Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 301, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1958 — Page 1

Vol. LVI. No. 301.

i|L ' ’ W@4WHHn^H9K r,> :' GOLDFINE SENTENCED — Bernard Goldfine, Boston industrialist and gift-giving friend of men in high places, managed a smile when a “fan” handed him a Christmas card as he left the Federal I building in Boston. He had just been sentenced to prison for three months on a charge of criminal contempt in refusing to turn over business records to income tax investigators. Sentence was deferred until Jan. 7 to permit Goldfine to spend the holidays at home.

Lean Holidays For Thousands Due To Strikes Nearly 100,000 In United States Are Idled By Walkouts United Press Intern atiocial Thousands of Americans faced a lean Christmas today in the wake of strikes. Nearly 100,000 office and factory workers were idled. f Largest of the walkouts were against Eastern and American; Airlines and International Harvester. . . Eastern Airlines, grounded by a, strike of machinists and flight en-> gineers, normally has a payroll of 16,000, but only about 1,600 still were working. The rest were strik-j ing or idled by the strike. Most of the idle are in Miami, where! 7.000 were employed. Some 1,500 pilots walked out last Friday midnight against American Airlines, grounding that carrier. The airline said it would maintain 20,000 other employes over the holidays but said all have been notified they will be placed on emergency leave without pay Jan. 4 if the strike continues. No date has been set for resumption of negotiations between the airline and the Air Line Pilot Association. The AFL-CIO United Auto Workers strike against International Harvester, which began Nov. 13, has idled 37,000 production workers at Harvester plants iifi Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee.! Ohio and California. Negotiators called a two-week holiday in bargaining talks last Saturday without agreement and spokesmen said no new negotiations are slated before Jan. 6. New’ York state, as of Dec. 20, reported 33 work stoppages, with 18,200 persons idle, compared with 22 smaller strikes and 1,850 idle at this time last year. The increased number of idle was attributed to the airline strikes and a strike of the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union against New York City newspapers. An estimated 2,500 were on strike against the newspapers, causing 12,500 other newspaper employes to be laid off. Magazine distributors estimated 10,000 of the city’s 16,000 newsstands were shut down because of the walkout, but newsstand operators were uncounted among the idle because of their status as independent operators. City Skating Rink Is Reported Closed The red flag is flying over the city skating rink behind the Decatur Yduth Center, Richard Linn, director of the center, said today. The young people of the city have been skating there for about two weeks. Because of the roughness of the ice, the city flooded the rink Monday afternoon, in r Hopes of leveling it. Flood lights have been installed for night skating, and a few days of cold weather will permit skating again. NO PAPER THURSDAY No edition will be printed Thursday, Dee. 25, by the Decatur, Daily Democrat, in order that staff members may spend the Christmas Day holiday with their families. - --- - - < * *

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT A ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Commissioners To Reveal Road Plans Regular Meeting Is Held Here Monday The county commissioners plan to announce at the first of the year ’ the federal aid projects and the! county road construction planned for 1959, the board of commissioners revealed Monday at the meeting held with the county auditor. The commissioners are planning to announce what projects will be planned tor the coming year through the help Gs federal aid, [and projects to be completed by the county highway department. The Adams county clerk, Rich- ! ard D. Lewton, was called upon to i iread the report submitted by the! grand jury to the board of cpm- ‘ missioners. Lewton read the recommendations the jury memmrs felt were necessary to improve the i court house upon the findings of their inspection of the Adams counj ty home, jail and court house. The current claims against the county were approved by the board members. The claims submitted are partial claims for thfe month of December and will be paid through the appropriations for the 1958 budget. The remainder of ! the claims which' will accumulate during the remainder of December will be submitted to the board for approval the first part of January. Lewis Lutz Smith, prosecuting attorney, hfepeared before the board and asked that a two-way radio be transferred from his office to the sheriffs office. The members of the board approved Smith’s proposal. The radio was used in i Smith’s services as prosecuting atI torney. Surety bonds or county officials were approved by the board. They include bonds filed for the sheriff, Merle Affolder; incoming prosecuting attorney, Severin Schurger: Washington township assessor. Will Winnes; and the Adams county assessor, Walter Koos. Continued on page five Valdez Sentenced To Life In Prison Convicted Slayer Sentenced Monday Gregorio Prado Valdez, the transient tomato picker who was convicted of murder 4n the second degree last'Week in the court of common pleas in Celina, Ohio, was given a life sentence by Judge ; Paul P. Dull Monday afternoon. On good behavior, Valdez , would be eligible for parole in 17 years. 1 Sheriff Bruce Barber and depu- , ties, Ferd Peak and Da van Seal- ( scott, left this forenoon for Co- ; lumbus, Ohio, with Valdez, where he will serve his time tor the mur- , der conviction at the Ohio state , prison. 1 Lupe Callejos, an alleged ac- > cessary to the fact who is being tried on the same charge, Is ex- < Dected to be brought to trial fol- , lowing the Christmas holidays. ; He has been kept at the Van Wert ; county jail since Valdez was cap- ( tured in October. The reason for . this was that the two would be ; separated during the trial. A ] deputy stated today that it was believed they would transfer Cal- ; leios to the 'Mercer county jail in i; Celina within the next few days. <

Key Democrats Doubt Balanced Budget In '59 Question Ability To Balance Budget Without Tax Boost WASHINGTON (UPD—Key congressional Democrats today openly questioned the ability of President Eisenhower to balance the new federal budget at 77 billion dollars without a general tax increase. The chairmen of the Senate finance and House appropriations committees accepted Eisenhower’s announced goal of ending mountainous federal deficits as admirable. But they doubted that Uncle Sam would take in enough extra revenue to do the job in fiscal 1960. The President, although he proposed increased defense spending, promised he would not ask for a I general tax hike. He said the budI get will call for higher postal rates and gasoline taxes, however. In a direct challenge to the strong Democratic Congress to refrain from heavy new spending, Eisenhower issued the rare budget preview Monday nearly a month before it was scheduled to go to Capitol Hill. End Temporary Programs “It will be a balanced budget,” the President said. “Revenues and expenditures will be in the general area of 77 billion dollars.” The Chief Executive said reductions in total .spending—expected to -pass 80 billion dollars this ; year—-would be accomplished in the new budget partly by ending of temporary programs in agriculture, unemployment insurance and housing. Savings in this category were estimated at upwards of $2,500!000,000. i What interested the Democrats in heavy control of Congress, however, was the bright revenue picture painted by Eisenhower. Revenue in the current fiscal (year is expected to be in the •neighborhood of 68 biljion dollars. This will leave a deficit ci about 12 billion. The President’s balance” next year at 77 billion dollars would mean an improvement of nine billion dollars in federal receipts. Skeptical of Savings One of the most influential Democrats in the field of federal finance, Chairman Clarence -Cannon.'of the House Appropriations Committee, said he was skeptical of -Eisenhower’s anticipated savings and found “no evidence that revenues will be up to what he expbets.” ■ ' ' • ’ Chairman Harry F. Byrd of the Senate Finance Committee, another powerful Democratic figure, was more laudatory than Cannon of Eisenhower’s economy objective. But like other. Democrats, Byrd questioned whether there would be enough revenue to make a balanced budget possible. Eisenhower said defense spending would push upward to a new peacetime peak. Defense spending this year is expected to run about $40,800,000,000 and there have been recent estimates that the 1960 military outlay might go up well above 41 billion dollars. Mrs. Sarah Arnold Dies This Morning Lifelong Resident Os County Is Dead Mrs. Sarah Bell Arnold, 84, lifelong resident of Adams county, died at 11:15 o’clock this morning at the South View rest home at Bluffton. She had been in failing health for several years. She was born in Adams county Oct. 15, 1874, a daughter of Henry and Rebecca Chronister-Jackson. Her husband, William F. Arnold, preceded her in death in 1926. Mrs. Arnold lived in Kirkland township until 1937, when she moved to Decatur. She was a member of the Trinity Evangelical United Brethren church Surviving are two sons. Kenneth Arnold of Decatur and Vernon L. Arnold ot Benson, Ariz.; two daughters, Mrs. True (Elsie) Andrews of near Decatur, and Mrs. Ornell (Glennys) Schindler of Berne; one stepson, Homer W. Arnold, of Decatur; one stepdaughter, Mrs, Floyd (Mary) Arnold of Decatur;* 16 grandchildren; 25 great-grand-children, and one sister, Mrs. Jesse Engle of Westville, 0. One brother and two sisters preceded her in deafly The body was removed to the Zwick funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not been completed.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, December 23,1958.

Butane Gas Transport Truck Blows Up; Four Killed, 168 Are Injured

Living Costs Equal Record bi November Living Costs Rise i Again In November, Equal All-Time High ’ WASHINGTON (UPD — Living ’ costs rose in November to equal ’ an all-time-peak set in July, the ‘ government reported today. Increased costs of new cars sent the consumer price hides up .2 of 1 per cent to 123.9 per cdht I of average 1947-49 prices. After . hitting the peak in July, the indek declined in August and then held steady for two months before go- ’ ing up again in November. . Ewan Clague, commissioner of 1 labor statistics, said the index ’was in “reasonable balance,” ; however, and predicted no major ’ increases in living costs through ' next spring. Good and gasoline prices dropped last month but costs of ‘most other goods and services were higher. The price of new 1959 cars rose 6.4 per Cent from October to November. Clague said new models were delayed this year by Strikes in file auto industry and the resulting impact on the index wis greater in November,. Lower Food Prices Price tagr on new cars were 4.2 per cent higher this year than a year ago. Clague said car prices should go down in the months ahead because of % dealer discounts. Nearly one million steel, aluminum and meat packing workers Will receive a penny-an-hour more under cost-of-living adjustments in labor contracts. This increase ■ would account for the index’s rise since May. Another 80,000 workers mostly ■ in aircraft and local transit, will receive boosts of up to-1 cent an i hour. ! Clague said that lower food prjees in the next few. months 1 should qounterbalance creeping I increases in such items as personal services and rents. He said the index has riot shown . much change in ‘six months and ' predicted it would behave much ; the same until late spring. ; “It’s in an era of stability,” he > said. “It’ll be a little up, a little • down.” > More Take Home Fay At the same time, the Labor Department reported a sharp rise in take home pay and buying power of the average factory worker last month. The average worijer with three dependants brought home $78.41 a week after federal taxes for a new 1958 recContinued on page five

Beautiful Christmas Displays At Stratton

The beautiful “church window” display, depicting the Holy Family, emblazoned by black light, and designed by Mr. and Mrs. J. Clark Mayclin, of 520 Limberlost Trial, won first prize in the Stratton Place Christmas decoration contest Monday evening, Mrs. W. Lowell Harper, chairman of the event, announced today. The, huge tree decorated with myriads of lights in the yard of Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. (Molly) Mies of 431 Sunset Lane, won second place. The Mayciins stated that they spent about 60 hours on their decorations. The picture was painted by Mrs. Mayclin, and the lights insOed by her husband, who designed the project. A number of interesting displays in the area received special mention from the three judges who toured the area three times, comparing the decorations. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kaehr is completely surrounded by candles, set in weighted paper sacks. It took nearly a day of feverish activity, Kaehr stated, by his entire family, to complete the

Buying Power For Fanners Unchanged Income Increased But Costs Higher WASHINGTON (UPD-Farmers received more money tor their products in the first 11 months of this year but rising costs left their buying power unchanged, the Agriculture Department repeated today. r Department economists said farJ mers’ cash receipts were up 12 , per cent from the same period of 1957. January-November cash re- . ceipts from sales of all farm ’ products totaled about $30,100,t 00,000, with average prices and, . marketings both up about 6 pet . cent , ’ j Writing in the department pub- . lication “Demand and Price Situation,” the economists said ini come from livestock sales rose 10 . per cent to $17,300,000,000 largely ! because of higher prices. Income from crop sales rose 16 t per cent to $12,800,000,000 mostly because farmers produced a rec- . ord-breaking volume of crops in t 1958. i Since last summer, the economists added, the overall whole- , sale commodity price level has , remained fairly stable with in- , creases for industrial commodities , offset by declining prices for farm [ products and food. . For consumers, these movements spelled relative price statqtty. For farmers, however, they brought a tightening squeeze with 1 costs going steadily up and prices ‘ of farm products declining. The mid-November parity ratio, which expresses the buying power of farm prices, stood at 81 per cent of the 1910-1914 average—- ’ the same figure recorded in Noj vember, 1957. ! The demand and price report J said consumer food demand re- ’ mains strong because of rising ! consumer income. Economic forecasts indicate further gains in em- * ployment and income in the months ahead, it said. i [ INDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy with rain spreading over central and south portions this afternoon or tonight, gradually ending i Wednesday but probably I changing to snow over north i portion before ending. Gradually colder north tonight and over entire state Wednesday. Sunset 5:25 p. m. Low tonight 28 to 35 north, 35 to 40 south. Sunrise 8:03 a. m. High Wednesday 30 to 36 north, 36 to 44 south, low Wednesday night 20 north to about 30 south. Outlook for Thursday: Partly -cloudy and a little colder with snow flurries mostly in north. High in upper 20s north and mid-30s south.

unusual display, which follows the ■ traditional Spanish motif, often • seen in the southwest. More than t 250 candles were used. They will ■ be lit again on Christmas eve, ! weather permitting. Other displays earning honorable • mention included: the twinkling • Christmas tree in the yard of the Dale Libys; the Charles Gable 1 Santa Claus; lighted shrubbery in • the yard of the Ed Wolperts; the 1 beautiful window tree in the home 1 of the Robert Bochs; angels with candles in the yard and before the window of the Bill Christen home. ' - The Merry Christmas sign in 1 front of the Herman Krueckebergs; 1 the carolers at the Bob Yost home; ' tfaf. shining star at the home of Bob Flora; lighted gable over home 1 of! Dr. Leo V. Curtin; Walt Stoppenhagen’s carolers before the ' window Christmas tree; Santa ringing a bell at the Bill Morgan home; flashing neon lights playing ■ on a Christmas scene at the home of the Ralph Gantt family; the huge Santa Claus and reindeer display at the home of Art Burris; and many, many others too numerous to mention. - ... .... .... ’ ■»

Fear IB Killed In Collapse Os Belgian Grotto Underground Grotto Collapses, Group Os 18 Feared Killed BRUSSELS (UPD — An underground grotto in a corner of Belgium collapsed today, apparently ( wiping out part of a group of villagers collecting mushrooms for Christmas dinners. ■ ight ee n were buried and feired dead. The broken body of \ap 8-year-old girl was the first to jie recovered from the humid, / da¥k passageways of the grotto. About 150 persons from the village of Zichen-Zussen-Bolder, in try on the Dutch border, were the northeast corner of the coungathering mushrooms when the disaster struck. Most clawed and scrambled their way to safety through passages and air shafts. Twelve were hospitalized with serious injuries. Dozens of others were treated at the site for cuts and bruises. Rescue teams from Holland and Belgium converged on the spot within a half hour of the alarm being given. But a police spokesman said “it would be a miracle of anyone is alive" under the tons of rubble which fell on the muddy floor in which mushrooms thrive. In the pall of dust hanging around the hillside, relatives of the trapped villagers prayed for the pre-Christmas miracle. The grotto consisted of about 120 U> 160 acres of caves and galleries in an abandoned quarry. The caves began to collapse over about 20 acres, probably from some earth movement caused by recent heavy rains. The walls of the quarry caved in sending a terrific whoosh of air through the entire workings. Mrs. Blanche Drake Is Taken By Death Decatur Lady Dies Monday At Hospital Funeral services will be held Wednesday for Mrs. Blanche O. Drake, 65, of <O2l Indiana street, who died at 1:10 o'clock Monday afternoon at the Adams county memorial hospital. She had been in failing health for the past three years. She was bom in Elwood April 2, 1893, a daughter of John A. and Jane Ogle-Smith, and was married to ‘ Theodore A. Drake Oct. 24, 1915. She was a resident of Decatur most of her life. .Her husband died Dec. 3, 1955. Surviving are one daughter, Miss Helen F. Drake of Decatur: one son, Clyde E. Drake of Decatur; two grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Frank Clingenpeel of Decatur; three half-brothers, Charles and John Smith of Columbus, and Lyndal Smith of Indianapolis, and a half-sister. Miss Esther Smith of Indianapolis. One brother preceded her in death. Services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Wednesday at the Zwick funeral home, the Rev. Gerald Gerig officiating. Burial will be in the Salem cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home until time of the services. Fort Wayne Mayor Not To Seek Reelection FORT WAYNE, Ind. (UPD — Mayor Robert E. Myers, .Republican, announced Monday he will not seek re-election to the $11,500-a-year-job when his term expires Dec. 31, 1959. Mayor for six years and former president of the Itidiaha Municipal League, Myers said he will return to private law practice. . ----- 30 Pages % -

Suspend Business On Christmas Day Church Services Mark Observance Christmas day in Decatur will be marked by family gatherings, church services celebrating the birth of the Infant Jesus, and a general suspension of business all day Thursday. ' Decatur retail stores, which have . been open nightly for the past 10 days for the convenience of holiday shoppers, will close early Wednesday evening, varying from 5 to 6 o’clock,' and will stay closed all day Thursday, enabling owners and ; employes to spend Christmas Eve ' and Christmas day with their fam- > ilies. Federal, county and city offices will be closed all day Thursday, as will the First State Bank, in addii tion to steres and offices. The De- ■ '•■atur Daily Democrat will not pub- ■ lish an edition Thursday. The birth of Jesus Christ will be celebrated at the St. Mary’s Catholic church, openingtwith a solemn ■ high mass at 5 o’clock. Eight continuous masses will follow, with high mass at 10 o'clock concluding the services. Confessions will be heard after 7 o’clock this evening, from 2:30 to 4:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, and after 7 p.m. Wednesday. A Christmas Eve children’s service will be held at the Zion Lutheran church at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and Christmas services will be at 1 9 o’clock Thursday morning. Special Christmas Eve night ■ watch services will be held Wednesday night at the First Presbyterian, First Methodist, Zion Evangelical and Reformed, and Bethany Evangelical United Brethren churches. Methodist Pastor ! ■ Is Lions Speaker . Rev. Hazen Sparks Is Speaker Monday Christmas means that "God is with us, that he has come to visit the human race,” the Rev. Hazen Sparks, pastor of the First Methodist church, told the Decatur Lions club Monday night. Rev. Sparks was introduced by i program fchairman Clyde E. Butler. Herman Krueckebdbg presided at the meeting during the ab- \ sence of president Glenn Hill. t Christmas cards from former Dei catur Lions Dick Kershner of Florit da and the Rev. Edgar P. Schmidt of Lincoln, Neb., were read. Guest I John Dorwin was introduced. [ Christmas is one of the great - celebrations of the human race, Rev. Sparks explained. It has f stood the test of time for nearly • 2,000 years, and while the dates customs have not always been the same, it is still basically Christmas. “Just what does Christmas mean - to us?” he continued. “Bright f lights, a tree in the corner, doll , buggies, a red wagon, roast turkey, children and grandchildren coming home for a few days’ visit, ; carols, gifts—and very much more. “The first Christmas seemed at first a very ordinary event—a man ; and his wife going to list themselves for taxes; a “no vacancy” sign at the inn; a mother and .her newborn babe. But here there enters a new note, as it is seen that . God has come down to dwell with man, that angels announce his arrival. that God sympathizes with mankind. Sympathy is two hearts tugging at the same load. “When is Christmas? It is when people are aware of the nearness or omnipresence of God. Like the old Negro woman answering from 1 her small cabin on the hill, ‘Nobody’s here but me and Jesus.’ Or ! as when a farm family was burned out, the neighbor called in the unfortunate farmer, and offered him one of his brood sows, saying, ‘this is my part of your loss’.” In conclusion, he stated, “Christmas is really the time that God is seen as being with us.”

Blows Up In Midst Os 500 Spectators 1 Transport And Truck Collide, Resulting Fire Causes Blast I BROWNFIELD, Tex. (UPD — A butane gas trapsport truck . blew up Monday night in the i midst of 500 persons standing as - close to it as 10 feet. Spectators I said flames shot 1,000 feet into > the air and the blast blew chunks . of red hot metal two miles. The explosion killed four per- . sons and, injured 168. Most of the . injured were treated for burns . and sent home, but at least 63 remained in hospitals, some in critical condition. The tragedy started with a wreck between the butane transport and a trailer truck. There was a small explosion, probably of gasoline, when the trucks collided, and a fire. The Brownfield volunteer fire department rushed to the scene ’ and spectators gathered. Fifteen minutes after the wreck and original explosion, the powerful butane gas on the truck blew up. “An Awful Roar” “About 20 of us firemen were . on the south side of it, all within , 20 feet,” volunteer fireman Philip lip Thompson said. “Suddenly there was an awful t roar and it seemed like the whole . sky was on fire. I was knocked . down, then I was up and run- , ning. I don’t know where—just , running. , “A boy passed me running hard. His clothes were on fire. I jerked some of his clothes off and put out the fire.” Thompson was wearing a heavy fireman’s coat and trousers over his regular clothing. His clothing inside the firemen's coat and trousers got “scorching hot,” but he escaped with minor burns. Nathan Cox of Lubbock, who works in Brownfield, was standing 10 feet from the cab of the transport when it exploded. s “It was a horrible explosion,” t he said. “My jacket and jeflns i kept the flame off my body but - my hands and hair were on fire, s We tried to beat the fire out on each other (spectators). Then we r fell into a ditch that was full of - sand. We rolled in the sand and . threw it all over ourselves to put . the fire out.” Seen 80 Miles Away The victims included the volun- . teer fire marshal, Jim Cousineau, ■ about 45, who earned his living as an electrical engineer; Ruben Johnson, about 50, of Lubbock; i Wayland Parker, about 45, and J.B. Ray. ! Parker, a farmer, was a volun- ’ teer fireman. Johnson and Ray , were spectators. ’ The injured overflowed the local hospital and ambulances and automobiles rushed them to hospitals in Lubbock, Levelland and 1 Lamesa, about 40 miles away. ‘ Residents of Lubbock, Muleshoe and Big Spring reported seeing the flash of the explosion. Big ' Spring is 80 miles from Brownfield. The explosion knocked out Brownfield’s power supply and 1 there was no power for more than ; an hour. It blew out windows all over town. The glass in a. filling station two blocks away simplydisappeared. : j Continued on page five I •- 1 • - 'V; - -4— 571 1 / I r»,_ 1 Al Hr

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