Alton Evening Telegraph from Alton, Illinois • Page 1

Traffic Toll Todiiy'i 3 707 'Injury 0 102 0 2 involving Injury. ALTON EVENING TELEGRAPH Serving tlie Alton Community for More Than 120 Alton afeai dltmAf tonight toft Sunday. Sttnday Ing: near 70. Hlftlietrt Sunday tfernoon In mlddte 8M, Eslabllshcd January 15, 1836 Vol. CXXI, No.

137 ALTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1956. 18 PAGES 5c Per Copy Member of The Associated Press IT'S WAR! Crusading VICTOR RIESKL Is striking back at the mobs who blinded him in an exclusive and shocking scries MY WAR WITH THE MOB in the Telegraph. But ho Is not alone in his courageous unionists have defied the mob and kept their unions clean. Read about them in the first instalment by the fighting columnist Nasser Reported Being Cautious Of Soviet Offers Egyptian Premier Said To Be Reluctant To Commit II i Country To Red Camp CAIRO, Egypt close to the government said today Premier Gamal Abdel Nasser will go slow on accepting Soviet offers of assistance in order to avoid being plunged irrevocably into the Soviet camp. Soviet Foreign Minister Dmitri Shepilov, who went on to Damascus Friday after a stay here of almost a week, was reported to have brought attractive new offers, including a $1.120.000,000 interest-free loan to help build Egypt's huge new Aswan Dam on the Nile.

Shepilov himself yesterday described this report as an "imagination of the press." American and British agreements with Egypt on financing the dam are considerably less embracing than the reported Soviet offer. Government sources Insisted that no new arms deals with the Communists are contemplated at present. A meatless joint communique on Shipilov's conversations here Friday said only that the tsvo nations were agreed on the value of expanding their economic, political and cultural relations. The Shepilov visit seems to have provoked a new emphasis by Egyptians on neutrality between Communist and capitalistic ideology. Future developments will tell whether these comments reflect real neutrality or only serve as a smokescreen to conceal a strong iwing to the Communist bloc.

Hearing Set OnSuspension Of Bus Service City Clerk Price today received notice to the city from Illinois Commerce Commission that the hearing on the application of Wood River-Alton Bus Lines for authority to susp'end bus service between Alton and Edwardsville has been set for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 3 at the commission's Springfield offices. Whether the city will make objections to the proposed suspension of the service likely will be determined by the City Council next Wednesday. At its last meeting, the Council authorized Mayor Struif and City Counsellor O'Neill to represent Alton tot the hearing and oppose the suspension if a study the Council's traffic committee made such action advisable. Chairman Gleiber of the committee said his group has begun an investigation, has already had a conference with bus line officers, and will report next Wednesday to the Council, It has been learned the bus line has been operating only one round trip a day between Alton and the County Seat, and that this run has had little patronage.

Yet if the bus run is suspended, Alton will lose its last public transportation link with Edwardsville. River Singes Look ft Pirn 36 iJSero M.S.UI w. Bureau Sea Level 7 a.m. Stage 3.6 Pool 418.73 Rise i23 Tailwater 398.95 GuyHelmick Dies; Was Contractor Guy D. Helmick, retired civil engineer and contractor, died at noon Friday in Alton Memorial Hospital where he had undergone major surgery earlier in the week.

He had appeared to be convalescing satisfactorily until Friday morning when complications developed. He was 81. A son, Capt. G. Helmick, who is in charge of the U.S.

Naval base at Kodlak, Alaska, came to Alton on special leave to be with his father during the operation. He left Friday morning to return to his base and was notified at Seattle, of Mr. Helmick's death. Mr, Helmick and his wife, the former Miss Edith Coontz, a sister of the late Admiral R. E.

Coontz, resided at 1822 Evergreen Ave. Mr. Helmick had been in the contracting business in Alton for approximately 32 years, part of the time in partnership with the late John Strubel. At the time Strubel retired from the firm in 1934, it terminated a partnership of 20 years. During the time that Helmick and Strubel were in partnership they did a major part of the street paving work in Alton and also handled several state highway department contracts.

After Strubel retired from the firm Helmick continued in tho business until 1945 when he too, retired. During the earlier years of his life Mr. Helmick traveled extensively in his work and was instrumental in selecting sites for cement plants throughout the country, including a plant at Hannibal, Mo. He came to Alton in 1932, moving here from St. Louis.

He and his wife had observed the 50th anniversary of their marriage in 1952. Mr. Helmick was a member of First Methodist Church and a charter member of Alton Area Historical Society. in addition to his widow and son, Capt. Helmick, are two daughters, Mrs.

E. J. Crowe of Webster Groves, and Mrs. Andrew Menzle of Streator, and five grandchildren. Funeral rites will be conducted Monday 9 a.m.

in Morrow- Quinn Mortuary by the Rev. C. A. Todd, pastor of First Methodist Church. Burial will be in Mt.

Olivet Cemetery, Hannibal, Mo. Friends may call at the tuary after 2 p.m. Sideburns Missing; Attacks Barber ST. LOUIS Wft-'-He asked for a short haircut, and that's, what I gave him. After got through, he looked In the mirror and yelled: 'You've cut off my Charles Zinna, a barber, testified in City Court Friday that the angry customer than jumped out of the chair, threw an apron In his face, picked up a stool and finally twisted his arm until it snapped.

The customer, Edwin Balk, was fined J500 lor disturbing the peace. Swimming Tragedy Related Relatives Recover Plotner Boy's Body From Mississippi Relatives recovered the body of Eddie Plolncr, 12. from the Mississippi hclow Grafton late Friday afternoon, 22 hours nfter the boy drowned. The story was told today of tho swimming tragedy that occurred In tho treacherous currents off the lower end of a sandbar at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers late Thursday. Mrs.

Fred Harrison, the Plolner. boy's aunt, related how Eddie was lost: and others in the party struggled for their lives. Eddie, wilh his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward 13.

Plotner, 306 Roller Roxaal and Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and their daughter, Sharon, 9, had gone in the Plotner boat to the sandbar. "It was such a beautiful place," said Mrs. Harrison.

"We took along some Iced tea and planned to swim and drink the tea and then eat someplace along the way home. Carried Downstream "Where we were swimming It was just a little over the knees and the shallows extended far there was a sudden drop-off. "Somehow the boat drifted from its anchor and we all were carried downstream but we didn't realize it. The boat was still close by. "I can't swim and was float- Ing in a life jacket.

1 didn't struggle against the current be- cause I didn't even realize what was happening. "My husband was swimming and almost exhausted but he managed to reach me and stay afloat by holding onto the life jacket. "My sister (Mrs. Plotner) was saved by the life'jacket that my daughter, Sharon took to her. Sharon (though only nine years old) has completed a Red Cross swimming course and she was not afraid.

I don't know whether we have praised her enough. All I can say is, 'Thank God she knew what to do and was not afraid. 1 Answers Calls for Help "There was one man, Bill George he's a member of the Grafton Volunteer Emergency Corps whom we cannot thank enough. We were shouting for help and, though he was some distance away in his motorboat setting out a trot line, he came right over and pulled Fred (Mrs. Harrison's husband) from the water.

I climbed into the boat myself. "There were other people around quite close. They just stood and looked. I don't know why. Maybe they thought we were in Shallow water.

But they didn't come to us until Bill George shouted to them, 'For God's sake, come help these people!" While this struggle was going on, an even more grim battle was underway against the swirling current further off the end of the bar. Edward Plotner was trying to save his son. The boy went un- der for the last time. Bill George was completely exhausted and on the verge of drowning. Another man in a motorboat picked up the elder Plotner who about that time took Mrs.

Plotner and Sharon from the river. Mrs. Harrison explained that she had not been aware of the drift to deeper water as she had been in shallow water, floating on a life jacket. "I just lifted my feet from shallow water and hadn't tried to touch bottom. The boat was drifting with me and I didn't realize I had moved out over the drop-off.

"People should be warned of these things. I only hope this may save others from making the same mistake." Found After Ratn Eddie's body was floating when it was found Friday afternoon. Mrs. Harrison's son, Ronald, 21, and a cousin, James Beeler of East St. Louis, with another man in the Plotner boat had been dragging and then scanning the waters below the place where 'the boy went down.

"A rain came up," Mrs'. Harrison related, "and they took shelter in a duck blind. They wouldn't have been around that area if it hadn't been for the rain. When they came out of the blind, they saw something white floating and saw it was a dead fish. Then they saw something like a log.

It was Eddie's body." Funeral rites for Eddie will bo conducted Monday at 1:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church by the Rev. E. E. DeLong, the pastor.

The body will be moved from Marks Mortuary, Wood River, where friends may call after 7 p.m. today, to the church at 10:30 a.m. Monday, In addition to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward B.

Plotner of 306 Reller Roxana, Eddie is survived by his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Earl Plotner of Armstrong; and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Mary Crouch, who Is here from San Bernardino, Calif. Burial will be in Woodland Hill Cemetery.

For Order of Appearance Beauty Contestants Draw Numbers WOOD RIVER During a banquet at which Miss Sharon Kay Ritchie, Miss America of 1956, urged the 24 contestants in the Miss Illinois. Pageant here this evening to resist their desires to "pack up and go home at once," the girls drew numbers for position in the order of events connected with the contest. Barbara Ann Cantrell, Miss Alton, drew No. 14 which means she was in the 14th car in the parade this afternoon, and will appear 14th in all promenades, talent displays and other events. Barbara Ann Trosley, Miss Wood River, drew No.

15. Tillie Jan Micheletto of Collinsville drew No. 1, a position all hoped to avoid, this contestant being the ice-breaker for virtually everything that will be done. In addition to providing a "get- acquainted" situation for contestants, chaperones, escorts and followers, the banquet was an orientation session at which Joe Allovio, chairman of the Jaycee arrangements committee, explained the order pf events, when escorts must be present, clothing to be worn, when chaperones must be on hand and when they will be excluded. Miss Ritchie, in a.

brief talk to the contestants, ventured that she knew, from experience, that virtually all of the contestants were of a mind to return to their lodgings, pack bags and depart for home. She urged confidence upon them, saying that she herself had been ready to walk out on the Miss America pageant during the first rehearsal at Atlantic City. She quoted, "All things are possible to him that believeth." "Faith," she said, had carried her through the Miss Colorado and Miss America pageants. Miss Marian Cox of Bloomington, the reigning Miss Illinois, who will surrender her title this evening, also spoke briefly at the banquet which was at Wood River Masonic Temple. Germania 'T Lots On Broadway.

Germania Savings Loan Association this morning bought for an undisclosed price from the YMCA six lots in the 500 block of East Broadway and Front street. Germania will build a modern office for its new location on the site "as soon as possible," according to William G. Osborn, secretary-treasurer of the Association. Germania's new shaped tract has 120 foot frontage on Broadway, 240 feet on Front street and 100 feet on Henry street. The tract was orginally occupied by the Hapgood Plow which in the 1870's had constructed a building occupying most of the area between Langdon and Henry street.

In later years, most of the tract was owned by the late Charles Levis, who left the property to the YMCA. The sale was consummated by Henry McAdams and the Uev. William R. Kimbrough for the YMCA board of directors, and by E. F.

Horn, Germania president, and Osborn. Germania now has Its offices at 617 Broadway in its own building. Germania officers will meet next Friday to consider plans for the new building, which is slated to be completed, within the next several months. On Dec. 18, 1954, Germania bought the property at College avenue and Main street, which now may for sale, On Sept, 29, 1955 Germania negotiated for the purchase of the Eyrie property in the 1100-block of Henry street but this property reverted to the owners when the Zoning Board denied permissable variation of the zoning ordinance.

Buys MISS AMERICA (right), Sharon and Miss Illinois, Marian Cox of Bloomington, posed with Telegraph Publisher P. B. Cousley. The girls are here for the Miss Illinois contest tonight at Wood Photo. 8 Fewer Firms Business Tax List Shows Decrease For the first time in nine years, a decrease had been found in the number of Alton business firms assessed for taxation, it was revealed today by Assessor Gorman.

The decrease is a slight one, he said. Alton has seven less business firms and one less insurance company this year than last. But it is the first time sinde 1947 that there has been a decrease in the number of local business firms, and may possibly indicate that the top in a postwar business expansion trend here has been reached. Gorman, who Friday closed the business assessment books on personal property and delivered them to County Treasurer Callahan, supervisor of assessments, said the number of businesses assessed stands at 889, and the number of insurance companies at 150 a total of 1,039. The business books contain the assessments on personal property of business firms, professional offices, and insurance firms.

Every year, Gorman commented, there are a considerable number of business changes reflected on the tax books. New "enterprises start, others go out of existence. Since last year (1955) this flux has been Band of Rebels Terrorizes Algiers Area ALGIERS, Algeria UR-A rebel commando band terrorized a section of Algiers for four hours this morning with a series of- attacks in which three persons were killed and six others seriously wounded. Nearly all of the victims were European residents pf the Bab El Oued district in the area between the Arab Casbuh and the water front. But two of the persons killed were Moslems, Including one rebel shot down by police.

The commando group, believed to number three or four persons, struck just before 8 a.m. They shot and wounded three Euro- chant in the lower Casbab district. slightly greater than usual. Gorman's books show 78 firms went out of business while only 68 new businesses were started. The assessed personal valuation in the business books shows a moderate increase this year despite the downturn in the toal of firms assesses, Gorman reports.

For 1956, the aggregate assessed valuation on business is $2,595,720, an increase of J15.150 compared to last year. Personal property of business and professional firms often includes motorvehicles. This year 414 passenger cars were assessed at $53,000. This was a decrease of six vehicles but an. assessment boost $230.

A total of 687 trucks and busses were assessed at $59, 070. This is a decrease of 52 vehicles and an increase of $5,570 in value. Furniture and fixtures were assessed at $5,570, increase of $670. Office-store fixtures at $116,185, decrease of $7,745. Machinery and heavy equipment $1,050,830, increase of $11,205.

Merchandise, and goods on hand or in process, were assessed at $569,895, decrease of $6,705. All other personal property, including money, mortgages, notes, and capital stock, at $122,645, increase of $1,670. Net receipts of foreign fire and marine insurance compinies was set at $51,145, an increase of $6,145. Shares of stock in banks at $250,700, increase of $14,170, and Telephone and telegraph companies at $316,680, increase of $1,080. Boy, Bitten by Snake, Taken To Hospital A Fleldon area boy, Charles Miller, 4, is a patient In Alton Memorial, Hospital where anti- snake venom was being administered this afternoon for a bite to his left ankle, inflicted by a moccasin.

The mossasin is a poisonous reptile. The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Loya Miller, was given emergency treatment at Jersey Community Hospital and then brought to Alton. He was bitten by the reptile while playing near his home.

GOP Names Gov. Langlie As Keynoter OLYMPIA, Wash, Twenty- one years ago a virtually unknown 34-year-old lawyer rode a reform platform into the mayoralty oi Seattle. Five years later, Arthur Bernard Langlie was sworn in for the first of his three terms as governor of the State of Washington. Now, as he prepares for whal promises to be his toughest campaign against Democrat Sen Warren G. has been asked to give the keynote address at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco Aug.

20. Langlie Is no stranger to GOP conventions, drawing national attention in 1952 in Chicago when he led Eisenhower forces to victory in a battle pver seating of delegates. Since then he has been one, oi President Eisenhower's strongest supporters, risking considerable to staunchly back up the adminlstra lion's partnership program for power development in this strongly public power state. Being first is not a new experience for Langlie. He was the youngest mayor of Seattle, young est governor of the state and first ever to serve three terms.

1.01-In.Rain Puts Week's Total at 2.45 A fraction over an Inch of rain fell during an electrical storm that hit the Alton area just before the dinner hour Friday afternoon. Lightning struck the residence of VV. A. McKee, 441 Belleview during the storm and damaged siding, according to a report to Alton Fire Department. Firemen of No.

1 company were called at 6:48 p. m. to investigate, Asst. Chief Warren Grable said. There was no fire damage.

The rainfall total was recorded as 1.01 inches at Alton dam. At some points in the area hail fell. A pleasant side-effect of the storm was the break in the heat that was intensified by high dumidity Friday. An abrupt drop in temperature was shown on the Telegraph recording thermometer. During the night the temperature continued to fall.

Shortly after dawn, the temperature again began to mount through the 70's. The average temperatiire" for the first 22 days of this month has been 74 degrees, which compares with an average of 71 degrees for the entire month of June last year and 78.5 degrees for June of 1954. Total rainfall.so far this month Is 2.8 inches. Normal rainfall for this time of the month is just a fraction less than three inches. For four days of this week the rainfall has inches, Francis Price, 40, of 2807 Viewland was taken to Alton Memorial Hospital for treatment of heat exhaustion Friday.

Price, an employe of Alton Box Board, left the hospital later in the day. Police Provide TemporaryHome For 6 Puppies Rather than leave six whimpering and apparently abandoned blapk-and-tan puppies to fend for themselves, after he found them scattered about three separate residence yards near State House circle at 4:30 a.m. today, Police Donald H. Brooks took them to the police station. There policemen provided a big box for a kennel, and fed the puppies a half-gallon of milk.

The pups were found after residehts barking was keeping awake. Apparently the puppies attacked and scattered by roving dogs. In a recheck of the neighborhood at 6:30 police learned John Ezell of 1919 Gross was apparent owner of the dogs. Shortly before noon, the owner appeared at the police station to claim the little black-and-tans, Radford Insists No Service Has Defense Priority Ike Talks Politics But Not His Own By MARVIN L. ARROWSMITH WASHINGTON UP) President Eisenhower discussed political matters today, reportedly for the first time since he was.

hospitalized June' 8. But an aide said the President dropped no hint whatever as to whether he intends to remain in the presidential race. Eisenhower received a full report at Walter Reed Army Hospital on Friday's meeting of the Republican group planning arrangements for the party's presidential- nominating convention opening in San Francisco Aug. 20. The was given to him by his chief aide, Sherman Adams.

"Tile President.was very pleased by the report he received," press secretary James C. Hagerty told newsmen. Hagerty said -Eisenhower "expressed his personal pleasure" over the arrangement plans made yesterday by a GOP convention subcommittee. He added that Eisenhower was specifically pleased over various appointments. Those presumably included selection of Gov.

Arthur B. Langlie of Washington to make the keynote address. Hagerty was asked whether, at this morning's conference with Eisenhower, there was any discussion of the view expressed by Leonard W. Hall, chairman of the Republican National Committee, that the President will remain in the race. He replied that Hall's prediction "was not discussed" at the Eisenhower conference with Adams and other White staff members.

Hall said Friday he had "not the slightest doubt" but that the President would stand by his earlier decision to seek a second term. Hagerty has said repeatedly since Eisenhower underwent major abdominal surgery two weeks ago that the President has not discussed his own political future with members of the White House staff. Asked today whether that still was the case, Hagerty replied correct." Asked whether Eisenhower gave any indication today whether he plans to remain in the race, Hagerty shot back a crisp "no." The press secretary's answer also was "no" when asked whether Eisenhower provided any clue as to when he may speak out regarding his political future. in a Row Each Has Vital Role But Depends on Others For Indispensible Support, He Says By ELTON C. FAY QUAN7TCO, Arthur Radford told the high- command conference of civilian and military leaders today that "defense is not the monopoly of any one service." In an address prepared for, the fourth annual conference of de- Eense secretaries at this Marine base, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of.

Staff made no direct-reference new controversies among the armed forces. But his remark seemed to have, timely point. He said of the seryr ices that: "Each has vital roles to perform, and depends upon others for indispensable support." At 'discussing said that "What; Hie chiefs seem to hear most about is that mobility is merely a matter of more airlift or sealift more airplanes or ships." He added that wishes this were true but "unfortunately, mobility is much more than numbers of airplanes ships." Among other things, it includes an: adequate system of bases and systems of keeping thehv supplied with fuel and other material, Radford said. Iron Out Problems Radford said that at this conference "we have reviewed signk ficant events, and have heard excellent presentations about our military roles and A number of planning problems have been "hammered out" during the past year, he continued, then said: "But it is quite evident, too, that we still have a long way to go' to reach a common understanding on a certain few problems. These few are the ones which currently consume a great deal of our time." Radford spoke at a closed session.

His prepared text, as released for publication, did not specify the "certain few problems" on which an understanding must be reached. Among other things, the Army, Air Force and Navy are now competing in the guided missile development and usage field. A brief official summary of remarks by Secretary of the Air Force Quarles described him as emphasizing "The readiness of the Department of the Air Force to engage in efforts with sister services to resolve points of difference and chart courses of action which will move toward optimizing the contribution of each service to tho natonal security program." Menace of Missiles The military commanders had, some grave words to speak about the coming menace of missiles. Adm, Arleigh Burke, chief of naval operations, said that Russia will have ship and submarine based missiles "very soon." The Reds would seek to drive American seapower from the oceans with this and other weapons, including submarines and planes, Burke said, He also reported in his prepared text that: "Our biggest the toughest one to the enemy submarine problem we are giving it number one prJproty, knowing that if war la forced upon us we could lose it unless we counter an enemy submarine offensive successfully," Secretary oi PeJense Wilson hinted, in talking with newsmen yesterday, that another reduction PUPPIES AT POLICE cauuie waifs later were claimed by their owners-Staff in manpower, though not sarily in unit numerical strength of the Anny, might bo in tba offing..