Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 13

School Board Gives Study to RENO EVENING PHONE FA 3-3161 RENO, NEVADA, MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1957 PAGE THIRTEEN AZETTE All Year Plan A raging fire, pushed by "terrific winds" and sped on its way by tinder-dry range grass has ripped through over 10,000 acres of valuable Nevada grazing land east of Mc-Dermit in the Quinn river area. The fire, out of control since it started Friday afternoon, has destroyed an estimated $200,000 in grazing land and has already cost about $20,000 for unsuccessful suppression attempts, L. A. Dremolski, Humboldt national or- Clark Slayer Hangs Himself In Prison Cell Chooses Own Way To Avert Death In Gas Chamber lest supervisor reports to 5 I (a fek -f A Ik -tit i -h ill 1 A xh- i a i 1 RIDING 106 MILES in 20 hours and 35 minutes were Gwen Ann Smith of Reno, above, and Wendell Robie (right) of Auburn who were in the first group to arrive Sunday morning in Auburn, on the Pony Express ride, part of the Western States Sierra Trail Ride which started at Tahoe City. Also in the winning group were Dr.

George Farrell of Reno and David Joy of Sacramento. In the second group, with a total time of 22 hours, were Nick Mansfield, David Mansfield, Tom Lee and John Dunn, all of Reno, and Sally Boyle of Oroville. Thirty minutes later, Nancy Mansfield, Larry Petritt, Don Keffigan and Dr. Lawrence Etter of Reno, Dale Gonzales of Los Banos, and Gus Raptis of Brooklyn, N. rode in to Auburn, completing the ride well within the 24 hour limit.

(Marie White photos) RENO OFFICIAL TEMPERATURE No Dusf Along This Trail Mayor Uses Unique Transportation Mode Mayor Len Harris made the outstanding trip on the 106-mile one-day Western States Sierra trail ride from Tahoe City to Auburn Saturday and Sunday. While other riders pounded the dusty trail, Harris was left at the post in Tahoe City, rode a helicopter to the first stopping point, but was unable to land, then returned to Tahoe City to make the day. He said he "hoped" crews would have the fire under control by morning. The land is grazed by cattle owned by residents of the Fort McDermit Indian reservation and a number of cattle are said to be destroyed in the burned over area. MAY JUMP RIVER Seven tractors and 100 men are on the fire today attempting to keep the fire from crossing into Oregon and from jumping the Quinn river.

A busload of Nixon firefighters was dispatched to the scene this morning. Dremolski described the fire as tremendous in extent and said it virtually flashed through the lush grass which carpeted the graze land. He attributed the fire to some man caused incident since there had been no lightning in the vicinity recently. LITTLE TIMBER There was little timber in the acreage which is burning. Part of it is under forest service supervision and the rest under the bureau of land management.

The forest supervisor said the fire was a double tragedy because in addition to losing grazing for this year any grass whicj grows there next year will be so fire-weakened that it will be impossible to graze it. While hoping for control by morning, he was not optimistic, declaring that the unpredictable winds and extreme dryness of the grass made it "hard to catch up to the fire." Rescue Effected Ranch Hand Thankful For Copters Hugh M. Banks, 46, a ranch- hand from Gerlach, is mighty thankful the U.S. air force owns highly maneuverable helicopters and daring pilots. He possibly owes his life to the flying combination.

Banks is at Washoe Medical Center today in "good" condition. He suffered a fractured hip on pre cipitous Granite mountain near Gerlach late Saturday when he was thrown from a horse. Fellow cowboys were reluc tant to move him by horseback over the dangerous mountain route. They called the Washoe county sheriff's office which in turned notified Stead Air Force base officials. At 9 o'clock Saturday night an H-19 helicopter left Stead.

Its pilots, Maj. J. H. Thompson and Capt. Richard R.

Bragg settled the 'chopper down several hundred yards from the injured man and he was com forted by a medic, A 1C H. L. Chesney. The dangerous night time mis sion was ended shortly after midnight. Banks was taken by ambulance from Stead to Wa shoe Medical Center.

Banks and three other unidentified cowboy companions had been hunting cattle when Banks was thrown by his mount onto a pile of boulders. Crowd Attends Teen Age Dance The teenager dance staged by Silver Stale Post No. 3396, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Sparks, in the Catholic hall was a huge success. More than eighty boys and girls attended and enjoyed the affair. They requested that the post give another dance soon.

The waltz contest was won by Joel Glover, 1616 and Janell Finley, 618 Prater Way, while Gary 2300 Prater Way and Denise Prince, 26 East were the outstanding rug-cutters in the bop or jitterbug dance. Each winning contestant received a $5 gift certificate redeemable at the Record room, Second and West in Reno. Post Commander William E. McGee and Auxiliary President Blanche Allison were assisted by Nelson McCall, chairman; Frank Cogolo and Ed Vaughan. Auxiliary members present were Mes-dames Ida Henderson, Virginia Giannotti, Helen Haight, Jerry McGee and Lucille Fornier.

At the xt post meeting Friday, Aug. 16 plans will be discussed regarding making these Teen-age Dances a bi-monthly affair to continue through the Win-te Program Readied. For Changeover; Bonds Considered Possibility of making education a year-round activity in Washoe county schools will be discussed at a meeting of the school board in the administration building Tuesday at 8 p. m. Future bond sales for new school construction will also be studied at that time.

WILL OFFER PLAN Superintendent of schools Earl Wooster said today he would pre sent to the board a program for establishing a full year school sys tem. He said he would ask trustees to take the plan under consideration and study its fea tures. When the school district com pletes its 1957-58 building program it will have about half a million dollars left from its last bond issue to construct new schools and $2.5 million in unsold bonds. In the period from 1958 to 1962 the district has planned over twenty new schools or additions to present schools. Added to the funds available from previous bond issues the school district will need about $4 million to complete the proposed buildings.

The board will hold a preliminary discussion on new bonds to support the program, Wooster said. Also on the agenda for Tuesday the Sun Valley school where parents claim that crowding will exist this Fall. Wooster said the board may consider a temporary classroom if the crowding does appear. The school board is still hiring for the Fall term and is expected to approve a number of contracts at the meeting. Insurance agents for the district's various policies will be selected by the board.

Ely Statement Kindles Fire SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 12. UPl Northcutt Ely, California counsel, drew fire from Arizona attorneys today as California presented final phases of its case iu the Colorado river water litigation. Ely, in his final rtatement before Simon F. Rifkind, U.

S. Supreme Court special master, wa3 attempting to explain definitions of terms used by senators in debate on the Boulder Canyon Contract Act. Mark Wilmer, Arizona counsel, vigorously objected that under a court agreement Ely should limit himself to calling the court's attention to certain statements and should not argue the pros or cons of them. Rifkind agreed that Ely should restrict himself to calling attention only to things the attorney wanted the special master to focus on and added, "it is premature for California to make an argument on material." Ely centered his remarks on the position of the 1922 Colorado River Compact which apportions water to the Lower Basin states. Under the contract, the Lower Basin states are to receive acre-feet of mainstream water annually, with an additional million acre-feet if available.

Congress in 1928 passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act which permitted the construction of Hoover Dam after the California legislature agreed to limit the state's use of water to 4,400,000 acre-feet of the 7,500,000, plus not more than one-half of the excess unapportioned by the compact. California maintains that the extra half is necessary to help fulfill its claimed requirements of 5,326,000 acre-feet a year. Arizona maintains that California should have no more than the 4,400,000 and that Arizona is entitled to all the million surplus plus 2,800,000 acre-feet from the mainstream. Gerlach Matron Passes in Reno Mrs. Jeanne Catherine Fisk, 39, of Gerlach died at a local hospital Sunday after a short illness.

She had been confined to the hospital for five days. Mrs. Fisk was born in Glovers-ville, N. Feb. 27, 1918, and was a registered nurse in New York City before coming to Nevada in 1946.

Surviving are her husband, Clyde W. Fisk, whom she married in Reno in 1947; a son, William of Gerlach; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Mudgette; a sister, Mrs. Bernice Alexander, and two brothers, John and Carl Mudgette, all of Schenectady, N.Y.

Several nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Ross-Burke Co. Services Held Funeral services for Ralph S. Aronson were held in Sierra chapel of Walton funeral home. Sunday at 2 p.m., with Rabbi Myer Schwartz of Temple Emanu- El officiating.

Organ selections were played by Mrs. Melba Manzo. Cremation followed at Mountain View crematory-Mr. Aronson, who operated the Sagamore Motel at 5850 South Virginia, died at a local hospital Friday. Walter H.

Sefton, 33-year-old Las Vegas convicted killer, chose his own way to die Saturday rather than face any longer the prospect of death in the state prison gas chamber. He used his pajamas to hang himself in a prison cell. Sefton had been ordered executed in 1954 for a hobo jungle "wine orgy" slaying but execution was delayed for three years while he fought his way through a series of appeals. His last scheduled execution day was Aug. 5 delayed because of a pending S.

supreme court appeal. BODV DISCOVERED Sefton's body was discovered during a routine check about 4 p. m. Saturday, Warden Arthur Bernard said. He had been fed one hour earlier.

The former Clark county juvenile home guard used an oriental slipnoose, Warden Art Bernard said, which gave him no chance to change his mind once the noose had closed. Sefton had connected his pajama bottoms to a clothing hook to effect the suicide. Sefton had been removed from death row, where prisoners are under constant visual observation, after his most recent stay had been granted. Bernard said he had not expected anything like the successful suicide. RITES IN CHAKK An inquest is scheduled today, Ormsby county coroner Dan Murphy says, and following the inquest the body will be released to relatives in Las Vegas.

Funeral services are expected to be held Wednesday. Sefton's fatal brush with the law came from his stabbing of hobo jungle queen Jacqueline Kelly. Often in trouble with th-3 law, Sefton had always been backed by his parents who adopted him as a baby. His mother, informed of the suicide, said "all I know is that I love him very much and I miss him, I am so broken up that I can hardly talk." Sefton's body will be accom panied to the Palm mortuary in Las Vegas for funeral services and burial. La Grange mortuary in Carson was in charge of local arrangements.

Mayor to Seek Change in Setup Sweeping changes for the Reno city building department are included in recommendations Mayor Len Harris is to give city coun-cilmen at the regular session tonight. Summarized, major changes are as follows: a. Separate the building and engineering departments, and place the building department under the direct supervision of the city manager. The department is now under City Engineer Eliott Cann. b.

Expand the building department to the extent that income essentially from building permits will meet operating costs. c. Employ an executive head of the department. d. Expand the department to a minimum of six men, even if the expansion requires more money than is produced in department income.

The present staff consists of four men and a secretary. e. Provide additional space, because present space is handicapping operations. The mayor said he has been pressing for the changes for more than a year, and finally decided to at least go on record with an official set of recommendations. Part of the recommendations includes placing smoke control and fire inspection responsibility under the building staff, rather than under the fire department, as at present.

As a reason for taking the building section from the city engineer's supervision, the mayor states that the engineer has so many other problems that he can not give full consideration to high level building department decisions. He adds that he would not expect the city engineer to be thoroughly conversant with new building materials and techniques. Revision of fees is one of the final recommendations. THEFT REPORTED Mrs. Pat Patterson of 1185 Airport road has reported the theft of a dog clipping set, a fishing reel and a casting rod.

Total value is listed at $99.60. Wound Fatal To Sparks Boy An 11-year-old Sparks youth, Irvin Warren, died at Wa WILL RESIGX Harry D. Anderson, Reno municipal judge since 1956, will present his resignation to Reno city council. Police Judge Will Resign; Quits Praclice Reno Municipal Judge Harry D. Anderson is to submit his resignation to the Reno city council tonight and is to drop his law practice here, he said this morning.

The young attorney said he is resigning to take over management of his father's 3,000 acre cattle ranch at Doyle, Calif. He said his brother-in-law had been managing the ranch, but left it recently. ON SEPT. 1 The resignation is to be effec tive Sept. 1, the judge said.

John Gabrielli, Sparks city attorney, is to take over Anderson's law practice here, the police judge said. Mavor Len Harris said two men, former Reno Justice of the Peace Laurance Layman and Attorney F. Kirby Unsworth, who has often been acting city judge in Anderson's absence, have both asked for the job. Harris said he had not yet received the resignation this morning, and would ask the council to choose a new judge. OX BAR SINCE '52 Anderson has been a member of the Nevada bar association since 1952, and was an instructor in political science at the University of Nevada during the 1948-49 term.

He defeated both Unsworth and Layman in the race for the city judgeship in the 1955 election. The position carries a salary of $5100 a year. Lumber Worker Is Found Dead PORTOLA Gene Donnelly, 50, was found dead in his cabin Fri day morning at Camp 14 of the Clover Valley Lumber near Portola. Mr. Donnelly was born Nov.

6, 1906 in County Mayo, Ire land and resided in the Portola area for the last 25 years. At the time of his death, due to a heart attack, Mr. Donnelly was employed by the Clover Valley Lumber Co. and had previously been employed by the Western Pacific Railroad. Mr.

Donnelly is survived by a sister, Mrs. Delia Kileen and a brother John Donnelly of Ireland and brothers Patrick and Law rence Donnelly of Brooklyn, N. several neices and nephews. Rosary will be recited tonight at 8 in the Little Chapel in the Trees in Portola. Mass will be Tuesday at 10 a.

m. in the Holy Family Catholic church in Portola by the Rev. Father Thomas O'Brien. Burial will be in the Portola cemetery. Celeasta Curtner Succumbs In Reno Mrs.

Celeasta Jane Burch Curt ner, 71, died at her home here Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Curtner, who was a native of Bayless, 111., had been a Reno resident for the last six years. She is survived by her husband, Alan E. Curtner of Reno and a sister, Mrs.

Beatrice Wright of Los Angeles, Calif. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Ross-Burke Co. Three Are Dead In Two State Trattic Mishaps Nevada's 1957 traffic toll rose to 75 with the deaths of three Californians in two western Nevada accidents. Mrs. Ida Selvaggio, a 63-year-! old Sunnyvale, housewifej and 22-year-old Donald Leon Gomez of Santa Rosa, died in a headon collision 20 miles east of Carson on UJ5.

50. The highway patrol said a station wagon bearing Gomez and 30-year-old Ralph Giacomini of Petaluma, Calif, passed a hay truck on a curve, then collided with the car bearing Mrs. Selvaggio. Also in the car were Mrs. Sel-vaggio's son-in-law and daughter, Mr.

and Mrs. John P. Widlar of Redwood City, and their two children, ages 13 and 7. Widlar was in critical condition today in Carson-Tahoe hospital. Mrs.

Widlar and the children were in satisfactory condition there. Giacomini was taken to Petaluma by air ambulance today. Funeral rites for Gomez will be held in Santa Rosa. In a one car accident five miles south of Gardnerville on U.S. 395, John T.

Malony, a soldier stationed at Camp Beale, was killed and Marvin George Bram-lette of Benton, was hospitalized. Highway patrolmen said the car went out of control and overturned at high speed. Sparks Hospital Attendant Dies Ward Lowery, 51, a resident of Sparks for the last six months died at a local hospital this morning. Employed as an attendant at the state hospital, Mr. Lowery was a native of Brincombe, 111.

and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Livermore, Calif. He is survived by his widow Mildred Lowery of Sparks; two brothers, Herman and Claude Lowery and two sisters, Mrs. Pearl Ramsey and Mrs. Geneve Jeffrey all of Illinois. Several nieces and nephews in Illinois also survive.

Funeral arrangements are to be announced by the Ross-Burke Company. RECORD CRACKED No sooner did Reno become conditioned to warm Summer weather than perverse climate decided to cool thing off successfully. The cool mornings Sunday and Monday broke three records and tied a fourth, the weather bureau reported today. Sunday morning 38 degrees became a new official low for Aug. 10 displacing 1007, .1943 and 1945 as co-record holders when the mercury dropped to 40 degrees.

This morning the tempe rature matched a 1951 record for Aug. 11 when it again hit 38 degrees. The weather bureau predicts continuing temperatures at about the same level indicating the possibility that new low records could be set for days to come. Blast Claims Are Submitted Millions of dollars worth of claims against the city of Reno are to be submitted at the city council session tonight as a result of the Feb. 5 Sierra street explo sion and fire.

City 'erk Elliott Gill estimated that more than 50 claims are to be presentel. What he called a "deluge" of claims is caused by the fact that claims against the city must be submitted within six months. The meeting tonight is the first since the six-month deadline. One of the largest claims is submitted bv Bertha Elizabeth Thompson, Washoe county asses sor's office employe who was seri ously injured. She is asking 943.

Uni ed California Theaters, owners of the Granada theater, has submitted two claims, for $210,260 and for $121,095, based on damage to the building and loss of profits. Herbert E. Tait, shoe store own er, who was injured in the blast, asks $131,472. Many of the claims are filed by insurance on behalf of insurance businesses. The new claims are to be added to more than $5,500,000 in claims filed previously, but the $5,000,000 was asked by Robert J.

Milleon behalf of others he asked to join him in suing. Largest revious single claim was $350,360, filed by Mrs. Shirley Fleming, one of those most sen ously injured. their way into the safe with a heavy blunt instrument. Entrance was made through a window in the rear of the establishment.

Attempted burglary of Conner's jewelry store in Carson at about 12:45 a.m. was apparently not related to the Hunter lodge burglary, police theorized. A rock was tossed through the jewelry store's plate glass window and burglars attempted to "fish" watches and rings with a twisted coat hanger. Police said there was no apparent loss at Conner's. trip to Auburn by car.

It came about because the mayor overslept. The mayor said he arrived at Tahoe City at 11 p.m. Friday, and left a note for another trail rider at the desk asking to be called at 4 a.m. Somehow, the note didn't get through, and the mayor still had it this morning. Nick Mansfield, one of the other trail riders, said the group waited until 5 a.m.

and that Dr. Laurance K. Etter then rode out or the mayor's horse. Getting up at 7 a.m., the mayor, without a horse, said he tried to rent one at Squaw Valley, was refused, offered to buy a horse, and was refused again. Hiring the helicopter, Harris said he was taken to the first rest stop along the trail, but the pilot refused to land because of dangerous conditions there.

Others on the ride reported seeing the helicopter. The mayor was philosophical this morning, despite what Mansfield, operator of Western stables, described as "months of conditioning and training" for the ride. Harris said "at least the horse made it, even if I didn't." James Straight Rites Tuesday Funeral services will be held for James W. Straight in Sierra chapel of Walton funeral home Tuesday at 2 p.m. under the direction of Wadsworth lodge No.

25 F. A.M. Burial will be in Ma sonic section of Mountain View cemetery. Mr. Straight, who was a signal tower operator for the Southern Pacific company and who resided at 1603 Sparks, died at a local hospital Friday.

Elizabeth Deans Taken by Death Elizabeth Deans, an education consultant and a veteran of World War II died at a local hospital today. She is survived by a cousin, Dorothy Reeves of Wakefield, Mass. Funeral arrangements are pend ing at Ross-Burke Co. shoe medical center Sunday night, minutes after what police said was a fatal game of "Russian roulette." Young Warren, a fifth grade student, died at 6:59 o'clock last night. A single .32 caliber bullet had entered his right temple.

In the "game" of Russian roulette, a single round is placed in the revolver. The cylinder is spun, and without examining the weapon for position of the round, the barrel is placed to the temple and the trigger is pulled. Sparks police found the boy in the living room of the Warren three-room duplex apartment at 1761 I Street. Beside his unconscious body was his father's colt revolver, a bullet pierced cowboy hat, and a set of twin toy revolvers. A brother, James, 15, told police he had returned from swimming about 6 o'clock last night and was eating supper when Irvin said: "Let's play Russian roulette." The brother continued eating.

He believed his brother had meant "roulette" in relation to the toy revolvers with which he had been playing in the living room. Minutes later he heard the revolver's report and found his brother lying in the middle of the floor. A neighbor called police. The boy's parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Irvin Warren, had taken a Sunday drive and did not learn of the tragedy until they returned home about nine o'clock last night. The Warren family had moved to Sparks about six weeks ago. Police, in reconstructing the tragedy, said yoting Irvin had gone to a hallway closet, climbed a chair, taken his father's loaded revolver down, extracted all but one round, then spun the cylinder. The single round was beneath the weapon's hammer when Irvin placed the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. Authorities ruled the death accidental following examination of powderburns, fingerprints and position of the body.

In addition to his parents and brother, the boy is survived by a sister, Janet of Sparks, and two grandparents, Mrs. Elizabeth Piatte of Salem. and Mrs. Jane Detchmendy of Berkeley, Mo. He was born in Sullivan, Mo.

Funeral arrangements will be an nounced by the Ross-Burke Co. BURGLARS GET $5000 IN CARSON SAFE HAUL Burglars broke into a safe in an office of the downtown Hunter's lodge in Carson early this morning and escaped with between $4,000 and $5,000 in cash. Carson authorities are hunting for possible suspects. The burglary occurred sometime after the restaurant-bar-casino establishment closed at 1 o'clock this morning. Checks and other documents were not taken.

Carson police labeled it a "professional" job. The burglars forced off the safe's dial, then "punched" 1 1 Viz.