Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 29, Decatur, Adams County, 4 February 1959 — Page 1

Vol. LVII. No. 29.

65 Die In Jet Airliner Crash

Ike Challenges Democrats To Raise Taxes

WASHINGTON (UPI) President Eisenhower challenged Democratic congressional leaders today to raise taxes if they pass costly housing and airport bills. The President told a news conference that raising taxes would be the only straight-forward thing to do if the Democratic leaders insist on what he called reckless spending programs such as their pending housing and airport construction bills. He emphasized that he does not believe the United States wants higher taxes unless there is some emergency which demands them. The President opened his meeting with reporters by volunteering an attack on the Democratic housing and airport bills. Both call for much larger spending than his own programs. In other highlights of his news conference the President: —vry —Said Russia's detention of five US. servicemen and four trucks on a check point west of Berlin is a violation of implied and explicit four-power agreements. He said this country is lodging a vigorous protest with the Soviet Union. —Made clear that he strongly opposes any extreme civil rights legislation. He said it would be wicked to set up a federal police force to see that citizens carry out their responsibilities as to school integration and other civil rights. —Praised Virginia officials, par-, ents and white students for the orderly manner in which school integration was started Monday in Arlington and Norfolk. —Expressed skepticism at new Russian boasts of possessing intercontinental missiles with hydrogen warhead that can pinpoint targets in this country and which make U.S. weapons obsolete. He recalled that the Russians in the past have bragged falsely that they invented the flying machine, automobile and telephone. He asked why their boasts on weapons should be believed in light of their unfounded claims about the other inventions. He called it propaganda. —Noted that there was an absolutely successful firing of a U.S. Atlas ICBM earlier today. He said it went a way in a very good performance. —With an over-all reference to US. and Russian relative military strength, he said this country has a much more balanced defense organization than the Russians.- U. S. retaliatory power is good and cannot be knocked out by any single Russian surprise assault, no matter how massive. The President held his news conference shortly before leaving for a weekend vacation at the Thomasville, Ga., estate of former Treasury Secretary George M. Humphrey.

Taxpayers Share In Surplus

INDIANAPOLIS (UPD—Republicans in the Indiana Legislature proposed today that the state share with gross income taxpayera any revenue surpluses above 45 million dollars in the state general fund. Sen. C.W. Martin (R-Indianapo-Ife) and Rep. Cable Ball (R-Lafay-ette) said they would introduce administration bills to give tax credits to taxpayers whenever possible. But observers said there was no indication the general fund would in the near future. The surplus now is about 32 million dollars, and thfe budgetmakers indicated in earlier reports that it would not exceed 45 million during the biennium ending the middle of 1961. The plan was believed to have been first suggested several years ago by John Peters, who then Was state treasurer and now heads the State Highway Depart?, ment. It calls for a 5 per cent tax credit when the surplus exceeds 45 millions on June 30 of any year, 6 per cent when the surplus exceeds 50 millions and 10 per cent when it exceeds 55 millions. The governor would issue a proclamation informing taxpayers the amount of credit due them, and they would deduct the amount from their gross income tax returns. Earlier, a representative of a trading stamp, firm changed that

DECATUR DAITA DEMOCRAT

• Third Grade Pupils l. To Circus Saturday r J When the circus comes to town, . children just naturally hear about . it. The Adams county Shrine club will do more than just let ; the children hear of it, because ; this group is sponsoring its sev- > enth annual trip to the Shrine circus at Fort Wayne Saturday ■ for all third grade pupils in the • county. More than 500 children in 13 1 buses will leave central locations ' for the two-hour “fun” program, 10 a. m.-12. The Adams county 1 Shriners will supply the tickets. _ At Geneva, Herman Bixler will , be in charge of the buses sched- ' uled to leave at 8 a. m. Saturday. Luther Yager and Ralph Kem i will handle the loading at Berne ; at 8:15, while Sheldon Wagley and William Reichart will supervise the Adams Central buses at 8:15. Robert Krick and Weldon Bumgerdner will aid the children at the Decatur Catholic loading point at 8:30. The Lincoln school i departing point will have Robert Yost, Thurman Drew, and Clyde Butler helping at 8:30. Also at > 8:30, the Monmouth buses will have True Andrews and George Mac Lean to assist. Sim Burk will watch over the Pleasant Mills loading at 8:30. The Vera Cruz school will also participate. Parents are requested to provide a snack lunch or lunch money for the children, because the buses are not due to return until 1:30 p. m. Teachers at the various schools are invited to accompany the convoy. Dr. Bixler Suffers Second Heart Attack Dr. N- A. Bixler, well known Decatur optometrist, is reported doing as well as can be expected at the Adams county memorial hospital this afternoon where he was taken at 2:10 o’clock this morning following a second heart attack. Dr. Bixler suffered a minor attack yesterday, and was at his home this morning when the second attack occurred. He was placed in oxygen at the hospital. Dr. Bixler is president of the Decatur library board, an active member of the Decatur Lions club, and very active in state optometrical circles. He helped found the Indiana university optometrical library.

-a bill in the Legislature would • “mean the end for us.” j “This bill would put us out of - business in Indiana,” former State » Sen. Richard Ellis, Kokomo, tes- - tified as the Senate Public Policy Committee held a public hearing - on Senate Bill 51. The measure, co-authored by > Sens. Albert Wesselman (R- --: Evansville) and Von Eichhorn (D- • Uniondale), would impose a state tax on trading stamps and require > that they be redeemed for cash I as well as merchandise. A similar . bill failed to pass the 1957 Genera] - Assembly. Ellis, representing the Sperry & - Hutchinson Co., pointed out that > 20t4 million persons in this coun- - try save his firm’s S & H green stamps. He said a survey backed • by Indiana University revealed s that 80 per cent of the housewives iin Indianapolis save trading r stamps and the statewide average is 66 per cent. ’ “The stamps do not cost the : housewife one penny,” Ellis said, i “They are an effortless, painless ' and costless way for her to save.” ; Buy From Hoosiers EUis cited figures which he said . prove that his-firm “more than i pays its cost of government.” He i said the S & H company redeemed , about four .million dollars worth t of stamps in Indiana in 1958, but ■ at the same time purchased more than six and a half million dolars i worth of merchandise from Indi- ; ana manufacturers.

City Passes Ordinance On Utility Vote A new city ordinance to submit the electric property sale question to the people of Decatur was passed unanimously by the Decatur city council Tuesday night, after they repealed the former ordinance calling for the election to be held Feb. 24. The passage of the city ordinance removed the last stuinbling block now visible between the people of th® c Ry and their chance to make a decision on the question, tentatively set for April ■ 14. Last spring Ihdiana-Michigan ; offered to buy the electric utility ’ and its lines from me city. A full investigation of the local power ’ situation was made by ConsoerTownsend and Associates. The city council and city officials studied the program carefully. After the study of the report and the offer, Mayor Robert D. Cole announced that the people of • Decatur should be given the facts, and then allowed to vote on the migxcfion To accomplish this, the city council and Indiana-Michigan ‘ drew up specific terms of sale on ' Sept. 16, and the council ratified them. Then the city administration circulated a petition to submit the offer to a special election. Opponents of the sale also circulated a similar petition. On Dee. 2 an ordinance calling , for an election, and setting up a calendar based on state law, was passed. A dispute then arose between 1 some county officials and the city as to whether the county officials had any function in calling and : holding such election, and certain duties incidental to calling and holding the election were not performed. ■This nonperformance cast doubt, as for as the attorneys for Indi-ana-Michigan and the city were concerned, on the validity of an / election held on Feb. 24, so the ordinance calling for the election qn that date was repealed, and Tuesday night's ordinance substituted. The- ordinance conformed with the agreement reached by Indi-ana-Michigan attorneys • during the past two weeks with the county and city officials concerned. BULLET IN WASHINGTON (UPI) — The House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee today approved a bill to make Hawaii the 50th state in the union. The vote was 25-4.' Rep. Leo W. O’Brien (D-N. Y.), acting committee chairman, said he hoped the House would pass the bill before the Easter recess starts March 26, or soon thereafter.

“The firm I represent paid $58,000 in gross income taxes, SIO,OOO in property taxes and $3,000 in unemployment compensa- 1 tion in Indiana last year,” Ellis said. “If this bill becomes law, i we would be forced to discontinue i business in this state.” 1 Ellis also objected to a provi- j sion in the bill “which forces us to set up an impossible bookkeep- j ing system.” j Wesselman, chairman of the committee and . owner of a large , supermarket which does not give ' stamps, charged that the trading , stamp firms were a monopoly. “This is a bill to regulate monopoly,” Wesselman said, minutes ' after Eichhorn told the committee ’ "this is a bill to raise revenue.” ' ! State Senate Passes Flood Control Bill } INDIANAPOLIS (UPD — The 1 Indiana Senate passed 46-2 and - sent to the House late Tuesday a bill appropriating $1,250,000 for 1 flood control purposes for use with s federal funds in construction of ( Monroe Reservoir and dams on the 1 Mississinewa, Salamonie and Wa- s bash Rivers. 1 The bill (58217) provides that a million dollars shall be appropri- i ated for the reservoir near Bloom- < ington, and $250,000 for the river i dams. . 1 -1 ■. «

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, February 4, 1959.

Balances Paid On Federal Aid Roads • Balances on federal aid projects totaling $8,753.22 on two claims tor road completed in 1958 were paid recently by check, according to the Adams county commissioners and the county auditor Edward F. Jaberg. One claim calling for $7,402.40 for three miles of road on county road 4, of which two miles is located in Root township and the remaining mile in Union township; and the second claim for .95 at road completed in French township on county road 16 for $1,350.82 (the county’s payment), were paid recently by the auditor’s office. Adams county home supervisor, Frank Kitson, submitted his report for the month showing the total receipts for 26 persons totaled $568. 50. As of February 1, the home had 22 males and six females registered as residents. A letter was sent to the state highway department of Indiana, as requested, showing the total of road miles in Adams county, to help determine the allocation and distribution of motor vehicle highway funds. The report was submitted by Lawrence Noll, county highway supervisor, showing the total miles figured at 728:21. ' Richard D. Lewt on, Adams county clerk, requested the commissioners to purchase additional election bags for the city election. The request was made since ballots of elections are to be retained for a six-month period. Twentyfive bags would be needed to comply with the request. No action was taken. Lybarger Gravel company, of Geneva, submitted a report showing that the county has 8,530 cubic yards of gravel on hand at the two locations at the Gravel company land. Walter Gilliom, engineer, was asked to check the figures. It was also stated at Monday’s session, that all claims against the county for the month of January, were approved by the commissioners.

City’s School Program Aired

„ School interest was accelerated 1 in Decatur Tuesday night, as a large group of parents from the south part of town met in the Northwest elementary school to look over the building and discuss school buildings and problems. The Northwest P.T.A. acted as hosts for the meeting. The group met in the multi-pur-pose room of the new school, and was welcomed by superintendent of schools, W. Guy Brown. Hubert Zerkel, Jr., principal of the school, then conducted an informal tour, assisted by some of the teachers. The staff members of the school pointed out some of the features of the building, including points that teachers would notice while laymen would tend to miss. Returning to thte multi-purpose room, the group heard Brown tell of the surveys conducted by the P.T.A. and Indiana University before the Northwest school was constructed. The surveys advised a three-phase program; the first being the construction of the Northwest school, then the south building, followed by a-complete remodeling of the Lincoln building. Lots 88 and 89, south of Grant street near the Nickel Plate railroad, win be the site of the new south building. Some of the problems concerning the site were discussed, including the sewage question. It was pointed out that the construction of a school in the south part of town' is contingent on the construction of a new sewer under Grant street. Approaches will be another problem in the south school that weren’t evident in the Northwest site. As of flow, there is only a cinder street that approaches the lots from the north. There are no streets or alleys running through the lots. An entrance will also have to be constructed from the south, but right-of-ways have been purchased by the school board. The actual location of the building on the lots has not been decided. A lot of this will depend on the sewage available, drainage, and the judgment of the architect.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Allas Missile Is Fired Today By Air Force CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) — The Air Force fired its 20th intercontinental Atlas early today to close cut the key phase of the husky missile’s development. Aimed at a point about 4,300 miles down the Atlantic tracking range, the 80-foot rocket was the last in the Atlas “B” series. In this phase the Atlas was tested with all three of its powerful rocket engines, designed to give it a 6,300-mile boost. The firing followed by 11 hours the second attempt to fire the Atlas’ backup missile, the Titan ICBM. The Titan launching was thwarted at the last second when a malfunction developed in the 90foot missile. Floodlights pierced the clear sky as the Atlas blasted off at 3:01 a.m. e.s.t., shattering a thick ice coating formed by the sub-zero liquid oxygen in its tanks. Hie Atlas made a smooth start and climbed with gradually increasing speed into a star-filled sky. After about two and a half minutes the missile's two booster engines appeared to bum out as planned, and the Atlas continued under power for another full minute. An eerie, blue-and-white wreath effect was created just before engine burnout as the Atlas reached an extremely high altitude-prob-ably about 500 miles above the earth. . 1 Indianapolis Man On State Police Board INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — Governor Handley announced the appointment today of George W. Stark, Indianapolis, to fill the unexpired term on the Irtdiana State Police Board of Dewey D. Raper, Monticello, who resigned. Stark, who is president of the American Meat Institute, will serve until March 7, 1950.

Carl Bradley, of Bradley and Bradley, architect-, Fort Wayne, wel-known area school builder, was on hand, and made a short talk to the group. He explained in general, the job of the architect in a school project; to determine the needs of the building proposed, the facilities needed to make the building functional, and then de-" sign the finest and most pleasant looking building possible. Bradley stated that from preliminary talks with the school board, and south end patrons, the new school would generally follow the lines of the Northwest building. The south building will be two classrooms smaller than the Northwest school. Bradley showed drawings to the grbup of a different arrangement of the self-contained clasiroom, that both parents and teachers found very favorable. Following the formal program, a question and answer period was held. One of the questions asked was why the south building couldn’t be built larger, to take care of future children. It was pointed out that it would be ideal to build the building larger, and even add to the Northwest building, but that would entail waiting until conditions are crowded past the point of law. The question of floating a bond issue was raised, also. Again, the needs of the future tend to cancel the possibilities of a bond issue right now. That may be needed for the remodeling of thp Lincoln school, or additions to the North and South schools. The difficulty of selling bonds, and the expense of a building corporation were also pointed out. Refreshments were served by the officers of the Northwest P.T.A. during the informal question period, and several small groups formed to discuss different phases of the building. Toe school board. Brown and'Bradley stated that there would be mure meetings held in the future with prospective patrons of the south school. These meetings will be announced so that all interested parties can attend. A ; • — - -J- /

City Finance Reports Given

Financial statements by the city electric light pnd power department, the sewage department, and the water department, and an annual report by the street department, were made Tuesday night to the Decatur city council. The council meeting was attended by a representative committee from the seventh grade Mary civics club, formed at St. Joseph school by Sister M. Joan of Arc, C.S.A., seventh grade civics teacher. Prosecuting attorney Severin H. Schurger brought the group to the council, and introduced the council and city administration members to the young people: Those who attended were Patricia Powell, Ann Schurger, Joan Gase, Alice Voglewede, Mary Ann Holthouse, Fred Schurger, Allen Bender, Joe Hess and Bill Fullenkamp. Mayor Cole welcomed the group, and stated that in his three years and one month as mayor this was the first such group to visit the council. The entire council was very happy that the group made the visit, and anyone interested in city affairs was invited to attend the sessions which are regularly held the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Appointments Made Three appointments were also confirmed by the city council. Charles C.oud was reappointed to a four-year term on the board of zoning appeals; Chalmer Deßolt was appointed to the planning commission for four years; and Kenneth E. Hirschy was- reappointed for four years on the city planning ’ commission. .The city councilmen were invited to attend a special session at ’ 7 p.m. March 4 in the city council ! chamber on city planning. ’._ Amounts in the various city funds were: sewers, $12,019.16; ’ sewage construction, $156,223.35; 1 electric light, $47,713.69; water works, $59,464.65; revolving sewer, $10,390.14; general fund, $58,026.70; park fond, $420.24; street, $9,339.91. Street Report The street department report showed: 194 trees cut along city streets, most of the wood hauled to needy families; 274 loads of trash and tin cans were collected and hauled to the city dump. 46 dead dogs and cats, plus eight oppossums, were removed from the city streets; 1.067 tons of blacktop were used to pave 814 blocks of city street; 16,461 gallons of liquid asphalt were used to seal 26 blocks of streets and alleys; one block of cement concrete laid on Oak street, where asphalt did not hold. A total of 2,203 tons of crushed stone were hauled for new con-

Army Convoy Still Detained

HELMSTEDT, Germany (UPI) —The Soviet Embassy in East Berlin said today a U.S. Army convoy detained for two days at the East-West German border will not be permitted to cross the Iron Curtain until it submits to search by Communist border guards. At the same time, however, the Russians allowed another U.S. Army vehicle to pass unmolested through the Marienborn checkpoint this morning on the way to Berlin. A Soviet spokesman in East Berlin said the four-truck convoy halted by border guards Monday afternoon will stay at Marienborn until the Russians are permitted to inspect the trucks. A U.S. Army spokesman said the convoy’s orders not to permit inspection remained unchanged. A spokesman for the Soviet Embassy in East Berlin rejected repeatedU. S. demands for the release of the truck convoy and the five American soldiers in ft. It was the first outright rejection. Tuesday American protests were taken “under consideration.” Hie spokesman told UPI correspondent Joseph B. Fleming that the convoy will be permitted to cross into West Germany only after Jtsubmits to Soviet controls. The trucks were carrying jeeps for repairs from West Belin. The Soviet spokesman blamed the incident—potentially die most serious since the end of the 1948-49 Communist blockade—on the Unit-

struction and repair of streets and alleys; 1,184 feet of glazed tilq were used to repair street storm sewers on Mercer avenue, Dierkes, Uth, 15th, First, Dor win, and Oak streets. Also, 560 feet of clay tile were used on sewer repairs; six new manholes were installed in various sewers over the city; 15 new storm catch basins were installed and 25 old catch basins were repaired; 640 tons of gravel were used to back-fill over sewers repaired. City trucks were used to haul street sweepings, brush, cinders, dirt, stone, Christmas trees, blacktop, leaves, and trash from the city hall. Community Center and the fire station. The miscellaneous work of the department included spreading salt on the city streets; spraying for flies and mosquitoes; erecting new and repairing old street signs; spraying DDT in all garbage cans; repairing and painting park benches, tables and public trash cans; repairing and painting equipment and metal waste receptacles in the uptown district; helping to repair and paint the swimming pool with the aid of the light company repair crew; painting parking > strips, cross walks, and school safety walks. ' Street sweeping consisted of : sweeping 336 miles of streets and ; cleaning all streets with curbinb. All garbage collected in the city ■ was buried up until Nov. L Sewage Treatment I Hie city sewage department report showed a property and plant ■ value ot $936,722.27; sinking fund i of $28,541.43; and a cash deprecia--1 tion fund of $2,000; current assets include $6,951.23 in cash; $156,r 223.35 in the construction fund; and ; $6,929.51 receivable from custom- ; ers: this means a total asset value • of $1,137,367.79. , Liabilities Include a bonded indebtedness of $925,000; accounts payable of $106.65; accrued interest of $23,924.55; an earned surplus of $675.25; a government grant or donated surplus of $175,000; a net profit of $12,661.34; leaving a total net surplus of SIBB,336.59. The statement of profit and loss shows that sewage charges accounted for $34,731.58; plant expenses were $6,857.74; interest on the long-term debt was $15,212.50, leaving a net profit of $12,661.34. Hie operation of the sewage treatment plant cost $5,694.41; maintenance, $112.50; commercial expense, $486.35; and general and undistributed expense, $564.48. Water Works - The water department balance sheet reported that the water plant (Conth' • ‘ or page eight)

ed States. He said the convoy refused to submit to what he called “usual controls.” He warned that the American action at the Marienborn checkpoint could complicate the situation of Berlin. He said the U.S. should have enough political sense to avoid such border incidents. While the Communists held up the West Germany-bound U.S. truck convoy, a big American trailer-truck en route to West Berlin passed through the Soviet control point without incident. The trailer truck was driven by SFC Jim McGaugh, of Greenwood, Miss. His co-driver was Sgt. Albert Brown of Emmett, Idaho. Armed Soviet border guards halted the four-truck convoy Monday at 1:05 p.m. (7:05 a.m. e.s.t.) at the Marienborn checkpoint, just 50 yards from the East-Weat German border. The Russians demanded that the open trucks be inspected. Cpl. Richard C., Masiero of West Stockbridge, in charge of the convoy, refused to submit to the demand. The Soviets then refused to allow the convoy to pass into West Germany — and the latest coldwar deadlock was? on. The Army identified the drivers of the trucks as Pfc. Benjamin G. Peoples, 20, of Route 2, Theodore, Ala.; SrC Elwood F. Johnson, 29, of 418 49th St. Brooklyn, New York City, and S4C James E. Cook, 22, of Hardeesville, S.C.

Six Cenb

First Crash Os Jet-Prop In United States NEW YORK (UPI) — A new American Airline jet - powered Electra airliner missed ’ its La Guardia Airport runway in fog and rain and plunged into the East River just before midnight Tuesday, apparently kitting 65 of the 73 persons aboard. A passing tugboat plucked nine persons from the water and the wreckage. One died later in a hospital By mid-morning, 19 more bodies had been recovered from the shallow muddy waters ot the tidal river. The plane, a new two-million-dollar jet-powered aircraft put into service only 10 day’ ago, was the airlines’ Flight 320 out of Chicago. The CiVil Aeronautics Board said the pilot was making a “standard instrument approach” to Runway 22. Its last contact with the airport tower was a routine acknowledgement of permission to land, made from less than three miles away. Two Pieces of Wreckage The plane apparently smashed into the river in landing position, broke apart and sank quickly in about 26 feet of water. One sur- — vivor said he believed the pilot had made several passes over the field before the crash, but the CAB statement made no mention of any unsuccessful landing attempts. It appeared likely that the cause of the fatal crash —first of a U.S. made commercial jet-prop jn the United States—would not be determined until completion of a CAB investigation which was s>egun immediately. • “There were only two large t pieces of wreckage,” said Everett 1 Phelps, co-captain of the tugboat . H. Thomas Tati, “the tail and 3 part of the fuselage. Three people . were perched on the fuselage. We j hauled them abroad. As we did so, a hand poked through a door ’ in the wreckage. The man inside the fuselage called for help. Crewmen yanked on the door with hooks but couldn’t get it open. ! Then the fuselage section pulled ’ away from the hooks. The man’s ■ hand disappeared. His cries stopped. “If only there were more boats around, more people could have been saved.” Many Trapped in Fuselage — One of the survivors was 8-year old Robert Sullivan, of Hempstead, N.Y., whose mother, father and two sisters perished. * Seymour Kemack, 36, Brooklyn, who helped the youngster out of the plane, said that after they — were rescued “He said to me: ’I guess they’re all dead up there.’ Like he crash-landed every day of the week.” Robert’s mother, Mrs. Lorraine Sullivan, was taken from the water alive but died shortly after reaching a hospital. Most of the missing were believed trapped in the plane’s fuselage. Attempts to raise it with a floating derrick and divers were expected to begin at low tide this afternoon. What was believed the plane’s nose wheel was found a few feet off the Bronx shore of the River. Police salvaged other bits of the plane, including part of its land- - ing gear. Boats searching the scene also took ashore other - floating evidences of tragedy — a brief case, a child’s mitten, a packet of mail. 3 Crewmen Survive The crash scene was about a half mile off the La Guardia runways, close to Riker’s Island where a Northeast Airlines plane crashed after taking off in a snowstorm two years ago this month. The American Airlines plane was the first of its type delivered to the airline. It was completing its second round trip ot the day between Chicago and New York; Airline officials said the only “trouble” report following its last trip to Chicago had concerned a missing reading light over one (Continued on page three) INDIANA WEATHER Ufht snow north, some light rain or snow sooth ending tonight and turning colder. One to three inches of new snow likely north. Mostly fair and colder Thursday except some snow flurries likely near Lake Michigan. Low tonight 5 to 15 north, 15 to 20 south. High Thursday 14 to 20 north. 18 to 28 south. Sunset today 6:08 p.m. c.d.t. Sunrise Thursday . 7:49 a.m. c.d.t. Outlook for Friday: Fair or partly cloudy and cold. Low aero to 10 above. - High 18 to 25. ...1 . - - ’ ' V