The Oneonta Star from Oneonta, New York • Page 1

Weather The weather hai been too miserable to talk about so wa won't. But If you really care, look to storm story below. Ooeoiita Star Today's chuckle A gourmet li a man who Invited (or an evening of wine, women and song and aiki what kind of wine. VOL. 79 No.

158 Onconta, N.Y., 13820, Saturday, December 18 Pagn Ten Emergency exists after storm U.i OTCiriT Heavy load of new snow was too much for hangars al and airpark near Oneonta yesterday. by STEVE LOAN Star Staff Writer In the wake of the storm which dumped upwards of two feet of snow on The Star area, Otsego County Sheriff Harold F. Knapp declared a state of emergency at 4 p.m. yesterday to last until noon today. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed on the roads.

Undersheriff Jack R. Nevil told The Star that Otsego County Highway Superintendent Francis S. Olin and the State police had requested that the state of emergency be declared to a i i a road-cleaning operations. The main roads in the area have been kept open but that alone has kept road crews busy. The New York State Transportation Department reported town and county crews had been keeping main roads in fairly good shape and they had been on the job since 9 p.m.

Thursday night with The northern parts of Otsego county were hit a little harder. The state and county roads were open but all town roads were reported closed. The Cherry Valley by-pass was closed and several cars were Hangars fall; planes ruined Weight of more than two feet of freshly-fallen snow atop what had already fallen in early December storms apparently was too much for two wooden frame hangars at and Airport yesterday. With a shudder and a groan they collapsed yesterday, crushing five privately-owned airplanes and causing damage estimated at $100,000. Cease fire to be held on New Year SAIGON (AP) The allies will observe a 24-hour New Year's cease-fire despite a rash of enemy incidents during their Christmas truce, U.S.

and South Vietnamese spokesman said Friday night. Early Saturday, the Viet Cong ended its three-day Christmas cease-fire, which the allies had ignored. Allied forces resumed combat patrols and bombings 31 hours earlier at the end of their 24-hour Christmas truce, but contacts were reported light. The South Vietnamese and U.S. Commands last year decided against a New Year's fire because of mere than 140 enemy violations of a 24-hour truce during Christmas.

"There's been no change so far," a government spokesman said of South Vietnam's plans to cease all combat operations from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 6 p.m. New Year's day. "I have no indication at this time anything's changed," said a U.S.

command spokesman. There were no injuries but airport managers Albert Fortin and Herbert Gaston were close to injury in their gallant and successful efforts to rescue six planes from one of the hangars. Mrs. Fortin, a partner in the operation with her husband and Mr. Gaston, said she looked out the office window yesterday morning about 7:30 in time to see the shuddering collapse of Hangar 1.

Alerted by the frist crash, Fortin and Gaston rushed to Hangar 2 with a tractor and began the chore of pulling the six planes from the structure. They succeeded even as the building creaked and groaned around them. They pulled the last plane from the hangar about 30 seconds before it gave up the struggle and collapsed. "We were very lucky nobody was hurt," said Mrs. Fortin.

"Splinters were flying everywhere." Power to the office, the only building still erect at the airport complex, was cut off by the mishap. "We will start rebuilding," said Mrs. Fortin yesterday, "when the storm is over and after we sort of get things uncovered and get an insurance estimate of the losses." Birds delay line FAWLEY, England (AP) An -oil company laying a $2,000,000 pipeline Hampshire agreed to delay work on one stretch so that it would not disturb two nesting birds. They are rare falcons. Enthusiasts were afraid the machinery would scare them away.

The section will be completed when the birds have left with their brood, This plane teas 'one of those severely damaged in hangar collapses yesterday. (Staff photos by Blum) Entire state buried under snow Eastern and Southern New York State, still reeling from a heavy snowstorm earlier in the week, were belted, again Friday when a new storm swept up the Hudson Valley and dumped more than a foot of ne wsnow. If that wasn't enough, the Weather Bureau said another storm was waiting in the wings to bring more snow early next week. Some respite was expected Saturday and Sunday, however. Temperatures in the 20s were forecast for the weekend after overnight lows near zero.

The storm Friday moved swiftly up the Hudson valley into the Adirondacks and branched across counties along the Pennsylvania border. Before the storm slackened late in the day, 14 inches were recorded in Blnghamton, 16 in Middletown and Albany, and 6 at Plattsburgh. New York City received up to eight inches of snow by early morning before freezing rain set in. The rain turned drifts into mounds of slush, before letting up. The snow fell at the rate of an inch an hour at times and forced the Thruway to close a 282-mile section from Harriman to Geneva, west of Syracuse.

Mohawk Airlines shut down operations at all 39 airports in its system. Airports closed in Rochester, Albany and New York City. Bus and dairy service was halted in Albany and many other communities. At least one death was attributed to the storm. Francis Morris, 46, of Binghamton, died of a heart seizure while helping a neighbor dig an automobile out of drifts.

In many areas, the heavy snowfall foiled the efforts of snowplows to clear the roads. New clogged the roads after the plows passed. Plows also were hampered by cars abandoned by motorists who had sought shelter. The Sayre (Pa.) Evening Times, which serves Sayre and nearby Waverly, N. did not publish Friday after being knocked out by the snowstrom.

City Editor Paul E. Seibel said it was the first edition the afternoon newspaper had missed in its 75-year history. The newspaper has a circulation about 8,500 in the Sayre- Athens area of Bradford County, and Waverly. Siebel said roads were impassable, even to Waverly, two miles away. Motorists on the State Thruway reported that blowing snow reduced visibility to near zero along some sections.

Snow drifted across the roadway from Newburgh north, slowing traffic to a crawl. Dozens of cars including some carrying skis -were stuck at the side of the road, some almost covered by the snow that had been pushed aside by plows. Snow emergencies were declared in counties and cities in the wake of storms. Many businesses did not open for the day, and others sent employes home. A housewife in Johnstown reported that the storm prevented a local store from delivering a snowplow as promised.

The December storms already havo broken a 54-year-old record in the Albany area, the Weather Bureau reported. By noon, the total had swelled to 40.6 inches, including the 15 left over from early this week and 16 inches of new snow Friday. The previous record was set in 1915, when 40.3 inches fell during the month. A look ahead Snow tapering off to flurries early tonight with 1 to 3 inches additional snow likely over western portion. Cloudy and cold, with snow Hurries, windy with considerable blowing and drifting of snow today.

Low tonight 5 to 15 above. High today in the teens and low 20s. Probability oi precipitation was near 100 per cent last night, 50 per cent today and 10 per cent tonight. Winds becoming north-westerly 10 to 25 today, diminishing tonight. stranded there.

Route 29 was plugged in several Highway crews reported winds up to 25 miles-per-hour kept drifting the snow back onto the roads as soon as they were plowed. They said they couldn't get to the secondary roads. In Cooperstown, Main Street was plugged until noon. The hill between Fly Creek and Cooperstown was completely blocked and more than 50 cars were stranded along its length. At those businesses which did stay open, the only 'people who reported for work were those who were within a i distance.

in Oneonta, almost all downtown businesses were closed. Mayor Albert S. Nader reported that the city crews were keeping the main roads open, but were asking that people travel only when necessary. He said that crews were working as fast as they could and when they were sure main streets and emergency streets were in good shape they would start working on the side streets. Oneonta postmaster a Bertuzzi reported that since postal employees were working on a holiday schedule, the snow hadn't hurt them much.

"Now," he said, "everything depends on the weather. We are supposed to deliver on Saturday, and we will If we are able." Oneonta police said businesses were people staying home and, as a result, there were no accidents. Unadilla Police Chief Andrew Webb reported crews had been out since early morning and that they expected to stay out most of the night. No interruptions of services or reportable actions had come in. In Sidney, approximately two feet of new snow was reported by mid-afternoon.

State Police at Sidney reported that there were no serious accidents and said that Delaware County was still considered open, Broome and Chenango Counties were "closed." Farmers were hit hardest but the storm. Movement between farm buildings was almost Impossible. Tractors wouldn't start, machinery wouldn't work and many thousands of gallons of milk were not picked up by haulers. Lisle G. Dutton, i relations man for Eastern Milk Producers said no night pickups were being made but that morning pickups would probably be made.

He said that members may get up to 5 per cent compensation for lost milk but added that this was up to the board of directors. Mahlon Olmsted, Eastern field man, said the milk trucks had been pulled off the highways. In some cases, upsets had been reported. Farmers in the Hobart area reported that they need help to get milk to Massachusetts where service had broken down. The main problem, he said, was that more than one or two day's supply of Lester Martin of Milford, i a i a Cooperative, said that around the Oneonta area almost all farmers with bulk operations had their milk picked up in whole or in part i a morning.

He was unsure about Sullivan County which was digging out from a storm earlier this week. The metropolitan area, he said, had sufficient milk because of stocking up for the holiday and he had some reports of open roads which would allow movement into the i Saturday. Upstate plants do not have the capacity to hold a large reserve supply after Saturday morning and getting it out will depsnd on the roads. Some milk is certain to be lost by farmers. Mai cm said it is Dairylea's policy to attempt to compensate to some degree when loss is not the farmer's fault, but the farmer must cooperate by getting his drive cleared as soon as possible.

The snowmobile, the made for this kind of weather, was reported to be the good samaritan throughout the area. In cases where stranded people needed food or i i owners of snowmobiles came to tile rescue several times. Baiitbridge man dies in blaze BAINBRIDGE A house fire on East River Road near Bainbridge Friday afternoon claimed the life of a retired farmer. The body of i Jacabson, about 80, was found huddled in a corner of the kitchen near the rear of the home. Dr.

Roger I. Williams, Chenango County coroner, issued a verdict of death due to smoke inhalation. The blaze was reported about 3:30 p.m. by Mrs. Hudson 1.

Perry whose house is a short distance away. The Perrys are the owners of the house which Nixon has $2.5 billion headache WASHINGTON (AP) President Nixon, Indicating he will sign Into law the tax-reform bill, said Friday his budget-making headache Is finding ways to offset an anticipated revenue loss stemming from the measure. Actually, the bill now awaiting his action will produce a sizable increase over present tax law in the coming year. The figure of $2.5 billion which Nixon used represents the difference between the administration's original recommendations for tax revision and the bill which Congress produced. Interrupting a conference on the defense budget to meet briefly with newsmen, Nixon asked Budget Director Robert P.

Mayo where ho thinks economics cr other steps might ho taken to balance out the revenue loss, "We don't know. We are pinching very tight, closing every zipper between expenditures and revenues," Mayo replied, "It obviously involves some very heavy breathing in." While Nixon did not say he would sign the tax bill Into law, it seemed obvious he would not be concerned about what he regards as a loss of revenue If ho planned to veto it. Nixon disclosed also that tlm defense budget for the 1971 fiscal year beginning July 1, whllo large in dollars, will be imaller In proportion to all federal spending than In recent years, Secretary, of Defense Melvln R. Laird, participating in the conference with Nixon, said Pentagon outlays will represent a smaller proportion of the federal budget thnn in any year since World War II. He gave no figures.

The President had planned to fly to California Friday for holiday at his seaside home at Clemcnte. But ho decided to remain In the mow-burdened Washington for a few more days, principally for budget talks. It is expected now that lie will go to California next Tuesday. The chief executive never has said flatly lie will sign the tnx- reforni bill, which Is expected to reach his desk Monday. However, he told reporters that Sen- ate-IIouso conferees had substantially reduced prospective revenue fosses under tho measure and, In effect, Indicated he will sign It, Inside the Star Good morning, snow shovelers! Today's Star carries details in words and pictures of the severe storm which has given you headaches and backaches tho past 24 hours or so.

Additional pictures on tho impact of tho 24-inch snowfall will bo found this morning on pages 3, 5, 7, 0 and 18. Is yesterday's snowfall a record? Not really, says story on Page 5. Big storm gives snowmobiles their Big Chance and will provide many months of conversation. Page C. Ann Landers Church News Comics Crossword Puzzle Deaths 8 12 15 7 Horoscope Stock Listings Television Family News 11 1G 13,14 8 was destroyed by the flames.

Douglas R. Smith, i assistant fire chief in Bainbridge, reported that, since the distance to ihe fire short, trucks got to the scene quickly in spite of the storm. Even so, reported Smith, the whole back side of the house was in flames when they got there. Firemen had adequate water with them but sent the tanker back to Bainbridge for more as an insurance measure. No cause for the fire was determined last night, nor was any estimate of a a available.

Chief's chores DUNCAN, B.C. (AP) The late Joe Mottlshaw was given a full-time job as police chief here in 1917. A letter from the municipal clerk spelled out for him such duties as: meeting trains, reading i i meters, repairing water mains and sidewalks and taking care o( fire fighting gear. Wait a while LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Sign posted In a suburban (hopping center: "National Procrastination Week Is Postponed Until Next Week.".