Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 13

Nine Million RENO EVENING GAZETTE PAGE THIRTEEN RENO, NEVADA, FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1956 PHONE 3-3161 Operation Alert Under Way Here NJI. Iff 7 Xss pas 1 ifl l55 I I V-V; I i I 4 -fr it V. .1 I 4L 'jL' 'vj Nevadans Participating In Mock Atomic Attack Mock atomic attacks on San Francisco theoretically sent thousands of refugees streaming into Nevada today jamming roads and overflowing into camps set up in the Reno-Sparks area. The theoretical atom war in which local civil defense volunteers joined is part of a week-long test alert involving civil defense forces all over the nation. Atomic bomb target areas were designated in some 73 U.

S. cities HEAT WAVE CONTINUES IN NEVADA Reno's weather will remain about the same through Saturday with some cloudiness and the chance of evening showers. A break is possible by Sunday but the afternoon thundershower prediction will hold true for that day too. Local temperatures will change little if at all. and will probably equal Thursday's high of 90 and this morning's low of 53.

Reno's first noticeable precipitation of the month was recorded Thursday afternoon .04 inches. The five-day weather bureau forecast for Nevada, today through Tuesday, shows continued shower possibilities and temperatures "much above normal" in the northern part of the state. PLAN FOR FUTURE Accomplishments of the last year and plans for the future of Nevada's state park system were discussed Thursday and today by members of the park commission, meeting in Carson. Shown above, seated, left to right, are Thomas W. Miller, state park chairman; Gov.

Charles Russell, and Dr. William Miller, secretary. Standing, left to right, Al Greenhalgh, park ranger; Commissioner S. M. Wheeler of Ely; Commissioner R.

F. Perkins, Moapa Valley, and Howard W. Squires, Virginia City, state park director. (Nulty photo). New State Park Areas in Offing mission, in whicn the lirst years Law in Sparks On Soliciting Is Challenged Cutlery Salesman Raises Issue For District Court Constitutionality of the Sparks soliciting ordinance was challeng ed Thursday in Police Judge Harold Call court.

This challenge automatically sends the case to district court and possibly to the supreme court of the state. City Attorney John Gabrielli said. DEFENDS SALESMAN The challenge was made by at lorney isert uoiawater, who, in defending a Sacramento cutlery salesman, claimed the ordinance violates the federal constitution Goldwater was defending Clif- iora Harper, about 27 years old, who was arrested in Sparks last July 6 and charged with solic iting without a permit. Harper was. Police Chief Rob ert Galli said, taking cutlery orders door to door.

And he had no police department permit. Sparks, like many other cities, requires solicitors to get a permit from its police department. This, Gabrielli said, is a police protec tion measure to guard the public from "phony solicitors." NO GUARANTEE The permit does not in any way guarantee the buyer that what he buys is either any good or will be delivered. It merely assures him the solicitor has left his credentials and fingerprints with the local police department. It is a common practice which benefits the police department in keeping tabs on any stranger roving the town, Galli said.

In Sparks, the solicitor pays $6 for his permit. He is fingerprinted and fills out a questionnaire. Then he gets his badge and permit. When the solicitor has finished with the town, he turns his badge in and is refunded $5. The remainder of the cost is charged to service.

If the solicitor is a native of Sparks, the permit and badge are good for a year. But non-residents are issued permits good for only 30 days. Goldwater contended this discriminates against the non-resident, and he claimed the ordinance violates those portions of the constiution which refer to interstate commerce and the "equal privileges and immunities of citizens of other states." It also denies the non-resident "equal protection of the law," he said. The city's contention, Gabrielli said, is that the permit is not a business license, but a protective measure. Since Harper's wares are shipped to the buyer from either Oakland, or Pittsburgh, the ordmace requiring him to purchase a 30 day permit is "un lawful interference of and a bur den on interstate commerce, Goldwater contended.

Wednesday's police court trial progressed through the testimony of three witnesses to that point where Goldwater brought up the question of constitutoinality. It ended there with Gabrielli promising to file for certification of the case in district court. Galli testified as to police de partment procedure in licensing solicitors. The other two witness. es were Jean Guyer, 316 1 who resisted Harpers sales-talk and did not buy, and Adrienne Easton, 104 I who said she bought a knife tray from the young man for including San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Nevada's role in the gigantic test, according to state civil defense director Floyd Crabtree, is to keep open the main east-west highways from the densely populated coastal areas. ROUTES DESIGNATED Designated evacuation routes are Highway 40 through Reno. Highway 50 through Carson, and Highway 91 into Las Vegas and southern Nevada. Each must be kept open through the state by civil defense crews. The actual "attack" on San Francisco and the Bay area this morning was preceded by a "Yellow Alert" flashed to Washoe civil defense headquarters at 8:07 a.

m. Preparations for handling refugees began at that time. Applejack alert signaling that atomic bombing had begun in the Bay area was received b3re at 9:57 a. m. Theoretically, from that moment on, a horde of refugees began pouring out of the "devastated" San Francisco area, heading for Reno and northern Nevada.

CAMPS LOCATED Plans here, Washoe county civil defense authorities said, are for the location of 150,000 refugees in three camps in the Reno area. Camp along Highway 40 west of Reno adjacent to the Tahoe Timber Co. mill, would hold 50,000 evacuees as would each of two other camps, Camp near High land ditch and West Seventh street road, and Camp 500 acres near Peckham Lane on Highway 395 south of town. Hospitals would be thrown open to the seriously injured while am bulatory cases would be pliced hotels, motels and guest homes. Reno high school would be taken over as an overflow hospital.

FOOD STORAGE Authorities said they would "assume" that each home vn Rer.o had enough food for five days, and enough fuel for 30 days. Drastic controls would then be enacted and all surplus food, clothing and fuel commandeered for the ref ugees. Tents, blankets mat tresses would also be Taken with a state of complete emergency declared. Nevada would not go un-men- aced by the atom war if it was the real thing. Crabtree said that if San Francisco were bombed the radioactive "fallout" would prob ably reach as far inland as north eastern Nevada.

Bulletins on the mock attack will continue to come into his of fice for 36 hours as the alert pro-1 gresses, Crabtree said. All civil defense units in the state will remain on 24-hour duty. Local residents got a taste of the alert shortly after 1 p. m. today when all radio and television programs wont off the air while the Federal Civil Defense Administration broadcast a special emergency information test.

SCURRY TO POST Designated as "Operation Alert 1956," the test sent thousands of civilian and military defenders scurrying to their posts as a five-hour make-believe attack presumably killed and injured millions and created chaotic survival con ditions for millions The "war" saw 125 nuclear bombs, beginning with missiles fired from submarines on Hawaii (Turn to page 14, coL4) Budget Studied By UN Regents Capital Outlay For Buildings To Be Considered Requests for capital outlay of near six and a half million dollars in the next biennium today were given to the University of Nevada regents who Thursday began listening to operational needs totalling more than nine million dollars. The regents heard from 10 deans or other supervisors Thursday and Friday on the needs of the various colleges and departments, and received the administration's thumping request for capital outlay today from University Engineer Rob ert Poolman and Dr. Minard W. Stout. NEEDS LISTED Poolman listed building needs which would require outright expenditure of $4,401,133, and listed other projects which could be built on revenue bonds as totaling $2,063,600, for a total building program of $6,464,733.

board was to hear the few remaining operational requests Friday afternoon and complete other business. Poolman said of the big build ing request about three and a half million dollars worth of construction is underway on the campus now, and the new request will bring the postwar total to about 10 million dollars. or less than a million dollars a year, less than usual for a com parable university. He and Dr. Stout both indi cated that the request is large now because not enough has been done in the past Poolman noted that estimated, costs included allowance for further construction cost boosts.

Of the size of the building program, and obviously thinking of reaction to the legislature to it. Dr. Stout noted that 1953 hearings had convinced him that the university would "fall far short of its responsibility" if the full picture of need is not presented to the lawmakers. Biggest item on the capital outlay lists is an art-music- drama class building, which would include a suitable little theater, estimated at $1,194,000. Projects were not given any priority in listing, but Dr.

Stout did stress the need for this building. He said that music is now taught in three places on the campus; that there has never been an adequate stage available for dramatic activities, and that the art department still is iiu temporary buildings. Next largest building item was an addition to the university library to about double its space, estimated at $895,500. Librarian James J. Hill had pointed out that the present library, hen built in 1927, wasn't even then large enough to hold the books the university had.

President Stout list-'ed the library facilities as a university need second only to that for a good staff. Another request for a new building on the Reno campus is for a history-political science-mathematics class room building, estimated at $642,000. Structures which would be built with revenue bonds, and for which only authorization, not appropriation, would be needed from the legislature, include men's and women's dormitories, 150 beds each, $660,000 each; 40 apartments for married staff and students, and a new dining hall, envisioned as an addition to the Jot Travis student building, $391,600. Other capital outlay requests: flood protection (work on Block and Orr ditches), remodeling of old agriculture building, remodeling of bureau of mines building. complete remodeling of Manzan-ita hall, power distribution system work, Las Vegas campus library building, additional Las Vegas classroom building (bids are to be asked Tor the first shortly).

Las Vegas campus landscaping. $75,000, and new tennis courts, Reno campus, $35,000. Regent Archie Grant questioned possible addition of a dining hall to the Jot Travis student building as a good idea because about half of the cost of the just starting con struction came from a gift. Pool-man and Dr. Stout said location of new building proposed aren't definite, but indicated a new dormitory had been tentatively planned for the present dining hall location.

Regent Bruce Thompson said there is need for a long range master plan of location and need and was told this is being worked on, and long range needs kept in mind meanwhile. Poolman listed smaller remod-oiintr rniipst in nresentinp a -1 building and grounds budget totalling $1,134,965. He said the fact that not enough has been spent on this in the past. Salaries in new positions under hiiilrfinp and rounds would amount to $153,907, with most new positions those for janitors in buildings now under construction. Poolman also asked for a senior account clerk, though, saying it is necessary to know what everything costs, and for a mechanical engineer.

Heard at the meeting Thursday afternoon were Dean John R. Bertrand, college of agriculture. Dean Ralph Irwin, college of arts and science and Dean Robert Weems, dean of the recently to page 121. coL 4). Scramble Plan Elimination Recommended Committee Cool On Proposal for One-Way Streets Reno's two remaining "scram ble" systems should be elimin ated, members of Mayor Len Harris' traffic control committee agreed Thursday.

The five men of the commit tee met with City Manager C. B. Kinnison an Traffic Engineer A. Glen Smoot to discuss traffic problems ranging from the down town traffic light systems through bottlenecks on business district streets and one way traf fic in the fiddle of the city. CONSULT MERCHANTS B.

A. Farlotti, chairman of the committee, said any suggestions for traffic changes would be thoroughly discussed with mem bers of the Nevada Retail Mer chants Association before being earned out. ie saia memors or the com mittee were unanimous in be lievmg that elimination of the scramble system at First and Virginia street is an improve ment. At the remaining two scramble intersections committee members agreed that a police man should be on the scene during rush hours. In discussing a one-way traf fic pattern, Farlotti said the committee opposed any plan to make Virginia street one wav.

but was willing to consider one way traffic on Sierra and Cen ter streets, although with some reluctance. BRIDGE PARKING farlotti said the committee was in favor of eliminating park ing on the Sierra street bridge, which he said created a bottleneck, since four lanes of traffic are squeezed into two lanes by the parked cars on the bridge. Double parking was called one of the city's main traffic orob- lems during the meeting. Far lotti said city ordinances are ade quate, but the present 15 man strength of the Reno Police traf fic bureau is not enough to han die enforcement He compliment ed the traffic men on the iob they are doing with their limited manpower. Members of the traffic con trol committee are Farlotti, Al Morley, H.

D. Howay, James Wood and Frank Menante. Breen Assailant Sent to Hospital TONOPAH, July 20. VP) A Goldf leld woman who whacked Dist. Atty.

Peter Breen with a rock and due the sheriff with her fingernails was com mitted to the state mental hos pital today. Judge William D. Hatton ad judged Lola Beets insane after two doctors recommended the decision. Meanwhile, Breen is still in the Nye county hospital. Doctors have not described his injury He has been there since the Mon day night attack when his con dition was announced as more "painful than serious." Miss Beets was taken to the Sparks mental hospital in the custody of the other officer she assaulted, Sheriff E.

N. Kitchen. The sheriff said he was kicked and scratched. Breen and Kitchen reoorted the woman went beserk after claiming county officials had harassed her father. Industry School Escapees Caught ELKO Five of seven youths who escaped from the Nevada School of Industry here last Mon day were picked up by police in Reno and Las Vegas Thursday, Ward Swain, superintendent of the school, said today.

Two of the boys were taken into custody in Reno and three in Las Vegas, he said. One of the two who remain at large is Frankie Bliss, 16, who assaulted the wife of District At torney Grant Sawyer at the Saw yer home last Summer. He was captured after he fled and wrecked a stolen car in Carlin canyon. The youths stole two cars in Elko as they fled Monday, one belonging to H. B.

Harrisbrother of J. C. Harris, and state highway department maintenance chief here, and the other to Bernie and John McGlendon of Elko. So far as he knows, Mr. Swain said, neither car has yet been located.

Police in Reno and Las Vegas are holding the boys for investigation. They will probably be returned to Elko. MESSAGE HELD The Washoe county sheriff's office holds a message for Emily Williams or Emily Leonard. Overton Man Given Post On Commission Noel A. Clark, Overton silica sand miner and justice of the peace of that community was appointed part-time member of the Nevada public service commission Thursday to serve for four years.

The appointment was made shortly before noon by Gov. Charles Russell but was not announced until 3 p. m. SUCCEEDS HUMPHREY Mr. Clark succeeds Marvin Humphrey of Reno in the $5400 a year job.

Mr. Humphrey's term expired July 1 and he asked that he not be appointed. Mr. Humph rey filed for the Republican nomination for assemblyman from the Reno district Monday. The new appointee, selected from a list of nine men from southern Nevada and 12 from other parts of the state plans to spend at least half of his time in Las Vegas on commission work in addition to continuing his business in mining, transportation and processing of silica sand.

He wiu also oe available lor commission duties in other parts of the state as well as meetings is Carson. a resident or ievaaa since 1931 he spent 10 years with the Ely Gold Mining Co. at Ely. first as master mechanic and then as general superintendent. In 1941 he went into the trucking busi ness as a short haul operator, then joined Nevada Sheelite Corp.

in 1943 as assistant to the president and as engineering con suitant. He served the company at Rawhide and also in the Los Angeles area, and was appointed by the City of Los Angeles to the civil service examining board, examining personnel for the Bishop power project. OUT OF RACE Mr. Clark went to Overton to organize the West Coast Silicon Co. in 1950.

He has been justice of the peace at Overton for the last five years and has served as deputy juvenile probation officer in the Overton area for four years. He told Russell he will withdraw his candidacy for reelection as justice of the peace. Organizer of the volunteer fire I department in Overton, Mr. Clark has served as fire chief since 1951, is a vice president of the Nevada Federated Sportsmen. a member of the Elks lodge, the Footprinters, Overton Cham ber of Commerce, and the Clark County Republican central com mittee.

Three Injured In Highway Crash Three suffered minor injuries on highway 39o south of Reno Thursday afternoon when traffic stopped suddenly and a car smashed into the rear of a truck. Mrs. Dolores Tucker. 32, suffered knee injuries, and her children, Randall, 11, and Barbara 2, suffered rib and head injuries respectively. All were taken to Washoe Medical Center and re leased following treatment.

According to Washoe county deputies, the Tucker car was driven by Ralph L. Tucker, 34, a salesman from El Sobrante, Calif. He said his car hit the truck when it stopped without warning. The truck was driven by Wayne C. Clark, 25, a plumber, of 1790 Grassland Place.

Clark said he stopped when the car in front of him braked without a signal. The accident occurred in the construction zone south of the end of the four-lane road. No citations were issued. Tractor Mishap Injures Child Kris Leonhardt, 2 i son of Mr. and Mrs.

Ernest Leonhardt, own ers of a ranch east of Quincy, is recovering in the Plu mas Industrial hospital after having been run over by the rear wheel of a heavy tractor. Leonhardt said the child riding with him while he cut hay. slipped from the seat and fell in front of the wheeL He suffered a fracture of his collarbone, pos- sible internal injuries and bruises. The father said soft soil saved the boy from being crushed fatally. HOLD MESSAGE Police hold a message Stuart E.

Phillips. for Many new areas will be incorporated into the state park system in the future, as land transfers are made to the Nevada State Park Commission, it was announced in Carson this week at a meeting of the commission, held in the senate chamber of the state Capitol Thursday and today. Some additional areas already re in the process of development with recreational grounds and lease or use agreements entered into with one private firm and two government bureaus, Thomas W. Miller of Reno, state park chairman, said. HEAR REPORTS During the two-day session of the commission reports were heard from Howard W.

Squires of Virginia City, park director, and Individual members of the com- State Buys Center Bonds Washoe county commissioners accepted the bid of the state board of finance this morning in the sale of $100,000 worth of Washoe Medical Center bonds. The commissioners also passed a resolution announcing their intention of seeking an emergency loan of up to $150,000, also for use at the medical center. The resolution was forwarded to the state board of finance for approval. While taking on one new debt and contemplating another, commissioners concluded payment on a debt that has been in existence for the past ten years, the purchase price of Bowers a large number of mem-vrs of the Bowers mansion re furnishing committee watched Commissioner Ernest Kleppe presented a check for $7800. the final amount, to Mrs.

Henry Riter, who with her husband was the seller oi the mansion. Kleppe said he was proud to de-livpr th final check to Mrs. Riter. since he had also delivered the first payment, ten years ago. Mrs.

Riter thanked the com missioners and the refurnishing committee for their work in restoring the mansion to its present state. The mansion, originally built bv Sandv Bowers, eccentric mil lionaire who became wealthy on the Comstock, is now a public mu seum, with its 43 acres or grounas used as a park complete with nwimmin? nool and picnic area. An estimated 30,000 people are thp facilities each season. KleDoe specially commended the original Bowers Mansion Association members, who raised 523.000 in a Dublic fund drive ten vpart a TO. and Dersuaded the county board of commissioners to provide the additional The original members mentioned by Kleepe were the late Mrs.

Arch E. Allen and Mesdames S. T. Spann, B. R.

Addenbrooke, Clifford Fowler, John E. Beau-miirt Perkham. Joseoh E. Gelder, Carl Gottschalck, J. Ben jamin Parker, Charles Washburn, Bob Williams and Fred Clayton.

Convicts Face Yaried Charges SUSANVILLE A complaint specifying a veritable battery of charges will be filed in West wood district court against three escaped convicts captured and returned to Folsom prison this week. The trio escaped from a work gang at Harvey Valley prison camp near here last week. District Attorney J. E. Pardee said charges of escape, kidnaping, grand theft auto, armed robbery, possession of firearms while serving a sentence, and armed burglary would be filed against Frank F.

Smith and Luther E. Thacker. The same charges and an additional one of "assault with a weapon while being a person convicted of a felony under a life sentence" were filed against William Devore. Pardee said the latter charge could mean the death penalty for Devore. accomplishments of the commis sion were outlined since the body was granted an appropriation by the legislature.

Attending the meeting besides Mr. Squires and Thomas W. Miller were Dr. William C. Miller, Reno, secretary; R.

F. (Chick) Perkins, Overton; and S. M. Wheeler, Ely, commissioners. Gov.

Charles Russell, who reactivated the commission in 1954 after it had been inoperative for 15 years, heard the reports of the commissioners and expressed pleasure at the progress made in the last year. He also discussed long-range planning programs for the future of the state park sys tem. CLEANUP PROGRAM With only a small amount of money available for the first year of the biennium the eight existing Nevada state parks have been the subject of an intensive clean-up and repair program. The initial repairs have been necessary, since no work has been performed on them for 15 years. It was reported that many truckloads of refuse have been hauled away, tables, fireplaces and campgrounds repaired and adequate directional and penalty signs have been installed.

In the discussion of future plans for expanding the park system, Chairman Miller said lease or use agreements have been entered into with the C-B Land and Cat tie Co. of White Pine county, the Bureau of Land Management and Indian Service and negotiations are pending with the U. S. Reclamation Service. BRINGS VISITORS "Altogether, there are some 42 possible recreational, historical and archeological sites scattered among the 17 counties in Ne vada," said Chairman Miller, "that should be preserved for recreational and other purposes; and if we are permitted by succeeding legislatures to continue this work through adequate ap propriations, we should place Ne when it comes to providing clean and decent recreational facilities for our own citizens and visitors.

Remember, every historical or recreational site brings more visitors to Nevada, keeps them here longer and brings more tour ist dollars." Following the two-day meeting, plans call for a visit Saturday of the commission members to the Ichthyosaur State Park in Nye county at which time they will be accompanied by Governor Rus sell, several members of the legislature and other state officials interested in recreational development programs. 'Dozer Operator Dies in Accident ELKO Walter Russell Miller, 44, employe of an Idaho mining contracting firm, was killed Thursday afternoon when he was crushed by a bulldozer he was operating north of Mountain City near the Idaho line. Officials said Miller had been operating the bulldozer in constructing a road near a uranium property. The big machine slipped off the road and Miller jumped from it, but failed to get clear and it rolled upon him. He died a few minutes later.

Miller had been employed by Clinton Graham, mining contractor, who is developing the uranium property. The body was accompanied to the Burns Funeral Home in Elko. New Comptroller To Be Appointed A new city comptroller is to be appointed Monday, Reno City Manager B. Kinnison said today. Kinnison would not release the name of the man he had in mind, but said he was a well-qualified local resident.

The new comptroller will replace Burton R. Buehner, who was dismissed from the post more than a month ago. Since that time the city has been without a comptroller. Bible, Seevers Contenders for Democrat Post TONOPAH, July 20. (JP- Nevada Democrats started gatb ering nere today tor some pre liminary maneuvering on who is to head the state's presiden tial nominating delegation to the national convention in Chicago.

State Sen. Farrell Seevers of Mineral county and U. S. Sen. Alan Bible were the front-run ners as the polite maneuvering began.

All concerned say they want to avoid a party squabble over such a minor appointment, But Seevers' supporters claim that 17 to 19 of the 28 delegates already are lined up behind him on the grounds the post should go to a. small county delegate since the large counties captured the two major party jobs at the state convention in Lovelock. There's no numerical claim from the Bible camp, but some of his friends say it's in the bag for him because it is traditional in Nevada for the senator to head the delegation. This is the way it used to be with the late Sen Pat McCarran Those opposing Bible's being named delegation chairman do so on the grounds that he is a candidate for re-election and that the attendant publicity of being the Nevada spokesman in Chicago would give him an un fair advantage over his three opponents, Atty. Gen.

Harvey Dickerson, State Sen. B. Mah Ion Brown and Julien Sourwine. There's also the element of which presidential hopeful is going to get the most support to be decided at the Nevada dele gate meeting. Adlai Stevenson, the 1952 nominee, will arrive late Satur day for a brief session with the Nevada group.

His supporters hope this will clinch it for him as far as Nevada is concerned. But those backing New York Gov. Averell Harriman say they won't be dazzled by the Steven son visit. "We won't do badly at the Tonopah meeting and we'll do a lot better at Chicago," says Harriman leader William K. Wood- burn of Reno.

Both the Stevenson and Harri man camps now claim they have overcome the initial preference among most Nevada delegates for Sen. Stuart Symington of Mis souri. The presidential preference edges somewhat into the picture of picking a delegation chairman. Seevers is an out-and-out Stevenson man, although he says he will switch on the second ballot if it is apparent somebody else is going to win. Like State Chairman C.

Baker. Seevers says: "Nevada should be on the winner." Bible has said his first prefer ence is for Sen. Lyndon Johnson of Texas, an even darker dark- horse than Symington. Sacramento Man Dies in Portola Calif. Charles Calvin Cadjew, 70, of Sacramento, died Thursday in the Western Pa cific hospital here.

He was a native of Colfax, Calif, and a member of a pioneer fam ily. He was born Aug. 26, 1885. He is survived by his widow, Lucy, Sacramento; a daughter. Mrs.

Bernice Ackerman of Sacra mento; a brother, Robert Cadjew of Colfax, and four grandchildren. He was a retired railroad car inspector with the Western Pacific railroad and worked in Por tola in 1939. He was transferred to WP hospital three days ago from a Sacramento hospital where he had been under care for some time. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Anderson mor tuary of Portola. STARDUST HOTEL CORP.

REORGANIZATION ASKED for completion. Reorganization of the Stardust Hotel Corp. of Las' Vegas is asked in a unique petition to federal court in Carson. The involuntary petition for reorganization under the federal bankruptcy act was filed by creditors instead of the debtors, as is usually the case with such actions. AFFAIRS IN TURMOIL The hotel's affairs have been in turmoil since the sudden death last year of its promoter, Tony Cornero Stralla, former Los Angeles area gambling boat operator.

The action results in a temporary stay of proceedings in creditors' suits totaling more than $2,300,000 which have been filed in Las Vegas against the Stardust. Federal Judge John R. Ross named Paul McDermott, former Las Vegas member of the state tax commission, as temporary receiver to maintain the status quo pending a still-to-be-set hearing on the petition. The reorganization petition is an alternative to a bankruptcy action, which the plaintiffs contend could result in liquidation wiping out ierests of numerous creditors, and investors. The petition notes that the hotel, which has more than 2800 stockholders, needs about It adds that as of last Oct.

31, hotel assets were listed at $7, 246,833 and liabilities at $1,188, 324, but says the assets have been severely depleted since then. "Current assets shown herein are practically non-existent and liabilities have substantially increased since Oct. 31, 1955," said the petition. The petition was filed by Paul F. Weiber, Elzer and Stone Harry Baron and the Federal Roofing and Siding Co.

CAN GO ALONG The Stardust can go along with the move by presenting a plan showing how creditors can be paid off in time, or it can protest the petition by showing it is not necessary. A reorganization petition does not mean the corporation is broke, such as a bankruptcy pro ceeding would indicate. Rather, the petition indicates the belief that creditors can be paid off and the hotel made a sound concern through proper manage ment and planning. Pending the hearings, Judge Ross ordered all action halted on the creditors suits, including those on behalf of the internal revenue service and the Nevada employment security department lor back taxes..