Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 61, Number 7, Decatur, Adams County, 9 January 1963 — Page 1

VOL. LXI. NO. 7

Police Chief Files Report, Two Fatalities Two fatalities in traffic accidents in the city were included in the report of the past year submitted to the city council Tuesday night by police chief James M. Borders. The two fatal accidents, the first in November which claimed the life of Richard Miller of Decatur, and the second in December, which killed Mrs. Dale B. Lantz of Berne, marred a previous record of more than two years without a traffic fatality in the city of Decatur. A total of 295 accidents occurred on city streets during the year, a total of 50 persons injured, in addition to the two fatalities. Os the 295 accidents, 245 involved at least two vehicles, and 32 were with fixed objects. Eleven mishaps involved a vehicle and a bicycle rider, and four involved pedestrians. A total of 236 persons involved were from Decatur, and,236 were out-of-town drivers. Male drivers involved were 367, and 107 females. Most On Saturday The highest number of mishaps happened on Saturday, a total of 64 with 54 .occurring on Friday and 46 on Sunday. Wednesday mishaps totaled 39. Tuesday, 34; Thursday. 33, and the least number occurred on Mondays, 25. Traffic accidents occurred mostly to drivers between the ages of 16 to 20. with 120 involved. Other age groups with number of drivers involved were: 21-24, 48, 25-34, 82; 35-44, 69 ; 45-54, .70; 55 .nHnvw 73. Two drivers under 15 were involved in accidents. Most frequent time of accidents was between 10 and 11 a.rm; 2 to 3 p.m.; 1 to 2 pm.; 3 to 4 pjxt; and 4 to 5 p.m. A total estimate of $71,306. much higher than in 1961, was included in chief Borders report. Tn 1961. total estimated damage was 861,742, and in 1960, $50,381. Same As 1961. The total number of accidents, 295 was identical to 1961’s total number of mishaps, both higher than the 241 in 1960. The number of personal injuries, 50, were higher than the 48 in 1961 and 31 Borders’ report also included investigation figures, showing a total of 523 investigations begun in 1962, as compared to 472 in 1961 and 416 in 1960 -- Investigations involved cases of petit larceny much more than any other classification. A total of 178 cases of petit larcenies were investigated, and 96 cases of vandalism. The petit larceny cases were slightly higher than in 1961, when 154 investigations were begun, and 100 in 1960. Vandalism was slightly less, with 97 investigated in 1961 and 105 in 1960. Cases begun in 1962. were...as follows: armed robbery, none, robbery, none; safe burglaries, 1; building burglaries, 28; breaking and entering, 8; vehicle taking, 16; grand larceny, 8; fire arms, 3; fraudulent checks, 15; missing persons, 1; animals, 38; juvenile matters, 38; prowlers and peepers, 4; trespassing, 11; sex offenses, 1; assault, 4;.miscellaneous, 63. Nearly All Closed Os the 523 investigations begun in 1962, all but 24 were closed k (Continued on Page Three'

Council Discusses Various Problems

I Rural fire protection, annual reports, street fair. Seventh street parking, remodelling two city buildings and building a third; new light poles and a short in street lights, and other problems occupied the city council Tuesday night. Fire protection contracts with Washington, Root, and Union townships were approved Tuesday night by the Decatur city council, which is still awaiting receipt of the contract from St. Mary’s township. - , The council instructed fire chief Cedric Fisher to go ahead and give St. Mary’s township assistance on a temporary basis until contract is returned, as was new St. Mary’s township Tank Truck The council also discussed TO addition of a tank truck, which would carry water to rural fires to be pumped on the fire if no well or cistern was immediately available, or if the well was dry. The purchase of such a vehicle will be investigated. Reports from the chief of police, fire chief, and zoning board were 'read, and made a matter of record. All five councilmen were present, together with the mayor, city attorney, clerk-treasurer, and heads of departments.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT mi wc-b a nr Amira /v\i ■ Kim v

88th Congress Convenes In Pomp And Ceremony; Bitter Battles Looming

Campaign Underway By March Os Dimes The county-wide organization for the 1963 March of Dimes has been completed and the campaign is already underway, Mrs. Roy Kalver, president of the Adams county chapter of the National Foundation, announced today. Mrs. Richard Huffman of Geneva, who is this year’s county drive chairman, is assisted by Mrr. Floyd Reed of Decatur. They have ogranized Mothers’ Marches in all towns throughout the county, which will be held Jan. 29. This year’s film, "Once Upon A Dime,” and narrated by Jane Wyatt, is being booked into men’s and women’s social and civic groups by Mrs. Reed. The film will be shown to the Optimists club Thursday morning and Mrs. Kalver will speak at the meeting. The Decatur city campaign has I been organized by Peter G. Sotile, 1 assisted by Doyle Gehres. They have sent out the annual appeal letters to all business and pro--1 fessional men, and were aided in this project by Ferris Bower. i Dick Linn is heading the youth activities committee and will conduct the bread sale. ' me uecatur Mother’s March, annually sponsored by the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, is under the leadership this year of Mrs. Fred ! Corah. The March of Dimes booth, to be located on the comer of the First State Bank, will ■ be manned on two Saturdays in ’ January by the Tri Kappa soror--1 ity and the Junior Chamber of • Commerce. Cannisters for the collection of f funds have been placed in all i business houses throughout the 1 county. E Berne Boys Involved • In Incident Tuesday J Charges are expected to be til- , ed against at Jeast two of a group 5 of six Berne boys involved in an incident in Berne Tuesday evening, as the “crackdown” on under- ! age children, continues throughout ’ the county. ’ The boys were caught throwing • fluorescent light bulbs across the • parking light at the Berne school • Tuesday evening as a reserve ’ team basketball tourney was being played. It is believed that juvel nile charges will be brought c against at least two of the boys ‘ who were directly involved. Law enforcement authorities in Decatur, Berne, Geneva and the 1 entire county, and the courts are 1 continuing their “crackdown” on such matters involving juveniles.

June Street Fair Vernon (Speck) Hebble, representing the Decatur Red Men’s lodge, asked that his group be given permission to use the streets of Decatur for a street fair again during the last week of June, as has been done during the past two years. He pointed out that the group was bringing in some fine entertainment for the people of Decatur, that in the past all of the merchants had signed petitions favoring the street fair, and that his group was glad to cooperate with the merchants to bring a large crowd to town that week, if the merchants wanted to rim any special sales. Mayor Gage asked if the lodge had secured state highway department permission tor the fair, and Hebble stated that that was usualafter city approval was City Gerber pointed out that usually nouncement of the intentions of the group to give anyone who opportunity to be Hebble stated that that was right with his group, proud of the local support wh®. it had in the street fait project. The plans tor toe new industrial I addition sewer were referred to the committee on sewers for final

Asks Rate Cut For All-Electric Homes Indiana & Michigan Electric company Tuesday afternoon sought to reduce electric-seryice rates to its customers living in all-electric homes. The effect of this rate is to reduce the cost of electric heating by 20 per cent. Applications to this effect were filed with the public service commission of Indiana in Indianapolis and the Michigan public service commission at Lansing. I&M serves more than 10,000 all-eleo-tric-home customers, and their estimated annual savings under the new rate would be approximately $330,000. The reductions are scheduled to become effective March 1, subject to approval of the state commissions. R. E. Doyle, Jr., tjce president and general manager of I&M, in announcing the proposed new, low all-electric-home rate, said, “This reduction is designed to reduce the coat and extend the benefits of all-electric living to all of our customers, to increase the usage of electric energy, and thus to stimulate business expansion in the area served by I&M, as well as the area of the entire AEP system and the country as a whole.” The proposed rate represents a decrease of 20 per cent in the bottom step of I&M’s slidingscale residential rate. Doyle said its effect on the company’s all-electric-home customers would be immediate. “More than 10,000 customers will be able to adopt the new lower rate immediately upon its approval and start realizing the savings beginning with their electric bills rendered on and after March 1,” he said. “In addition, the new lower rate will make it possible for many more of our residential customers to enjoy the comforts and convenience of all-electric living.” Major feature of the new rate is a reduced charge for all electric consumption bver the first 800 kilowatt hours in any month by an all-electric-h om e customer. It works like this: For the first 200 kwh used each month, the rate is 3c per kwh; for the next 600 kwh used that month, the rate is 1.5 c per kwh; and for all electricity over 800 kwh used that month, the rate is 1.2 c per kwh. The 1.2 c charge would replace an existing charge of 1.5 c for the same usage, a saving of 20 per cent on all elec(Continued On Page Three)

approval. Seventh Street Changed i The problems of Seventh street, > which is very narrow, between ; Monroe and Nuttman, and which i fire chief Cedric Fisher wanted i one-way north, or with parking on » one side only, to alleviate a poss sible roadblock in case of a fire • run, were aired again. [ City attorney Anderson had pre- ! pared a city ordinance to make ; the street one-way, on directions t of the city council, which had had ! a petition asking that the parking i on one side only be abolished. [ However, during the last few r weeks, Baker & Schultz Contractors, had explained that they could ! not get into their parking lot at - the rear of their building if the I street were one-way north; and • if it is one-way south, the fire de- ; partment cannot use it to go to fires in the north part of town. : After much discussion, the city x .cpuncjl voted to return die street parking, two-way traf- > fir Anderson to i prepare such ah'-sadjuance. At S present the street remfe legally 1 with parking on one side only; s however, the police chief has been | instructed to make no arrests Tending change bf the ordinance. 1 Xb- Short tn Lights > A sijort in the street lights on 1 North St’-ond street, which has

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, January9,l963.

Trouble At Sewage • I Plant Is Remedied The city’s sewage disposal plant S digester went “sour” recently, but < Tuesday night, and in the hub- > ping” order by the addition of a < tank-load of amhydrous ammonia, 1 city engineer Ralph Roop told the Decatur city council Tuesday night, j The digester converts raw sew- 1 age to “natural” gas by bacterial ■ action when it is properly working. 1 The gas, in turn, is used to keep < the digesting mixture at a temperature of 92 degrees, so that it will • digest. Cleaning Upset Stomach Recently, the digestor was cleaned out. When this was done, bacterial action had to be started again. It was, but too much raw ■ sewage was added, without addi- ' tional bacteria, and the bacterial action was literally “smothered” , with too much food. —j —| The degree of bacterial action is measured by the Ph test, which measures the degrees of acidity. It must be over 7, or slightly al- ' kaline, to operate properly. Re- ; cently it went down to 5, and all bacterial digestion stopped. Roop called the state board of health, which advised him to call Purdue University. There he talked with Prof. James Etzel, who told him that Martinville, fiartfortl City, and Rochester had had the same problem. Sweetener Added Monday A truckload of sweetening anhydrous ammonia was ordered, ’ at 12 cents a pound. This was care- , fully added to the digestor, with men armed with gas masks standing by, just in case the tSnk, under ' high pressure, developed a leak. ; In addition, the city bought 1 seven bottles of anhydrous ammonia, at 20 cents a gallon, to add, one each day, to the raw sewage. ' The 3,200 pounds purchased will return the digestor to normal operation. During the period of its “sickness,” oil heat had to be used to keep the mixture warm, or all the bacteria would have died. The ammonia was added Monday, and by Tuesday the mixture was again up to 8.2 “sweetness” by Ph test, Roop added. ~ INDIANA WEATHER Mosuy cioudy tonight and Thursday with chance of snow Thursday. Turning colder tonight and Thursday. Low tonight 25 to 35. High Thursday 33 to 42. Sunset today 5:39 p. m. Sunrise Thursday 8:06 a. m. Outlook for Friday: Cloudy with scattered snow flurries and colder. Low near 25. High near 25.

resulted in a number of the lights being at “half-staff” during the evening, led to a request for the city council to authorize city auditor Ed Kauffman to issue work tickets to I&M repairmen, so that an accurate record of repair charges could be kept. This was done. New Poles Mayor Gage announced that the new street light poles for Monroe and Mercer have arrived, and that new holes will be drilled in the curbs in a few weeks. Some of the poles were warped, however, and will be rejected by the engineer in charge, if they are 9 not straight. The mayor was then authorized to contact Jeffcld Lobsiger to draw up plans for remodeling city hall, building a separate jx>lice station, and finishing up the old city light plant, which will be a city street department garage for storage of vehicles. Mrs. Laura Bosse, city clerktreasurer, then read the amounts now deposited in cash in the following funds: General fund, etc. $199,913.07 Light Department meter fund —— 1,035.69 Sewage department 71,020.96. Sewage bond redemption 2,575.00 Water department —— 184,248.32 The meeting was adjourned following the reading of bills.

WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Democratic - controlled 88th Congress convened today with pomp and ceremony that temporarily masked the bitter legislative battles ahead over President Kennedy’s New Frontier legislation. But barely had the House and Senate formally opened business at noon when pro and anti-admin-istration forces got ready for a critical fight over the makeup of the House Rules Committee. This issue — whether the committee should be kept at its enlarged total of 15 members to assure more favorable treatment of Kennedy’s proposals —dominated opening day activities. The chief executive was assured at a breakfast meeting with top Democratic leaders that prospects were good for an administration victory in the rules fight. This would be encouraging to the administration. But even so, such key Kennedy proposals as a fax cut. Social Security-financed health care for the aged, and federal aid to education still face a hard pull in the new Congress. Some New Faces Outside of the Rules Committee battle, opening day was largely ceremonial. New members were sworn in, ranging from the President’s brother, Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., to the son of the late Sen. Robert A. Taft, Rep. Robert A. Taft Jr., R-Ohio. In the Senate,; Demoerafinußt to elect their leaders. To no one’s surprise, Mike Mansfield, D-Mont. was renamed to the party’s top job in the Senate; Hubert H. Humphrey, D-Minn., was reelected party whip, and George A. Smathers, D-Va., was renamed Democratic conference secretary. Senate Democrats also voted to set up a six-man committee to study the possibility of revised Senate working schedules. This might include a one or two-month summer recess to let members spend more time with families and ..constituents. Clerk Ralph Roberts gaveled the House to order precisely at noon. The opening-day turnout of members appeared almost complete, as it Is usually on opening day and is rarely thereafter. The galleries were packed with families, friends and aides of the congrsesmen, including the 67 new members taking House seats for the first time. Introduce New Bills A Republican congressman got the jump on President Kennedy in presenting a plan to cut individual and corporate income taxes. Rep. Robert F. Ellsworth, RKan., introduced a bill to increase personal exemptions from S6OO to SBOO a person and cut the corporate tax rate to 47 per cent from the present 52 per cent rate. Reps. John D. Lindsay, R-M.Y., and. Henry S. Reuss, D-Wis., introduced a bill to establish a bipartisan commission that would study the organization of Congress and make recommendations for permanent changes in congressional procedures. Speaker John W. McCormack, D-Mass., told newsmen as the session opened that he expected a large percentage of Kennedy’s legislative proposals to be enacted. “I think the President will have a successful Congress again this time,” he said. An administration victory in the Rules Committee fight would make McCormack’s prediction look even better. The Rules Committee controls the flow of legislation to the House floor. Kennedy has said his legislative program will be virtually dead if the committee., returns to its pre - 1960 12 - man status. This would return cpntsol of the group to conservative hands. t The showdown over the Rules ; Committee was scheduled for late ' afternoon. . t Republican leaders indicated . they had rounded up almost solid i support against the administra- . tion efforts to keep three additional members on the committee. ’ But apparent defections among Democrats in the South, who solI idly voted against the expansion ; two years ago, prompted McCorI mack and other leaders to prei diet • victory. ’ TWO SECTIONS

Christmas Trees Burned Before Time Gene Ziner, president of the Decatur Junior Chamber of Commerce, apologized this morning to local persons who planned to attend the "Burning of the Greens” ceremonies Tuesday night. Some of the thoughtless persons in the city decided to hold their own ceremonies earlier, using the Jaycees’ pile of Christmas trees. When the Jaycees arrived to begin the festivities shortly before 9 p. m. Tuesday, the trees had been burned to the ground, lit an estimated hour and a half previously. Ralph Biggs, chairman of the Jaycee committee handling the “Burning of the Greens,” also apologized to local persons who were planning to attend the ceremony, and also thanked the city employes who helped collect the trees.

Tshombe Halts War With UN

ELISABETHVILLE, Katanga <UPD—Katanga President Moise Tshombe announced an end to his war against the United Nations today and said he was ready to talk peace with the Congolese central government. But even with the agreement in Katanga the turbulent Congo still was without peace as a full-scale tribal war was reported raging in diamond-rich Kasai Province. More than 370 Lulua tribesmen and two whites were reported killed in the fighting, with unofficial sources saying the toll was far higher. Travelers returning from Kasai told United Press International this morning that “You can see ■ strings of burning villages from the air, where the slaughtering 1 rages among the tribes.” Confirmation of the fighting was messaged to the central gov- • ernment capital of Leopoldville ’ by Congolese army Maj. Gen. ■ Victor Lundula. 1 Europeans in the area surrounding the Kasai capital of Lu- ■ luabourg said the death toll is • much higher than reported. Other • sources placed it at between 600 ! and 800. Situation Is ‘Explosive* Congolese Minister of Interior Cleophas Kamitatu said in a radio ■ broadcast Tuesday night that the ■ “situation (in Kasai) is becoming 1 more and more explosive.” There appeared to be no con- ' nection between the fighting in • Kasai, which is the province just north of Katanga, and the recent ■ battle between U.N. and Katan- • gese .forces in Tshombe’s secesl sionist area. The only link api peared to be that the withdrawal • of U.N. troops from Kasai to Katanga had given the Kasai tribes 1 a chance to revive their perennial 1 feuds. In a statement prepared Tues- ! day night and issued this mornl ing, Tshombe said: i “I have returned to Elisabethville with the sole purpose of re--1 storing necessary calm and peace ! in Katanga and its people. This 1 consists essentially in swift appli-i ■ cation of (U.N. Secretary General) U Thant’s plan without fur--1 ther bloodshed and without use--1 less destruction. ! “It follows from this I shall abstain in these circumstances from ; any declarationsJjtgainsWtjftUnit:ed Nations.” jK F Follows War Threat 1 The Katangye .leader IM I threatened to Wow up mining a® • power installations ih his • rich province and conduct a guer- • rilla war against the United Na- > tions. But he returned to his capital 1 Tuesday from Kolwezi —one of " his last strongholds in Katanga—- ■ and went immediately to his presidential residence. , f ' Hundreds of Belgian civilians called on Tshombe Tuesday night

Battling Fires In Empire State Bldg.

NEW YORK (UPI) — Firemen battled a series of fires a quarter mile up today in the Empire State Building — the world’s tallest. Six hours after the fire was discovered it still was burning, apparently in electric wiring in a pipe shaft which runs the entire height of the towering, 1,472 foot structure. No injuries were reported and by 10 a.m. most of the 16,000 persons who work in the building had been permitted to go to their jobs. Several hundred of them had been evacuated about 8 a.m. Even as they worked, firemen continued to hack into the fivefoot wide shaft, stripping insulation from wires. Other fire-fight-ers roamed the building, checking all its offices. Maintenance workers mopped up water. The fire in the midtown Manhattan skyscraper first was reported at 4:35 a.m. It was declared under control about 8 a.m., ’ but the fire-fighting operation was ’ expected to continue all day. -- • Earlier, abbut 10,000 persons ’ had crowded behind police barriers at the Fifth Avenue and 34th Street site to watch the opera--1 tion. A dozen fire companies ’ fought the two-alarm fire. Two television stations (WNEWTV and WNBC-TV) opened their ■ channels late when engineering 1 were forced to leave the i building. The FM operation of one - radio station was off for several ■ hours. : The fires, affecting about 10 : floors of the building, climbed as > high as the 84th floor, just be- ) low the level of the observation - tower. Firemen traveled skyward r in the elevators, carrying rolledj up sections of hose. Engines -alow pumped up wa-

to shake his hand and reiterate their confidence in his leadership. The lights of the residence burned late as a procession of cars made a constant round through the palace grounds. There was no immediate indication whether Tshombe had told his troops in Kolwezi to remove demolition charges they were reported to have placed at key mining and power installations. Kolwezi supplies 75 per cent of Katanga's hydro-electric power. Back In Fold It began to look as if there now would be an early settlement that would bring Katanga back into a united Congo and end its secession movement. However, new trouble was reported springing up in diamondrich Kasai Province, an area with a -long history of tribal strife. -The. Congo press agency said several hundred persons had been killed since the withdrawal of U.N. troops.

S -1 HL 1 .Ar if HI? Pkjft ’’III MM EJlfr ’ a..—— FIAsiRE PRESIDENT?— Picture shown inWashington, D. C., of Atty. Gen. Robert Kennedy’s son, David, 6\was taken last yearly Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy. David is siting by duck pens .ear pool on the south lawn of the White Hotige. Inscription aXbottom reads: “A future president his property. is signed by President Kennedy. 'X

SEVEN CENTS

ter under high pressure. Firemen communicating with walkietalkies reported difficulty in receiving due to the great amount of steel in the building. $25,735 Fire Loss Here During Year Decatur fire chief Cedric Fisher submitted his report for 1962 to the Decatur city council Tuesday night, which showed a total of 89 fire runs for the department during the year. The report gave an estimated damage of $25,735 for some 59 city fires, considerably. higher than an estimate of $20,545 given for 57 city fires in 1961. The city department was called to two more city fires and four more county fires in 1962 than in 1961. During the past year, the department made runs to a total of 30 rural fires. A breakdown of the 59 city fires ir. chief Fisher’s report showed the following: one church fire; one school fire; four home fires; four electric motor fires; one lightning fire, four electric wiring; two television; five automobile; two trucks; five overheated stoves; two grease fires; five grass fires; twelve trash fires; two electric transformer fires; three miscellaneous and three special calls. Special calls were a trash fire on the river bank August 3 that had gone deep in the bank and took over 3,000 gallons of water to extinguish; stand-by at a truck wreck Dec. 4 and taking frigs from the trailer of the truck; and . a flushing of the highway Sept. 4

- C( —MX. 11111 - in front of the Youth and Community Center when a load of tomotoes fell from a truck. Also included in the report were three false alarm calls, as compared to four such calls in 1961. Plan Story Hour At Library Saturday Classics in childrens’ literature ■ will be featured each week at the

story hour. Miss Bertha Heller, librarian, announces that the program for children will be held each Saturday from January 12 through April 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the children’s library. Mrs. Martindill will illustrate the stories with pop-up pictures. Miss Marilyn Knudsen will assist at the story hour, which is planned for the four-year-olds and those children in kindergarten and first grade. DECATUR TEMPERATURES Local weather data for the 24 hour period ending at 11 a.m. today. 12 noon 38 12 midnight .. 36 1 p.m —- 38 1 a.m 36 2 p.m 38 2 a.m, M 3 p in. 38 3a m. 36 4 p.m. 39 4 a.m . 38 5 p.m 38 5 a.m. ............ 37 6 p.m 38 6 a.m 38 7 p.m 37 7 a.m —- 38 8 p.m 36 8 a.m :.... 38 9 p.m 36 9 a.m 40 10 p.m 37 10 a.m. 46 ■ k IH*. a >l w*:MR. >l7'.. Precipitation Total for the 24 hour period ending at 7 a m today, .0 Inches. The St. Mary’s river was at 1.1. feet.