The Greenville News from Greenville, South Carolina • Page 1

Thought Chuckle A well-adjusted person is one who can play golf as though it were merely a game. Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anyone. Mark Twain THE LEADING NEWSPAPER OF SOUTH CAROLINA 99th Year No. 92 JSf Greenville, S. Tuesday Morning, April 3, 1973 32 Newsstand 10c Dally, tsc Sunday Carrier Home Delivery: lie per week asres inly ffll West Disaster Abbeville far 1 1 'Many Received Warning Weather Official Insists By STAN SHEALY Abbeville-Greenwood Bureau ABBEVILLE The killer tornado that ripped through Abbeville County Saturday night struck with little warning.

In its wake it left six persons dead and 14 hospitalized. It left some 50 families homeless, and chalked up property damages figured in the millions. And it left a 25-mile stretch from the rural community near Calhoun Falls to a subdivision in the northern part of Abbeville in shambles. From 5 until 7 p.m. Saturday night the local radio station had broadcast a severe weather watch for the area.

But tornado watches are not unusual this time of year. And there weren't any critical warnings given while the station was on tne air. At 7 p.m. the station signed off. During the night, television stations in the area broadcast information that a tornado watch would be in effect for (Portions of western Carolina until 10 p.m.

James R. Spillers, official in charge of the National Weather Service station at Greenville Spartanburg Airport, said Mon day that "many people" in the Abbeville Calhoun Falls area which was struck by the tornado Saturday night "did receive" the 9 severe thunderstorm warning which was issued. Spillers spent most of Sunday and Monday in the stricken area on an investigation. He said the tornado cut a path some 15 to 20 miles from Calhoun Falls to the northwest ii i I. iiw )M i' i 1 Tifr t.dm"...(., Wr ii an mi minim i ii mi milium" iinwi nnmm of Abbeville.

He said it struck Calhoun Falls about 9:50 and continued to 10 p.m. He said the tornado stayed Houses, Services Destroyed By DOUGLAS MAULDIN News Columbia Bureau COLUMBIA Gov. John C. West Monday asked President Nixon to declare tornado ravaged Abbeville County a disaster area to make it eligible for federal funds to rebuild houses and restore services. West in a telegram to the President said best estimates are that 450 persons were left homeless in the Calhoun Falls and Abbeville areas hit by tornadoes.

The governor said it will take a "major recovery operation" to restore the areas to normalcy. The tornadoes took the lives of a half dozen persons, injured Additional stories on Page 17 scores of others and wrought property damages of up to $3 million. "I ask that you declare this county a disaster area so that it might be eligible to receive federal assistance and begin the major recovery operation necessary in this area," West wired the President. Besides the damage which West said was primarily to private housing, another $50,000 in damage was done to city owned utilities in the City of Abbeville. West said he hoped for an early decision from the President on the request.

The governor and Third District Congressman William J. Bryan Dorn of Greenwood made an on the spot inspection of the Abbeville area. West said Dorn will call on the Office of Emergency Preparedness in Washington to expedite the latest request, for federal aid. The governor said the Office of Civil Defense is also being asked to verify the damage in the area. West said the state is "doing all that can be done" to assist local officials and citizens in the "substantial rebuilding job" which will be necessary in the wake of the twister which struck late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

Federal disaster aid would entitle residents of Abbeville County hit by the storm to low interest federal loans and other financial benefits to help restore the area. In his telegram to the President, the governor cited the February snowstorm which hit 30 counties mostly in the low-country, dealing $25 million in damages to property. He called on the President to give "special attention to the problems we are now facing in South Carolina. "Our state has undergone a tragic winter and spring in on the ground about 75 per cent of the time in a major path about 200 yards wide with minor damage 100 yards on each side. As early, as 7:15 p.m.

the National Weather Service put on its teletype a statement to the effect that numerous thunderstorms were developing in Tornado Roared Like A Train On A Trestle By JIM MCALLISTER News Staff Writer CALHOUN FALLS L. H. Ouzts had been listening to the reports on television. He knew that they were having a storm over near Athens and it was supposed1 to be heading toward Calhoun Falls. But he didn't tell his wife.

He didn't want to make her nervous. Then about 9:45 p.m. the wind began to pick up and he heard it coming. He knew what it was and! started leading his wife into the bedroom when it hit. "It was ju6t a big blast and all the dishes fell out all over the kitchen," he said.

"We were standing an the bedroom door when the thing hit the house. "It was just like a snap of your finger. It was there and then it was gone. The lights and water were knocked out. I looked at the clock and it had stopped at 9:45." Just down road Larry Brown, a son-in-law of the Ouztses, could hear the twister coming, too.

"It sounded like a train going over a trestle," he said. Brown took his wife and young daughter and crouched' beside a bed on the northeast side of the house. Brown remembers a tornado striking the area when he was a small boy. "It did some damage, but nothing lake this one. Of course, there weren't so many people living around' here then." (Brown has spent the last two days helping the Ouztses clean up the wreckage on their place.

They had four barns one of them 150 feet long blown away. Most of the debris from the demolished motel across the road where four people were killed is scattered over one of his fields. The Ouzts' house was moved about an inch off its foundation; boards were driven through the walls and large holes were knocked in the roof. More than half of the homes in this community about three miles east of. Calhoun Falls were either completely destroyed or heavily damaged.

Most of the people are living with relatives or staying with whoever will take them in. Calhoun Falls policeman Billy Hayrnie, who lives in the community, came home Saturday night to find his home in a shambles. Luckily, his wife and children were staying with his mother-in-law that night. Haynie and his family have since gone to stay with hi6 mother in Elberton, Ga. Mr.

and Mrs. Ouzts stayed in their house all night without lights. "We couldn't 6leep 'because of all the ambulances and loudspeakers at the motel. We couldn't have got out if we had gone to the car. The storm knocked the back glass out of the car and blew trees and limbs across the driveway." The storm blew his barns away and cut his silo in half but none of his livestock was injured.

"We had a bunch of cattle out there and a pony. It didn't hurt a one of them." That's the way it was in this little community Saturday night. Death and terror in some places. But miracles incredible miracles are reported at almost every house. western South Carolina and that people should be alert to heavy thunderstorms and strong, gusty winds.

Civil Defense units and the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) have access to this information and alert place agencies. Also, radio and televisions have access to the wire. The early information was disseminated along with the warning itself which was issued for Abbeville, Greenville, Laurens and Union Counties. Spillers said he will continue the investigation Tuesday of the possibility there was a "small tornado" in the Sans Souci -Berea areas of Greenville. He said it may have been related to the Abbeville tornado but was not a part of that cell.

It was about 10 p.m. when the twister hit the Abbeville area. Several people whose homes were demolished said Monday that they had heard the announcements on the television stations, but did not think the situation was critical. But it was. In all, there were about 135 homes damaged in varying degrees.

Bill Prince, an Abbeville realtor who developed Path Of Destruction ABBEVILLE A telephone pole lies in light of the her husband had left the kitchen area and gone into the setting sun, a mute victim of a tornado that swept through bedroom when the twister struck. Mrs. Moore said all the the Abbeville area Saturday night and left six persons dead. furniture slid over against her and her husband and her In bottom photo, Mrs. Ellen M.

Moore of 104 Hodges Road, 11-month-old daughter's crib, but they were not injured, surveys the damage done to her house. She said she and (Greenville News photos by Fletcher W. Ross) McKenzie Acres subdivision which was hard hit by the twister, figures the monetary damages could run to four or Housewives, Consumer Groups Begin Boycotting Meat Counters Across U.S. five million dollars. Possibly the hardest hit area was the rural community near Calhoun Falls where many of (See Many, P.

2, Col. 1) $12,025 Unaccounted For Liberty Council Asks SLED Probe By United Press International terms of extreme weather conditions and the impact thereof," West said. The state's request for disaster relief in the snow struck counties was not approved in Washington. But West said chances for prompt and favorable action on the request for Abbeville are better. "We might have an easier time since tornadoes are recognized universally a disasters," he said.

The governor, who flew to Abbeville Sunday for a first hand look at the damage, commended the insurance industry for sending claims adjusters to the stricken area to quickly settle claims arising from the. from two weeks' to a month's supply of meat at a market and handed out literature telling Housewives and consumer groups across the nation boycotted meat counters Mon-dav eonflictine reDorts on why producers believe meat the scope and effectiveness of prices should not toe torced down. Two suDermarket chains in customers stocked up on meat last week and said, "When their supply runs out there's no telling what they'll do." Joseph Lackey, executive secretary of the Indiana Retail Grocers Association, said "The effects of the boycott are too small to measure. It's more of a feeling than an actual percentage." their protest. "the farmers' side of the meat price controversy." Mrs.

Ron Popken, 26, Akron, Iowa, their spokeswoman, said the only way meat prices can drop is for the supply to increase and "this will only happen when the farmer receives a profit for his investment." In Davenport, wives of National Farmers Organization (NFO) members bought Farm wives countered in western Michigan said their some cities with marches and symbolic meat purchases. Some food chains and restaurants joined the boycott. Beef stores reported stockpiling of meat by shoppers last week and slowdowns in purchases Sunday and Monday. A large Chicago chain also reported its More rain appears in prospect for Greenville and the upstate Tuesday, Tuesday night and Wednesday. The National Weather Service At nens rood Market in storm damage.

packing firms in the Iowa- West praised the "quick Related Story on Page 17 said there is a 40 per cent response ot tne insurance industry and said it was to its credit that it reacted so swiftly. Nebraska area were closing apparently changing hands too many times. She said that she holds the department heads responsible for their departments. "I have been trying for two years to get a better record keeping system," she said. The auditor reported that the city had $900,000 in assets, but suggested that the police department record keeping be improved.

The report showed that the city earned $10,824 from 228 official summonses which were accounted for. Auditors explained that they had found copies which indicated that another 186 were issued but could not find what happened to the money. The 21 that were missing were determined from number tickets which did not slaughtering plants and laying Norman, the assistant manager of the meat department reacted: "What boycott. It's been a slow day all over the store but the ratio of customers to the meat business has been about the same." Clarence Adamy, president of the National Association chance of showers Tuesday and a 60 per cent chance of rain or thundershowers Tuesday night. off workers.

Housewives' stav-awav tac tics appeared to be reflected in the markets for pork on me hoof. Hog prices at major midwestern markets declined and an Acriculture Department MONDAY High 72 Low 51 of Food Chains, predicted meat sales probably will remain Anthony Fund Hits $6,570.58 Contributions totaling $6,570.58 By WALT BELCHER Oconee-Pickens Bureau LIBERTY Liberty City Council voted Monday night to request SLED agents to trace what happened to $12,025 in police fines and bonds from 1972 that could not be accounted for in a special audit of city records. Almost a month and a half ago city council requested a re-audit of city records for the past two years which included the police department. The accounting firm of Lackey, Farrell and Harris said they could not go back that far because some 90 per cent of the records from 1971 were missing. In the report presented here Monday night, the auditors reported that they could not find what the disposition was for some 186 summons and arrest reports which amount to an estimated $12,025.

In addition 21 official summons and arrest reports were missing and three books which include more than 100 summonses, and arrests were unaccounted for. The motion to call in SLED was made by Councilman George Jackson and seconded by Jerry Brock. Mayor Mary Finney said that the city needs an adequate record keeping system and the money was market reporter at East St. Tniis. said.

"I'm sure that Inside Today's News Times Never Better For Iowa Farmers TIMES HAVE never been better for the Iowa farmer, but it took a lot of work for him to get where he is today. Some of a farmer's expenses are explained in the Crisis in Food series on Page 3. NEWSMAN PAUL HARVEY tells how he found 'a quiet heart' by being baptized. He tells how this sacrament helped him in Lenten Guideposts on Page 9. Chi Chi Rodriguez wins Greensboro Open P.

10 Little Jeff Hunnicutt to be buried today r. 17 have been received in the TUESDAY High upper 60s Low upper 40s the boycott has had some effect on prices." Cattle prices, however, edged $1 to $1.50 higher at principal show up at numbered tickets relatively low this week but little or none of the drop would be due to organized boycotts. In New England, Purity Supreme was withholding meat from its counters Monday. Shop-Rite supermarkets in western Massachusetts and Connecticut also were refusing to sell meat. American Beef Packers Inc.

announced in Omaha, that it closed all four of its beef markets. which were not in sequence and did not show up at all. Councilman Bill Reeves, who made a motion to turn all Cold, cloomv weather held The level of pollution in the Greenville area was light Satur down the turnout at a rallv of housewives and their children records over to SLED and not day, Sunday and Monday, according to the Greenville County in Chicago's Civic Center Plaza. About 30 persons back to the city, said, "It looks like we lost more than we took in." memorial fund for slain S.C. Highway Patrolman Fulton H.

Anthony, officials reported Monday. Southern Bank and Trust has received Bank of Travelers Rest, $842; Bank of Greer, $326; Pickens Savings and Loan, $194; and Home Building and Loan Association, $88.08. Checks for the drive should be made payable to the Anthony Fund. Television station WFBC-TV is sponsoring the marched in the sauare carrying slaughtering plants Monday, signs reading "Keep the boy Health Department. Temperatures in the Newberry and Greenwood areas ranged from a high of 78 to a low of 51, while Anderson reported 19 Markets 14 Dear Abby affecting about 1,400 employes.

Iowa Beef Processors Inc. said it is temporarily curtailing cott and "Roll back prices 20 per cent." A band of 100 farmwives from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota marched on the Sioux a high of 70 and a low of Pause To Pray God, please help us to understand death, and please help us to trust You and Your plan for living. Amen. slaughtering operations at Sports 10 Television 20 Theaters 13 Thosteson 15 Want Ads 21 Billy Graham 4 Comics 21 Deaths 32 Editorials 4 Life Style 18 49 degrees. Additional weather in formation is on Page 2.

Luverne, and Mason City and Fort Dodge, Iowa. City, Iowa, stockyards to give A.