Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 11

City commissioners shelter location decision delav ti-f By JACK LYNESS Messenger and Inquirer Staff A decision regarding the location of an Owensboro-Daviess County Animal Shelter will not be made until next week. Owensboro Mayor Waitman Taylor told approximately a dozen persons who attended Friday's city commission meeting that he and the commissioners had been unable to agree on a shelter site. Taylor announced last week that he had personally determined the best location for the shelter was on an unused tract in Ben Hawes Park which had previously been set aside for development as a camping area. Most of those at Friday's meeting were residents of the areas which had been mentioned for consideration, or were members of the Humane Society, a partner in the joint animal shelter venture with the city and Daviess County fiscal court. Taylor said he still prefers the park site, but would join with the rest of the commissioners in considering several alternatives.

The mayor said the Owensboro landfill is no longer being considered as a possible site. One of the proposals reportedly under consideration would involve leasing land on the property now used by city dog warden Earle Haire on Lee Rudy Road. Ha ire has said he opposes location of the shelter in Hawes Park, and has hinted he might resign should the facility be placed there. Mrs. James Witt, president of the Humane Society, and the person who has almost single-handedly won official acceptance of the society's proposal for the shelter, says she prefers the park site over all others discussed thus far.

Taylor issued a commendation to four city firemen Friday for their actions on July 27 which reportedly saved the life of Clyde E. Browning. Browning had become ill and was revived with a resuscitator from the fire department's rescue truck. Commended for their actions in the case were Herbert Russell, Barney Dickens, Gerald Hamilton, and Joe Bittel Jr. Taylor also issued proclamations Friday designating Friday 'Candy Day for the Blind" in recognition of the Owensboro Lions Club candy sales, the week of Septem- 5 Burley cutting 10 days behind schedule in Ky.

ber 8-15 "Owensboro Symphony Orchevtra and the week of Sept. 17-23 "Constitution The commission voted Friday to authorize bids on the construction of a chain link fence around the city sanitation department transfer point on West 5th St. The fence, Taylor said, will keep people from dumping trash and garbage at the already cluttered site. Taylor turned to city manager Max Rhoads and said "As soon as we get the fence up and get the area cleaned up, we will be able to know that any trash down there will be our own." The city has been criticized in the past for being a chief contributor to a rat problem in the area, fostered by the conditions surrounding the transfer point. Taylor has called the site Owensboro's worst eyesore.

The appointment of six new firemen, to be sworn in next Friday, was approved at yesterday's meeting. Included among the appointees are Godfrey Kelly, Darrell Humphrey, Randy Adams, Carl Sharp, William Pence and Kenneth O. Plas. George Greer showed his fellow commissioners an article concerning the use of rubber padding in the construction of new safer railroad crossings that appeared in Thursday's Messenger and Inquirer. He suggested, and received the commission's apparent unanimous consent, that the city install such rubber padding on "the city's worst crossing," as a test.

Taylor appointed Greer to study the situation, including the task of determining which crossing was "the worst" The commission unanimously voted to rename Douglass Park, on West 5th Street, Kendall-Perkins Park in honor of the late Joseph N. Kendall and Joseph Price Perkins. Kendall was a coach at Western High School and Owensboro High School who died following an auto accident in 1965. Perkins is a retired school teacher who spent his summers working with young people in Douglass Park for more than 20 years. Taylor said a plaque will be erected in the park commemorating both men.

Introduced at Friday's meeting were an ordinance awarding a contract for supplying the city with anti-freeze to the T.J. Bartlett Co. and a proposal to annex 10.43 acres in Apollo Heights Subdivision. Proposals to annex 13.4 acres in Audubon Acres and 37.11 acres in Thorobred acres were also approved on second readings. Final approval was given to ordinances establishing an agreement among the city, county and humane society on construction of the planned animal shelter, an agreement giving the Junior Service League responsi THE MOST LIKELY SITE for a planned animal shelter is in the city's Ben Hawes Park, north of the clubhouse on the golf course and overlooking a pair of tennis courts.

Mayor Wait-man Taylor shows a group of concerned citizens the location on a map, as city trucks continued to take fill dirt to the park site. The site was originally planned for development as a camping area. The site is to the left of a cut-bank road leading north out of the park. Although Taylor and Mrs. James Witt, second from right, leading proponent of the shelter, favor the site, opposition has been raised by city dog warden Earle Maire, among others.

A final decision on the location of the shelter is expected at next week's meeting. (Staff photos by Bill Kyle) progress. The vast majority of registrants give their Social Security numbers without protest, he said. If an applicant declines to provide his Social Security number, Neel said the voter is assigned a county code and the state later assigns the voter a registration number. Summonses notifying the three members of the State Board of Elections of the complaint will be served on them at Frankfort.

They are Chairman Thelma Stovall. Raymond F. Bossmeyer and Earl Searcy. The case has been assigned to the recently appointed Brady M. Stewart of Frankfort, who will be serving as special judge of Division II of the Daviess Circuit Court until the November election.

Banter and his brother, Ralph, compete two modified tractors in pulling events from Texas to Canada. Carpenters by profession, the duo became enthralled with tractor pull competition several years ago as spectators. "Most of the competitors who run modified tractors aren't farmers, David Banter said. When the team first embarked on their adventure, $400 was enough to modify a tractor for competition. Today, Banter said, at least $4,000 is necessary to modify one vehicle.

That figure does not include the initial outlay of $15,000 or $16,000 for a stock tractor, Bittel added. Suit seeks voiding of Social Security numbers on voter registration cards LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) It's tobacco cutting time in Kentucky but only 22 per cent of the state's burley crop was cut by Friday, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture's tobacco division at Lexington. Dr.

Charles Smiley, a University of Kentucky tobacco specialist, says cutting is about 10 days behind this year because of heavy spring rains that delayed the crop. Normally, he says, most of the cutting is done between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15, but this year he estimates it will be Sept. 25 before the bulk of the crop is in from the fields.

Charles Carter, Daviess County executive director of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service, said tobacco harvest in the area was on schedule. He said the harvest was not delayed by early spring rains. Kentucky's burley is its biggest cash crop, and represents about two-thirds of the nation's burley production. Most of it ends up in cigarettes, though some is used for pipe tobacco. The farmers keep a close eye on the weather this time of year.

They want it dry for cutting the leaf and putting it in the barn, then moderate, with no long periods of rain, during the six-week curing time. The tobacco must be cut and in the barn before frost. The National Weather Service predicts no more than normal rainfall for Kentucky this month good curing weather and calls for about normal temperatures, meaning frost is unlikely in the state this month. While the farmer is taxing his weather predicting powers to the utmost, trying to decide when it will be dry long enough to cut his crop, the weather service in Kentucky helps with a tobacco cutting and curing advisory every day. The grower needs a day.

and preferably more, without rain for cutting, so he can leave the tobacco in the field to wilt before taking it to the barn. With good drying conditions the leaf can lose 12 per cent of its weight in moisture in two or three days of wilting and as much as Although tractor pulling competition continually gains popularity, the sport has not seen the coming of big company sponsors, Ralph Banter said. The large firms who sponsor race cars have not yet turned their interests to tlie tractor pulling circuit. Vein Miller of Lancaster, said touring the circuit keeps him away from home most of the time. Most recently, Miller was on the circuit for two weeks, was home three days and was back on the circuit for another two weeks.

The summer tractor pull circuit is conducted July through September, while the winter tour is January through March. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 iUcescngcr AND INQUIRER 25 per cent in five days. Smiley says, which makes it easier to load on wagons and move into the barns. Humidity in the barn during the curing time of about six weeks should average about 70 per cent, Smiley says. Growers control the humidity to some extent with ventilating panels in the barn walls, which are closed at night to keep out the damp and opened by day to let drier air blow through.

If the humidity is as high as 90 per cent for more than a day or so, Smiley says, the dampness can begin to rot the tobacco leaves, a condition paradoxically called "house burn." "It's all right to have some rain," Smiley-says, "but if it goes on for days sometimes the leaf falls right off the stalk from rot, and the farmer has to carry it out and throw it back in the field. He's lost it." If the weather is too dry, the burley will cure too quickly and some of the leaves may. begin to "fire," or turn yellow. These leaves must be picked off and discarded. So far.

the growers have had "good curing weather," Smiley says. David Reeves, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service at Louisville, agrees it's "in their favor at the present time." And he says the 30-day outlook, a general forecast based on national maps from Washington, calls for about normal rainfall in Kentucky this month, about three inches, which if spread evenly over the month, should keep humidity in the right range for curing. Reeves says the late cutting is not late enough to involve much risk of frost. The outlook this month is for about normal temperatures, and frost normally comes to Eastern and South Central Kentucky for the first time about Oct. 11, seldom creeping over the far western counties before early November.

By that time the growers will be getting ready to put their tobacco on trucks and haul it to one of the 228 warehouses in Kentucky's 30 tobacco market cities, where it will be sold in auctions beginning late in November. Last year the Bluegrass State produced about 436 million of the approximately 624 million pounds of burley sold in the United States. Tennessee was the next largest producer with about 107 million pounds, and lesser amounts came from the other six states in the Burley Belt: Indiana. Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Missouri. A suit seeking to void the Social Security number section of the new Kentucky voter registration card was filed Friday in Daviess Circuit Court.

It asks that all registration cards be destroyed because the Social Security number of a voter is made available to public inspection. This is discriminatory, violates the Kentucky and U. S. Constitutions and is an unjust invasion of privacy, the complaint stated. The suit was filed by Aaron Johnson, V.

J. Steele Jr. and Mose Bullington, all of Ow-ensboro, against the State Board of Elections at Frankfort. Johnson and Bullington are employes of the TVA power plant at Paradise. Steele is a wholesale beer The case attacks the words.

"Social Security number, if any," in the section of the 1972 election law revision listing information that may be requested from the voter when he registers. Under a federal executive order, the Social Security number may be used only as a "Federal Identifier," the suit said, adding use of Social Security numbers has not been released outside the federal sector. The complaint pointed to another part of the new law making registration cards bearing Social Security numbers open to viewing and copying by any citizen at reasonable hours. Robert L. Neel, Daviess County clerk, said the filing of the law suit will in no way interfere with the reregistration now in powered wheels.

The sled, in turn, is on a goose-neck trailer connected to the tractor. As the tractor moves forward, the wheels on the sled gradually move toward the rear of the sled and the weight is redistributed. Redistribution of weight makes the sled more difficult to pull, the official said. Maximum speed for the huge machines has been established at 8 miles per hour. An official tractor begins to move simultaneously with the pulling tractor.

The official tractor maintains a speed of 8 mph. The competing tractor eventually reaches a speed of 12 mph in order to pull the load and keep pace. "If I didn't think we could win, we couldn't afford to compete, Ralph Banter of the Banter Brothers Pulling Team of Illinois, said. Morgan field man wins Friday's tractor pull event at fairgrounds James Enclhar of Moiganfield, was the winner and only Kentuckian in the top 10 of his class at the Daviess County Lions Club tractor pull Friday at the fairgrounds. Ebelhar's pull of 1H8 feet, 6 inches was six feet better than the nearest competitor.

He received the first place prize of $250, a $100 gift certificate for seed and a trophy in competition against competitors from four states. A crowd of approximately 6,500 witnessed the opening night of the nationally sanctioned tractor pull. Kimhcr Wilson of Sinithfield, 111., was second. Other winners in order were; Raymond Reedy and Chapman of Marshall, Donald Newhold of Oblong, Al Isch and Hawk of Illuflton, Ronald Sharer of Texico, Dennis Lucas and Volland, of Columbus, Joe B. Shaver of Millers-port, Ohio, and Dennis Williams of l.nwr-enceville, III.

A total ol 52 tractors competed in the three classes Friday. An estimated (15 tractors will be entered in tonight pull, scheduled for 7:30. Tractor pull is popular rural sport bility for the operation of the recently renovated Olde Trinity Centre, an ordinance -regulating the times of operations for mobile ice cream vendors, and two contracts for the purchase of a tractor for the parks department and 60,000 gallons of propane gas. Fiscal agent is appointed for bond sale Daviess Fiscal Court Friday appointed Bache and Company of Louisville as fiscal, agents for a $1.75 million bond sale to finance fire protection improvements throughout the county. The bond sale is scheduled for later this year.

Bache and Company submitted the lowest of four bids $10,050 on the project. Fiscal court also created a Fire Station Holding Corporation and a County Improvement Corporation (CIC) to oversee the bond issue. Owensboro National Bank was named trustee of the corporation. Named as members of the CIC were newly-elected County Commissioner William J. Froehlich, Assistant County Attorney James E.

McDaniel, County Judge Pat Tanner and County Commissioners James Riney and John Oldham. The county is currently building a new three-bay fire station at the Owensboro-Daviess County airport and has plans to build a station east of Owensboro. County commissioners also have discussed building fire stations and buying firetrucks for five communities if residents will form volunteer fire departments. The bonds will be liquidated with revenue from a new county tax on fire insurance premiums. ENTRANTS BEGAN pouring in to the Daviess County Lions Club Fairgrounds early Friday in preparation for a nationally sanctioned tractor pull contest.

The only other such competition held in Kentucky is in Louisville during February. A trio from Bloomfield, confer prior to unloading their mommoth vehicles. From left are Emnii'tt Brown, Tommy Brewer and Danny Offutt. The 1st annual Lions Club Tractor Pull began Friday and will conclude tonight. A crowd of 20,000 is anticipated for the two-day event.

(Staff photo by Patricia RLsher) By PATRICIA RISHER Messenger and Inquirer Regional Editor Down on the farm "ain't what it used to be." The days of trudging behind an even-' paced plow horse are gone. Today's farmers talk of horsepower in terms of bore and stroke, cubic inches and revolutions per minute. Some 20,000 spectators are expected to attend the First Annual Daviess County Lions Club Tractor Pull, which began Friday and Will conclude today at the fairgrounds near Philpot. Daviess Countian Don Bittel, experienced -ctor pull officialdescribes the event as a l. of horsepower, traction and driving technique.

Tractor pull contests rank among the most popular rural sporting event, according to a Lions Club member. The event, which originated from the old horse pulling contests, has become a major attraction during farm oriented programs. Sanctioned by the National Tractor Pull Association, the local event has attracted some 120 entrants from five states, according to Bittel. Tractor pull contests are divided into two categories stock and modified. Amateur contestants ususally enter in the stock block category because the machines are also used on the farms.

Stock tractors may enter four classes. They include 5.000; 7.000; 9.000, and classes, In the modified class, professionals have entered tractors that have only two factors in common with the slock machines basic body design and rubber tires. Number of engines in a modified tractor vary from one to four, according to Bittel Some tractors are powered by engines designed for airplanes, hydroplanes and tanks. Modified tractors are placed in one of two classes They are 7.000 and 9.000 pound Each class winner is decided in elimination races. The tractors compete singularly The winner is the tractor pulling the weight the farthest without having the tractor wheels spin, according lo Bittel Bittel explained thai weights are placed on a bed or sled that has three hydraulic llxV' I VT iS 1 vC.

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