The Van Nuys News from Van Nuys, California • Page 1

HUP LVU1 Inspectors' Report Is to Favor Lankershim PROBE IS FINISHED Hold Film -Center Not in Local Area Jt'ollawitig an investigation of the matter by postnl 'inspectors, It appealed likely today that the proposed new. Studio City bronch poat office will 60" served, from North Hollywood post office rattier than Irum Van Nuys. Orlsinaliy, officials of Studio City and the Mack Bennett and Al Christie mm concerns requester! postal-substation, served from Van Nuys. A contruct signed between Uie postal department and the Sennett the latter-agreeing tn furnish oltice quarters and necessary uUeudant.s, Protest Entered Worth Hollywood Chamber ui" this action on the grounds that -the' Studio City aiea is actually a part1 of the leirit.imite North -Hollywood postal territory. In tills they will be1 by the postal inspectors, 'Who completed lnvestigata of tho matter yesterday.

Although the inspectors matte official eanomSccrhoht as to what their report will contain, It was indicated by those close to the situation that recommendations will be forwarded to Washington favoring the North Hollywood office. Cite Fulton Knllng The inspectors painted out that only recently they ruled against request of residents in the Fuiton avenue district who petitioned' to have their" mail served through- North Hollywood rather -than from Van Nuys. They refused to recommend the Pulton avenue change, the inspectors said, bemuse the territory was on the Van Nuys side of the established boundary between the two communities, Studio City is on the North Holly wood side, they pointed out, and in order to be consistent it is be lieved the filmland sub-station wiil be lurneri over to North Hollywood. Four Thousand See Huge Prune Pie in Baking Approximately 4000 spectators gathered on the Mack: Kcnnett studio property at Studio City Sunday artcmoon to witness the baking of a prune pie nine feet in diameter and weighhis nearly one ton. During the baking operations, task requiring six hours, the croi wai entertained by an orchestra and the introduction of a sc: film celebrities who are members of Uie Mack Sermett and Christie film organizations.

Shortly after 4 o'clock the bakcTs declared the pie '-done," and St drawn from a specially constructed oven by a tractor, placed upon track and hauled 'to Graumali's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where it was placed on display, Wednesday the huge pastry creation wiil be cut up and given to the newsboys Los Angeles. Boy on Roller Skates Hit by Automobile Louis Richards, schoolboy ol Tu-Junga, is confined to his home wllh cula about tlii a'ruis received when was struck down Michigan avenue Sunday by automobile driven by Clarence Rob inson. The motorist told the poStce that the boy was roller skating In the: street an'rj swerved directly In path of the i racning TUESDAY AND FRIDAY The Van Nuys News First With the First in Circulation Leads all other seml-Tfeekly and. weekly papers In Advertising Volume Building Permits Show Growth of Van Nuys Termite During New Homes During 19S1 Administrative Center of the. Valley VAN NUYS, CAL-IFOHNlA, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, IMS EIGHT PAOES SEVENTEENTH YEAR DIE IN FLOOD DISASiEk STUDIO NEWHMi POSTOf FICE a aipvG iuc PASS HOAD Wcs in ilio San Fernando ID i Valley is the hatching nf baby I ftfl 0 AMONG tiie Important Industries in She San Fernanda Valley is the hatching baby I A I I I t0 with I III It! chicks to supply peullrruien isith their Initial nucleus of layers and replenishing and additions from year to year.

A wry largo Investment of capital represented in this industry. The most modern methods nf incubation are lo InsurB strong" and healthy chicks. Egss fhe best lay- nia nre used Road or Widened live aua profitable layers for the patrons of these hatcheries. The men engaged in the. Industry arc progressive and up-to-date in every way, at all times with one main purpose, produce belter more satisfactory results in the matter of egg prediction.

With the excellent hatching -i-'N the. matter. Of rapid transit 1... fur' Hie Valley, there have been many guesses. advanced relative to.

the lime' that nan be saved ir. trip ibctween: Van Los Angeles. The' present scheduled time on the Pacific Electric line is one hour, and by changing Hie route, building elevated lines and by other means, it is said that this' tinie can He reduced to-twenty-live or thirty minutes for the nineteen-mile run. Someone, tomorruw, may bring tills "guess" down to fifteen minutes. Unreasonable expectations Or this plan will not bo effective in gaining support for the plan.

Italher, get the facts and official statements straight before pulling them before the public. Then (til the pcortc what It win cost, and, II within reason and worth the price, the plan will get support. The in Angeles Chamber of Commerce Is taking 'an active in-torfejt in the proposals for rapid transit for all parts of tile city. A carclul surrey will be made of. the situation in regard to this Valley and the findings will be made public, only after all facts are considered.

Let us not get unduly- excited and orerzealous this proposition nnlil this survey lompletcd. Need Surface Drainage NO time should he lost in ting ways and means vlded for putting into, actual (lie surface drainage program for the Valley as outlined in pb presented recently by Cily En gineer John C. Shaw. For llic first time since ne-cation nf the Valley area to the city, the Valley has an who is in accord with the lions of Vailcv cithrens that north and south streets should Jie designed' as carry surface water and accumulations from the canyons on the north into the Los Angeles River. Where to start and hoif now the problems to be worked onL A conference with the district councilman and members of the board of public woTts r.l'.onld be arranged and a definite policy should be esfciblislied so that the provisions of the plan can become operative as speedily as possible.

Preparations for tiiis year's picnic at the University Farm, Oavts. In full swing, and it Is planned to hold an agricultural pageant, with floats from "fanning communities of the state. There will also be school hand contest. Traffic Relief Sought in Conference DECIDE ON FRIDAY Old One, Problem A conference between S. V.

Cor-telyou, division engineer of the California Highway' Commission, Alfred Jones, chief deputy county surveyor, representatives Irom the Automobile club of Southern Cali fornia and O. Turner, district engineer al Van Nuys, was held facilities thns local yesterday to make plans for i puulir.vnien in need- of chicks should think- ttyice -before iilacing orders on the outside, for this homo- service iL- convenience and 'the short delivery is a better, assurance 'of. getting -the' stock to the brooders in good condition, Get Transit Facts suitable traffic facilities through Newhall Puss. After a. lengthy discussion of the problem the conferees adjourned un til -Friday when they will either 'recommend -the conslruutiun of a new road or.

the 'widening of the present highway throuEh.the"ps;s. McCANpflNKER IN DIPS ftp Pllll TV LLn VI UUILI I T0CHA8GE Federal Case- Cut Short by Defense Pleading Builty to one count of W. P. McCann, former- Van Nuys realty broker and Lanicer-shhn bnnk president, brought lo on abrupt close his oh of using the mails in an effort lo defraud, in Federal Judge James' court Saturday. Through his attorney, Isadora Dockweiler, McCan'n entered his ea on one count and asked that the other five counts be dismissed and that he be given a minimum sentence.

Judge James and the prosecution agreed to drop the ririitinnal charges. Judge James set one week from yesterday as the date for sentence. Postal Inspectors and representa tives of the United States attorney: Dffice today pointed- out that at alternate maximum sentence of five vears In the federal penitentiary fine ol S20UO is presennen ior defrauding through the mulis. It indicated that MeCann, al though- ir; may go jail, wtl! nr be Kiveu the maximum sentence. postal inspectors Had prepared elaborate ease against McCnnn, believing that he would fight the charges.

A dozen prominent Van Nuys persons, former business asso ciates and acquaintances of the accused realty mad, had been called witnesses in the case. The charges against McCann itrew out of a mining deal in Idaho. Stock was sold to a number of Van Nuys residents In the venture several years ago, and aithough the mining properly 3nvolved paying operation today, McCann lost control of it during the time that he was- encased in selling stock and preparing to get the gold mines into production. Two Days Left to File Income Tax Returns, Warning collector of Interna! Revenue Galen H. Welch called yesterday to the Tact that there arc only two remaining days left hi which to Hie Income tux returns for I9ST without incurring a' pen alty of 25 pet cent.

The final flllnn period is midnight of Thurs day, MaTCh 15. "This means that returns must be filed dally until that dale If oar record of last year Is 1 equaled," said Mr. Welch. i in Van Nuys; The Knowledge, of "Who's Who," omonj the. iicss men of Van Nirys ls: to appear in The News John A.

Chabln. known as the "Who's Who" 'man of the. Pacific Coast, and who has put on many trade stimulators for merchants, -under this' with Ereat deal of success," will Issue a "Who's Who" page, in The News nut March 20. Mr. Chabin is now gathering his matter far the issue.

Because nf the "Who's Who" contest feature Tuesday's paper will be of exceptional interest 'and-' Should be obtained by everybody. Valuable prizes will be given away absolutely free to the wiii- Thc purpose tiie contest "is lu stimulate interest, in the trading centers of this city and to give the firms and sioual men who are taling part, proof that their names, slogans and. lines of merchandise carried arc well known in local household. VALLEY SERVER TO BE STARTED studios on the south. Neither BY APRIL FIRST Constructton of the Valley is scheduled lor some time to start Dy April 1st, Definite action is' lie-ins taken this-week In establishing the "right-of-way the' North' Hollywood The enElneei-s' been unable, determine.

whether tu place tho. line north or south side "of the river, besides two obstacles have been -hi the -way, the Lakeside Gulf bf these organizations want the lines through their luldloRt; lands could be condemned but amir-able has' been sought that- would prove satisfac tory to. all concerned. A survey has been made on ley Spring Lane hut has been found too high tu eatoh the sew from Universal City. two Held after RAH) REVEALS 17 PINTS LIQUOR Earn1.

.1 Levine and Edward "Va- ionta, aiTesled Friday night their cafe on" Cahuenga nveniif officers of the Valley dry squad charges of pussessiou of teen pints liquor, pleaded not guilty belore Jlldsc H. A. "Decker in the Van Nuys court uud the ase was transferred lo' the liquor jury in Los Angeles. i Charged with bootlegging In con nection with the operation uf a barber sliop on Lankershim boulevard, Alva Powler of IjOS Angeles requested a contlnntmcs and the isc was set for hearing March 19. P-anion Flores indulgence in liquor and fenced lo.

spend thirty days the city jail. comprise the fifteenth dis trict of the California Real Estate Association. FTMidlng, deUberations, which lasted through- 1LC1SE0F Van Norman Explains Cause of Crack WATER'S SEEPAGE Sides of Reservoir Crum ble Away This is 'how the San Frau- cisqullo flam gave way, -and burst, according to 1L A. Van Norman, assistant chief engineer of the l.os Angeles water and -power -lleparl- "Both sides' of the dam gave out at 'the sides. The water.

had sat urated the ground deep Into the hills' at either side and this ground gave way first at the west side of tiie dam. 'When the sround gave way at the west cide, it weakened the Crete, structure -of the dam Itself it sheared put completely 'that side. ea'st side In a similar manner, Vine remarkable thing is that center arch of the dam, 15. feet wide and 200 feet- high, is still anding." AmnlilvinE Van- Norman's ex planation of the. other water; andi-iiower- dcpartnient.pomted.to-a novel con- slruetiou of the uain so the prob able cause of its collapse.

The main dam was anchored by an abutment deep in the west side of the canyon; beyond which thoro was a marked depreEtion. In order to secure greater storage capacity in the reservoir a concrete dike was then constructed- from tiie1 main dam structure across the depression, fur -a distance q'I approximately 1DO0 feet. The in fact, was a secondary dani. Dike's. Construction The dike was constructed conglomeralc plan foundation, it was slated.

The reservoir had been practi cally full for the past tlx weeks, but before that- had never backed up the amount of water which St contained at the time that the gave way. Water seepage saturated Ihu shale and rock under the dike and Hie settlement of- the ground, caused by the seep age, cranked the dike. With the breaking of the dike, the water pressure became so' rif ir. that the secondary' dam not only washed away, but the (Continued on Page Three) Whitsett Urges Boulder Dani In Talk Before Realty Boards Urging speed in construction the day, was William L. Twin- water conservation and flood control dam in Tits Tujunga Canyon, nointiiie lo the movement ot a ands ar persons annually into San Fer nando Va 1 1 add declaring that If present growth is to continue! Boul der dam on the Colorado River must be built now, W.

P. Whitictt of Van Nuys principal-speaker at an all-day conference of San Fernando Teal estate men, hold at Glendalc Sat urday. Mr. Whitsett made his appeal at the banauet session of the realtors Saturday evening. The conference was the first of a series which are to be held between realty board members in cities the Valley ing of Glendale, vice president representing this district.

Van Ntivs held a place ol promt. ence throughout the day, Leslie Taylor, president of the local roall board, being the principal speak. at the afternoon when he addressed the assembled realtors "Making a Real Estate Business Fay." Other Van Nuys board members at the conlereuce were Frank W. Ec-kihire. George Doc, F.

J. Hayles, O. and Ij. L. Joluison, William G.

Lauescn, Lee W. Miller, A. O. Pryor, Jerry Oimstcad, C. R.

Wal-leck and Mrs. Bertha Reeves. Mr. Berkshire, past president of the Van Nuys board, led the Ins discussion on "Em-oiling, Ltsl- lnz and Keening Members' "Pi-oblems of Real Estate Boards tn San' FemandD Valley was general topic under discussion. At noon luncheon the group honored by the presence of Stephen M.

ISuitaa, state real estate missloner; President Hal G. Holch- of the California Real Estate Association; Aileen Vkt, Frank C. Nye and Peter 'Hanson, also representing the state association. UPKFIVFAHIIVIHI i Bemuse tile fact that the registration must lie made thirty days In advance an election, registration for the presidential primary closes at midnight, Saturday, March 31. Tuu cauust- participate In 'these primaries without stating your' party affiliation at the lime registration.

Remember YOU, the voter, are a stockholder in America. Arc you going to proxy your vote or rxerctse it yourself? DOUBLE. FUNERAL FOR PAIR KILLED BY Reseda Man and Wife Found Lifeless Double funeral services Arc Home After Six Months foi- iaeorge A. Mcclain, 50, and his wife, Mrs. Catherine McClain, 50, whose dead bodies found late Friday afternoon in their gas filled home at 19044 Gault street.

Reseda, were held at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon from chapel of Owensmonth funeral park terment was in Oakwoml Cemetery, Carbon' iiiononide poisoning is believed by local police to have been the cause of Ixit-li deaths. Dead for Days The tragic discovery was made by' a. neighbor. who noticed that chicken: McClain' yard had not." been fed for as found on the bathroom floor. Alter lunilng off the fire in a gar.

heater 111 the living room, Sheppaid notified the police. Food Cooked for Meal An investigation of the premises conducted by Captain V. E. Newsletter of Van Nuys detective un disclosed thai, there were no gas vents iu the heater. The walls of the dwelling were black from the funics." Newspapers found about the House indicated that the couple ere alive Wednesday night Cooked food was found Kitchen and the tabic wus If preparations had been made for an evening's dinner.

Struggle Evidenced A struggle against 'the dreaded poison gas as it was slowly dulling the senses of the pair, was evidenced within the McCiain home. Mrs. McClain's forehead was a towel when Sheppard entered. In the hand nf the stricken husband was also' a towel. It is believed that the woman was overcome first and that her husband perished he sought to revive her.

Spent in Honolulu After six months at Honolulu, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Van Nuys returned home Sunday evening aboard the sleafflsiiip They were accompanied by Thomas Smithen, also of Van Nuys. Mr. and Mrs.

Jardlne's son and lamlly, Uie John Jordlnes, will arrive homo from Honolulu ahoaTd the City ot Los Angeles on Friday of this week. The Jardines, well known local pointers and decorators, won the contract to decorate the new Army and Navy Y. M. C. A.

building at Honolulu. The Job took six montlis. Mr. Jardine, although he praised lhe beauty of the Islands, said he 3nd Mrs. Jardine are glad to be home.

He complained of the monotony of life on the Hawaiian Islands. "It's beautiful, but ynu see all the beauties in then it's all over." Dates for Ramona Paireaiit Arc Named Including three week ends, the dates of April 21 and 22, April 2tt and 2fl. and May 5 and 6, i announced today for the sixth nual presentation of the Ramona Pageant, jnun lli inniLi St Francis Wall Crumbles, Bending Flow of Water Fifty Feet High Crashing Down Canyon, Carrying all Before it. Many Aid Rescue. With a thundering, deafening roai' San Francisquito Canyon to its very depths and tfieiii eciiOP.ii anil re-ecuueu tutu tun its tuuiicr.

jev.eis,- I St. Francis dam, Lhe pride of the Los Angeles" I aqueduct system, gave way at a. tuuay, a yy.au... of water forty feet high sweot down'tha canyon carrying all before aiid death stalked' 'in its Between SOD and 5011 persons resided in the canyon, and how -many-; were drowned cannot be ascertained fur several days, -iilany d'm'Jcs: :1 have been reearered and rescue work is going oh' as- rapidly as With the subsiding of -tiie waler. men, women and' of them half naked anil others oraictl from the horrible terrors of; I night, were found wanderins up and down the can'yoit unable.

for themscives. SLY FAMILY MISSrNG One whole Van Nuys family Is believed to have been Vfipnt when the great flood wall gave way. Jack Ely, Ills wife, Margaret? Ely, and: heir two children, Jack aged 3, iprarlered IBelr cottage iusl one-half mile below the dam, iiave not been heard, Their cotlaao was swept away and there IhHe hope held to, the back and -fliidlus story of catastraplio was 'broaghljo. The' 'News shortly utter; Leslie Ta.vlur, iecul into ho "stepped into din living he found the body of Mrs. Mcclain, lying on a couch, lully dressed.

The body Df the hushand Taylor made his way first to tho location of the Ely cottage -which had formerly slood at tlio at a-bluff. Jutting out into the-floor uf the canyon, one-half mite, south of the foot of the rTayidr. found that not only had the collage and a number of huge I trees been swept, completely but that- the side of the- i behind the house, rising eighty feet in height, had-been-. gouged-out. Id a depth ol fUly.fect.

When lhe wall of onrushinp water reached tiite point, it aairri, up fifty feet or more above. the tops the tiny cabins and cottages al residents in the, canyon, making-escape'. i iiFOBTY'i 1MSAI1 RECOVERED When 'Taylor camo out ot Lhe canyon snqrtly before nor rtrari had been brouHht to the improvised morgue ot Newhall sheriff's sub staLioii. Eight of those had' been partially Npu.e -liipin uusiveied the description ot member of the Ely lamdy. It was repprte.a mat some twelve Injured persons were being nrougnt out the canyon.

They were left along the line of the flood as It swept dawn the Santa Paula Valley through Fillmore, Eanta Paula and on tu tiie sea near Osnard. The waler fallowed the line ol lhe Santa Clara River. Taylor deccribed the wrecked $3,000,000 Ean- Francisquito power plant' No. 2, located just below, the dani, as -resembling a-crushed egg shell, The solid concrclo structure was torn froin.rbs -foundations demolished. Tons of earth were washed the canyon just in fruut of the expensive mountain home of Harry film actor, and the Indian trailing post on me uarcy rancn, wneru- icventv-flve Indians- were quartered, had disappeared completely.

trace of. the Indians r.nuld be found. It was believed -all. of Jhem. werel lost.

SAVED OS HIS BED Harry Ferguson, living in a slmiity near the foot of- the dam, 1 rarried in his bnd on. the crest of the flood' for a distance' of than tWD miles down stream, before he managed to jump frnm the' rmhlne current to the bank. He was one of tiie few persons rescued who were close lo lhe dam when it broke. Taylor reported that 125 Los Angeles police officers, a like -number of sheriff's deputies, and more than 1000 water department workers Jifd civilians arc engaged in rescue work at the Sausus The dam, of earth construction, went out- at both ends." '-Hp was Esslcncd for the dlsasier. A theory that earthguakes might have loosened the great wall from Its foundations was scouted- by attendants at- San Franclsquilo power house No.

1, located above- the I Thf-nn men told Taylor that they were in telephonic-communica tion with the lower powerhouse just belore the break. They pointed out that in the event of carthuuakc. the large dynamos ana otr.er Is the first to register the shock, and that no tem blors were felt last night. CENTER OF DAM STANU3 Tavlor described huge slabs of concrete from the dam as. large the ordinary office building, washed half a nule or more down The center nortion of the dam was left standing, the water- rushing out through the two ends, which gave way, The remaining I portiun today stood lowcruig many ieei.

a monument to those who gave their lives. As far ns the eye can sec, inn canjon naa ueeu anepi, uj- Hood. Small hills jutting otit into the stream bed have been plor.cd ns a masonry wuii. The iioou toon cvcryining wiui u. inn Kanln Clara Vnliev damage was reported to be great.

Advices direct to The News at 1:30 o'clock tills afternoon were to tne-xnicct lliat uracil of the lo-ff country aroma rinmore, ennjs i bhis. nBrnanui. -and Montebeilo was inandatcd. The main body, of the flood followed inn nf lhe Santa Clara Siver, but the overflow spread out the lower Sections, accurals irom one iiiije iy miles in width on either side of the. river, were reported iiooaea: THIRTY nEAB at iiiuiuai, lliirty dead were removed from the vicinity of Fillmore and Santn- i Paula.

Two Identified men among these, Ueorge Basoia, well knowiijn San Fernando Valley, and Juu neri. it enrmrt in the Fillmore vicinity and were drowned. Young orchards in the Santa Paula Valley were rrdined. (Canflnncdoii Page.