Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 3

Asbury Park PressSat, June 8,1985 A3 Safety expert changes opinion By DANIEL S. CLAY Press Toms River Bureau TOMS RIVER A safety consul-tant who made a number of recommendations to improve fire safety at the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1979 yesterday soft-pedaled some of them and wavered on whether they were all necessary. AllkMmk ID A 11 i.i rvuiMjii icsunea me letter he sent to Great Adventure a week after the 1979 visit was a distinct his family through the Haunted Castle, Allison said he would have. Under further questioning by Kelly, Allison admitted he had not said it his recommendations to Cochran that if the maze were eliminated, three exit accesses would not be necessary. Allison told Kelly that when he was talking about the installation of sprinkling systems, he was only referring to new facilities Six Flags was thinking of installing at other parks.

When he told Kelly sprinkling systems were not the best fire protection, Kelly produced Allison's grand jury testimony in which he said sprinklers were recognized as the best fire protection for life safety. Allison also told Kelly that when he recommended the exit accesses be installed, he said he did not recommend they be lighted. Asked by Superior Court Judge Mark Addison how patrons would find the exit accesses, Allison said they would have been either openings in the corridors or openings with curtains. Under further cross examination, Allison said sprinklers are used primarily for property protection, not life safety. "Sprinklers won't save your life," he said.

Asked by Addison if he would have recommended sprinklers if he's known the attraction would be there for five years, Allison said he's have to think about that they were for property protection, not life protection, after telling the grand jury investigating the fire last summer sprinklers are recognized as the best way to protect life. Under direct questioning by Kelly, Allison said he recommended in a letter to Great Adventure officials a week after his visit a list of improvements, including adding two exterior exits and five emergency exit accesses. An emergency exit access is an interior exit that makes it easier for persons inside to get to an exterior exit door to the outside. In his letter to Larry Cochran, then general manager of Great Adventure, Allison also recommended smoke or heat detectors that would sound an local alarm in the Haunted Castle and a remote alarm in the park security office or other office manned at ail times. Allison also recommended in his letter that corridors should be widened to a minimum of 33 inches.

He said the recommended capacity of 798 per hour could be increased to 1,050 per hour if the corridors were widened and access exits added. He said park logs showed at one time, 1,476 went through during peak hours. The consultant said he did not recommend sprinklers because the attraction was made out of separate trailers hooked together and because the facility was being leased at the time. But Kelly read grand jury testimony by Allison in which he said he had recommended sprinklers. Yesterday, Allison said he meant sprinklers should be put in new Haunted Castle-type facilities.

Under cross examination by Six Flags' lawyer Michael Wilbert, Allison said that if he had not been satisfied with improvements made in the Haunted Castle when he made his inspection in 1980, he would have mentioned it in that year's report On a scale of one to 10, Allison said he rated Great Adventure a 7.3 in 1979 and an 8.5 in 1980, both very high marks. Under questioning by John R. Ford, lawyer for Great Adventure, Allison said that if the maze, a series of turns in the center of the attraction, was removed, three emergency exit assesses would not be necessary. Allison said if an exit was installed in the control room and an emergency exit access put in the "butcher" section of the attraction, a fourth exit access could be eliminated. Questioned about smoke detectors, Allison said that if the Haunted Castle had a system of rovers employees walking through the attraction constantly they could detect smoke.

Asked by Ford if all the things he mentioned, including adding emergency light, had been done, would he take 1 ff'y' TIM MC CARTHY Asbury Pirk Prm Great Adventure fire trial at Safety consultant J.P. Allison testifies yesterday in Toms River courtroom i Tax relief, shore projects included in state budget If if" TIM." mm departure from his usual procedure, he said under questioning by Six Flags Great Adventure lawyers he was not "alarmed" about conditions at the attractions. Allison, of Houston, was the 18th witnesses called by the state in the trial of Six Flags Chicago, and Great Adventure Jackson Township, which are charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of eight teen-agers in the Haunted Castle fire May II, 1984. Although he was a state witness called by assistant Ocean County prosecutor Kevin W. Kelly, Allison admitted spending four hours in conference with defense lawyers in Texas a month ago.

He also admitted refusing to be interviewed by Kelly before the trial. At one point yesterday, he did a complete about face on his view of the value of sprinklers, saying yesterday Probers examine SCI data Press Staff Report MERCER COUNTY prosecutor Philip S. Carchman has started a recommended probe into conflicting testimony presented to the State Commission of Investigation during its own investigation of the SearsTaggart affair. In a 90-page report released Monday, the SCI recommended that Carchman investigate conflicting testimony presented about the decision to omit the name of William F. Taggart, a prominent supporter of Gov.

Kean, from announcements about the new photo license program that was to operate in Sears stores. Two conflicting versions of what purported to be a draft of a press release announcing the program were given to the SCI, one by H. Arthur Smith III, press spokesman for the Division of Motor Vehicles, and an-' other by William J. Kohm, who earns from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority as its lobbyist, press agent and advertising consultant. Taggart sits on the Sports Authority board.

Kohm denied that he is the press agent for Taggart, who operates a large chain of driving schools. Instead, Kohm said he appeared at a March 1 1 meeting as a favor to an old friend and ex-neighbor. "Afrorontli rvnlv nnp rS llAC HnT- Another resolution sponsored by Pallone would allow the $500,000 already appropriated for work at Deal Lake, on the northern border of Asbury Park, to be carried over into the new budget The money was appropriated in a bill signed by Gov. Kean last March but could not be expended under the new budget without the enabling resolution. The money would be used for erosion control work on the south side of the lake and is part of a six step project to stabilize the lake to prevent silt from building up in the future.

An appropriation of $250,000 would be provided for the renovation of the Ocean Grove Auditorium under yet another resolution sponsored by Pallone and approved by the committee. Anti-erosion work would be done on Osborn Island, in the Manasquan River, with a $60,000 appropriation provided by another resolution sponsored by Pallone. A resolution sponsored by Assemblywoman Marlene Lynch Ford, D-Ocean, and approved by the committee would increase aid to county colleges to 38.6 percent from 33.3 percent, Mrs. Walker was the sponsor of a resolution that was approved by the committee and would provide the funds necessary to raise the minimum starting salary for new teachers to $18,500. Assemblyman Anthony M.

Villane R-Monmouth, leader of the budget review committee's Republican delegation, got a resolution passed that would make $105,000 available for a Bradley Beach shore protection program. The money would allow the borough to buy and submerge a barge to minimize the impact of the waves reaching its shore. Another Villane resolution earmarking $50,000 to assist the restoration of Woodrow Wilson Hall at Monmouth College also cleared the committee. A cornerstone of the budget approved by the Democratic-controlled committee was a tax relief plan proposed by Mrs. Ford.

The assemblywoman's plan would allow residents to deduct their local property taxes from their state income tax. Enabling legislation has already passed the Assembly and is awaiting action in the Senate. The committee approved a resolution sponsored by Mrs. Ford that would make the money available for the program. If the appropriation stands and her bill becomes law, Mrs.

Ford said the minimum benefit would be $65 fo homeowners and $35 for tenants. Press State House Bureau TRENTON Shore legislators have managed to get more money added to the proposed state budget for a variety of education, beach erosion and toxic waste cleanup programs. Resolutions designating funds for the projects were approved yesterday by the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee, which also endorsed a new state income tax deduction. The resolutions became part of the budget, which will be considered by the Legislature later this month and must be signed by Gov. Kean by July 1.

One, sponsored by Assemblywoman Jacqueline Walker, D-Monmouth, increased Kean's recommended appropriation for toxic waste cleanup by $100 million. The committee also approved a resolution sponsored by Sen. Frank Pallone D-Monmouth, to provide $3.4 million for community mental health programs. "The extra funding will allow the expansion of programs providing inpatient service for children, as well as better mental health services for the elderly," Pallone said. Pallone also was the sponsor of a resolution that would provide $15,000 each for the Long Branch Historical Museum, otherwise known as the Church of the Presidents, and the Adam Bucky James Community Center in Long Branch.

The historical museum, which houses a large collection of Victorian era memorabilia, needs interior and exterior painting. The money for the community center, which has cultural and black history programs, would be used for renovations. A total of $700,000 would be provided to clean three Monmouth County lakes under other resolutions sponsored by Pallone and passed by the committee. An appropriation of $100,000 would be provided for the cleanup of Wesley Lake, which is located between Ocean Grove and Asbury Park. The money would be used to repair a retaining wall, install a suction pipe and clean a silt trap.

"Wesley Lake was once used for boating, fishing and all types of activities," Pallone said. "I would like to see it come back as a prime attraction in the redevelopment of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove." Another $100,000 would be provided to clean Taka-nassee Lake in Long Branch under the resolution. The money would be used to prevent further deterioration of the lake and to clean silt and weeds that have built up in part of the lake. i Associated Prm Nicholas and Connie LoBue collect first check at Statehouse Manchester couple win over $2 million uments can be genuine," the SCI report stated. "The commission is disturbed by the obvious contradictions and apparent evasiveness in the testimony of certain witnesses about the meeting." Carchman has begun his investigation by requesting a copy of an Asbury Park Press article that first disclosed that Taggart and not Sears, Roebuck Co had gotten the contract that could have meant minion a year in commissions.

In announcing the program, Attorney General Irwin I. Kimmelman and former DMV director Clifford W. Snedecker, inferred that I I I -AA UA svnntmsi Water company will aid campaign Press Staff Report Missing Intersection work planned Press State House Bureau Press State House Bureau TRENTON A Manchester Township great-grandfather, who bought a ticket from a lottery machine he operates, has won $2.1 million and become the 100th Tick-6 Lotto millionaire. Nicholas LoBue and his wife of 56 years, Connie, came to the State House yesterday to claim their $2,175,953 prize and receive their first installment of $83,962 after the mandatory income tax deduction. LoBue works part-time for the Whiting Center Pharmacy where he operates a lottery machine.

In 1983, the pharmacy sold the winning Pick-6 Lotto ticket to Erving and Jean Ernst, earning them $4.9 million, the largest single prize ever awarded in the New Jersey Lottery. Like the Ernsts, the LoBues make their home in Crestwood Village. LoBue said he knows Ernst who owns a small appliance store near the village. LoBue said he has been purchasing about $6 worth of tickets from the pharmacy every week for the past 12 months. The great-grandfather said he chose his winning numbers 6, 9, 11, 15, 16 and 29 from family birthdays.

They have one son, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. In 1970, LoBue retired from his position as an electrical engineer for the Jaeger Watch Co. in New York, which manufactured aircraft instru ments. Speaking with an Italian accent, the elderly man had trouble remembering the name of the college where he earned his engineering degree, although he guessed it might be Palermo College. Palermo is the capital of Sicily.

"I don't remember now, it's a long time ago," he joked. For the next 20 years, the LoBues will receive installments of $87,200 after tax deductions. The LoBues said they will primarily use their winnings to help their son Angelo's ailing spice business in California. Other than a possible trip to the West Coast, Mrs. LoBue could not think of anything else she might want "We have a house and a car.

Whatever comes after, what we need we buy," she said modestly. LoBue said he would continue to work at the pharmacy for "another couple of weeks" but his leaving was due to health reasons and not to winning the money. The LoBues were the only top prize winners from Thursday night's drawing, said Lottery Director Joan Zielinski. Out of 5.1 million tickets sold, about 17,000 won smaller prizes, she added. A total of 431 people won $1,483 each for picking five correct numbers and 16,526 players won $54 each for matching four numbers.

Nime: AnnGottib When New Jersey Nightly News disclosed that the DMV code of ethics barred Taggart from operating both a -driving school and a DMV licensing agency, Kimmelman canceled the contract and Gov. Kean forced Snedeker to quit or be fired. Carchman balked at calling his probe a "perjury investigation." "Perjury is a judicial conclusion," he explained. Instead, he prefers to call it an inquiry into conflicting testimony- "I will go wherever the mvestiga-tinn take me" Carchman said. "If May 5, 1971 Abducted: from Lousvile, June 1,1983 THE MONMOUTH Consolidate Water Co.

is joining in the nation-wide Child Watch Campaign by inserting photographs and data of missing children into regular and final bills to over 66,000 customers starting in early June. The company is one of 31 American Water Works Systems in 20 states who are participating in the program. Throughout the year, the billing insert will show two photographs of children abducted by strangers. "Guidelines To Protect Your developed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, will be printed on the back of each photograph. Each monthly mailing will contain over 640,000 photo inserts.

TRENTON The state Department of Transportation will begin receiving bids on June 27 for six intersection improvements. DOT said yesterday the projects include the intersections of Main Street, New Brunswick Avenue and Broad Street in Matawan; Route 34 and Main Street, Matawan; Norwood Avenue and Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch; Joline Avenue and Branchport Avenue, Long Branch; Atlantic Avenue and Florence Avenue, Long Branch and Route 35 and Sylvania Avenue, Neptune City. The work includes paving, the installation of concrete curbs and sidewalks and sign supports. "Missing" is a daily feature of The Asbury Park Press, in cooperation with The Associated Press. If you have any information about the whereabouts of this child, call a special hotline, 1-800-431-5005.

evidence of criminality is uncovered, I will take appropriate action." Assembly Majority leader John Paul Doyle said Tuesday that he would press for the appointment of a special prosecutor to conduct the probe, instead of Carchman. Preservation society misses chance to save building More state news on pages A10, All, A12 and A 24 Summer CIDGCI-OL7L? SAE.G LESTER GLENN BUICE1-ISUZU City officials said the building was a safety hazard and posed a threat to the 20,000 to 50,000 people expected for the Raritan River Festival today. The coalition said the building was on the Historical Register of Historical Places and was therefore protected under federal law. Ron Anzalone, staff archeologist with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in Washington, said yesterday the building is part of the canal, which is in the register. As part of an agreement signed between the council and the New Jer sey Department of Transportation in 1975, the house was moved to aid construction of the Route 18 expansion project, Anzalone said.

Along with that agreement, the DOT was to restore the structure to become a museum for the canal area, Anzalone said. But in March, the city asked the DOT to get rid of the building, said Jim Weinstein, a DOT spokesman. The DOT on Monday proposed to the council an amendment to the original agreement that would allow the destruction of the building. Anzalone confirmed the receipt of the proposed ammendment on Wednesday, and said his office was in the process of trying to find another location for the house. Wendy Mager, attorney for the coalition, said she learned about the demolition plans late Wednesday and was prepared to seek a restraining order.

But the issue became moot when the bulldozers leveled the house at 7 a.m. Mayor John Lynch Jr. said he received permission from the state to demolish the building. But Weinstein said: "We didn't give any permission to anybody to do anything. The department could not destroy the house nor did we give permission." Other parts of the proposed ammendment that the council is now looking into includes revitalizing Boyd Park and renovating another brick building to serve as a museum for the canal, Anzalone said.

"Nothing can be done about the house because it's gone," Mager said. The Associated Press NEW BRUNSWICK An attempt by a historical preservation group to block the demolition of a 151-year-old canal lock tender's house became moot when city officials announced the structure was razed 90 minutes before a court hearing on the matter. Members of the Delaware and Rar-itan Canal Coalition tried in vain Thursday to get an order to halt New Brunswick's razing of the house, a two-story wooden building in Boyd Park. TOMS RIVER iwmg niven.