The Lawton Constitution from Lawton, Oklahoma • Page 1

Drought Rivaling Dust Bowl Days Grips Southwest By LAJUtY GEE and native grasses are dying, stock ponds di'ying up and the earth is cracking and shrinking in Southwest Oklahoma. Many farmers believe this is the worst drought since ihe 1930s. The lack of rain this year is nol only hurting the farmers, but many small towns are experiencing water shortages clue to wells drying up. Most of ihe grass and feed crops are already dead or in the process of dying. This is causing farmers to sell their catlle.

Several stockyards in the area have reported handling up to See Sl)0 or more head than usual during ihe last two weeks. Hubert Murray, district conservationist for Comanche County soil and conservation office, said it is the driest weather he has seen in several years. "Many of the slock ponds in the county are already completely dry and others are in the critical stage," Murray said. "Much or the pasture grass is already dead, and if it does not rain in a week it will be too late." A prolonged period without moisture will damage the grass plant, he said, adding will lake several years iefore grass is back lo normal. Some farmers are hauling water because they do not want to sell their callle at this time, Murray said.

"When everyone siarts selling the price drops. If it would rain today, the price would go up two or three cents a pound," he added. The drought is beginning to cause crops in most dryland areas to suffer. In the irrigated areas they are still in good shape, but some farmers have reported wells are beginning to get low. The only crops in the dryland area not hurting yet are those planted Me, and.these will be in trouble' soon if.

It -does rain, the farmers say. Some areas are harder hit by the drought than others, while some counties received more rain earlier in tie year. Jackson County is one of the driest counties In There has been only about inches recorded, in Altus since January, 1970, while officials report over'lG indies there. A lot of towns and cities in Southwest Oklahoma have boosted water supplies in the last year or so by digging lakes aiid drilling new wells. However, some of the smaller towns have a hard "lime raising money for water projects.

It costs sev- eral thousands of dollars to drill a well-and lay pipe lines; Geronimo has had some wells to go dry, causing a critical water shortage there. There are many times of the day when residents not have any water at all; The necessity of taking a bath or washing dishes becomes a major problem when there is a water shortage, one housewife said. Many, of the men in G-eroninio have been taking turns hauling water to replenish the town supply. Bob Brown, district conservationist in Duncan, said the pasture grass in his area is in critical shape. He also said it was so dry that some farmers missed the first cutting of alfalfa.

In. some counties, the land is so dry the wheat stubble is still standing. Many farmers said the earth is so hard they could not get a plow in the ground. Average rainfall for the period ot January to July is well below normal. The southwestern half of the state, is the hardest hit by the.

dry spell, but farmers in the eastern half say ihe drought is also beginning to' affect crops there. Soil Conservation sources said crops in Eastern Oklahoma are in need of rain, but are not as critical as those in the western part of the stale. Although the eastern farmers believe it is dry, portion of the state has received almost twice the amount of rainfall as that of the western half. THE LAWTON CONSTITUTION MORNING PRESS VOLUME 21--No. 29 (AP) THIRD AND A LAWTON, SUNDAY, JULY 19,1970 70 PAGES SINGLE COPY PRICE 15e 3 StllDGr Green Beref Camp Used suspects Allies Set Up Hew Combat Base Near Laotian Border Fred Fisher, left.

Chattanooga farmer, looks at dried sudau in a field near Snyder. Lack of rain has held the crop back to about six inches of height, while the same feed on right is over six feet tall due to irrigation. Checking his watered suclan is Robert Howe, a Tipton farmer. (Staff Photos by Lam' Gee) Water Police jHoldlniured its oeosons nigh icity Suspect Water consumption soared operated at one time at a a season's high of 24.5 million jrale of 37 million gallons a day gallons daily during the a four-hour period. By DON'iV BYNU3I week as the levels of Lawton'si "We're gelling our biggest iwo reservoirs dropped between 5 and 10 p.m.," inches each.

Harrison said. The plant could L. T. Harrison, filter plant produce 40 to 50 million gallons CHICAGO (AP) Three young a 14-year- old boy. were charged with murder Saturday in the sniper oiling of two community rela- lons policemen.

All three were in custody. Police said they have issued a warrant for another youth on the samp Shooting At Party Lt. John Glas said the shootings toofc place during a jpartj'-JTriday night held to brate a peace'' between two' street gangsvtiie "Blacks" and hhe "Deuces." He said the shots were' fired from a sixth-floor apartment bathroom high-rise public noirsing building as the licemer; across balTdiaraond belowi-Tlie snipers stood on a bathtub to get a better view, Police declined to name 14-year-old because of his age; but identified the other suspects as Sidney Bennett, IS, and Clifford Knights, 23, also known as Clifford Boyson. The fourth suspect was not named. Police said four youths (were Negroes.

I Weapons Cere JZifles Glas said the weapons used in the killings were two 30-30 rifles found in an in the building. The dead policemen--Anthony Rizzato, and Sgt. James Severin, 38, both white, were relations officers as! signed to the Cabrini-Green Police in Cisco, have in housing project. custody a man suspected of being one of the armed robbers held up a service station about three miles east of Medicine Park early Tuesday morn- superintendent, said the week's I daily. highest consumption came on Harrison said no figures were i Lawron police received infor- Thursday.

July 16, when Law- ion and" Fort "Sill used 26,216,000 gallons in a 24-hour period. This was just a little under the year's record high of 26,671,000 available on the percentage of use now by Fort Sill and Law- ion. However, the Army base normally consumes about 23 to 25 per cent of all water pro- posted July I cessed at the plant. Lawton uses This year's high mark, a j)out 75 per cent, and is used ever, still is at least a million ij or fln er Cashing and oilier op- laflons under previous record erations at the processing plant. highs, Harrison said, adding I that the filter system last week I Levels of both lakes dropped Sec WtTER, Font Col.

1 maiion Saturday that two persons were in custody who claim- ed to have taken part in the lo-i Police Supt. James B. Conlisk Jr. praised the residents of the predominantly black project for Iheir cooperation in the investigation. "They were extremely cooperative." he said, adding that the residents "are in a state of shock over this incident." Besi- cal robbery and later robbed dcnts helped, hundreds of police- grocery store 30 miles north Dallas, near Lewisville, Tex.

Man Shot 5 Times One male suspect and one female companion, who gave a Lawton address, reportedly admitted taking part in the two robberies. The man, who said he was AWOL from Fort Sill, had been shot five times with a .22 caliber pistol, according to Cisco area Friday night and Saturday. At least six handguns and seven rifles were confiscated in an apartment to apartment search of the project, Conlisk said. Woman Couldn't Sleep "I couldn't sleep last night I felt so sad," said one woman, the mother of four young boys. Another resident of the housing area said her children PROUD AND PLEASED.

Capt. Horace G. Sanders, an instructor at Port Sill's Officer Candidate School, accepts the nation's second highest award for heroism, the Distinguished Service Cross, from Maj. Gen. Roderick Sill commander, at a ceremony Saturday.

Capt. Sanders, who the award for his acts of heroism in Vietnam May 18, 1969. was also inducted into the base's OCS Hall of Fame. (Staff Photo) Institute Vote Set Today The suspect, who told police, "were able to live in peace his name was Hene Joseph Binette, Fort Sill, was not seriously injured, according to reports. He said one of his traveling companions did ihe shooting.

A check with Fort Sill authorities failed to show a soldier by the name of Binette stationed on post. Texas authorities said or when the police came. But now, they're afraid. They wonder what will happen to them now that two policemen have been killed." She said that she and other residents "were glad to have the police to help us. We weren't lh ree i afraid to go out alone and our I OILED AGAIN--Lawton Mayor'Wayne Gilley is all but obscured by a "jet the Fort Sill Flyer, guided successfully'by post Command Sgt.

Maj. Hal E. Hulett Jr. to first place Saturday in the annual Oil Can Derby. The friendly city-Sill rivalry, whici.Hulett has dominated the past three the eighth annual Lawton-Fort Sill Soap Box -Derby, down the Sheridan Road Hill at Sill.

See Story, Section. (Staff Photo) men and one woman were still being sought in the incident. According to information given to the Cisco police, a knife was held on the woman, identified by police as Charlana Meares, 18, Lawton, as Binette was shot, then both were dumped out of a car about three miles from Cisco. Woman Identified Two of the three men still at- large were reportedly Irom Fort Sill, and the third from Fort Benning, Ga. The woman with kids could go out and play baseball in the park." Many other residents talked about the slayings but declined to give their names.

One such man who lives in the project said Ms neighbors were Set SNIPER. 4A, Col. I I Blaze To Stay In Area's Sun City To fie 'Heartbeat' Ot The Plains? the three suspects was identified by the Meares woman as a Lawton resident. Names given to officials were checked with Fort Sill authorities and none of the men were reported missing, Cisco police said the suspects to possess; false IM SUSPECT, Foot 1A, Col. 2 Southwestern Oklahoma residents under a blazing sun Saturday, as the mercury passed the century mark, Frederick recorded the area high with 107.

Altus AFB had 103; Lawton, Fort Sill and Hobart reported 102. No relief is in sight. The forecast for is clear and a (high near 102: By HARRY WILLIAMSON A VOTE will be taken at a 2 p.m. meeting today which 'Could make Lawton the "heartbeat" of regionalism in the 10-state area of the American Great Plains. The vole will be whether 10 change the Great Plains Historical Association into the Great Plains Institute, along with necessary revisions in the association's constitution.

Voting' will be the association's membership --'some 800 persons meeting.at the Museum of the Great Plains. The vole mil climax an effort begun last year when a study of the association's future growth by a Washington, D.C. research firm suggested the name change. Following the. meeting, members will James N.

Miles, recently named institute director, and Dr. Carl F. Kraenzel, author and of the association's advisory council. According' to Miles, Kraenzel's book, "Thei Great Plains in Transition," will likely become the "Bible" of the new institute. "While Miles 'and Kraenzel will be able, in a large measure, to outline the goals of the institute to members today, the plans and techniques to pursue the goals will come later.

The plans now rest in books, such as Kraenzel's, and in notes now being by Miles from ideas which years ago fashioned government programs, and from a speeches such as one given in Lawton by Bud Wilkinson in 1966. "The hopes for the institute are as elusive as the Great Plains itself and as expansive," Miles.said during a recent interview, in his office at the Museum of the Great Plains. "It's impossible to state specific programs, such as the type of basic research source of funds," he explained. Since his arrival in Lawton on July 1, he has been preparing initial programs for presentation to the institute's board of trustees on Aug. 20.

The planning begins from a definition of regionalism by Set CITY, Pane 'A, Col. 1 Big Force Eyes Reds' Rear Areas SAIGON (AP) Allied forces established a new combat base Saturday at Kham Due, an abandoned TJ.S. Green Berets camp 13.5 miles from the tian border in South Vietnam's northern sector. Military informants, said the could Serve as a. good I jumping off point ior a possible thrust r-frjuist enemy bases inside Laos: Runway Cleared U.S.

Air Force C130 cargo planes began landing there after U.S. Army engineers finished filling in shell craters and cleared the skeleton -wreckage of old aircraft and other debris left on the airstrip since Kham Due was abandoned in May 196S. Until the American and South Vietnamese return within the past week, Kham Due, 55 miles southwest of Da Nang, has been deserted. The camp was overrun in 1S6S in the culmination of a siege by- some 5,000 troops of the North Vietnamese 2nd Division, and hundreds of soldiers and their dependents were rescued in one of the most harrowing evacuation efforts of'the Vietnam war. 9 Aircraft Downed In ihe evacuation, nine' U.S.

aircraft were shot down. The U.S. Command reported Sunday that North Vietnamese troops ambushed two American units northwest of Saigon Saturday, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding 14 others. An engineer convoy was attacked by grenades, machine gun and rocket fire only four miles from the Cambodian fron- Itier, a spokesman said, and an armored cavalry unit of the U.S.

25th Infantry Division i was hit with rocket, machine gun and rifle fire 12 miles south of Tay Ninh City. Both ambushes triggered sustained fighting, and the command said preliminary battle jreports showed 14 enemy dead. I Military sources said the opening of Kham Due was ex- Sw ALLIES, 4A, Col. 1 WHAT'S INSIDE MIGHTY SHIP RETURNS HOME Page 5A INDIAN MONUMENT UNVEILED Page 9A THE LIVI.N' EASY Cover Page ABBY DISPENSES ADVICE Page SB MAYS GETS HIT Page 1C SPRITES-DEFEAT A'S. Page 1C NIXON PLOTS PEACE PROPOSAL Page 8C :AMERI.CA.-LOOKS.

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