Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 275, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 March 1928 — Page 1

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287 BODIES RECOVERED BY ARMY OF SEARCHERS SENT INTO FLOOD-SWEPT VALLEY Fertile Region Is Vast Scene of Utter Deso- . lation, With Prosperous Towns Lying in Ruins. THRONGS SEEK FOR KIN IN MORGUES Many Victims Swept on to Ocean or Buried Beneath Masses of Sand and Debris in Disaster. Dam Pictures and Sidelights, Page 1, Section 2. LOS ANGELES, March 14. —Coroner Frank A. Nance today charged that the St. Francis dam, which collapsed Monday night, was constructed faultily. “It is admitted,” Coroner Nance said, “that the dam was not anchored to hard rock. One end was fastened to shale and the other to a conglomerate formation.” Nance said an inquest into the deaths caused by the flood in Los Angeles County would be held next week. BY DAN CAMPBELL United Press Staff Correspondent NEW HALL, Cal., March 14.—With death and desolation on every hand, an army of searchers deployed today through the ravaged Santa Clara River basin, hunting the bodies of more dead in the St. Francis dam catastrophe. At dawn 287 bodies had been recovered in the devastated sixty-mile valley laid waste by the collapse of the huge storage dam. Between !100 and 400 persons still were reported missing. Extent of the tragedy at last could be realized, as weary searchers straggled in from isolated parts of the basin, bringing bodies of victims to be placed alongside those in already overcrowded morgues. I As foothill towns awoke to another day of sorrow, griefstricken friends and relatives searched up and down the valley, on foot, on horseback and in automobiles, for missing persons.

A constant procession of frantic mothers and fathers moved through the funeral parlors and temporary morgues to view the rows-ox. bodies. Occasionally there was an outcry as someone identified a victim of the flood. Bodies Are Mangled Many of the bodies were mutilated, indicating that the swift current had hurled them against buildings or fences with terrific force as they were swept down the valley. The Newhall poolroom and dance hall was turned overnight into a morgue. Long pine boards were placed along the walls and upon them lay forty-six bodies brought into Newhall from the surrounding country. Evidence of the merrymaking scenes to which the hall was accustomed furnished a grotesque'contrast. At one end of the huge structure wreaths of holly from a Christmas celebration still were on the wall, spelling the word "welcome.’’ More than 1,000 men were massing in the valley towns today to begin the first systematic search for the hundreds still missing. In this small army were deputy sheriffs, Los Angeles city police, county officers and citizens who volunteered to aid in the work. Many Missing Believed Safe It was belieevd many of those now listed as missing would report safely when the confusion in the valley subsided. But those directing the work of rescue and relief organizations were certain that scores of additional bodies would be recovered before the search ended. Doran Storey, deputy sheriff, who returned shortly alter dawn' from the area swept by the flood, expressed belief that many bodies were buried in the wreckage which extended from the mountains to the sea. "Those bodies already recovered have been in plain sight," Storey said. "I saw bodies in some places which could not be reached until the water subsided, apd. undoubtedly there are many others buried in the three or four feet of silt that covers almost the entire riyer. basin.” . . The death toll as compiled by the sheriff’s office here- early today follows: Newßall,. 46;. Ventura, 9; Oxnard, 4; Santa Paula, 36; Fillmore, 47; Moor Park. 40;- Camarillo, 9; Piru, 61; Saticpy, .5, Bodies being brought into Newhall or found and awaiting transportation, 30. Many of the bodies never may be recovered, it was said, as the force of the flood may have carried them into the sea, or buried them deep in mud carried down the river basin by the rush of water. Relief Work Started Every relief organization joined in the work. The American Red Cross has established bases at strategic points. The American Legion, Volunteers of America, Salvation Army, and other civic and religious organizations were aiding in the work. The city of Los Angeles voted $50,000 for relief work and loaned BEST COFFEE IN TOWN. Second cup without charge. FLETCHER CAFETERIA. Basement Fletcher Trust Bldg. 10:30 a. m. to 7:30 p. m.—Advertisement.

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The Indianapolis Times Fair tonight, liecoming unsettled Thursday with probably rain; not much change in temperature; lowest tonight about freezing.

VOLUME 39—NUMBER 275

all available police officers. The National Guard was on the scene, striving to maintain order. Back in San Francisquito canyon, where once the giant concrete wall impounded 38,000 acres of water, stood a jagged section of concrete, all that remained of the dam which crumbled and caused California’s greatest disaster in recent history. The jagged section resembled an ugly tombstone. Investigate at Dam A tiny stream of water trickled around the base of the remaining dam section where yesterday a wall of water seventy-five feet high rushed out to bring ruin and death to the beautiful little valley below There will center the Investigations ordered by the city of Los Angeles, the State of California and the officials of the Southern California Edison Company. Several theories were advanced as to the cause of the disaster. William Mulholland. chief engineer of the department and builder of the dam, said the wrecking of the structure might have been caused by a major ground movement at the western buttress of the dam. H. A. Van Norman, assistant engineer, was of the opinion that seepage at both sides of the dam might have weakened its foundations. Discard Blast Theory Other theories, that a local earthquake or malicious blast set by sympathizers of the ranchers in some Los Angeles water rights disputes, practically were discarded, although inquiry was to be thorough along all lines. City commissioners discussed the feasibility of rebuilding the dam, which collapsed less than two years after it was built. , Lines of communication were being re-established. Highways were being cleared. The Southern Pacific maintained regular service between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but many of the routes leading to the main line will be out for several days. Bridges must be replaced in several, places before roads can be restored. Engineers began the tremendous task of restoring delivery of electric power. Last night the entire area was in darkness and workers who sought to give relief to the survivors groped about In the dark or by aid of lanterns and searchlights. City officials announced that the Los Angeles w-ater supply yoqld not suffer, because of the many reserve supplies. The St. Francis dam held the second largest quantity of the city’s supply.

DAM REMNANT STANDS, GRIM TOMBSTONE IN FLOOD-RA VAGED DEATH VALLEY

George N. Beale of the Los Angeles United Press Staff, viewed the destruction to Santa Clara Valley from an airplane. In the following story he describes his Impressions. BY GEORGE H. BEALE United Press Staff Correspondent (Copyright, 1928. by united Press) LOS ANGELES, March 14.—The jagged remnant of the once great St. Francis dam looked up like a grim tombstone marking off the spot where scores of persons lost their lives when an avalanche of water swept down upon them. Starting from that grim re-

Bridges Snap Like Matchwood in Flood

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Big steel bridges were swept awway almost like driftwood as 12,000,000,000 gallons of water, released by the burst dam of the St. Francis reservoir, near Los Angeles, rushed down through the Santa Clara valley.

ARGUE APPEALS COURT LEGALITY Attorneys Deny Appellate Division Exists. The very existence of the Appellate Court, one of the most important branches of the State judiciary, since 1901. was denied by attorneys in a hearing before Supreme Court today. The attorneys also attacked the practice of Appellate Court handing down "per curiam" or whole court decisions without briefs setting forth why such decisions were rendered. Six petitions for reversals of Appellate Court decisions, based on the contention the court does not exist, were argued. "The Appellate Court is no longer a legal tribunal,” declared Attorney Jacob Morgan, Indianapolis. "It was created by an Act of 1891, and Section 26 thereof provided that existence of.Jins court shall be six years. "This section was repealed in 1897 and Section 3 of the repeal act declared that existence of the court ‘shall be four years.’ "This section again was amended in 1899 and the amendment provided that the period of existence of the court ‘shall be six years from March 1, 1897.’ "In 1901 the General Assembly increased the number of judges of the Appellate Court and created two divisions of this body. "The new act in effect repealed the entire body of acts providing for such a court. The effect of this,” declared Morgan, “was to revive the act of 1897 and the Appellate Court therefore went out of existence Jan. 1. 1901.” ATTICA BANK CLOSED ‘Frozen Assets’ Given as Reason for Move. State Banking Commissioner Luther F: Symons today announced the closing of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Attica, Ind., of which Charles W. Ziegler, Republican member of the State highway commission, is president. The bank was ordered closed after inspection by Thomas D. Barr, assistant commissioner, who gave the reason for the closing as "frozen assets.” It Was cdptttalizcd at $75,000. with a $30,000 surplus. Loans were listed as $350,000" and deposits $900,000 on the last report. Undivided profits were given as $65,000. Officers, besides Ziegler, are W. H. Yount, vice president, and B. S. Orr, cashier. It is considered likely that all depositors will be paid in full, Barr said. . , Ziegler’s term on the highway commission expires April 17. BAR PRESS IN HANGING Exclude Reporters From McDonald Execution March 23. Bp Vnited Prenn MONTREAL. March 14.—The attorney of the province of Quebec ruled today that no newspaper man • would be permitted to witness the hanging on March 23 at Valleyfleld of George and Doris McDonald. McDonald and his wife are awaiting execution for the murder of a taxi driver.

minder of tragedy lay a path of wreckage, desolation and death. Instead of the fertile, irrigated valleys of the Santa Clara Basin, lay crumbled towns, battered down houses and bodies. Railroad tracks were twisted into peculiar designs just as the toy tin railroads often are by children at play.. Once great orchards were wrecked. The trees were but sticks whirling along in the great current of the 12,000,000,000 gallons of water that was unloosed on the valley. An airdrome was flattened and

INDIANAPOLIS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14,1928

BRITISH ATLANTIC FLIERS HOURS OVERDUE AT GOAL

Hides to Die Suffering from exposure. Mrs. Stella M. Sonday, 54, of 1715 Hall PL, who disappeared Sunday, was found beneath the floor of her home by a searching party Tuesday night. Mrs. Sonday has been ill, her husband told police, and after writing a note that she was leaving for good, crawled through an opening in the foundation and remained In hiding.

HOOVER WINS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE Secretary and Smith Carry Primaries. By Vnited rret MANCHESTER, N. H., March 14. —Solid Hoover and Smith delegations were selected by New Hampshire in the first of the presidential primaries. Tabulation of 250 out of 295 towns and city wards today gave clear majorities to delegates pledged or known to favor the secretary of commerce or the Governor of New York. Everett R. Rutter of Derry, pledged to Calvin Coolidge, was at the bottom of the Republican list. United States Senator George H Moses was high man on the G. O. P delegation, polling 21,074 votes to Governor Huntley N. Spaulding’s 20,211. Although Republican candidates for delegate-at-large have not been in the custom of pledging themselves, all of those selected to go to the Kansas City convention are known to favor Secretary Hoover. Those elected to go to the Houston convention for the Democrats are all pledged to Governor Smith HONOR DEAD EDITOR Coolidge Will Press Key Starting New Canton Presses. By Vnited I’rcs CANTON, Ohio, March 14.—Announcement was made today from Washington and received by the management of the Canton Daily News that President Coolidge would press the key in the White House Saturday morning starting the big presses in the new home of the Canton Daily News. The new home Is a memorial to Don R. Mellett, its former publisher, who was killed in the war on collusion between the vice ring and police officials two years ago. PRAY FOR MSGR. GAVISK Masses Said In Churches for SC John’s Pastor. Special masses were said in Indianapolis catholic churches Tuesday for Monsignor Francis H. Gavisk, pastor of St. John’s Church and chancellor of the Indianapolis diocese, when he was reported near detail at St. Vincent’s Hospital. The elderly, widely known priest was reported improved today. He has been seriously ill for several days.

planes mired. Houses were swept from their bases and either shattered or deposited great distances from their original foundations. Bodies could be seen. Some were in trees. Others lay half submerged on the ground. u u a A S we flew over this new vailey of death—where once there was a quiet pastoral scene of thriving ranches and busy little cities—we could easily follow the course of the great deluge of water. Santa Paula, a city of 7,500 j ap-

This telephoto picture shows all that remained of a bridge near Saugi after the great wall of water had passed by. Photo copyright, 1928. by NEA Service, Inc. Transmitted by Telephoto

Daughter of Millionaire Is Passenger on Flight to U. S. Bn Vnited Press ST. JOHNS, New Foundland, March 14.—Capt. Walter Hinchliffe and his companion. Miss Elise Mackay, millionaire daughter of Lord Inchcape, were regarded today as hours overdue here. Their plane at noon had been gone from Cranwell airdrome, London, its starting place, for thirtythree and one-fourth hours. In that time it could have flown, even at eighty miles an hour, its probable speed against an unfavorable wind, 2,660 miles and should have been far past Newfoundland. It is just over 2,000 miles from Cranwell to here. No word has been heard of them from ships ta sea and no report has been received of them being sighted overland. The weather is clear. The plane could have been seen plainly wherever it passed. Watchers all over the country were looking for it. A sealing fleet was 150 miles east northeast of St. Johns, watching closely almost directly in the plane's path, but saw nothing. Report Plane Is Heard The story of the flight so far lias been that of other planes which went out never to be heard from again—the entry into the gray Atlantic fog off Ireland, a few unauthenticated reports of mysterious engine sounds at sea or over New Foundland, and then oblivion. Residents of Harbor Breton, on the southwest coast of Newfoundland reported having heard the engines of a passing airplane about 6 a. nr. today. The report was unconfirmed and its importance minimized here. An unconfirmed report of a radio message that an unidentified steamer had seen a plane in mid-ocean was received Tuesday night. If the plane reached Newfoundland and headed down the coast, it would not be due in New York or Philadelphia, both mentioned as possible objectives, before late this afternoon. All Others Have Failed Preparations were made at Mitchel field, Long Island, and at the Philadelphia air port, to take care of it. Weather conditions are unusually good. North to east-northeast winds were blowing moderately off the coast during the night. From early night until near daylight today the sky was illuminated by the aurora borealis. Today the sun is shining and it is warm. Light northwest to southwest winds prevail. Vis • ibility is good. The flight of Captain Hinchlifle’s plane perhaps was the most desperate ever essayed by an aviator in peace time. Experts have regarded it as next to impossible. Winds almost constantly are adverse. On an eastward Atlantic flight a plane is driven by favorable winds. On the westward journey it means a constant battle against all the elements.

Hourly Temperatures 6a. m.... 34 10 a. m 40 7 a. m.... 34 11 a. m.... 42 Ba. nr.... 36 12 (noon). 44 9 a. m.,.. 38 1 p. m.... 47

peared to have suffered most. Water reached the second floor of the modem high school building there. More than twenty blocks of houses had been swept away. The debris was strewn over the roads and flat countryside. The flying field at El Rio had been destroyed. The hangar was flattened and from our position in the cockpit of the plane, we could see a battered airplane nosed into the ground. Grotesquely a signboard, advertising a favorite brand of cigars, stood where houses, bridges and buildings had been washed away.

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Nobody’s Girl Will Thrill Times Readers

Sally Ford was just “Nobody’s Girl.” She was released from an orphanage to a farmer, and not liking the farm she ran away vnth David, a college boy, and joined a carnival. Billed as Princess Lalla, she thrilled the crowds with her keen guesses on the past, present and future. She was happy there for a while. And then the tornado swept down on the tent city, and her secret was bared to the world. But you can read it all in The Indianapolis Times, starting Thursday. Don’t miss a single word of the thrilling story of love and adventure.

NEW SCHOOLJIDS UP Tax Board Expected to Issue Order Today. The State tax board is expected to issue an order late today authorizing the Indianapolis school board to receive bids on the proposed addition to four school buildings. These bids will be checked by the tax board to see whether the lowest and best figures have been received and whether bidding on the heating and ventilating installations have been open and competitive. If these requirements are met, the board will authorize the issuance of a $600,000 bond issue to defray the building costs. The reservations were prompted by the tax board announcement at a hearing two weeks ago that there had been no competition in awarding the heating and ventilating contracts for local school buildings and that it was evident that the C. C. Ship Company had been the recipient of the contracts. If such conditions continued to exist, the bond issue would not be authorized, the board warned. FORT STTE IS SOUGHT Steps Taken to Obtain Remainder of Vincennes Location. Announcement was made today by President William Fortune of the George Rogers Clark Memorial Commission that further steps had been taken to secure the site of Old Ft. Sackville at Vincennes. He reported to the commissioners Tuesday, at a meeting here, that the present site of the Kuh elevator had been acquired for $35,099 and that steps were being taken by the city of Vincennes to complete purchase of the old blockhouse square. This will be transferred to the commission.

Six large moving vans stood in the road near Saugus. The road was cut off both in front and in the rear of the motorcade. 0 0 0 Huddled groups stood about below, dazed by the tragedy. Some persons apparently were searching for bodies of their loved ones. Others attempted to retrieve household belongings. Dead stock floated in the muddy water or was strewn about the ground. Where the water had subsided'

ORIENTAL STREET WILL BE CLOSED; REMOVAL OF FORD PLANT FROM CITY AVERTED Mayor Decides on Action After Four-Year Fight; Track Elevation to Be Completed. in 1929. EXPANSION OF FACTORY FORECAST, Reopening Expected Within Two Months, With Likelihood That Body Building Unit Will Be Installed. Mayor L. Ert Slack has decided to close Oriental St. whett the Pennsylvania track are elevated, thereby removing the danger that Henry Ford would move the Ford assembly plant, at Oriental and E. Washington Sts., from the city, it was learned today. Civic clubs, the Shank and Duvall administrations, and Ford officials have argued over the closing of the street for four years, the automotive czar constantly holding over the officials’ head.? the threat that he would take an industry employing 900 men out of the city, if the street were left ''pen. Expansion of the plant also lias been held up. The plant is not operating, hut is scheduled to within two months as production of the new Ford models is increased.

MOORE GOES ON TRIAL JHURSDAY City Councilman to Face Bribe Charge. City Councllamn Boynton J. Moore will go to trial in Criminal Court Thursday, as scheduled, on a charge of bribery, it was indicated today. There had been many conferences between attorneys in what was said to be an effort on the part of the defense to obtain a continuance. No moves for delay had been filed up to noon. Councilman Austin H. Todd, who was not reindicted the second time due to an oversight, probably will be tried after April 23, last trial date set for councilmen, it was Indicated. Todd today filed a plea in abatement, a State’s demurrer to which was sustained, and Todd was arraigned, entering a plea of no,, guilty. In the Indictment on which the case of Thursday is based, Moore is charged with soliciting and accepting from the tffen city controller, John J. Collins. SIOO to influ. ence his vote in threatened impeachment proceedings against Mayor John L. Duvall. State’s chief witnesses are expected to be Duvall, Collins and Miss Pearl Nichols, secretary to Duvall. A special venire of fifty has been called to augment the regular jury panel for the trial, before Special Judge Paul G. Davis.

DEHASS SUIT CLOSES Judge Delays Verdict in Divorce Case. Testimony in a divorce suit brought by Dr. T. W. Dehass, 2152 N. Meridian St., against his young wife, whom he married in 1919, was completed before Superior Judge W. O. Dunlavy today. Judge Dunlavy took the case under advisement, without indicating when he will hand dow na decision. Mrs. Dehass filed cross-complaint asking $40,000 alimony. Two days were spent in efforts of Dr. Dehass to show' how his estate valued at $50,000 at the time of his marriage in 1919 has been dissipated to a much lesser figure. Notebooks showing what he has paid for household expenses and bills paid for materials used by Mrs. Dehass were introduced as evidence. Cruel and inhuman treatment is alleged in both the complaint and cross-complaint. Ends Sixty-Third Year on Job B,y Vnited Preen CROMWELL, Conn., March 14, Kate Ralph, 79, completed her sixtythird year today in the employ of J. & E. Stevens Company, manufacturers of iron toys. She is a toy painter.

there was a yellow waste covering the once fertile earth. The great dam, which had been the pride of the valley, was battered like some toy. Great chunks were thrown yards away from the base. Some of these great bits of concrete and steel—which had comprised one of America's great engineering feats—had been floated along with the overflow of water. They were believed to have battered down some of the houses of the vallley. And today only that jagged remnant of the dam stands, a reminder of the tragedy.

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If the street were left open beneath the elevated tracks, Ford would have to move his assembly chain from the first to the second floor of the plant, because he could not bring a switch down from the elevation across Oriental St. Slack and City Engineer A. H. Moore surveyed the situation two months ago and began negotiations to close the street from Washington to Southeastern Ave., where they said a "serious traffic hazard” would be created. Confer on Changes

The engineering and legal departments have conferred with the railroad company on changes necessary in the track elevation program specifications. Leota St., a through artery west of the Ford plant, will be opened between Southeastern and Washington, Slack said. Opening of Leota St. is expected to meet the objections of south side citizens who protested closing Oriental some time ago. Slack said the board of works will close Oriental because of the traffic hazard which would be created at Southeastern intersection if Oriental St. joined it there. Delay in the decision is in a measure responsible for postponement of the track elevation project, it was stated. "We made the move on our own initiative. I understand the railroad much prefers Leota St. and the Ford authorities, of course, desire closing of Oriental,” Slack said. Elevation Year Away Actual start of the elevation and closing of the street will be a year off, it is believed. Failure of the city to close driental St., two years ago, is partially responsible for the Ford plant being closed at present, according to George J. Steinmetz, Ford branch manager. Closing the street will enable the Ford authorities to rearrange floor space to permit installation of a body building department, making the factory an "A 1” class plant, Steinmetz said. Ford officials desire to make all plants complete units, it is said, and failure of the Indianapolis branch to open with several other branches is due to insufficient supply of bodies. All bodies are shipped here. It is believed the body plant would have been installed a year ago if tha street had been closed. Will Mean More Jobs Addition of the body department would boost the number of employes from 900 to about 1,400 or 1,500, Steinmetz said. The department could be in operation in ninety days after the street's closing, he estimated. "Plants with body departments have a great advantage over Indianapolis. I have been unable to get information as to when the branch will begin operations,” Steinmetz declared. Steinmetz said he would advise Detroit of the city's move at once. Referring to a rumor that the branch may start about April 1, Steinmetz said, “we could get going within sixty days.”

12 CALLS 1923 FORD SEDAiTbODY GOOD: 20. HARE-CHEVROLET CO. BRANCH 921-923 Virginia Ave. Dr. 3156. This ad appeared in The Times only one day. It brought 12 replies and, of course, a buyer. You, too, can get results like this when you have articles for sale, if you write a good ad and place it before more than a quarter million daily Times readers. CALL MA IN 3500 YOU CAN CHARGE YOUR AD