The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • 1

i ii- i. f. 1 Y. WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight and Tuesday. Readings from Sun, noon to Mon.

noon: 12 n. p.m. p.m. 12 m. ...41 24 JO 21 29 27 12 a.

combining Qfye 55etP0-)aUairhtm and the herald-press FINAL EDITION 32 PAGES 2 SECTIONS BENTON HARBOR ST. JOSEPH; MICH. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3 1975 High, 40, at noon; Low, 19 at a.m. 1 5c Today Our Nai Chm 9 ar Today's the day our name changes. As readers can see from the logotype at the top of this page, we are now The Herald-Palladium.

The new name represents a combination of the former titles of the St. Joseph Herald-Press and the Benton Harbor News-Palladium. Both these sister newspapers have been owned and published by the same Palladium Publishing Co. of Benton Harbor, for 46 years since 1928. For the past nine years) they have been published from the same plant by common production, advertising and editorial staffs.

For the past three years, they have been identical in all respects except their names. Now, as we have been telling you for the past month, the name's the same, too. The reason for using the same name is. that it reduces the time it takes us to print our papers. We can make delivey much faster to outlying and suburban areas of the four counties of editorials, the pictures, the news, the features all stay the same.

-Only the name is different. Both, our Benton Harbor and St Joseph offices, as well as other bureaus, will remain open and operating exactly as they have been. One name helps bring you. the news faster, while it's fresh. And it's afnergy-saver and inflation-fighter, too! The Herald-Palladium is born today.

We'll try our best to keep it as you like' Southwestern Michigan. We have to be faster because you Southwestern Michigan folks have been so very receptive to our kind of local news coverage. You're buying more and more of our papers all the time. Problems involved in having two newspaper names and only one press increase our printing time. One name means shorter press runs and more" efficient delivery schedules.

Nothing in your newspaper is being changed. The ads, the Eire Destroys 4 BM Shippiiij a Landmark of oil, owned by Mobil Oil a small quantity of paint, owned by Berko Electric and two lift trucks. A quantity of castings, stored by Bendix ttorp. was removed last week, firemen said. Fire officials reported that contents were insured by owners, but there, was no insurance on thebuilding, a two-story structure with a one-story annex.

The Central Docks) off West Main street, just east of the Main street bridge at the confluence the Ikntoif Hurik.i ship canal and St. Joseph. The fire was reported at 9:31 p.m. by the resident manager of the next door Imperial 400 jno-tel, who stated there were a series of explosions. Benton Harbor firemen found (See page IS, sec 1, coL I) BOAT DOCK FIRE LIGHTS WATERFRONT: Flames and smoke engulf old boat dock terminal in Benton Harbor, where thousands of people embarked on boats during heyday of the lake steamer excursion era.

Flames, seen reflected across the St. Joseph river, destroyed docks, which in recent years have been used as a storage warehouse. (Dave Arndt photo) ft 02 Nine Die In Vain Attempt By RALPH LUTZ 1 Staff Writer A raging fire Sunday night destroyed the 38,474 square-foot Central Docks, a landmark in Benton Harbor for more than 60 years and once the focal point for thousands lake steamer passengers. Firemen from five Twin Cities area departments fought the stubborn blaze all night, pumping a total of 1.1 million gallons of water into the ruins. Cause of the fire is unknown, reported Benton Harbor firemen.

No injuries were reported. The building, used as a warehouse, was Contents ere destroyed. No financial loss estimate has been determined. Contents included household goods, stored by Ganz Moving Storage several dozen 55-gallon drums t- jv. IK- wm i.

To Outrun Deadly Fumes 'a I jr lllillii iMWWaKp worker sent to investigate the was found dead in his pickjip truck. The dead were identified as J.C. Patton, 45; his wife, Glen-da, 36; their daughter, DeeDee 17; Clara Peevey, 14, DeeDee's friend; Pete Amerson, 48; his wife Edith, 40, of Portales, N.M.; J.R. May, 57; his 56-year-old wife; and Eugene Sparger, 19, the oil field worker. Mrs.

May was the mother of Mrs. Patton and Mrs. Amerson. Cas Windham, area super- visor for Atlantic Richfield, which owns the well about 3 miles from Denver City in the Texas Panhandle, said the hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide fumes leaked from an experimental injection well in which Atlantic Richfield was using gas instead of water to recover more oil. Sparger, employed by Atlantic Richfield, apparently drove into the area and was overcome attempting to leave, Windham said.

Gaines County Coroner D.H. Henry said, "It looks as if he realized what happened and put the truck in reverse, tried to back out but couldir't." The truck was found in a roadside ditch. Essie Merrill, awakened by the smell, nudged her husband awake. Merrill, a Shell Oil Co. 7 employe, knew what the smell meant.

He. called next door to the Pattons who had full of company." Then he no-, tified Atlantic Richfield about the leaking lethal gas. His telephone rang. GJenda Patton told him' he'r "husband had gone outsidethen came back in and passed out. 'V in ir AjmlJ 1 1 story on Page 3.

(Alice "changing at a faster rate" than at any time in his experience, and added that Ford may be facing "some very difficult decisions" because of the worsened unemployment, outlook. He said that although the recession should end in mid- (See page 15, sec. 1, col. 1) QUEEN CONTESTANT Gowns arriving daily. Dotty 's Chapeaux, S.J.

Adv. Leo Hefenbach, WIN! Edisans. Adv. $50. DENVER CITY, Tex.

(AP) -Nine persons tried frantically to outrun death and almost made it, but leaking gas from an oil well wafted through the fog and drizzle and killed them, Tom Merrill, who saw death coming, gathered his wife and two sons and escaped. Eight of the dead were found outside a house, about 50 yards from the Merrill home and 200 yards from the leaking wellhead. Dressed in bed clothes, they tried to flee through the rain to safety about 5 a.m. Sunday. Five were found in one car, two in a pickup truck," and the eighth had fallen under the truck.

"The house showed all the way through desperate efforts were made to leave," one. VQt- ness said. "Chairs were overturned and beds rumpled." The ninth victim, an oil field INDEX SECTION ONE Editorials Page 2 Twin Cities News Page 3 Woman's Section Pages 4,5,6 Ann Page I Obituaries Page IS SECTION TWO Area Highlights. Page 17 Sports Pages 18.1S.Z0 23,24,25 Comics, TV, Radio Page 27 Page 28 Weather Page 28 Classified Ads Pages 23,30,31 We wish you continued success -under-your TrewTiameTPatton 200 Empire, B.H. Congress, the likelihood of a year-long battle has been increased.

At a time when the majority in Congress and perhaps the nation seems to feel the current level of defense spending is too high Ford proposes to raise it by nearly 9 billion next year. His $300-million. request for additional military aid to South Vietnam this year is in deep trouble in Congress, but he is asking still another increase for the beleagured Saigon regime next year. While admiMtnir the srrious- Merrill said. Merrill gathered up his family.

"We managed to back out into the road and Essie fell over my PETS. STRICKEN: Tom MerriU. Denver City, is looking at his dog and cat which were exposed to gas that escaped from an injection oil well. His cat did not survive. All four members of the Merrill family escaped early morning ordeal that killed mnejrthjrjleath JnjeopleSujk.

day. Merrill's wife was hospitalized. (AP Wirephotp) Except for the massive deficit attributable to economic conditions, it is consistent with the way he voted for a quarter-century in Congress and with his recent vow to increase defense spending and cut domestic outlays. Indeed, the budget shows a degree of consistency even more remarkable in view of the all- out assaulLalready underway in Congress against key elements in Ford's package. Though Congress failed to block the first step in the inrrojM'd import tariff on XXL foot, slamming the accelerator down jrunning wide open from bar ditchto.bar ditch and that's how we got to town," he said.

Mrs. Merrill was reported in satisfactory condition' at a Denver City hospital. By 10 a.m., Atlantic Richfield workers wearing air packs on their backs had capped the leak. At 1 p.m., volunteer fireman Larry Rasco, wearing an air pack and a gas entered the Merrill home and brought out the family dog and Siamese cat. The cat was dead, but Merrill bent over to administer artificial respiration to Short Dog.

"He's a lucky 'dog," the fireman said. "I hope he makes it." Without looking up and still pushing on the unconscious dog's chest, Merrill said, "I wish the Pattons had some of that luck." The dog was breathing in shallow bursts. Rasco loosened his oxygen mask hose and inserted it in the dog's mouth. Merrill, whose house burnt to the ground five years ago, wrapped Short Dog in a blanket and moved out of the fain dripping from theroof: "If that dog lives, there'll be two happy little boys," Rasco said. "But Tom Merrill knows his sons already have a lot to be happy about;" The dog was still alive at day's end.

Evans Agriculti Inc. New Phone Number is 471-2335. Adv. before it took effect Saturday, the President's energy program is in deep trouble as Democrats grope toward their own program. A bill to block Ford's plan to Increase the amount the poor must pay for food stamps seems certain to be passed by the House this week.

His plan to hold downcost-of-livine -4ncreases inSociaL, Security benefits seems doomed already. And the influx of freshman Democrats seems certain to jninrtirtee ir.njnr. surgery on the MISS STEVENSVILLE 1975: Nancy Jung 18, was crowned Miss Stevensville 1975 Saturday night in Lakeshore high school auditorium. Miss Stevensville contest was first in series of community pageants send-contestants to-compete fortltIeor TRIPLE AWARDS: Shuran, brown-eyed brunette of Stevensville, won not only the title of Miss Southwest Michigan 1975 Sunday night but captured both talent and swimsuit competition awards in the pageant held at Lake Michigan college. She received four-year scholarship to Eastern Michigan university along with the title and wa's awarded $50 bonds for swrasraraniTtalent tKmpetlttonTStory7TorrPager (Staff photo) Foid Takes GamfekIi Mecordl Budget miss ciossomtime 1975.

bee Koch photo) Pentagon budget. But the forthcoming battle of the budget, for which Ford laid the basis in the massive compilation of tables and words sent Congress today, is only the first round. His basic philosophy seems certain to challenged by whomever the Democrats nominate in 1976, and the nation's -voters will get their chance to signal which course they favor. Budget Director Roy Ash told newsmen at a budget briefing that the nation's economy is "ness of the nation's worst economic recession since World War Ford still wants to make-poor people pay more for food stamps and limit previously enacted Social Security benefit hikes. And he, is.

telling Congress -that, unless it goes, along with suchcutbacks, the deficit for thejrear starting July 1 could soar SlTBillion beyond-the record $51.9. billion he is reluc tantly proposing. The philosophy underlying, the first Ford budget is scarcely a MirpriMv 7.1 per cent. Other grim forecasts in the budget report were for a 11.3 per cent increase in the cost of living this year, "higher even than last year's-11 per cent, and a 3.3 per cent decline in the nation's gross national product, following a 2.2 per cent drop last year. The budget Ford sent Congress today shows which direction he thinks the country should go.

Because it is the opposite of the way favored by many in the newly-elected, hoavily Democratic 94th WASHINGTON (AP) President Ford appears to be taking a political gamble by hewing to his philosophical instincts and urging an increase in Pentagon spending and limits on popular domestic aid programs. Ford, in asking approval for' total expenditures of 1349.4. billion, forecast rising unemployment. The budget report said the jobless rate would average 8.1 per cent this year, 7.9 per cent next year and 6.9 per cent in 1977. The Dwember jobless level stood at.