Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 60, Number 288, Decatur, Adams County, 7 December 1962 — Page 1

VOL. LX NO. 288.

Rescue Workers Battle Against Time In Effort To Reach 36 Miners

CROP Dinner Held At Berne Thursday

More than 110 persons braved blizzard weather in Berne Thursday night to hear that the south end of Adams county has raised $4,054 for CROP, $417.49 more than last year. Brice Bauserman, treasurer of the county organization, and representing the host organization, the First Bank of Berne, was master of ceremonies. Christian Duty E. W. Baumgartner, president of the First Bank, welcomed the group on behalf of the bank, and pointed out the “necessity for us — to share our abundance in good stewardship with others. We who help in CROP,” he said, “recognize the need to feed the hungry and clothe the naked as our Christian duty. “What we need,” Baumgartner said, “is real peace in the worldpeace based on faith in God, not in fear of weapons. And we need to do that which we have been commanded by our Lord—to love others as ourselves, even as the Good Samaritan did when he helped his hated enemy lying stripped, cold and sick in a ditch. Courage, strength, and vision are needed for us all in reaching our goals in Christian life.” he concluded. Chairmen, Farmers Ralph Miller, co-chairman for the south half of the county, then introduced the township chairmen present, as follows: French, Menno Augsburger; Monroe, Amos Habegger: Blue Creek, John Burkhartand Don Roudenbush; Hartford, Harry Moser and Carl Shoemaker; Wabash, Erwin Bauman and L. A. Mann; Jefferson, Marcus Luginbill. David J. Schwartz, co-chairman in the south half for Friendship Acres, then presented his testimony and introduced his Friendship Acre farmers, each of whom gave an acre of crops to the CROP program. The following were introduced: Sanford Reynolds, Hartford; Dennis Lehman, Wabash; Charles Burkhart and Lester Sipe, Blue Creek; Luther Yager, Elmer Rich, Sam Kaehr, French; Homer Winteregg, Elmer C. Beer, Ben Mazelin, Mrs. Paul Habegger. Cliff Striker, Sylvan Sprunger, Rufus Sprunger, Edwin Nussbaum. Berne-French vocational agriculture class, Menno Eicher, and Mrs. Conrad Nagel. South Figures Bauserman then gave the following figures on what has been collected to aate. in the south half of the county, not including south Wabash or south Jefferson: FriendOver ship Township Amount 1961 Acres French .. $1,084.69 $328.08 $161.69 Monroe .. 1,646.11 67 83 570.57 Blue Creek 321.67 23.39 125.56 Hartford- 457.78 42.64 100.00 Wabash - 402.06 60.19 75.00 Jefferson 142.50 104.64 South half $4,054.00 $417.49 $87113 The best township in the south half, and probably in the county was' Monroe, Bauserman stated, and the top solicitor was Ben Mazelin, with $355.04; second in Monroe township was Mrs. P a u 1 Habegger, with $268. _— Slides Shown Following the reports, slides of various Christian relief operations in Hong Kong and Macao were shown to the group by Dick Heller. Rev. Gerald L. Wilson, state di-

Mnirnn MVS LEFT Christmas hata Flfljil TB

DECATUR DAUS’ DEMOCRAT

I rector of CROP, then spoke, outlining the status of countries in Indiana at the present time; Adams county ranks second, with four other counties in the same general area. The victory dinner for the north half of the county will be held Monday at 6:45 p.m. at the Decatur Community Center, sponsored by the First State Bank of Decatur. Nehru Reports Indians Killed. In Cease-Fire NEW DELHI (UPI) — Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru told parliament today that the Chinese Communists - had shot and killed two Indian soldiers and wounded four others since they instituted their one-sided “cease fire” Nov. 21. He said the shootings took place within the first 10 days after the cease-fire was proclaimed by Peking, contradicting previous reports that there had been no casualties in that period. He did not identify the location of the shootings but other sources said they were in the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) area. Nehru, just back from a tour of the northern border, said there were continued signs of Chinese Communist withdrawals from rear areas in the NEFA but “in the main areas they were still there yesterday.” Nehru and Defense Minister Y. B. Cha van took a helicopter ride over front line border positions Thursday and spoke to returned prisoners of war at Tezpur. Nehru said that the Ladakh area f Kashmir, the most north-western part of the battle area, comprised the main point of disagreement now between Chinese and Indian negotiating terms. India has demanded that the Chinese pull back to positions they held before launching their massive border attacks Oct. 20. He said the NEFA withdrawal which the Chinese Reds said they iare putting into effect would comply closely with Indian terms. But in Ladakh, Nehru said, the line established by Peking would leave 43 Indian posts and 2,000 square miles of Indian territory in Chinese hands.

Adenauer To Quit Office Next Fall BONN, Germany (UPD—West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer let it be known today that he will resign from office next fall and that Economics Minister Ludwig Erhard, who is vice chancellor, probably will succeed him. The decision, which the 86-year-oki Adenauer had long resisted, cleared the way for a speedy solution to West Germany's prolonged government crisis. . The Free Democratic party (FDP) had demanded a retirement decision from Adenauer as a price for their rejoining his Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) in a new coalition. A CDU spokesman said Adenauer told party leaders Thursday night he would retire from office after parliament returns from next summer's vacation. The spokesman said this “makes it clear” that Adenauer will retire sometime next September. The spokesman said. Adenauer, who wffl be 87 on Jan. 5, also consented to the participation of Erhard in “all phases of the formation of the new cabinet."

CARMICHAELS, Pa. (UPI) — Weary rescue workers battled against time today In an effort to reach ,36 men trapped 680 feet below the earth’s surface by an explosion in the Frosty Run shaft of a U.S. Steel Corp, coal mine. Rescuers pushed to within 5,500 feet of an area where the men were believed trapped. At that point, progress was halted as a horizontal shaft was sealed off to permit further advances. Officials said there was a slim chamce the miners had reached a safe area and survived the methane gas explosion and a fire which apparently followed. But no word had been received from the trapped men since the blast. 83 Men in Mine Eighty-three men were working in the shaft of the Robena No. 3 mine, the world’s largest mechanical coal operation, when it was rocked by the explosion at noon CST Thursday. Ironically, it was the 55th anniversary of the worst mine disaster in recorded U.S. history which killed 361 men Dec. 6, 1907, at Monongah. W.Va. James B. Girod, assistant general superintendent of the Robena Mine, said it was “difficult to say” whether there could be any hope the missing miners were alive. Girod said that two assistant mine foremen who were among the missing men were “crack rescue men ... if there were any chance, those two would have accomplished something.” Among the missing was 18-year-old Albert F. Bronakoski of Bobtown, Pa., a U.S. Steel studenttrainee under a five-year engineering program operated jointly with Pennsylvania State University. Pennsylvania state Mines Secretary Lewis Evans said the explosion was caused “either by methane gas and dust or methane gas alone.” Workers Encounter Fumes The rescue workers, operating in relays of three eight-man teams, encountered traces of carbon monoxide fumes, indictating fire, and small amounts of methane gas which Girod described as “below die safety level.” The rescue workers had, to dig through rubble from rock falls and timber cave-ins. As they went along they shored up the walls and roof of the shaft and set up power lines to operate the ventilating system. At midnight, Girod said it would be a “great many hours” before the rescue workers could reach the blast area. Weather conditions at the site were bad. Strong winds whipped a steady snowfall, hampering the movement of emergency supplies to the site. State police reported many trailers jackknifed along the main arteries leading to this soft coal mining area in southwestern Pennsylvania about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh.

Families Wait At Shaft Because of the bad weather the U.S. Steel Corp, at first asked the families of the trapped men not to go to the mine. But about eight hours after the accident the company began calling the families to tell them they could go to the site. The families waited in a large corrugated structure which (along one side houses the elevator leading down into the Frosty Run shaft. They were mostly silent. There was no weeping. Girod said that workers in the corrugated structure got their first indication that something was wrong at 1 p.m„ EST, Thursday (when the ventilator fan in the Frosty Run shaft stopped operating. Shortly after that miners came rushing out of the shaft Some of those who escaped said they were working about two miles from the blast area. Some said they heard a “thud,” some felt a rush of air. Some said the blast waves knocked their helmets off their heads. The Robena Na 3 mine, together with its sister mines, Robena No. 1 and Robena No. 2, form a vast spider web of shafts under 69,000 acres in Greene and Fayette counties. They are called “captive mines"—workings which are owned and operated by steel companies to provide soft coal for their mills. The Robena mines serve U.S. Steel’s mills in the Pittsburgh area.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana,

Kennedy Inspects West Installations

OMAHA (UPl)—President Kennedy flew today to Offutt Air Force Base, headquarters of the nation’s global Strategic Air Command, on the start of a swift weekend tour of atomic and missile installations. It was reported Kennedy might take the opportunity of his visit to SAC to make an announcement that the Minuteman missile next week will become operational, fl The President’s Air Force jet carrying him from Andrews Air Force Base landed at Offutt at 9:52 a.m. CST* It was a gray, murky day and a light snow was failing. . The hatless President walked between a double file of the SAC elite honor guard and shook hands with SAC Comma nd e r Gen. Thomas S. Power and with Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had flown into Offutt a few minutes earlier. The President departed from the prearranged script almost immediately. Tig left the official welcoming group to stroll over to the SAC band and shook hands with the director. A few minutes later he stopped the open car carrying him to SAC headquarters, got out, and shook hands with members of the families of Air Force personnel. Kennedy is to visit bases in New Mexico and Nevada before finishing up the weekend at the Desert, Califf., home c|f singer Bing Crosby. Washington sources said the President might announce that the first flight of 10 Minutemen, a new type of instant firing intercontinental ballistic missile, will be declared operational at Malmstom Air Force Base, Great Falls, Mont. The President also was expected to make two brief speeches in New Mexico today. He returns to Washington Monday. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took v off in a Lockheed JetIND IAN A WEATHER Cloudy, diminishing snow flurry activity and cold tonight. Saturday cloudy, snow likely and not quite so cold. Low tonight 20 to 25. High Saturday 32 to 38. Sunset today 5:20 p. m. Sunrise Saturday 7:53 a. m. Outlook for Sunday: Cloudy with light snow or snow flurries and colder. Lows 18 to 23. Highs 25 to 29.

Killer London T7 T T? • r og Is Easing

LONDON (UPD — The worst night of the four-day-old “grey killer fog" brought London to a ■ halt early today and raised fears that the sulphurous pall will claim i more victims. At least 85 persons—most of- - over 60—had died in London j alone since the dirt-and-smoke- ; laden fog fell upon the city and : spread across much of England I and Wales Monday night. Another 700 were hospitalized. Officials said the air pollution < was as bad or worse than during ' the epic “killer fog” of 1952. But i it was believed the death toll this i year would stop far short of the 4,000 lives claimed by the smog i 10 years ago. End Believed The weather bureau said the end may be near. Today’s offi- < cial forecast said the fog would ; thin this morning and clear away altogether by afternoon. The smog turned London into a ghost town last night. Bus drivers : lost their way and then gave up i entirely. London transport finally i canceled all bud runs. Motorists abandoned their cars. Few taxis ; cruised the streets and citizens ] went home early and stayed 1 there. , 1 The fog reduced visibility to ’

star shortly before the presidential plane departed. Others participating in the tour will be Atomic Energy Chairman Glenn T. Seaborg, Air Force Secretary Eugene M. Zuckert and a host of other high Pentagon and White House officials. Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara had been scheduled to go along, but it was announced Thursday that he would not. No official reason was given, but he was understood to be too busy. Massive Show Os Stevenson Support WASHINGTON (UPI) — President Kennedy and his new frontiersmen sat around banquet tables Thursday night laughing loud and long iait the jokes of beleaguered United Nations Ambassador Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson was the master of ceremonies at the Joseph P. Kennedy Mental Retardation Founda- . tloft awards dinner, and the President, his cabinet, and practically every other New Frontier leader showed up. It was a massive show of support for Stevenson, the latest effort to squash reports that the ambassador is on his way out because of a Saturday Evening Post article that reported he preferred negotiations to a blockade in the Cuban crisis. The atmosphere at the banquet was charged with sympathy and support for Stevenson. He was introduced as a “great American” and got a prolonged standing ovation. Stevenson responded with nearly 20 minutes of running jokes and witticisms, many aimed at his own difficulties during the past week. He introduced the President as “the author, the producer, the director and the star of Mr. Khrushchev’s new hit play in Moscow — ‘A Funny Thing Happened to Me on My Way to Cuba.’ ” It was the first time Stevenson and Kennedy have appeared together in public since the magazine article was published Monday. Kennedy has assured Stevenson publicly that he had no intention of removing him.

nil and trapped the few persons remaining outdoors in a cloud that damaged lungs, coated mouths and noses and made eyes smart and sting. London hospitals reported a severe shortage of beds. The “red alert"—orders to take only emergency cases to leave beds free for smog victims — remained in force. More Deaths Feared Doctors feared many more deaths even after the fog lifts. They said severe air pollution usually takes 48 hours to react on the lungs of the victim. One elderly citizen — the city’s most famous —ventured out. Sir Winston Churchill, 88-years old last week, drove through the smog to dine with the Other Club, an exclusive group he founded 51 years ago. Armed only with a cane, fur muff and a huge cigar belching more smoke into the murk, the former prime minister seated and drank for three hours before leaving the Savoy Hotel. U.S. air pollution expert Dr. Richard A. Prindle flew in to collect samples of the smog to take home for analysis. Choking Londoners said he could take all he wants.

Cold Weather, Heavy Snows Grip Indiana By United Press International The coldest weather of the season in Indiana brought up to eight inches of snow and a multitude of traffic hazards to Hoosiers today The Weather Bureau reported an eight-inch blanket of snow at South Bend, and reports from the area said some roads were in hazardous condition and some rural schools closed because of the deep fall and drifting from brisk winds that whistled '.across the., countryside. Except for the rim around the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the snowfall was light. Nevertheless, it created driving conditions that resulted in a wealth of accidents, three of them fatal. 3 Die In Traffic Three persons were killed Wednesday night and Thursday in wrecks blamed on icy Streets and highways in Indianapolis, north of Indianapolis in Hamilton County, and near Lafayette. The snow wasn’t ended in the Lake Michigan area. Forecasts 1 called for frequent flurries and squalls with 2 to 4 more inches accumulating todajj, the snow to diminish tonight. Elsewhere the snow was scheduled to be confined to flurries. The coldest daytime weather of the season held the state in a chilly grip Thursday, with most areas reported sub-freezing temperatures throughout the day. The top readings ranged from 25 at Lafayette and 27 at Indianapolis to 34 at Evansville. Overnight lows today included 21 at Evansville and Indianapolis, 22 at Lafayette, 24 at Fort Wayne and 28 at South Bend. Main Roads Slick Reports from police and highway department spokesmen ground the state indicated that most main roads in the north portion were slick and hazardous. In the central portion, main roads were slick east and slick in spots west, and in the south conditions were generally normal except for some scattered slick spots. Highs today will range from the upper 20s to the low 30s, lows tonight from near 20 to the upper 20s, and highs Saturday from the low to mid 30s. The five-day outlook called for temperatures averaging 5 to 10 degrees below normal highs of 32 to 46 and lows of 17 to 30. Upstate, it will remain cold until a warming trend develops about Tuesday. Elsewhere, it will stay cold throughout the period ending next Wednesday. Precipitation will be tight, averaging less than one-fourth inch central and south about Saturday and again Monday, and little if any north after tonight.

Poe And Hoagland Phone Firms Sold INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — General Telephone Compnay of Indiana was authorized by the Indiana Public Service Commission Thursday to purchase the Poe Farmers Mutual and Hoagland Switchboard Association facilities, merge them into one exchange and include the two towns in a Fort Wayne local calling area. The purchase price of the Poe company was given as $21,700, and for Hoagland $27,500. When the two are merged and automatic dial service is provided, the two communities will be linked in the same calling area with Fort Wayne, New Haven and Monroeville. Rates then will be the same as charged in the Fort Wayne area. In addition, General was authorized to conduct a survey of Adams County customers to determine if they wish to be linked in the same calling area with Decatur. — Free service now existing at Hoagland with Ossian, Preble and Tocsin would be ended with installation of dial service. Also approved by the PSC was a $294,000 construction program for the PoeHoagland exchange. The Woodburn Home Telephone Co. was authorized to borrow $66,000 to carry out an improvement program and to raise rates by from 50 cents to $1.50. Present four - party residence service, now $3, would advance to $3.50. One-party residence service would go from $4 to $5. One-party business would go from $6 to $7,.50. The Elnora Telephone Co. gained permission to borrow $15,000 more to complete an expansion program. The util’ty was authorized earlier to borrow $75,000 but, by switching to buried cable instead of laerial, the PSC said the price was higheii than covered by the first authorization.

Storm Closes County Schools

Adams county’s first “taste” of typical December weather, although unusually late in arriving, has already forced closing of all county schools, and the postponement of two basketball games. Adams Central coach Carl Honaker and Pleasant Mills principal Robert Baumgartner were both contacted this morning, and they revealed that the Greyhound-Spar-tan game, scheduled for this evening originally, will be played Saturday night. The contest will be played at the Adams Central gymnasium, with the starting time of 8 p.m. for the varsity game. Also postponed was the GenevaHartford Center game, it was learned this morning from Geneva coach HaiYy Anderson. Tenative Date The two clubs were to meet in the Geneva gym this evening in a home game for Hartford, but, as in the case of the Adams CentralPleasant Mills contest, snow and the bad road conditions have forced postponement of the game. Principals of the two schools, Kenneth Von Emon of Geneva and Byron Bunker of Hartford, are attempting to re-schedule the game for Saturday December 15, but as of this morning this is only a tentative date and is not definite. Others Still On The other three contests scheduled for this evening are still on tap. The Decatur Commodores will play Monmouth at Decatur, while the Decatur Yellow Jackets will travel to Fort Wayne to play Central Catholic. Berne is at home to host Lancaster Central. The only schools open in Adams county today were the Decatur schools including Decatur high and Decatur Catholic high. All grades Pope Pays Surprise Visit To Council VATICAN CITY (UPI) — A smiling Pope John XXIII left his sick room for the first time in 11 days today to give his personal thanks and blessing to members of the Ecumenical Council for their- first two months of work. The Pope looked somewhat thinner and paler than normal during the surprise 15-minute appearance, reflecting the effects of his recent bout with anemia and stomach trouble. But his smile was bright and his step brisk. He told the council fathers that he had planned to address them by radio but at the last minute had decided to come personally to St. Peter’s Basilicar.

“Thank you for that which you have done,” the Pope said in a 10-minute speech in Latin. “There still remains much to do.” Standing applause greeted the 81-year-old pontiff as he entered and when he left the hall. He was helped up the stairs of the main altar to his throne by the papal master of ceremonies, Msgr. Enrico Dante, but otherwise walked unaided. The Pope sat down and immediately started reciting prayers, with the council fathers chanting responses. Then, still seated on his throne, he delivered the speech, reading from a prepared text in a voice only slightly weaker than usual. Following the address, Pope John arose, imparted an apostolic blessing and left. The council fathers had completed their work just before the Pope arrived and the 36th plenary meeting closed officially after he left. Pope John’s visit came as a complete surprise. He is also scheduled to preside at the official closing ceremony Saturday. It was the Pope’s first attendance at a working session of the council. However, he has followed almost all of ther 36 geheral meetings on closed circuit television from his private study several hundred yards from the council hall. Since the council opened Oct. 11 the 2,200 prelates gathered here from around the world have held 36 general working meetings and spoken a million words but have arrived at few concrete decisions. Many feel that organization problems now are out of the way and the council will move ahead at full speed when it convenes again next Sept. 8. Nearly 600 speakers have been heard in the Latin debates since the first session began in medeivial splendor in the red-draped council hall specially built in St. Peter’s Basilica. Another 523 who were unable to address the historic gathering before debate closed have submitted their opinions on various subjects in writing.

SEVEN CENTS

schools were also open, although the public school children were dismissed at noon as is the policy the Friday following distribution of report cards. All other schools in. Adams county, including Berne, Geneva Hartford Center, Monmouth, Adams Central, Pleasant Mills and the Jqfferson grade school, did not hold classes today due to the heavy snowfall causing poor road conditions. The heavy snowfall, and high winds Thursday night, did not apparently cause any damage, however. A check with the Citizens Telephone Co., the Gas Co., and Indiana & Michigan at noon today revealed no unusual trouble or damage. Three Traffic Mishaps Poor road conditions were, however, attributed to the cause of three one-car accidents, two Thursday evening and the third early this morning, that were investigated by the sheriffs department. A. car driven by Kenneth Cauble, 18. route 2, Decatur, suffered an estimated $75 damage when it went out of control on slick U. S. 224 at the east edge of Preble, at 6:30 p. m. Thursday. Cauble was eastbound when he lost control of the vehicle. The car left the road on the north side and struck a speed zone sign, which received $lO damage. At 7:05 p.m., Edward Lee Schultz, 19, route 4. Decatur, lost control of his car one-quarter of a mile west of the city limits of Decatur on W. Monroe street, extended. Schultz lost control of the car on the icy and snowy road as he was east bound, and the auto struck a curb along the driveway at the residence of Max Kreps. The rear of the auto swung around and struck a fire hydrant, causing an estimated $175 damage to the vehicle. A semi-trailer truck operated by Forrest J. McCorkle. 43 jackknifed on U. S. 27, one mile north of Monroe at 2 o’clock this morning. McCorkle was southbound when the heavy winds blew the trailer of his rig around, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The truck, a 1962 model owned by Dieck Braeder Express of Cincinnati, went into the ditch, and suffered an estimated S2OO damage. Deputy sheriff Robert Meyer, who investigated all three mishaps, explained today that none of the drivers involved suffered any injuries.

Dr. Erwin Horiak Speaks To Rotary Dr. Erwin A. V. Horiak, professor in the department of mechanical engineering of Indiana Technical college, sooke to the Decatur Rotary club at the club”s weekly meeting Thursday evening. In his talk to the Rotary club. Dr. Horiak said that schools and sciences are most important in the path of progress. He gave an illustration, explaining that in the past it was acclaimed when a trip around the world was made in 90 days, but now the journey can be made in ,90 minutes. Born in Yugoslavia and educated in Vienna, Austria, were he received his degree in mechanical engineering in 1923, Dr. Horiak stated that “we are all neighbors of our planet.” Formerly employed by a number of European. automobile manufacturers, Dr. Horiak stated that Western civilization plays a leading part in technology, and also detailed the three major components of the world: Western powers, onehalf billion people and two-thirds of material wealth: Communist, one billion people; primitives, one and one-half billion people. Dr. Horiak stated, “our oil reserves are rapidly dwindling and we need to improve our knowledge of how to rease the energy contained in moleculear structures. As an example, one gallon of fuel oil will propel a 50,000 pound truck six miles while seven pounds of material where the moleculear energy is released, can propel the same truck 178,000 times around the earth." DECATt R TKMPKKATCrKM Local weather data for the 24 hour period ending at 11 «.m today. I'2 noon 34 12 midnight .. 2S 1 p.m. SS 1 a.m. 2 p.m..: 32 2 a.m 23 3 p.m 32 3 a.m 2l 4, pm 30 4a m 27 fr p.m. .. 30 S a.m... || « Pm 28 « a.m33 7 p.m. M 7a m. 38 8 p.m- .... . . . 87. 8 a.m. 27 9 p.m 37 9 a.m. 27 10 P.m 37 10 a.m. 27 11 P m *•>». •• Totatrorthe 34 hotir period endina at 7 a.m. today, .19 inehee. The St. Mary’o river wet at feet.