The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 13

FIRST Despite Some Damage 4v- XL Fast Trip IT' LiTesaver 'a, 4 T. Connie's Visit to Valley Evaluated as Beneficial; Cleanup Near Complete was toted up and came to 5.83 Mainly, yesterday was a day of disappointments and cleaning up. The disappointments stemmed from a series of postponements of everything from family outings to the program at the Tri-State Fair sponsored by the George N. Kemp wfrr nOTiWilVJi'at Ws- 1 4 Hurricane Connie who, in spite; of her bluster, wasn't such a bad gal after all, swirled on her way last night leaving a soggy Lehigh Valley under almost six inches of water. Everybody had known Connie was on her way, had known about her for a week, so the folks in the area were prepared to receive her.

Everything that could be blown away had been taken in. Residents took the greatest precautions for their own personal safety. So, although there were deaths because of Connie in other areas, the Lehigh Valley escaped with a minimum of damage and personal injury. Had Good Points But in evaluating her last night, residents of the valley figured her good, unlike that of Sister Hazel last fall, outdid her harm. In the first place, Connie pro vided the rainfall the valley had been desperately seeking for nine long, parched weeks.

At the weather station at the A-B-E Airport shortly before midnight the big storm's rainfall for the three days Almost Unbelievable- inches. Added to the .99 of an inch thai had fallen since last Sunday, total precipitation for the week as of this morning was 6.82 inches. Normal for August is 4.49 inches Heaviest rainfall of the storm was yesterday when 3.63 inches were recorded. That is about seven times the rainfall of an average summer thunderstorm in the Lehigh Valley. Weather officials said last night the normal thunder storm is usually accompanied by about half an inch of precipitation With the waning of the storm, the limited alert that earlier had been issued to offices of the flood warning system was called off.

The reading at the Hamilton street gauging point was up to 7.5 feet last night, a rise of just two feet over Friday's stage. But as a height of 14 feet is required be fore the river "spills over," the danger was considered past last night and the alert removed Creeks in the area were greatly swollen last night although no ma jor floods were reported. And there's another interesting sidelight on the recent drought. It's an angle vouched for by Wil liam B. Drawbaugh, chief meteor ologist at the weather bureau.

That's the fact there were sev eral rainstorms over the Lehigh Valley during the dry spell. Rain could be seen as it trailed down from high clouds, but the catch was it never hit the ground. "It evaporated before it touched the earth," Drawbaugh said. Not Unusual He added that such a thing is not unusual. There are a number of theories and also unknown quantities in the minds of the weatherwise concern ing this year's drought.

To begin with, storms follow fairly well defined paths and nor mally rain can be expected with the passage of a low pressure area. "That is true about 60 per cent of the time, Drawbaugh said. iiut the thing that is still an Continued on Page 14, Column 1 ROSE GARDEN 'SCENE You are looking at a section of Allentown's famous Rose Garden as it appeared during the height of yesterday's storm. But under this flood it would take a skin diver to discover even one rose as Cedar Creek really went out of bounds. First 1 Months of 54 Dryer Than This Year SUNDAY CALL-CHRONICLE Allentown, For Baby a one-nour-oia oaoy 8 lite was saved yesterday when the son of Mr.

and Mrs. Sherwin Nothstein, Lehighton R. was rushed from the Palmerton Hospital to Chil dren Hospital, Philadelphia. The infant was taken in the Lehighton community ambulance, driven by James Beisel Le-highton's burgess, to Philadelphia where an emergency operation was performed to change the child's blood supply. Leaving Palmerton at 1 a.m.

yesterday, Beisel, together with the infant's father, an unidentified Palmerton Hospital nurse, and Clinton Kressley of the Lehighton Tire sped to the Quaker City during the height of the storm. Nothstein said last night the baby's condition was good after the operation. Storm Threat Closes Camp For 62 Scouts Power failure and the threat of increasing rain and winds Satur day morning forced the evacuation of the Bethlehem area Girl Scout camp at Camp Helena, Bingen. near U. S.

Marines from the Free- mansburg Reserve unit and Red Cross workers assisted camp coun sellors in removing the 62 girls to safety. Evacuation proceedings were started about 9:30 a.m. and completed by 11 o'clock. "The evacuation was nothing tnore than a precautionary measure," explained Mrs. Walter Schwind, camp director, "We wanted to play safe and prevent anyone from catching cold," she added.

I Water Covers Road The heavy all-night downpour threatened to wash out the road leading into camp, forcing the group to remain there. However, although part of the road was cov ered with water, the campers were In no immediate danger of being stranded, Miss Sally Woodhull, program director, said. Strong gusts of wind emanating from hurricane Connie knocked out power lines and telephone com munication, causing some concern among counsellors. When a tent in the Sleepy Hollow unit was blown down and others threatened to follow suit, Mrs. Schwind decided to break camp.

The camping period was scheduled to end Monday. Miss Woodhull drove to Bingen where she called the Marine barracks and the Red Cross for aid. Marines in Action The Marines Corps sent a covered truck and station wagon to transport baggage and girls. Other ffirls were picked up in the Red Cross emergency car by Mrs. Earl Kunsman and Mrs.

John George Continued on Page 15, Column Bethlehem Visitor Struck by Stray Shell Fragment A 14-year-old Philadelphia boy was treated in St. Luke's Hospital last night after suffering what was believed to be a bullet wound of his shoulder. Joseph Stevenson of Philadelphia, visiting in Bethlehem, walked into some woods near Philip Street after he heard gun shots, according to Bethlehem Detective John Donchez. Dr. Herbert Gretz reported that either a bullet fragment or another metal particle struck the youth.

Left His Mark Nursing Scholarship Week to Be Opened In Allentown Today By RUSS DAVIS It may come as somewhat of a surprise, what with the recent drought, heat and all but the first seven months of 1954 were drier than the same period this year. Here's the way it's officially figured at the weather bureau at the A-B-E Airport: At the start of August last year there was a deficiency of rainfall totaling 7.34 inches. Closed Fast This year at the beginning of the month the deficiency was 6.96 inches .38 of an inch wetter than a year ago. Actually, 1954 closed fast from the standpoint of precipitation. There was 38.33 inches for the twelve months, only 3.92 inches off the yearly normal of 42.25 inches Up to Aug.

1 this year had 18.27 inches of precipitation; last year 17.89 inches. This week has been designated as Allentown Nursing Scholarship Week, according to an announce ment by the Allentown Business men's Committee to Promote Nursing Education. During the week residents of Al lentown will be asked to contribute to the scholarship program at eith er Sacred Heart Hospital or Allentown Hospital. Scholarships provide aid to girls who want to become nurses and who have all the qualifications but who lack the funds to take three years ot nursing education. They are designed to help overcome the nursing snori- age.

As is customary, there will be no doorbell ringing or house-to-house solicitation. The businessmen's committee vesterdav reported on the accom plishments of the nursing scholarship program since its beginning in 1951. Almost $30,000 Contributed Almost $50,000 has been con tributed over four years to the Al lentown or Sacred Heart Hospital scholarshiD funds by local busi ness firms, civic groups and individuals. This amount has educated or is educating 105 new nurses and seven post-graduate nurses. In addition, a number of graduate nurses have been able to take graduate extension courses.

One of every eight nursing students now in the nursing schools of Allentown hospitals is receiving scholarship aid from funds' provided bv 27 companies, 26 civic groups and 23 individuals in ost of the American Legion at the Stroudsburg Speedway. The cleanups came with removal of broken branches and antennas, awnings and other items that wer blown around by the hurricane'i winds that ranged in gusts up to 42 miles an hour here and to 60 miles in" other parts of the state. And damp cellars were being "sponged out" throughout the area. Few Power Lines Out Power and telephone service was back to near normal in the area last night, although the storm failed to create the havoc with the utilities that many had expect ed. The Bell Telephone Co.

reported 133 lines and 433 telephones were out of service early last night. But during the day approximately 200 workers had restored to service 475 lines and 1,030 telephones throughout the Allentown and Bethlehem area which included surrounding communities. There was no set pattern in the service failures. most of which were caused when the wind blew moisture into cables. PPL Servicemen Busy Frank J.

Shovlin, Lehigh Division superintendent, said that service had been restored to almost all customers in the Allen town Bethlehem area last night. Earlier, some 10,000 customers were affected but by noon service had been restored to all but about 1,500 customers. Thirteen line crews and six two- man trouble crews worked throughout the balance of the day and last night to get things back to near Some street lights were reported out and they were being checked. Hospital Power Fails Sacred Heart Hospital reported a power failure yesterday morn Continued on Page 15, Column 4 Tools, Umbrella Worth $15 Stolen Property valued at $15 was reported stolen from the rear porch at 418 Chestnut Allentown, Fri day night. Mrs.

Stanley F. Free man told police the missing items are a small electric drill and bits, a woman's umbrella and a hedge clipper. Call-Chronicle about his captivity was: "It's an experience I wouldn't want to repeat It was pretty rough not good at all. "But it wasn't as rough for me as for some of the boys." He said that, feeling he needed exercise while in prison, he started doing pushups, with the result quoted in the opening of this article. His diet in prison was chiefly cabbage soup very thin and rice.

Hence "nothing to push up." He's Eating, Now Mrs. Moore, last night, answered a reporter's query: "You bet he's eating since he's back in the States and he looks it. He really hasn't changed a bit- Bill always was the life of the Continued on Page 15, Column August 14, 1955 Allentown area. Contributions have ranged from $10 to $4,500. Many of the donors have made their contributions annual gifts.

In announcing the figures, T. R. Mullen, president of Lehigh Structural Steel and chairman of the businessmen's committee, said Allentown deserves much credit in the way its industries and citizens have cooperated in helping overcome the shortage of nurses "According to local hospital au thorities," he stated, "Allentown is still short of nurses, and they have asked that the program to help deserving girls get a nursing edu cation be continued. "The population in Allentown is increasing each year. Demands on the hospitals are greater each vear.

New services, such as a neuropsychiatric clinic, a polio center, recovery rooms and chest X-ray departments, require many more nurses. Everyone in tne com muntty stands to benefit when there are enough nurses avilable, not only for hospital care but for home service. The committee pointed out that if each resident of Allentown gives Continued on Page 14, Column 5 Hospital Patient Maj. Gen. Charles C.

Curtis, advertising director of the Call- Chronicle Newspapers, was report ed in Eood condition last night at Allentown Hospital toiiowing an appendix operation yesterday morn- ed. Along the trail he received the enthusiastic cooperation of the Associated Press, the Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal, the Santa Fe Railway, the Gainesville County News, which is Seagraves own newspaper, and the Seagraves Chamber of Commerce. And this is the story: Charlie Seagraves was born in Allentown in 1860, the son of Henry and Eliza Seagraves. The family, at one time, lived on Walnut street, later moving to a home at 836 Hamilton St. Charlie spent his childhood in the company of three sisters and four brothers none of whom are Continued on Page 23, Column 1 CAUAS I Page 13 Today Winds Up Macungie Field Days Rain washed out the entire pro gram yesterday for the Macungie leid Days.

But today's 2 p.m. talent contest will be held rain or shine. And a special feature of the program will be the presentation of Miss Mary Ann Kuhns of Breinigsville K. 1, Pennsylvania Potato Bios som Queen. The four-day activities will con elude with musical entertainment by the Brossman Family of Wer-nersville at 8:15 p.m.

The talent contest, presented by the Lehigh County Farmers will include selections by the Kitchen Kadoodlers, a musical or ganization of Lehigh County farm- women. Association President Har old Ziegler will direct the pro gram. In case of rain, the show will be held in the Macungie Grange Hall. A fashion show by the Macungie orange, which sponsors the Field Days, will be staged at Macungie Memorial Park at 5:30 p.m, weather permitting. Yesterday, ram forced cancella tion of the greased pig and tractor driving contests and the chicken barbecue.

Color Film Processing. K-Music Photo 418 N. Irving Allen town, Fh. HE 4-5941. Adv, Seriously LV Roads Two of the injured Mrs.

Bea trice Petrakovich, 48, and her son, Stephen M. Petrakovich, of 717 N. 11th St. were treated at Eas ton Hospital and discharged. Mrs Petrakovich's daughter, Madelyn Hemerly, same address, was reported in satisfactory condition, at the hospital, with fractures of the skull and nose.

The bus driver, Richard A. Strohl, 24, of 740 E. 6th Beth lehem, was treated for minor injuries and discharged. Strohl, driving an eastbound Royal Blue Coach bus, at about 5:30 a.m. said the driving rain made visibility poor and he failed to see the tree.

Damage to the bus was estimated at $3,000. Crash Injures Two Hamburg State Police reported two persons received minor in juries in a 4-car accident at 11:25 a.m. along Route 22 at Klinesville, eight miles east of Hamburg. Investigating trooper Peter But-sko said Edward J. Ashcroft, 19, tast btroudsburg, who was driving west on Route 22, stopped on the highway at an intersection, "apparently to get his bearings." A car operated by Joseph Novak, 33, Center Valley, plowed into the rear of the Ashcroft car.

And a third auto, driven by Jack L. Winslow, 27, Maiden, hit the rear of the second vehicle. Then, police said, a fourth westbound car, driven by Kermit Holm-berg, 45, Rosedale, N. entered the pileup. Holmberg reportedly applied his brakes and went into a skid.

His car hit the embankment on the north side of the road. Holmberg The Weather For Allentown, Bethlehem and vicinity: Partly cloudy today and warmer. Temperatures The U.S. Weather Bureau re- theing. -Cts I bf xA ffsL yJ f- '1 sx I Xv 'A: ,7 It fMl I 1-1 iVf I ii fhyt'S" III Tz M- rC i i Seagraves, Texas Community, Named for Allentown Native V-J BABY Victoria Jean is a' real star-spangled daughter of Mr; and Mrs.

Walter Neidemey-er, 639 N. 4th Allentown, born just 10 years ago today, V-J Day. Finding a name for Victoria, fifth child for the couple was perplexing until the nurses at Sacred Heart Hosiptal, where she made her debut, persuaded the parents to use the initials and in celebration of the end of the conflict with Japan. Victoria Jean was found the perfect answer. She was born at 11 p.m., just when fellow Lehigh Valley residents were at the height of their celebration of victory in the Orient for America and her allies.

17 Injured, 5 On Rainswept That dry weather means fewer highway accidents was proved again yesterday in the Lehigh Valley. For rain and wind brought a great number of accidents and some strong warnings from police to drive slowly. Nevertheless, 17 were injured, 5 seriously. Allentown police reported, "We have had a wave of accidents. We get a little rain and people flounder around as if they never drove before.

They've got to go slow. "We had one fellow in here who said the reason he hit another car was because his windshield was fogged up and he couldn't see. A windshield like that is a violation. It should be kept clear." Only one accident could directly be connected to Connie. Three members of an Allentown family and a bus driyer were injured when the bus hit a tree blown across old Route 22 just west of Easton by the gale.

Pioneer Band Slated Tonight At West Park Connie and Diane permitting, the Pioneer Band will present a concert in West Park at 8:15 p.m. today. Although the concert was originally scheduled for last Sun day, it was postponed to tonight when much needed rain feel. Conductor Gerald J. Reinsmith and his band personnel were far from disconsolate when torrential rains prevented playing.

They cheered as did everyone in the audience as the long drought ended. Soloists for tonight's concert will be Harry B. Smith baritone, and Martha M. Marcks, contralto. Faith Hecht will be commentator.

WEYC Carnival Starts Mnnrfav Free Entertainment 14th Ien Mon. Dr. Graves His Tomb-Spook stone Frolics 8:30 10, Show 11 Tues. Chief Halftown His T. V.

Troupe Wed. Tex Ryan St His Holly- wood Horse Thurs. 'Janet Beehrle. Escape Artist Ricky Reichenbach. Masi- cian FrL The Rangers, Musical Group Sat.

The Donnells Their T. V. Teeners ADV. some time back through a broadcast by a nationally known news commentator. The broadcast centered national attention on Seagraves, Texas, by announcing that a fabulous oil strike had been reported near the town.

One of the nieces heard the broadcast, told her sister and the latter, in turn, happened in purely casual conversation to mention the broadcast to a Sunday Call-Chronicle newsman, adding, "That's the town named after Uncle Charlie!" That was enough to start him on a long trail of prospecting by correspondence, via telegraph and the mails, keeping at it until finally his quest was reward i i i i i LET IT RAIN Happiness personified is this group Maj. William Baumer, welcomed home at Olmsted Air Force Base at Middle town, by members of his family. Standing In the rain but look at the smiles! are the flier, his mother, three of his four sisters, a niece, a nephew and a brother-in-law. The plane arrived ahead of schedule and Mrs. Arthur W.

Moore, Orefield R. 1., a sister, arrived a few minutes after he landed. (AP) Maj. Baumer, Flier Freed Allentonians are making their mark the world over but none have been CHARLES L. SEAGRAVES so indelible as that of the late Charles L.

Seagraves. A town in Texas was named for him, a distinction which has been accorded no other Allen-tonian in so far as memories of newsmen go. And, although the honor was accorded Seagraves almost 40 years ago, the fact only recently came to light or at least it was rediscovered. Only a handful of relatives-nieces and nephews back here at home, treasured knowledge of the fact which was revealed Joyous ly Greeted yReds, "I was proud of the fact that I could do a hundred pushups til I suddenly realized that the reason I could do that was that there was nothing left to push up Maj. William H.

Baumer hasn't lost his humor, The only maimed! following temperatures one L. Baumer, of Lewisburg. at 3:30 yesterday. Plane Arrives Early It was by mere chance his mother was there on time the plane arrived a half hour earlier than scheduled and one of his sisters. home last night he entertained i 'with anecdotes of a humorous na- of 11 airmen recently released Mrs.

Arthur W. Moore, of Ore-by the Chinese Communists after field, R. 1., 3id miss the arrival. 32 months of imprisonment in Red She was entering, by motor car, China, summed up his experience one gate of the air base as he and in the quotation above. ibis mother, weeping tears of joy.

As he was. before he left home left for Lewisburg by another gate, in 1952, the life of the party, as a Mrs. Moore finally caught up with sister expressed it, he was last the party at her mother's home, night, as his mother, sisters, residence of Mrs. Lewis Hen-es and nephews, friends from Lew- dricks, the major's sister, isburg, Milton and elsewhere, Soldier fashion. Major Baumer ered in joyous welcome to him.

He; was very reticent about his experi-walked, on crutches, from a at dinner in his mother's for Saturday; High Low Allentown 77 67 Chicago 83 63 Cleveland 72 64 St. Louis 87 62 Boston 76 67 Jacksonville 94 76 Miami 92 78 New York 77- 70 Philadelphia 81 70 Pittsburgh 66 64 Washington ....80 71 Denver 91 64 Atlantic City 77 70 THIS IS IT! The star on this map of Texas marks the little community of Seagraves, named for the late Charles L. Seagraves, former Allentonian. Located in Gaines County, it is about 30 miles east of the New Mexico border and boasts a population of over 2.C0O. tary transport plane, at Olmstead Field, near Middletown, into the arms of his mother, Mrs.

Hurleyjture. About all he would tell the.