The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • Page 1

MMONW nrpT OF ARCH1BVES Iu MEMORIAL BtPG COMP- VOLUME 39 NUMBER 133. GREENWOOD, LEFLORE COUNTY, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 2, 1955. FIVE CENTS i TOBHAB III 15) IP 18 fMI A livl ini i mi ini GREENWOOD GO BEAT I MfflBT IE Mississippi Toll Reaches 28 Deadly tornadoes ripped through three mid-South states Huge $14 Million Sales Tax Bill Awaits Unpredictable Outcome and about 100 injured along1 yesterday, leaving 31 dead heir haphazard path. The storms, probing from ine, struck in Arkansas and i Jr, If--" I pot in Mississippi. Extensive property damage was Twenty-eight were killed near Commerce Landing, about 30 miles south of Memphis, including an unidentified By DOUGLAS STARR JACKSON, Feb.

2 House action on a 14 Vz million-dollar sales taxbill almost certainly will be completed today, three and one-half weeks after special session met to raise money to equalize negro and white schools. But the bill still must go to Senate where its outcome is unpredictable. The Senate, in a morning session postponed until tomorrow consideration of a bill increasing cigarette taxes from four to five cents a pack. The House approved the bill, adding on snuff and chewing to struck at about 3:30 yesterday afternoon, leaving in its path 28 dead and nearly 100 injured. The above scene is typical of the many rural homes and buildings that Avere destroyed.

Staff Photo Nature in one of its most violent forms brought death and to the family that occupied the above tennant house at Landing, about 12 miles north west of Tunica. The tornado VOTE FOR JUSTICE OF ASSISTANT HOME AGENT -r -2 pq East North Greenwood 10 6 36 jl05 48 145 18 West North Greenwood 5 21 35 I 31 135 33 North West Greenwood 3 46 58 127 i 20 62 22 South West Greenwood 12 65 60 66 14 48 12 South East Greenwood 6 9 21 5 19 11 North East Greenwood j' 12 57 54 23 57 20 TOTAL 1724 48 jl53 346 454 jl41 466 116 1 THIS DAY Robert D. add of Washington and New York will be the guest speaker at the seventh annual Jayccc Distinguished Service Award Banquet in Jackson on Saturday, February 5. He will name "Mississippi's Outstanding Young Man of 11)54" and present him the Jaycee award. The Canterbury Club at the University of Mississippi will be host to the Episcopal Canterbury Conference, Febiuaiy 4-0, at Camp Lake Stephens, five miles of Oxford.

Co-host will be Reverend A- E. Joffroin, minister at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Oxford. Conference theme is "The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony." The Rev. Clay F.

Lee, pastor of the Methodist Church in Raymond, will be the featured speak-i i- during Religious Emphasis Week at Mississippi State College for Women, opening February G. Mississippi's second annual New Band Materials Clinic will be held at State College on Feb-uary 2(, according to W. Thomas West, director of the Maroon Hand. "All the band directors of the state are being invited to attend and hear the Maroon Band play new compositions," Director West said. Chairmen of Mississippi Economic Council committees will meet Feb.

10 to recommend a program of work for the year beginning May 1. A bid by II. F. Engineering Jackson, was the lowest received by the Corps of Engineers for work at the Gulfport, Municipal Airport. The nironertv on "which St Dominic's Catholic 'Hospital in Jackson stood for many years -was purchased by the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for expansion the Baptist Book Store.

Austin W. Wool ford, manager of the Montgomery, Veterans Administration hospital, has been transferred to Jackson as head of the Veterans' Administration Center there. He succeeds William K. Hinds, who is being transferred to Shrcveport, to head the VA ('enter there. Jack Hubert Jones was killed when a grindstone flew apart and crushed his chest.

The 31-year-old Duck Hill resident had connected the grindstone to a tractor to provide turning power yesterday. The speed apparently cause the grindstone to fly apart. AVorkcrs at the Superior Coach Corporation's southern division of Kosciusko again voted against affiliation with the United Automobile Workers (CIO). The election yesterday was the third in which workers turned down the union. The vote was 185-41 against affiliation.

Miss Addie Hester, district agent at large for the Mississippi Agricultural Extension Service, succeeded Miss Sallie Spann Swann as northeast district agent on February 1. Miss Swann is retiring after serving a northeast district agent since 1935. Previous to being named district agent, Miss Swann served for 10 years as home demonstration agent in Monroe and Warren counties. The annual spring concert of the Maroon Band is scheduled for Thursday evening, March 24, in Lee Hall auditorium, according to W. Thomas West, director.

Then on 'March 29 the band will go on the road for a four-day tour of northeastern Mississippi. State Superintendent of Education J. M. Tubb has by written communication called to the attention of the county superintendents of education the election of school trustees set by law for the first Saturday in March, which is March 5 of this year. The Weather MISSISSIPPI Partly cloudy this afternoon and tonight, colder north and cooler south portion to Lowest 30-10 north por tion tonight.

Ihursday, partly cloudy south and mostly cloudy with occasional rain north por tion. No important temperature changes. Gentle to moderate van able winds on coast becoming moderate to fresh south easterly the the the iurious clouds of a squall Alabama with a bloody jack a Memphis hospital. Three Olive JJranch, 18 miles (More pictures of the tornado-struck area may be seen on display on the windows of The Commonwealth. They were made on the scene by our staff photographers.) were crowded with the dead, and morticians from Memphis were brought in.

Mary of the dead had to be taken to Memphis and Clarksdale. Last night, many people were still dazed and trying to locate members of their families. The entire death toll was of negro farm families, residing close to a more thickly settled community of Commerce Landing, which narrowly missed the tornado's center. 0 TEACHER MRS. C.

R. CALDWELL Church Women Training School Presbyterian women of the Grenweood Greenville Districts, Central Mississippi Presbyteiy, are privileged to have Mrs. C. R. Caldwell of Shreveport, Louisiana, conduct a District Training School for members and officers of the Women of the Church, February 8th, at the Indianola Presbyterian Church, in Indianola, Mississippi.

Mrs. Caldwell is an outstanding teacher of the Presbyterian Church, L7. S. on the organization and work of the Women of the Church. She has been a member of the faculty at Sy nodical Training School, Belhaven College, for several summers and has taught at the Women's Training School at Montreat, North Carolina.

Similar schools will be conduct ed bv Mrs. Caldwell throughout the Presbytery on the following dates: Louisville District Louisville Presbyterian Church, February 0. Canton-Durant Districts Can ton Presbyterian Church, Febru ary 10. Jackson-Vicksburg Districts Central Pres. Church, Jackson, February 11.

The same schedule will be fol lowed at each school. 9:30 Registration, 10:00 a. m- 1:00 p. m. Classes.

Lunch will be served at 1 o'clock and the women are asked to bring their own sandwiches. These Training Schools will irive instruction and inspiration to every women who attends and will help to strengthen the leadership of the local organization. 0 Groundhog Fails To See Shadow By The Associated Press The groundhog was snowed in todav, the eager beavers who sought him out were snowed under, and weather prophets of every kind took grateful cover. The only sure thing about this Groundhog Day was that seldom has Pennsylvania had so much snow on a Feb. 2.

In places it was more than a foot deep. That's a bit of important history, because Pennsylvania is where the groundhog cult every year reaches its dizziest heights. Men who at other times pursue their staid and even august professions turn out on this data to watch the woodchuck whose reflexes are supposed to havti far-reaching significance. "si i young girl who died today in enshed in another twister at South of Memphis. One of the hardest hit areas was about 12 miles northwest of Tunica, where buildings were blown to splinters.

On the Leth-erman plantation, rescue workers counted 32 homes destroyed and nearly 100 badly damaged. A school house, on the Lether- man place seemed to have received the major impact. A school teacher's 195Q Ford, parked beside the school, was picked up and thrown 200 yards into a corn field. A late model Ford Station wagon, traveling along the grav el road, was picked up and thrown over 1000 yards, after its occupants were, blown out. When the twister hit, several of the children crawled into a holhrw og culvert to save their lives.

he school was completely de- troyed, leaving nothing but the foundation. The children were scattered over a corn field in ured and dead. Nearby a dwell ing collapsed, killing a mother and small child. The first word of disaster area was sent out by two-way radios of plantation men. J.

F. Spencer and H. D. Kidd, Mississippi Highway Patrolmen of Hernando, were the first to arrive on the scene. Upon arrival, they saw children lying all over a corn field.

They reported 10 or 12 dead negro ehildi-en, men and women, ranging in age from 2 weeks to 70 years. One of the patrolmen stated, "we found them in all shapes and positions. The conditions of their bodies ranged from legs and arms torn from the body to indistinguishable corpses." According to W. V. France, who was working near the Abby and Letherman gin at the time he saw the tornado and -got in his pickup.

"The tornado was preceeded with much thunder, lghtning and hail. There were oud noises like jets and then it grew dark. Sitting in his truck, now and then he could see out, and saw a corn crib and the huge 4-80 all steel gin blown away. A arge pipe was "twisted like a pretzel." The clouds rolled against the ground along with the "worst roar you ever heard. During the 3 to 4 seconds of the impact, the windshield of the truck was blown out and a huge slab of metal struck the side of the truck.

Although he was parked "only about 20 feet from the gin, the truck rocked back and forth, but the occupants were not even scratched. The main impact lasted only a few seconds, and the entire tor nado only about 3 or 4 minutes. As soon as the main part wa over, "AU 1 could think about was my family. They were safe but my house was badly damag ed. After checking- on his fam ily France joined others in the rescue operations.

Many places were without electricity and roads were' covered with wires. Line crew had re stored service to many areas late last night. At the Tunica County Hospital, all of the 25 beds were filled and about 100 other patients were placed on cots and mattresses, and on the bare floors. Each corridor was lined almost solid. The doctors, nurses, Red Cross and other volunteers were doing a magnificent job of handling the patients and giving emergency treatment.

Friends and relatives stood by to comfort the injured. Extra doctors and nurses weTe brought in from nearby commun ities, bringing extra supplies. Early in the afternoon a steady streams of cars, trucks and ambu lances beat a path to the hospital with the injured. When the hos pital became overcrowded, many were transferred to Clarksdale and Memphis. The Clarksdale Civil Air Pa trol Commander, C.

D. Russell, stated that he brought his squadron doctor, 2 nurses and five C. A. P. members, along with hospital supplies.

They worked a num ber of hours. during the rush period at the hospital. Gen. W. P.

Wilson, state Ad jutant General of Jackson, was on the scene with about 20 National Guardsmen from Clarks dale, Drew and Jackson, with more scheduled to arrive. A large number of highway patrolmen and law enforcement officials swarmed the area to keep curiosity seekers out and to protect the property of the stricken families. First Aid crews from Mem phis were" in the area, givin treatment to those not seriously injured, giving emergency treatment to others before they could be moved. The Tunica funeral homes bacco a one-cent tax for each cents of cost. 'But the Senate Finance Com mittee halved the snuff and chewing tobacco tax.

At any rate, the snuff tax is sure to draw fire in the Senate as it did in the House week. Originally designed to bring in $18,087,000 yearly in new money, the sales tax bill was ripped to shreds in four days of House action which reduced it by almost four million dollars. The bill, to raise sales taxes from two to three per cent, was the heart of a tax-raising program designed to bring in 20 million dollars extra a year for Mississippi's ambitious school program. But the House culled from the bill several exemptions and added a three per cent sales tax on advertising in newspapers, radio and television and a five per cent sales tax on whisky. Mississippi already collects the regular two per cent sales tax on illegal sales of whisky in this prohibition-conscious state.

At two per cent, Mississippi collects about one million dollars a year. The five per cent tax would bring in an additional yearly. Representatives blocked all attempts to tax items that former ly were exempt, including ser vices of doctors, lawyers and oth er professional men, sales of ag ricultural "raw materials, and sales of power by rural electric associations. But they stuck in the newspaper advertising tax to bring in an estimated $337,500 yearly. The Legal Education Advisory Committee, which designed the (Continued on Page 5) State President Will Visit Club Federation Day will be observed by the Greenwood Woman's Club with a luncheon at the Confederate Memorial Building on February 8.

Mrs. J. R. Patterson of Pontotoc, president of the Mississippi Federation of Worn- en's Clubs, will be guest speaker. Mrs.

Patterson, a native of hiladelphia, is a graduate of M. C. where she- received a S. degree in home economics, She continued her studies at Mis- sissippi State College and the Universities of Mississippi, Ala- bama and Pennsylvania. She was artivn in hor rhnsen profession and is now owner and operator of the Hobby Shop, where she deals in antiques and hooked rug supplies.

She not only has time for club affairs but takes an active interest in community and church work. "You Are the Light of the World" will be Mrs. Patterson's topic when she is a guest of the ocal organization. All club mem bers ill want to make plans attend this outstanding meeting of 'the year. 0 Funeral Rites For Steve Lucas Steve Lucas, age 53, died at the Greenwood Leflore Hospital about 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon after a long illness.

He was a resident of Greenwood at 1000 Carrollton Avenue. Funeral services will be held at the Wilson and Knight chapel to day at 3:30 p.m., with the Rev erend Dan Morton officiating. In- terment will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery. Mr. Lucas, owner of the Green wood Grille Cafe on Mam fetreet, was a member of the Odd Fellows and a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Hp is survived by his wife, Mrs. Marie Lucas; ojpe son, James Davis. 2 erandchildren. Pallbearers will be G. T.

Glover, J. E. Sorinefield. Louis Shaw, Les Slaughter. James Harvey, Kent Burleson, sam Jiersfl ana wuuam A.

Urns. PEACE OF BEAT THREE Mothers March ietslHlLOO The Mothers March on Polio night netted the drive according to Mrs. Brewer Tucker, co-chairman of the com-nittee in charge as" Greenwood repondled nobly to the cause. The Junior Woman's Club lead ill organizations participating with -he sum of $462.39. Services Thursday For Mrs.

Wilson Services for Mrs. Tweatie Bus- bey Wilson, who died at the Green wood Leflore Hospital Wednesday morning, will be held at the rirst Baptist Church Thursday after noon at 3 clock with Dr. J. II Kyzar officiating. Burial will be Odd Fellows cemetery with Wilson and Knight in charge.

Mrs. Wilson was born in Shreveport, the daughter of the late Joseph L. Busbey and Marv Pobst Busbey. She was married February 4, 1903 to Jeff G. Wilson.

They made their home at Shaw until 1928 where engaged in planting opera tions, moving to Greenwood where he continued farming enter prises. He preceded her in death March 26, 1941. Mrs. Wilson was a member of the Greenwood Woman's Club and Greenwood Garden Club. She was a member of the Baptist church and was active in religious work.

She leaves a daughter, Miss Mary Emily Wilson of Greenwood; a sister, Mrs. Emmet W. Hamiter; two brothers, Lewis P. Busbey and James Busbey, all of Shreveport, La. Pallbearers 'will "be: J.

Mc-Pherson, Shaw; V. W. Barrow, Money; Daniel Seligman, Shaw; Dr. Henry Kennedy, Harper Wailes, R. L.

Clarke, Minga Lawrence, Wl C. Peel, Greenwood. DO Class Visits Delta Machine Works This morning the first period Diversified Occupation class of Greenwood High School visited Delta Machine Works. Owner and manager, Horace Y. Kitchell, conducted the students on a tour of the shop.

Mr. Kitchell showed the students a lathe made in England and used on the "Star of the West" during the War Between the States. Before the ship was sunk at Fort Pemberton, the lathe was taken off. Later is was transported overland by ox cart to the Southern troops at Vicksburg. -Various other equipment was shown the' students.

This included a machine for driving posts into the ground, other lathes and also the welding shop. ELEVATED TOM J. GRAVES Greenwood Lion Named President Honor came to a Greenwood Lion, T. J. Graves, when he was elected President of the Mid-South Lion's Sight Service, at the annual meeting held at the Cla-ridg Hotel in Memphis January 30th.

This organization serves an area of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi handling opei-ative cases of indigent blind where the services can not be had by local Lion's Clubs. Mr. Graves has been a member of the local Lion's Club thirteen years and is a Past President of the club. He has been chairman ol the local Sight Conservation Corn- mittee more than ten years, and a Vice-President of the Mid-South organization four years. He has given of his time untir- inely and unseltishly Doth locally and throughout the Mid-South area helping the indigent blind that otherwise may have lived aarKness me oatanee oi txivii uavs He devotes much of his time at mgnt to.

speaKing engagements throughout the area making talks on Sight Conservation and Restora- He ir, married, has two children, he's a member of the Methodist Church, Past President of the ilt'Jl a liuic vjicioo, maovu auu Shriner. When he's not-, too busy with his Insurance business and Lion's Club work he manages to c-et in a little fishing and hunt ing. Other local Lion attending the Memphis meeting were: Ralph Petty, Walter Blanks, Dr. B. A Sims and J.

Q. Price. Williamson And Hulett In Runoff C. C. Williamson and Frank C.

Hulett will be in the runoff for I Beat 3 Justice of the Peace fol lowing a special election held yes terday. Williamson received 466 and Hulett 454. The second primary will be held Tuesday, February 15. In a total of 1,724 votes cast the candidates received the follow insr: John Blain 48, W. V.

Blavlock 153, Willie J. Heckler 346i Frank C. Hulett 454, T. M. Whetstone in( wunaiuson.

400 ana a. IM. "Oov wood 116. Public Forum HeM Here Today A meeting' to discuss and answer questions on county government was held this morning in the Chamber of Commerce auditorium with J. C.

Fair, local chairman of the MEC presiding. Russ M. Johnson of Jackson, chairman of the MEC public information committee presented the program. A short film on the Council's operations w-as shown by S. R.

Jeffers, director of the research department that outlined study of county governments. Present to answer questions about county government on the local area panel were; George Flowers, chancery clerk, Winona; Means Johnston, attorney, Board of Supervisors, Greenwood; V. B. Montgomery, attorney Humphery county Board, Belzoni; W. C.

Neill, banker, Carrollton; Parham II. Williams, chancery clerk Lexington. A large group of interested citizens were present for the meeting. Red Cross To Plan Campaign Tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 the public is invited to attend a District Fund Drive Planning Con ference of the American Red Cross at the Chapter House on Howard Street. The meeting will be under the direction of Conference Chairman Georfre K.

Wade. Plans for the coming Red Cross Fund Campaign will be discussed and representatives from 9 surrounding counties are expected to attend. Red Cross officials who will take part in the planning will be: George Ferguson, Field Representative; J. J. Newman, Volunteer Field Consultant for the War ren County Chapter; Arthur Eid- raan of the Leflore County Chap ter; Earl Fisher of the Leflore.

County Chanter. R. L. Crisco of the Montgomery County Chapter Mrs. N.

C. Brewer, of the Leflore County Chapter, Miss Margaret Miller. Field Representa tive, and W. W. Scott, chairman of the Memphis-Shelby Co-unty- Chap ter.

o- WASHINGTON, () Top military, leaders askejd Congress yesterday to extend the draft for four vears. sayinff it is "vital to the maintenance of our active fnrcpe strength and to our national security." Secretary of Defense Wilson said in a statement to the House Armed Services Committee that there insufficient, volunteers to maintsrin needed strength and added. "We must have the aut heritv: to draft anv required ad ditional personnel on a short terra basis." JVIIoS EVELYN LANCASTER Mifs Evelyn Lancaster of Toe copola, is the new assistant home demonstration agent for Leflore county and has assumed her new duties. She is a graduate of M.S.C.W. in Home Economics and succeeds Miss Rebekah Sullivan who has been named home agent in Tate county.

Miss Lancaster 'will have charge of 4-H Girls Club work in Leflore county. Prayer Service By Music School Miss Iris Deane Starkey, E. Boling, and Mrs. R. A.

Herit age, instructors in the School of Music at the First Baptist Church will be in charge of the prayer service this evening. This service which will be at 7:30 p.m., wall be presented in scripture and song, The School of Music has been most beneficial and profitable to one who are attending. There are approximately 75 enrolled thi week. This school will continue through Friday night and any in terested persons are cordially, in vited to attend. Club To Beautify New Bridge Approach Earl Holmes, state landscape engineer for the State Highway Department, Jackson, has drawn a suggestive plan for the Town and Country Garden Club Beautif ication Project.

The project, is the north approach of the 11th Street bridge. It has been designed for continuous bloom. Some of the trees to be planted down the center and sides be magnolia, red bud, flowering plum, purple and pink crabapple, hackberry, mimosa and water oaks. Letters have been written to all garden clubs and garden divi sions to see if they wish to par. ticipate.

Also individuals are in vited to contribute plants to this project. Plans are beiner made to plant in March. Contact Mrs. Dave Bready for the plans that have been drawn and further informa tion. Thursday.

TEMPERATURE Today: High 51 Low 43' River: 10.71 Fall 0.07.