and Indianapolis 4 below, t Goshen was low in the coldJeather department Sunday—also below. The latest 5-day outlook, meanwhile, called for temperatures averaging up to 12 degrees below normal highs of 37 to 46 and formal lows of 15 to 22 for the period ending Saturday, interrupted only by a slight “period of moderation” Wednesday or Thursday. “This has been the coldest first two weeks of December on record since 1871 at Indianapolis,” a Special weather bureau bulletin said. This was expected to be the 10th straight day on which the mercury has failed to exceed 25 degrees, also a record. However, the past 7 days was not the coldest comparable period to Indianapolis weather records. Suring the week of Dee. 8-14, 1917, the average minimum reading twas 2 below zero, with readings on two consecutive mornings hitting 8 below. Northern and central Indiana received additional snow flurries late Sunday and Sunday night. South Bend reported 8 inches on the ground this morning, Fort Wayne 3 inches, Indianapolis a trace. The high Sunday climbed to 28 at Evansville, 24 at Indianapolis but only to 14 at South Bend. Not much change was expected today and Tuesday, and the outlook for Wednesday was continued cloudy and Cold. Accused Slayer Is Indicted By Jury WHEATON, 111. (UPI) — An indictment charging first degree murder was returned today against Charles Melquist, 23, accused of slaying Bonnie Leight Scott, 15, and dumping her body along a roadside in southern Cook County. The 15-count indictment was voted by the grand jury, after three day, of testimony. It was returned in Du Page County Circuit Court

residents’ “free” street—and alley —lighting service provided by our utility. I&M’s charges for street and alley lighting in Decatur will run approximately $1,440 a month or slightly more than $17,000 a year—well under the $30,000 that the city would realize through real and personal property taxes to be paid by I&M. Then there is the saving to be realized under I&M rates by the corporate city on its own electric bill for service at the city buildings, schools, fire station, etc. Under I&M rates the corporate city would save $5,424 annually on its own electric bill for city buildings. The $2,102,300 purchase price that I&M is willing to pay for our utility certainly would be a boon to the financial stability of the city. All of our bonded indebtedness at present—more than sl,000,000—could be covered by thfe" sale price and leave a sizable surplus for other city improvements. The alternative would be an attempt to sell an additional sl,000,000 in revenue bonds to modernize the facilities of our utility, a bond issue that is questionable in light of our present indebtedness and our relatively low income. l --

Ike Shooting For Balanced Budget In '59 Senate Republican Heads Conferring With Eisenhower WASHINGTON (UPI) — Senate Republican leaders were told today that President Eisenhower is shooting for a balanced budget in the next fiscal year, but that it may run a little higher than this year’s $79,200,000,000. Sen. Styles Bridges (RrN.H.), chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, announced during a break for lunch in the day-long White House legislative conference that no “overall figure” is yet available on the new budget. But he said Eisenhower is “aiming toward as close to a balanced budget as possible.” His personal opinion, Bridges said, is that the President “will submit a balanced budget/’ Bridges and other GOP leaders said no final total for defense spending has been agreed upon. Bridges thought it would be “somewhere around” the $40,800,000,000 for the current fiscal year. Speaking of the balanced budget generally. Bridges said that “anything else it will be on the shoulders of the wild spenders in Congress—and there are plenty of them.” House Republican Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. (R-Mass.) said the new budget “won’t be too far from 80 billion dollars,” He added that “We’ll be fortunate to keep it at 80 billions after it gets through Congress.” Bridges and Martin said there was no chance of a tax cut. Seven Republican leaders from the House and Senate were invited to the conference. Viqe President Richard M. Nixon, who has been in on preliminary program talks, also was invited alongwith some cabinet members. Others invited: Sens. Styles Bridges (R - N.'rtj, Senate GOP policy chairman; Leverett Saltonstall (R-Mass ), GOP conference chairman; Everett M. Dirksen (R-Ill.), Senate whip and likely GOP floor leader, and Reps. Joseph W. Martin Jr., (R-Mass.) House GOP leader; Charles A. Halleck (R -. Ind); Leslie C. Arends (R-Ill.),' GOP whip, and Leo Allen (R-Ill.) ranking Republican on the House Rules Committee. The conferees gathered as libContinued on pase five

Stewart's Bakery Is Robbed Saturday Tear Gas Prevents Burglary Os Safe Thieves broke into Stewart’s Bakery Saturday night and escaped with $15.47 before tear gas was set off and the culprits were forced to flee before gaining entry into a safp. The thieves gained their entry into the building on the north side by using a tire tool to force a door open. After entering the premises, and taking $15.47 from a cash register, they attempted to break into a safe located in the building. When the combination lock was knocked off the front of the door, die tear gas was set off and the subjects were forced to leave the building. The thieves made good their escape through an overhead door located to the rear of the building. A chisel was found at the scene of the burglary by the investigating officers. The city police department was notified at approximately 12:40 p.m. Sunday. The burglary was reported to have occurred between the hours of B:15 p.m. and 12:30 o’clock. The report of the occurrence fras given to the city police by Byfon Smith, an employe of Stewart’s Bakery.

Ten Traffic Deaths Reported In State Three Os Deaths Weather-Connected United Press International Three double - fatalities accounted for 6 of at least 10 weekend traffic deaths in Indiana. Despite the worst December weather in years, the 54-hour toll was considered realtively low and could possibly postpone the prediction Jjy safety officials that Indiana will register its thousandth traffic death of 1958 Thursday—one month later than last year. At least three of the deaths were weather-connected. Among them was Reginald Guyer, 18, a sailor from Detroit, he was killed Sunday night west of South Bend when a truck in which he was hitch-hiking went off Ind. 2 and into a ditch. The accident occurred when the driver’s vision was blurred by snow whipped up by a passing truck. Two other persons were hurt. Alva Hillman, 58, and his wife Rouby, 55, Frankfort, were killed Sunday in a two-car crash on a Clinton County road intersection near Jefferson. The driver of the other car, Robert E. Lashbrook, 37, Frankfort, was charged with failure to yield the right-of-way. Another Sunday crash claimed the life of Martha Mitchell, J 9, Bluffton, who died when her car went out of control on U.S. 33 near Decatur and smashed into a tree. A car - train collision in Dunkirk Sunday killed W. A. Grayson, 76, Dunkirk, and Mrs. Mattie Grayson,'42, Redkey, who died a short time later. Four other members of the family were injured, including a 12-year-old girt who was hospitalized in Portland in critical condition. A car-train collision Saturday killed W. A. Grayson, 76, Redkey, and injured five members of his family. The accident occurred at a Pennsylvania Railroad crossing in Redkey. Two Elkhart youths, David Pappas, 19, and Doris Darlene Dowers, 15, died when their car plunged off a slick road into Baugo Creek near Osceola and Continued on page five Train Hits School Bus, Five Injured Stalled School Bus Struck At Crossing BRIDGEPORT, Mich. (UPI) - Five students were injured today when, a Chesapeake & Ohio Railway freight train struck a stalled school bus at a grade crossing here. . . One of the students. Edward Adams, 6, was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Saginaw with a possible skull fracture. The bus, owned by Bridgeport public schools, had just made its final pickup and was “full” when it stalled at the Williamson Road crossing. Joe Bonk, who operates a service station near the crossing, said he heard the bus driver frantically trying to start the stalled vehicle and then heard the whistle of the approaching train. He said he grabbed a red rug and ran down the tracks toward the train. He said the train was about a quarter of a mile from the intersection and a curve in the tracks prevented the engineer from seeing the stalled bus. But the engineer acknowledged the warning signal and started to slow down immediately. Bonk said the bus door was facing the approaching train and children poured out the exit until the train was within a few feet of the bus. The impact lifted the front of the bus about two feet in the air and spun the bus around. A second bus was stopped behind the stalled bus but didn’t dare to give the stranded vehicle a push since it might have been trapped in the path of the train.

Wells County Girl Is Killed Near Decatur Martha Mitchell Is Killed Early Sunday Near City's Limits A Wells county girl was killed and three companions were injured as a result of a one-car accident that occurred at 1:40 o’clock Sunday morning approximately 2W feet from the south city limits on U. S. 33, when the car they were riding in was destroyed after striking a tree. Miss Martha Mitchell, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mitchell, of route four, Bluffton, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Adams county memorial hospital from a broken neck and a skull fracture. Injured in the one-car mishap and listed in “good" condition are Mrs. Connie Hiday-McFarren, 17. Petroleum, with a possible broken left collar bone and slight back injury; John J. Roberts, 18, Celina, 0., facial lacerations and rib injuries. Transferred to the Veterans hospital in Fort Wayne was Robert Jacobs, 19. Celina, 0., with a frontal skull fracture, dislocated right wrist, severe head laceration, and a possible pelvic Injury. Jacobs was transferred when attendants at the Adams county memorial hospital learned of the pelvic injury. He was listed in critical condition Sunday, but his condition was given as improved shortly before he was transferred to Fort Wayne at 3:30 p.m. Jacobs is a member of the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Sill. Okla. | The investigating officers stated that the accident occurred when the car driven by Jacobs dropped off the left side of the road approximately 120 feet from the start of the curve located near the old Country club building south of tha city limits on U. S. 33. The car traveled approximately 258 feet from the point it left the road before coming to rest at the tree. It was believed that the driver may have fallen asleep shortly before the car dropped off the side of the road. Services Tuesday Surviving Miss Mitchell are the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mitchell, route four, Bluffton; two sisters, Mrs. Jack Monee, Bluffton," and Rebecca, at home, and a brother, John, also at home. Miss Mitchell was a member of the First Methodist church, in Bluffton, and was employed as a file clerk at Lincoln National life insurance company in Fort Wayne. The body was taken to the Thoma funeral home in Bluffton. Services will be held Tuesday at 2 o’clock in the First Methodist church, with the pastor, the Rev. L, G. Sapp, officiating. Burial will be in the Elm Grove cemetery. School Building Is Destroyed By Fire SEYMOUR, Ind. (UPI) — Fixe apparently caused by an overheated oil stove or faulty wiring destroyed the domestic science building at the Pershing Twp. school at Freetown Sunday. The loss was estimated at $5,000.

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Six Cents