Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 17, Decatur, Adams County, 21 January 1959 — Page 1

Vol, LVII. No. 17.

PRESIDENT GREETS PRESlDENT— President Eisenhower shakes hands with Dr. Arturo Frondizi, President of Argentina as the South American executive arrived at Washington National Airport. Dr. Frondizi was accompanied by his wife (center) on a fourday state visit.

Annual Report Is tad On City Finances Electric Operating Fund Shows Profit During Year Os 1958 The annual city report of the Decatur clerk-treasurer, showing the receipts, disbursements, and balances of all the Decatur city] funds, was delivered today for publication by Mrs. Miriam Hall,-clerk-treasurer. Taking all the funds together, Decatur is worth more today than it was a year ago, although individual funds vary considerably. Light Ptant The Decatur electric operating fund climbed from a deficit of $36,293.6 to a profit of $17,124.04 for 1958. The electric depreciation fund also grew from $242.248.39 to -$264,304.17. The electric utility sinking fund was $29,631 - 55; and at the end of the year was $29,294.05; the eleetirc meter deposit fund went from 517,425.15 to $18,015.15. The city water department saw the operating fund balance grow from $35,912.35 to $53,442.37; the depreciation fund from $10,833.56 to $17,986.37; the water bond and* interest redemption fund from $8,062.74 to $8,404.03. The Decatur sewage works, starting the year with no money, had $6,951.23 in the operating fund at the year’s end. The depreciation fund was $2,000; and the sewage works sinking fund decreased from $57,267.33 to $28,541.43, Sewage Treatment The Decatur sewage treatment plant construction fund had a balanc eof $159,025.28 at the year's start, and ended with $156,223.35. Indebtedness of the city existed in four bond issues.- The general obligation bonds of 1952, issued at 1% per cent, to build sewers, and maturing Jan. 1, 1967, still amounted to $67,000. > Three revenue issues exist: the 2V<% light plant improvement bonds issued in 1951 and maturing July 1, 1976, for $700,000; the 2%% waterworks improvement bonds of 1950, maturing July 1, 1970, for $51,000; and the 4.956% sewage treatment plant bonds, issued in 1957, payable Jan. 1, 1990, amounting to $925,000. Total bond indebtedness: $1,743,000. This is offset by considerable property holdings at the JJecatur light and water plants, sewers, and city buildings, and the total aihount in the various funds of the city. _____ General Fund The general fund had a cash balance of $91,520.59 Jan. 1, 1958, and received $142,877.95 during the year, with $158,375.34 expended, for a net cash balance of $76,023.20 on Dec. 31. The city parks showed a decrease from the $3,655.47 at the beginning of the year to $470.24 at the end. The recreation department reversed this, however, with a cash balance of $793.68 at the beginning of the year, and $8,987.23 at the end. The parking meter fund, as of Jan.. 1. 1958. had $5,884.70, and at the end of the year had $5,433.64. Two policemen’s salaries and parking meter repairs are paid from this fund. The revolving sewer fund, used for construction of new sewers, rose from $9,503.14 io $10,390.14. The city dog fund expanded from $99.77 to $264.77, mostly from the issuance of dog licehses. The special fire fighting fund, in- I eluding all payments received 1 from fighting rural fires, shrunk I Continued on page five j

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Gross Income Tax Statistics Shown Growth Os State Tax Is Revealed Statistics on the Indiana gross income tax for the period 1953-6 show that in 1953, 6,853 persons turned in salary, wages, fees, bonuses and commissions amounting to more than sl9 million, while in 1956 a total of 7,294 persons filed $24,459,918, all at 1%. Those figured at 44% and >4% add to the general total. The report shows the growth of the state gross income tax from its birth in the last half of 1933, when $4,419,845.01 was collected in the state, to 1958, when the tax totaled $186,745,419.55. During the first full year of tax collections, 1934, $11,904,216.58 was collected. This was during the depth of the depression, and the figure hit the s2omillions in 1937-41; S3O millions 1942-3; S4O millions, 1944-6; S6O millions, 1948; S7O millions, 1949-50; SBO millions, 1951; S9O millions, 1952; SIOO millions, 1953-6; $l2O millions, 1956; $l4O millions, 1957; and SIBO nullions. 1958. 1953 Figures 1 In 1953 in Adams county, in the income group taxable at 1%, 6.853 reports were filed, representing $19,481,224 in salary, etc.; this included $750,876 in non-tax-able income; $6,225,790 in exempi tions; and a gross income tax liaI bility of $226,126. In the 44% group, 448 reports, representing a gross income of $18,513,906>. with $1,404,265 nontaxable, and exemptions of sl,007,229, the tax liability was SBO,512. In the group taxed at 14% 2,339 reports were filed in 1953, representing income of $33,466,932, with non-taxable income of $11,735,076 and exemptions of $1,197,338 and a total tax of $51,336. The breakdown of the 44% group showed that the 85 wholesaling reports had the biggest gross income tax liability—s2s,146; agriculture, with 2,156 reports paid a tax of $20,719; manufacturing, with 13 reports, paid a tax of $3,019; and unclassified, with 85 reports, paid taxes of $2,453. In 1953, agricultural income groups submitted ,2,156 reports, representing a gross income of $10,931,211; manufacturing, 13 reports, representing a gross income of $4,175,085; and wholesaling, 85 reports, with $17,674,078 gross income; unclassified income taxable at 44% amount to 85 reports, with a value of $1,286,558. Breakdown in 1954 In 1954 the number of reports decreased slightly for the 1% group, to 6,757, but both the income and the tax was up. The 44% reports increased from 448 to 450, with gross income up $2 million, and the tax up about $6,000. At 44% 2,299 reports Were submitted, compared with 2,339 a year earlier, and the tax for this group was down $2,000. The 1954 breakdown of the 44% group shows tshat agricultural reports decreased slightly from 2,156 to 2,138, that Income was off a few hundred thousand dollars, and the tax was off about S7OO. Manufacturing reports in 1954 increased from 13 0 15, with gross profits up fronys4.l million to $6.9 million, a nd/'the tax up $2,000. Wholesaling reports decreased from 85 to 77, business was off $6 million, and the tax went down $5,000, to lust slightly more than the agrciultural tax. Unclassified also dropped from 85 to 69, but paid more tax. 1955 Report Tn 1955 the number of reports at 1% continued declining, with onlv 6.377 reports; but wages hit the S2O million mark, and the tax increased to $236,000. The 44% group [ (Continued o® peg* seven)

Ike's Budget Critics Lashed By President Eisenhower Denies Political Motives In Fiscal Budget By MERRIMAN SMITH UPI White House Reporter WASHINGTON (UPI) — President Eisenhower said today that Democratic congressional critics of his 77-billion-dollar balanced budget were suffering from what he called budgetary schizophrenia. He* said they were on all sides of the' budget. The President made it plain he would not have any part of making his budget a political football. He told his news conference that the Democratic attacks on his budget came from so many different angles that he could not escape the conclusion that his opponents were suffering from budgetary schizophrenia. (Webster’s New International Dictionary defines schizophrenia as ”a type of psychosis characterized by loss of contact with the environment and by disintegration of the personality. It includes dementia praecox and some related forms of insanity.”) Eisenhower firmly rejected the idea, as voiced Tuesday night by Senate Democratic Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, that his budget was politically motivated and invalid. Despises Economic Controls The President also provided these other news highlights: —The Navy Department and the and Welfare are looking into the possibility of providing public school education for at least some of the more than 5,000 children of armed forces personnel in Norfolk, Va., where the schools are closed in an effort to prevent court-ordered integration. —ln response to a question, Eisenhower said he would like to see repealed the constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two terms. This would not apply to him, but he said he thought Americans should have the right to choose whom they please for the presidency. —He said he despised the prospect of economic controls to combat inflation, but that if the American people did not exercise discipline and a mounting inflation resulted, something would have to be done. He said, however, he had no specific controls in mind. Will Explore Peace Plans —He reported being assured Tuesday night by one of the most important Senate Democrats that Continued on page five Report Credit Union Short $1.7 Million Examiner Os State Reports To Court ALBION, IND. — Eugene J. Parker, special representative of tiie state department of financial institutions, reported Tuesday that toe deficiency in the Noble county Credit Union was $1,717r 468.14 as of Sept. 13, 198. His report to Judge Kenneth A. King stated that an audit now going on is not completed and that the total could be revised up or down before it becomes final. Arnold Hobbs, 32, former manager of the credit union, has been named in 21 indictments charging embezzlement of a total of $78.800. He is held in jail under bond of $171,400. _ Completion of toe audit is awaiting verification of all Joan and share accounts. Parker said 767 of 2,600 accounts still must be verified. He reported liabilities of $2,960,24 and assets of $1,242,777. The assets do not include Hobbs’ personal and business property, which he voluntarily signed over to his creditors. The auditors are awaiting a ruling from toe Indiana attorney general on whether loans from other credit unions and trust funds which were handled by the credit union should be treated as preferred accounts. State law prohibits credit unions from handling trust funds. An attorney for Edwin Cambridge, former examiner for toe state department, who is accused of being an accessory after the fact, filed a motion to quash that charge. He argued that detection of fraud is not the responsibility of an examiner but belongs to toe credit union’s committees. : Arraignment of Cambridge and three other persons charged as accessories before toe fact was set for Jan. 28. Arraignment of Hobbs on the seventh of the indictments against him was set for

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, January 21, 1959.

Ice Storm Hits City And Area; All Os Rural Schools Closed Today

Worst Winter Blizzard Hits Midwest Area Blocks Hundreds Os Highways And Roads, Stalls City Traffic CHICAGO (UPI) — The worst blizzard of the winter slammed across.toe Midwest today and tornadic* winds swept parts of Dixie. The blizzard dumped heavy snow from toe Rockies to the eastern Great Lakes, blocked hundreds of highways and secondary roads, virtually stalled traffic in big cities and closed countless schools in at least eight states. South of toe massive snowstorm, torrential rains unleashed flood waters in Indiana and washed wide areas of the South. A small tornado struck Yokena, Miss., demolishing a church and several barns and knocking out utility lines. There was no report of injuries. L Bitter cold speared deep into the Plains in toe wake of the blizzard, sending the mercury to 25 degrees below zero at Drummont, Mont., and Alamosa, Cqlo., and to sub-zero readings at Denver, Colo., and Omaha, Neb. Many Schools Closed Wind gusts up to 65 miles an hour whipped the five to 12 inch snow into deep drifts across the blizzard belt. In many areas, freezing rain or sleet pushed ahead of toe snow storm, slicking highways and downing power and communication lines. "* All schools in metropolitan Kansas City, private schools jn St. Louis, scores of schools in toe Chicago metropolitan area, and hundreds of schools elsewhere in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, lowa, Michigan, Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma were closed today. Many Indiana schools south of the snow belt were closed because torrential rains, ranging up to Scinches at Scottsburg, caused creeks to overflow and block highways. The storm took a mounting toll of lives, many on highways glazed with ice or packed with snow. Illinois and Indiana each reported 3 weather-caused deaths, New Mexico and lowa 2 each, and Kansas and Oklahoma 1 each, for a total of 12. A farm couple and their two children died early today near Low Moor, lowa, as the snow (Continued en page six)

Chamber Os Commerce Urges Full Discussion Mr. Dick D. Heller, Jr. Editor Decatur Daily Democrat — Decatur, Indiana Dear Mr. Heller: ■ The reporting by your paper of the proceedings of the 1959 annual meeting of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, held jointly with the Lions and Rotary club, covering the information presented was factual and to the point. No doubt, your many readers, as well as the approximate 300 citizens present at the meeting, are a bit more informed on the matter of the proposed sale of the Decatur electric utility. The directors of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce in our first board meeting in 1959 held last night, January 19, authorized me to restate the position of the Chamber as it pertains to our interest in this matter of vital importance to the city of Decatur, principally being “To facilitate intelligent discussion of/and concerted action upon matters of public concern” as prescribed in our by-laws, article No. 1, section No. 3. Beyond this,-the Chamber has taken no position in the matter. We, therefore, encourage the dissemination of all available facts and information either through the Decatur Daily Democrat or in so-called town hall meetings as you propose in your editorial comment. Yours truly, . XG. W. Auer, President ——— ——— Decatur Chamber of Commerce P.S.—A copy of this letter is being sent to Robert J. Gage, 728 N. sth Street, Decatur, Indiana, whom you indicate is the spokesman for the committee opposed to the sale. G. W. Auer.

Says United Stales Ready To Negotiate No Pushing Around On Cold War Deals WASHINGTON (UPI) - President Eisenhower, said today he hoped Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas I. Mikoyan took back to the belief that toe United States really wants peace but won’t be pushed around in any cold-war negotiations. The President told a news conference that the United States is Willing to negotiate any time, anywhere with Russian leaders and to match reasonableness with reasonableness. He said that he believed Mikoyan left this country with that impression. In answer to a question, toe President said he didn’t know whether it would be a good idea for Vice President Richard M. Nixon to visit Russia. But Eisenhower added that be thought any visits of public officials to foreign countries were all to the good. Eisenhower said that all the U.S. business leaders, professors and scientists who had visited Russia had come back with a report that the Russian people Want peace just as earnestly and sincerely as do toe Americans. ?To him, that fact had great bope, Eisenhower said. Asked what he thought were the motives for Mikoyan’s visit, toe . President said he believed the Sovit official probably wanted to see two or three things for himself. One was to get a better, idea of whether the executive and legislative branches of this governmnt were talking the same language on foreign policy. Another was whether the business community, and in fact the yhole population, was completely unhappy with government foreign policies and wanted them changed. Eisenhower said in effect that Mikoyan did not give any hint that toe Kremlin was ready to make concessions on Berlin or the future of Germany. Mikoyan claimed that every single proposition that the Kremlin has advanced had peaceful purposes and that we are negative and rigid when we do not accept them, Eisenhower said. The President said he made clear to Mikoyan that the United States was ready to negotiate anywhere, any time as long as there was a reasonable chance of advancing the cause of peace. But the President added that it Continued on page five

Vote To Send Labor Measures To House Floor Majority Democrats Send Repeal, Reform Measures To House INDIANAPOLIS (UPD—Majority Democrats, split down the middle over a proposed "union reform” bill to soften the effects of “right to work” repeal, voted in caucus today to send the repeal and amended reform bills to the Indiana House floor with a recommendation they be passed. A long caucus ending at noon, which postponed resumption of House business all morning, resulted in a vote to sustain the . labor committee’s report by what . floor leader Donald Foltz of Clin- , ton said was “a little better than two to one.” The labor committee in a long . meeting Tuesday night voted to [ report out both bills, the reform : bill with amendments comprom- , mising the original measure as ini troduced by Rep. Joe Harris (DOsrlisle). "We’re all Democrats but we do differ on some things,” said Har- , ris, explaining the split in the , ranks which found some Democrats wanting no reform, others favoring the original Harris bill, and others favoring an amended bill. i The bills were expected to be ■ handed out of Harris’ labor com- ■ mittee this afternoon in prepara- ■ tion for a showdown later. Amendments added in the night • session included elimination of ! criminal penalties for misappror priation of union funds, eliminai tion of a provision forcing unons i to make annual financial reports to the state labor commissioer, t and addition of clauses prohibiting t membership discrimination and > retaliation against members for > crticising unon officers. Meanwhile, Sen. S. Hugh Dillin ' (D-Petersburg) charged that the -'lndiana Right to Work Committee, I Inc., spent $218,013 in Indiana dur- ■ ing the past-few years and failed L to give a proper accounting of j contributors and expenditures. Dil- ? lin protested the appearance of I that organization’s representatives ■ before the Senate, including a k “ • [ Contirtued- on page five Commissioners In Regular Session Highway Claims Os Month Are Allowed The Adams county commissioners met in a regular session at the court house and allowed the county highway claims for the month. Coal bids for the Adams county homfc. -CountyJail, county, garage, and court house, were received and approved by the members of “ the board. Three bids were received, two of which were awarded. Burk Elevator company was awarded two car-loads at $13.75 per ton, and the Monroe Farm Bureau Co-op was awarded one car-load at $13.68 per ton. One other bid submitted, from the Monroe Grain and Supply company at $13.70 per ton. Ervin "Bud” Werling, a representative of the Civilian Building & Supply, Inc., of Fort Wayne discussed preliminary floor plans for the proposed Adams county garage building which is to be built in Monroe at a later date. No decision or specifications were directly decided on, but another floor plan with minor changes is to be presented next Monday at the next session. Two men from the southern part of Adams county were recently admitted to the Adams county home on a recommendation by William Linn, poor relief investigator. Robert S. Anderson, local attorney, was retained by the commissioners as the county attorney. An'derson will take office February 1 to continue his normal duties.

Pioneer Film Maker Dies This Morning CfecilDeMille Dies After Brief Illness HOLLYWOOD (UPD— Cecil B. DeMille, pioneer movie-maker and producer of many of filmtown’s great epics, died of heart seizure at his home this morning after a week’s illness. He was 77. "He died almost in his sleep,” a friend said. At his side when he succumbed were his daughter, Cecelia, son-in-law Joseph Harper, and his physician, Dr. Hans Schiff. Producer of “The Ten Commandments,” and scores of other movies, DeMille was bedded last ’ week following a heart “condition” and circulation problems, ; according to Schiff. “It was a case of tru? heart failure,” he ’ said. “It just gave up.” Wife Not Told h DeMille had been in delicate • health since his return Dec. 23 1 from a two-week tour to New Orleans, Atlanta and New York : plugging his company’s most re- ' cent picture, “The Buccaneer,” ■ which was directed by another ' son-in-law, Anthony Quinn. His widow, Constance, who was ' considerably older than her husband, was ill and in bed at 5:30 ’ a.m. when DeMille died. Members of the family said they would seek her doctor’s advice before telling Mrs. DeMille of her husband’s passing. Uiey were married 56 years. “We're afraid to tell her because she is so old,” a friend said. "It might cause another tragedy.” The movie Titan died in a bedroom of his 15-room mansion on DeMille Drive, a few blocks from Griffith Park in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles. The huge Mediterranean - type home commands a view of the sprawling city he helped make famous. He had lived in the home for more Continued on page five Breakins Reported As Monroe, Berne Little Loot Taken In Three Breakins Two safes were heavily damaged in three reported breakins which occurred late last night and early today in three business establishments in the southern part of Adams county. Two places in Monroe and one service station in Berne were victims of the apparent amateurs who attempted to obtain money by illegal means. Three persons from Fort Wayne, two 17 years old and an adult 29 years of age, were taken into cus- . tody in Berne by the Adams coun- . ty sheriff’s department and the . Berne police department for questioning, but were later released for insufficient evidence. Sheriff Merle Affolder, deputy Robert Meyer and Berne police J officers, Karl Sprunger and Alr fred Zumbrum, investigated - the following incidents. A Sunoco service station located ’ at the north edge of Berne on U.S. 27 was believed the first victim of the thieves. A window glass on the south side was broken, but nothing was’ known to be missing. The incident occurred sometime near 1 o’clock this morning. The three suspects taken Into custody later by the investigating officers, were observed in the downtown area of Berne. The two teenagers were seen walking the streets, while the third was driving his car around the city. The Farm Bureau Elevator in Monroe reported a breakin at 7:20 a.m. today to the sheriff’s department. Deputy Robert Meyer, who investigated, stated that the thieves entered the building on the north side by prying open the outside door. They then entered the, office door, which was unlocked? and removed several small articles from the building such as cigarettes, cigars, gloves, and choco- , late milk. Approximately $lO in small articles were stolen from the (Continued on page four)

Six Cenh

Telephone And Light Service Are Disrupted Decatur Partially Isolated; Ice Storm Hits Communications An estimated 600 telephones were out of commission in the county this morning and more than 100 persons were without electricity as the year’s first ice storm struck Monday night. One city mail carrier, Harold Thieme, fell on the ice at 409 Jefferson street, across from the high school, and was taken to the Adams county memorial hospital about 8:30 o’clock this morning for x-rays to see if his leg was broken. _ A partial circuit, serving the southwest part of Decatur and part of the southeast, including the Homestead, was without electricity for about two hours during the night. The line towards Schmitt Packing company on highway 27 was out, and numerous side lines in Root and Union township, effecting more than 100 homes, were out. The 13 city maintenance men began work at 11:30 o’clock last night to put the lines back in order, No poles were down, but a number of limbs had fallen across the lines to individual homes and on side power lines. All the schools in the county except Decatur public and parochial schools were reported closed, including Adams Central, Berne, Geneva, Hartford Center, Monmouth, and Pleasant Mills. No report was given on Jefferson, Blue Creek, or parochial schools outside of Decatur, but they are presumed closed. Four of 17 telephone circuits to Fort Wayne were in operation by 8 o’clock this morning, and palls were limited to three minutes each to speed service. A total of 16 rural service calls, eight city calls, and five from Berne indicated that as many as 500 to 600 telephones might be out of service this morning. All Fort Wayne circuits were expected to be back in operation by evening, and no poles were reported down as yet. The Decatur city schools reported that the city school buses all ran, but were a little late, and no tardiness was counted. Attendance was off about 15%, a survey of the schools showed. The Union township bus did not run. __ The electricity did not go off at the Adams county memorial hospital, and business there was reported a s normal .Sever al li mbs fell in the yard „as the result of the ice and wind. A number of cars were reported in the ditch by those who braved the weather and came into town. Cletus Gillman, who lives- about (Oanttimued on page four) INDIANA WEATHER Freezing rain and sleet extreme northwest, rain and scattered thunderstorms east and south, changing to snow entire state this afternoon and tonight. Wind becoming 25 to - 35 miles per hour and much colder this afternoon and tonight with cold wave south- £ west. Low tonight ranging from near 5 above extreme north to around 10 above extreme south. Thursday cloudy north, some snow flurries except chance of locally heavy snow squalls near Lake Michigan, partly cloudy south, windy and cold. Highs Thursday . 15 to 22. Sunset today 5:52 , p. m. CDT. Sunrise Thursday * —4 a. m. CDT. Outlook for Friday: Partly cloudy, quite cold. Snow flurries north. Lows Thursday night 5 below north to around 5 above south. High Friday 5 to It north, It to 15 south.