Mt. Vernon Register-News from Mt Vernon, Illinois • Page 1

if TF.MPFR4TtJRE 32; low, 15. Last night's -Airport noon MT. VERNON REGISTER-NEWS MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION A SQUARE DEAL FOR ALL SPECIAL FAVORS FOR NONE A NON-PARTISAN PAPER SOUTHERN ILLINOIS; cloudy and tthfght and Saturday. Occoslonol showers Saturday. Low tdriloht' 40 to 48, high SoturdaySO.

to 60. VOLUME XXXII 99 MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1952 25c PER WEEK BY CARRIER $1,000,000 DAMAGE YANKS DOWN TEN MIGS IN AIR BAHLES One of Biggest Vicfories of the War Scored in Four Flaming Clashes in Sky. U. S. LOSSES ARE NOT ANNOUNCED Two Reds Explode so Close to Americans They Blow Out Jet Power for Time.

By Associated Press SEOUL, Korea, Jan. 25 Daring American Sabre jet pilots shot down at least 10 Red jets in four flaming air battles over northwest Korea today. Two Communist M.lG-15s exploded almost in the faces of American pilots. The blast blew out the jet power in two Sabres, and the Americans had to go into long dives before their jets flamed into action again. It was one of the biggest jet victories of the war.

The Fifth Air Force announced 10 Rusian-typc jets were definitely destroyed, one probably destroyed and three damaged. The biggest toll in an all-jet battle was Dec. 13 when 13 Red jets were reported destroyed, two probably ad three damaged. American losses, if any, in today's four battles were not announced. U.

S. air casualties are reported weekly. The air-war grew in rury as the day wore on while the ground war lay relatively quiet under a blanket of fresh snow. In the rapid fire action Lt. Robert H.

Moore of Houston, set one MIG-15 on fire and seconds later destroyed a serond plane. Yank's Engine Dies "I was so close to the second MIG that when I hit him he blew up right in my face," Moore said. "I flew right through his explosion which caused me to flame out." In other words, his "engine Moore glided from nearly 30,000 feet down to 13,000 feet before he got his jet going again. It happened in a fight this afternoon between 15 Sabres and 16 Russian-type jets which had crossed the border from Man churia. Another jot was blown up in the same battle by Capt.

Mose Gordon 513 south Broad Rome, Ga. Gordon said his machinegun bullets raked into the Red flight leader and the MIG "started throwing pieces. It lit up and a long stream of flame came out. "By that time I was about 100 I also flamed out because pieces i cllbO llcJlui-u uui ijcrv-auoc -of the MIG came back through my south. Normal mmimum 14 north an- scoop, Patrol Engagements between Allied patrols and Chi- Tuesday, ncse units of about company size.

The U. S. Eighth Army described them as light engagements. Limited actions also broke out in ported in a U. N.

communique (Continued on Page Two) SHAWNEETOWN BRANCH LINE TO CONTINUE N. Denied Permission to Hall- Run from Mc- Leonsboro. By Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, 111., Jan. 25 The Illinois Commerce Commission today turned down the request of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to discontinue passenger service on its mixed train operating one round trip daily between McLeansboro and Shawneetown. The Commission said residents of the 11 towns on the 40-mile Shawneotown branch have no other means of public transportation.

The towns are McLeansboro, Hoodville, Dale, Broughton, Eldorado, Grayson, Brooklyn, Equality, Lawler, Junction and Shawneetown. Other Commission orders included: Authorized the Louisville and Nashville to abolish less-than-carload freight service at 11 towns between Evahsville, and St. Louis. The towns are Trumbull, Thackeray, Delafield, Drivers, Roaches, Vencdy, Queens Lake, New Memphis, Rentcheler and French Village. Ordered the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad to install automatic flashing light signals at its crossing with state aid route 7 three miles north of Murphysboro The county is to bear $3,800 of the $9,800 estimated cost.

V.F.W. Post Here Is Reorganized; Election Feb. 14 The Mt. Vernon post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars was reorganized last night "under the name Vernois V. F.

W. Post. The nams was as representing a combination of the words Mt. Vernon and Illinois. The charter of the former William Merritt Mo.ss Post 1376 here was surrendered to national V.

F. W. department officers early in January of this year. The post was named for a Mt. Vernon man who lost his life overseas.

Commander Carl Miller of the Herrin Post, 10th officer of the Department of Illinois, and Surgeon Victor A. Hundley assisted the new post in reorganizing. At the next meeting, on February 14, new officers will be elected and a new post number will be assigned by the National Department of V. F. W.

Joe Langa has served as V. F. W. commander here for the past year and Victor A. Hundley has been chaplain of the local post for several years.

Five-Day Forecast By Associated Press Dv uiaL c.ii.c Illinois: Temperatures will av- feet behind him. Then he blew up. erage 4 to 8 degrees above normal. Normal maximum 33 north to 43 to 24 south. Continued rather mild until turning cooler about Wpd- nesday.

Precipitation will average hurt in the battle, which the Brit- On the ground a series of fights to inch occuring as ram I ish initiated to disarm Egyptian broke out along the Western front Saturday and again Monday and auxiliary police. The British I (- RESCUE 17 SAILORS By Associated Press SSed U.l" vS Mo poTsibly off Thronlv snec il actSn re! 17 crewmen from the 700-ton diplomatic relations completely cast, rhe only specific action re- merchantman Calamar with the 1 just before she sank 70 miles north of Mar Del Plata. BENTON FIRE AS VIEWED FROM TOP OF COURT HOUSE BENTON 100 MEN FIGKT BLAZE; 2 BIG BUILDINGS ON SQUARE DESTROYH) Fire Departments of 15 Cities Battle Flames Which Threaten Large Section of Business District; Capitol Theatre Damaged, Phone Exchange, Furniture, Department, Clothing Stores and Offices Burn Down. This picture, snapped irom the top of the 'Covnty court house on the Benton sqiiafe, Is iooiang. tfown' sotith, street (the route towards West Frankfort) and shows a portion of the fJamlhg ruins 10:30 this morning.

Notice, left ground, the burning embers in the ruins of Campbell's furniture store. The half-block area to the left-was completely leveled by fire, includipg; the telephone company'and J. V. Walker Sons clothing store. Firemen on south Main are fighting flames in the Campbell Department Store.

(Mary Jane Studio by Cliff Karch) BRITISH TROOPS KILL 42 EGYPTIAN POLICE Six-Hour Battle Fought In Ismailia in Center of Suez Canal Zone Where Several Hundred Police Surrender After Firing 60,000 Rounds of Ammunition. By Afseciated Press LONDON, Jan. Powerful fleet of British warships left Malta headed for the Suez Canal zone scene of bloody fighting: between British troops and Egyptian police this morning. By Associated Press CAIRO, Egypt, Jan, troops with tank support battled Egyptian police for six hours in Ismailia today. British officials reported 42 Egyptian police and three British soldiers killed in the bloodiest fighting yet in the Suez Canal Zone.

The British counted 130 Egyptians and 13 British soldiers claimed the police were fighting them instead of keeping order. An embittered Egyptian cabinet -The was called into emergency session. relations with the British. Despite appeals from outside sources for efforts to make peace in the Suez, relations between the British and the Egyptians appeared to' be at their worst point since Egypt cancelled the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian treaty last October and demanded that British troops get out of the vital canal area. The fighting began in Ismailia, a midway point in the Canal Zone, at dawn.

It ended shortly after noon, the British said, when Egyptian, police resistance collapsed. Outnumbered two to one, the police had been under orders to fight to the bitter end. They fired 60,000 rounds of ammunition before they yielded. Hundreds Surrender Between 500 and 600 police filed out of the police headquarters building and surrendered shortly after noon. Two tiours earlier, Lancashire Fusiliers moved in under a smoke screen and captured between 200 and 300 others who had been sniping from the Egyptian health center a block away.

U.S. SUFFERS DEFEAT ON U. N. FIGHT Political Committee Adopts Russian Resolution for Admission of Soviet Satellites and Italy. BEFORE THE BUILDING COLLAPSED 9 Forty minutes after this picture was taken the roof of Campbell Son hardware store (at right where water is being poured hito upstairs windows) collapsed.

The picture, taken from the steps of Benton's First Methodist church, is looking north on South Main, toward the court bouse, can be seen in the left background. Although flaming embers repeatedly struck the roof of the county building it did not Ignite. This picture was taken at 9:40 a. m. and the roof caved in at 10:30 a.

m. Smoke can be seen seeping from tlie rear section of the roof. (Mary Jane Studio Photo) By Associated Press PARIS, Jan. United Nations Political Committee, over strenuous U. S.

objections, today adopted a Russian resolution calling on the Security Council to reconsider membership applications from 14 countries, including Italy and five Soviet satellites. The United States said it had no ohjection to reconsideration "of the candidates but opposed the resolution because the' Soviet Union made it clear in debate that the proposal was designed to all 14 admitted in one package deal. First V. S. Defeat It was the first time in U.

N. history that the political committee adopted a major Soviet resolution over American opposition. The vote was 21 to 12 with 25 abstentions. This is less than the majority required for final passage in a general assembly plenary session which must confirm the committee action. U.

S. delegate Ernest A. Gross said he was confident the resolution would be defeated in the assembly. The Russian resolution calls on the Security Council to reconsider in one group 14 countries who have applied for U. N.

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and outer Mongolia, all backed by the Soviet Union, and the western-sponsored countries, Ireland, Italy, Ceylon, Nepal, Australia, Jordan, Libya and Portugal. Soviet delegate Jacob Malik told the committee during the debate that if the council brought the applicant countries up in one package, Ru.ssi? would refrain from using the veto which so far has blocked the admission of the BULLETIN By Associated Press TUCSON, Jan. four- englned bomber crashed and exploded at 22nd street and Alvernon Way a few minutes before 1 p. m. today, just a few blocks from the boundaries of Davis- Mountain Air Force Base.

John F. Allen To Observe His 92nd Birthday Well Known Jefferson County iVIan, a Ram Fan, Is in Excellent Health. BENTON, 111., Jan. that raged out of control for three hours destroyed two large buildings on the courthouse square and spread to a third today with the loss estimated at "more than a million dollars." More than 100 firemen and volunteers from 15 southern Illinois towns helped fight the fire, worst in the history of this community of 8,300., Authorities said shortly after 11 a.m. the fire seemed to be under control, but the Fox Capitol Theater an alley from the two destroyed was burning at that time.

Streets on the courthouse square and for a block or more in every direction presented a like tangle of fire hoses. During the height of the blaze the smoke pall was visible for 10 miles. One fireman was injured. The damage estimate was made by Ray Fisher, Benton commissioner of public property. Steve Choisser, managing editor of the Benton Evening News, said the loss might run as high as million dollars.

Two three-story brick buildings on the southeast corner of the square were a total loss. One was occupied by the Camptjeil Furniture store, one of the lai-gest business establishments. The other housed the Illinois Commercial Telephone Co. Exchange, the Dozier-Wilson Department Store, a law firm, the Walker Clothing Store, a Masonic hall, a beauty parlor and an abstract office. The two building had interconnecting hallways.

Benton was without telephone service for several hours. Some emergency long distance circuits were finally restored to service. Long distance service to several nearby communities was interrupted. Courthouse Saved The old Franklin County Courthouse building in the center of the square appeared to have escaped damage, but windows in several nearby building were shattered by tlie intense heat. Tom Smothers, Benlon city fireman, was hospitalized with a serious back injury after he struck by a fire hose that broke loose under water pressure.

The blaze was reported to have started in the basement of the Dozier-Wilson Department Store. MT.V. FIREMEN HELD DOWN THE HOTTEST SPOT Lustig and Harrison Credited With Halting Spread of Flames. Intense heat from flames leaping -high over the street on the southeast side fthe Benton pub- lie square o'clock this morning drove all but two firefighters back. The two who stodo their ground were Captain Julius Lustig and Fireman Ed Harrison of the Mt.

Vernon fire department who kept pouring water into buildings on the east side nad just north of the blazing structure. Many watchers credited the work of the Mt. Vernon with preventing the flames frqm'. igniting buildings along the side. The Mt.

Vernon firemen shrugged off the incident: Said Captain Lustig: "We had our bunker suits oh arid could stand the heatbet- those were only in street cfdthda," He admitted, thougfe that got pretty hot, but wcJcept oixf bunker suits and, didn't get worse than the fact that our still a little red from the heat." Karch Takes Pictures Cliff Kdrch, who was busily snapping pictures for The Register-News, declared that "I've never seen so much flame in my life." Kai-ch took one photograph of the general scene from the top of the court house. "When fresh spurts of flame and clouds of smoke belched out I protected myself behind a big chimney on the he said. Flaming embers hit the court house roof repeatedly but the building did not catch fire. As a precaution, the courthouse was by Franklin county officials. Mt.

Vernon men were pitching in to help in several locations. Rural Firemen at Theatre Rural firemen from this'city and the Salem department baittled the blaze in the theatre building (Continued on page two! (Continued OB IMK9 two) S. FREIGHTER REFLOATED By Associated press CASABLANCA, Jan. 25. The American freighter Newberry Victory was refloated today, after three days on a i-ecf outside Casablanca harbor.

The ship was cariying a cargo valued at including 15 planes for U. S. air bases in Morocco John F. Allen of Waltonville, who will celebrate his 92nd birthday January 29, invites all his friends to "open house" from 2:00 to 4:00 p. m.

next Tuesday. Mr. Allen has resided in the Waltonville community for 86 vears. Although in advanced years, Mr. Allen is in excellent health and enjoys visits from his many friends of Jefferson county.

He is a rabid Mt. Vernon Ram fan. Although he is unable to attend the games he listens to each one and roots for the home teain. In the summertime he closely follows major league baseball as he backs his favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals, He knows the name and history of every rriom- ber of the Cardinal team.

He was only a lad of six years when he came from Tennessee to the Waltonville community with his family. The story of his family is one of the many stories of the sturdy Americans who settled Jefferson county. Mr. Allen was born January 29, 1860 in Meggs county, the son of R. J.

D. W. and Eliza Allen. Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Allen's father and his brother, Pete, discussed their allegiances and Mr.

Allen's father chose to fight on the side of the North, his brother for the South. Mr. Allen's father left a family of ten children at home while he went away to war. They fought against each other in the Conferedate retreat from Chattanooga after the Battle of Lookout Mountain. Both brothers survived the war and returned to their homes in Meggs county.

Shortly afterwards, though, when Mr. Allen was a boy of six years, the family started the trek to southern Illinosi and settled in the Waltonville community. The trio took 29 days, with the father driving a team given to him by the U. S. government.

He purchased a farm in the 'Waltonville area, where iie raised his family. Mr. Allen has one sister Mrs. J. Smith of Mt.

Vernon and two children. Attorney Joe Frank Allen and Mrs, Katie Hart of Mt. Vernon. THEATRE STILL STANDING Although heavily damaged by fire, heat and water OsiplM Theatre at the southeast corner of the Benton still. 4" standing after the fire which destroyed nuinber oit buildings was under control at 10 a.

ra. non rural fireman, is in the center of the group of thKe sttinding In front of the building and A. member of tlie Alt. Vernon rural la to l)eed 'ti The right background shows the ruins of the company building, with only the rear wall still standfof, acrosi an alley from the ttareatra. (Muje'tmi.