The Kaplan Journal from Kaplan, Louisiana • 1

LSU' ICR, FILM iEf. 3 A Tori ROUQE. LA. OU THE KAPLAN RNAL 5s News and Features Of Vermilion Parish With Offices In Kaplan, Ml 3-7122 vtLUME 5 KAPLAN, LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1961 NUMBER 43 9 Codv ii i. iiii if IIIW il" -it i i.K i Y'A A-- 'Vr- i i V- ivlv- i ji -v im '7 z.

i 4 7 1 i Robert Trahan Vermilion Parish Fair Crossbreeding Festival Honoree If si mm mm (oil The Wreckage Of A Smashed House Spills Over Into A Water-Filled Ditch mures KAPLAN The rain subsided Wednesday and Kaplan began the long, hard job of digging out from one of the greatest tragedies ever to hit the city. A vicious tornado slammed down late Sunday afternoon and tore a 19-block long gash into the landscape of the city. Braced and ready for the damag ing winds expected to occur from hurricane Carla, the people of Kaplan were, for the most part, at home when the twister hit. An eyewitness placed the time of the first strike in Kaplan of the funnel-shaped cloud at 4:30 p.m. In us wake, the twister: killed one child damaged or demolish ed 250-odd homes left more than 1000 persons homeless and in emergency shelters or houses of- friends and relatives caused an estimated damage in excess of $1 million.

Dead is Nancy Ann Simon, four- week-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dorns Simon. She died in Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital some two hours after doctors began a vain attempt to save her life. Nancy Ann was critically injured when the immense force of the winds moved her family home off its pillars and drove it against a tree.

The tree came crashing down across the roof and flying debris in the house struck the infant. Funeral services for the little victim were held at 2 p.m. today in the Holy Rosary Catholic Church here. Burial was in the Kaplan Catholic Cemetery under direction of the Meaux Funeral Home. The 'litrrelot is survived by her parents; two sisters, Vickie Marie, 6, and Nedia Cecil, a brother, David Lee, and her grandparents, Mr.

and Mrs. Edes Simon and Mr. and Mrs. Lanese Vincent, all of Kaplan. In all, 37 injuries were reported in Kaplan's two hospitals, Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital and the Kaplan Clinic Hospital.

Injuries ranged from concussions and fractures to bruises and cuts from flying glass. On Tuesday morning, hospital spokesmen reported two persons in serious condition, none in critical, and five transferred to Lafayette Charity Hospital was completely isolated from the rest of the state immediately after the tornado hit. Electric power and telephone lines were down all over the Vermilion parish city, the second largest in the parish. Kaplan has a population in excess of 5,200. By 10 a.m.

Tuesday, power had been restored to most of the city. Telephone service was at 75 per cent of normal opertion. Only the rain would determine how long it would take for Kaplan to get on its feet. Gov. Jimmie Davis appealed to President John Kennedy Tuesday to declare Kaplan and the Vermilion and Cameron parishes area a disaster area.

Davis also scheduled a personal inspection of Southwestern Louisiana by air Wednesday. He was to fly over Kaplan, Vermilion, Cameron and Calcasieu parish and Lake Charles. The tornado first appeared to touch ground near the Nunez community, about four miles east of Kaplan on La. Hwy. 14.

At this point, no damage was reported, other than to rice fields. From Nunez, the twister lifted and then with the force of a giant sledge hammer hit the home of Sidney Abshire, two mhs east of (Continued on Page 5) RETURN PHONES, COMPANY ASKS KAPLAN Kaplan Telephone Co. owner L.C. Turnley has asked all persons who have telephones in houses that were damaged in Sunday's tornado to return the instruments to the telephone office. "Regardless of their condition, please do not discard the phones.

Bring them to the telephone office," Turnley requested. Service was expected to be restored in two or three days if the rains held off, Turnley said. He said 75 per cent of service had been restored in Kaplan Monday. Repair crews from independent comDanies at Breaux Bridge, Jena, Maringouin and Gonzales rushed into the city to assist with the repair work. Turnley also reauested that per sons report their phones out of order.

The company Is making re Dairs on a street-by-street basis. Although a rhone is not in the damaged area, the phone in that house may be out of order aue to being tied In on cable In the area hit by the tornado. 7 n7 i ij t- Twister Hulls On, 37 1 II By John Morris Journal Editor KAPLAN Robert Trahan, pioneer cattleman, rice farmer and native of Vermilion parish, has been named honoree of the 1961 Vermilion Parish Fair and Crossbreeding Festival. Announcement was made this week by A.J. Marceaux fair director.

Trahan lives southwest of Kaplan about six miles. He was one of the first men in the parish to bring in purebred cattle first Shorthorn Herefords and then Brahmans. Shortly following this, he began crossbreeding. Starting with native cattle before the opening guns of World War Trahan pioneered the Shorthorn in Vermilion parish. His crossbreeding began in 1934 with Herefords and Shorthorns.

The honoree declared that he Senate Sub-Commiltee Approves 01 Puinan WASHINGTON, D. C. The Senate Sub Committee Tuesday approved the nomination of Louisiana 15th Judicial District Judge Richard J. Putnam as federal judge for Southwest Louisiana. President John Kennedy nominated Putnam last week to the newly created bench.

Putnam, from Abbeville, is one of the three district judges for Vermilion, Acadia and Lafayette parishes. MISS VERMILION PARISH Cheryl LeMaire, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Millage LeMairt of Kaplan, was chosen Miss ii Most of this, he emphasized, was purchased on credit and he wonted and paid it out. Approxiately 1,000 head of cattle constitute today's spread.

Oil production and development on his land a few years back has added to Trahan's activities and interests. Where it used to be rice and cattle, it's rice and cattle and oil now. Mr. and Mrs. Trahan, she is the former Cecile Duhon, are tru ly a pioneer family of Vermilion parish.

They are the parents of four children: Etta, now Mrs. Evillier Le maire: Effie. now Mrs. Alcee He bert; the late Mr. Dunes Trahan; and Robert Trahan Jr.

The deceased Mr. Trahan was married to the fomer Mabel Pri meaux of Gueydan. Robert Jr, married Velma Bonin of Kaplan. The senior Trahan's parents were the late Alexandre Trahan and Lisa Mouton. When asked how many grand children he had, Trahan said he really did not know.

However, one grandchild will represent his grandfather at many of the activities of this year's fair. Peter Paul Trahan, who is ma naeer of the vast Trahan opera tions, will step in for his grandfather where the latter's health will not permit his presence. But the elder Trahan declares he will be at as many functions as health decrees. "We are fortunate having a man like this accept this honor," Marceaux declared in making the announcement. "This is still the Robert Trahan that people knew and liked 60 years ago.

"He hasn't changed and his manner hasn't changed. Mr. Trahan is an outstanding cattle man, a hard working rice farmer and devoted believer in progress of Vermilion parish and Southwest Louisiana. As an example of this unselfish ness, it can be recorded that Robert Trahan has never voted against a school, a road or a drainage tax. He is always ready to aid in improving the community and the parish." The 1961 Vermilion Parish Fair Crossbreeding Festival honors Robert Trahan cattleman, rice farmer and businessman extraordinary.

Cheryl LeMaire Chosen Miss Vermilion Parish ABBEVILLE Miss Cheryl LeMaire of Kaplan has been named Miss Vermilion Parish and Miss Jenie Marie Gremillion of Abbeville was named Miss Abbeville. The selections were made last week in Abbeville as preparations went forward for the Dairy Festival. Little Brenda Gayle Ballard of Baton Rouge was chosen the Junior Queen of Dairy Day, to be held in October. Miss LeMaire, 9, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Millage Le-maire of 707 N. Jackson Kaplan. Miss Andrea Ann Duhon and Miss Carolyn Crow were selected alternates for Miss Gremillion. who will compete at the Dairy estivai. To represent Abbeville at the various festivals will be: Sue Hoff-pauir, Yambilee; Connie Rodrigue, Rice; Jeanette Hebert, Oil; Cheryl Lynn DeHart, Youngsville fair; Patricia Broussard, Vermilion parish fair (Kaplan); and Pat O'Neal, Fur.

Miss Suzanne Harper was chosen Miss Congeniality by the girls. ii He v. Proposal Hade For Space For Parish Assessor ABBEVILLE Proposals for enlarging the parish assessor's office in the Vermilion courthouse were presented to the police jury at a meeting by A. Hays architect, last week. The proposal suggests taking in part of the offices now held by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Dept.

to provide one third more space than the present for the assessor. Set a meeting with members of the courthouse committee and persons concerned in the offices to be affected to be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the police jury room. In other action, the jury approved the employment of Miss Elizabeth Ann Carter of New Iberia as assistant home demonstration agent for Vermilion parish, succeeding Mrs. Mary Ellen G.

Bordelon who has resigned. Miss Carter assumed her new duties Monday. In a short session, the jurors granted a permit to the Tennessee Gas Transmission Co. for pipeline construction in the sixth ward under the condition that the firm remit payment to damage left in previous construction work. The jurors also suggested the proper advisement to the contractors on a Trunkline Gas Co.

pipeline job in the sixth ward that they attempt to leave less "devastation, chopped levees, brolcen fen ces, ruined drainage, etc." in their path of wowrk. The jury adopted a resolution favoring Southern Pacific over Western Pacific Railroad Co. having access to a rail line in the state of Utah. The Vermilion jurors said their action was only in the interest of helping the Southern Pacific lines that help the area. Rubble Of What Was Once A Home bought his first four Brahman for $90 each.

"I needed eight, but four is all I could afford at that time. These were the depression years." As th later purchases followed th first venture with the crossbreeding, Trahan became one of the top cattlemen in Southwest Louisiana. Despite his health, which caught up with him at the end of World War II, Trahan still maintains a full schedule. He continues to check each pasture on his land every day personally. "I'm still crossbreeding and I'm still in the cow and calf business," Trahan relates.

An example of the precise measure with which Trahan runs his business is the bookkeeping system employed for his many interests. There were no schools in the Kaplan area when Trahan was growing up and at the age to get a formal education. There wasn't even a Kaplan yet. However, in his later years, Trahan taught himself to write his own name and to be able to keep his own books in French. This he continues to do today.

Trahan, now 82, planted his first rice in 1900, close by the home in which he now lives with his wife. He is one of the oldest. if not the oldest, rice farmer in Vermilion parish. He believes in cattle and rice. "You should not put all your marbles in one basket" is a favorite axiom of Trahan's.

Trahan's holdings have increased to some 4,000 acres of Vermilion parish land. Mi Vermilion Parish last week in Abbeville. She was one of fivt young girls from Kaplan compe ting. (Journal Newsphoto) Legion Auxiliary To Heel September 20 KAPLAN The American Legion Auxiliary will hold its first meeting of 1961-2 at the home of Mrs. Toney Ruppert Sept.

20 at 7 p.m. Mrs. Louis Roy, president, will present the three girls from Kaplan who attended Pelican Girls State and the governor of Girls State, Ann deGravelle of Lafayette. Mrs. Sonnier will hear the members recite the Preamble from memory.

All members have been urged to attend. DRAFT BOARD ISSUES CALL KAPLAN Four young men from Kaplan are among the 20 most recently notified to report for physical examinations for Selective Service. The group has been ordered to report to Local Board No. 68 offices, 109 N. Jefferson Abbeville, at 7:45 a.m.

Sept. 18. Those named by the board are: Kaplan Simonet Hebert Wilbert Paul Broussard, Joseph Floyd Mouton and Paul Daniel Broussard; Gueydan Allen L. Trahan; Pecan Island Aymar Mathews Nunez; Abbeville Elias Darby Leo Johns Reaux, Nolan Joseph Calomb, Hubert Vice, Preston Robert Frederick, Robert James Cessac, Wilmer Joseph Hebert, Steve Moore, Uland Joseph Sul-re and Louis Arthur Nolbert; Erath Joseph Ridas Vice, Charles Dave Prime aux and Joseph William Suire; Delcambre Jeffery James Rodrigue. 7 I.

(Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of five stories concerning the proposed leasing of the state wild life refuge in Vermilion parish for oil explora. tion and the settlement of litigation concerning the property.) NEW ORLEANS Is it possible to win a law suit and Jose millions of dollars of pontential income? A panel of six attorneys selected from throughout the state of Louisiana think so and have recommended that their clients The Wild Life and Fisheries Commission and the state of Louisiana make an out of court compromise. The case, in federal court since 1958, concerns ownership of some 15,000 acres of land in Vermilion parish donated to the state in 1911 by Charles Ward and E.A. Mcll-henny to be used as a game preserve. In their donation, Ward and McHhenny reserved all of the mineral rights for themselves and their heirs, and said the land could not be used for any type of industry.

This arises from the following restrictions contained in paragraphs 10 and 15 of the Deed of Donation: "10. The said donee, and its successors, as the same may be created by the State of Louisiana, and the State of Louisiana shall not sell the lands so donated or devote them to any other purposes than a Refuge or Reserve for wild life. "IS, in the event that the donee or its successors or assigns or the State of Louisiana, should at any time in the future fail to faithfully observe or carry out all of the obligations imposed in the Deed of Gift then, and in that event, the title to the property here CisipFsiiilse Cd5G Is Two Kaplan 1 1 in to be donated 6hall revert to the donors, their heirs, successors or assigns with all the improvements thereon." Thus, any present effort by the state to lease the land for mineral development, could result in the loss of the entire refuge to the State. Except for the Wild Life and Fisheries Commission, which spends about $20,000 a year to maintain the refuge, no one has paid much attention to the land for vears. Then when the oil boom broke in South Louisiana there was considerable interest, but because of the restrictions in the original act of donation, the commission was advised that there was little point in trying to lease the land for oil development.

But three years ago the Ward and Mcllhenny heirs made a deal with an independent oil operator, James Mary of MAWA Oil Company, and filed suit in federal court to get ownership of the land returned to them. Several legal steps have been taken, but the main issues of the case have not been tried by the court. The panel of six attorneys have been representing the states interest in the case and have studied all the ramifications of it. A few weeks ago they recommended a compromise settlement with the heirs. R.E.

McDonald chairman of the Wildlife Commission, explains the reasons behind the recommended settlement this way: "In its simplest terms, it's a case of no matter whether the Judge rules in our favor or against us, the commission and the state are the losers. McDonald explained that should (Continued on Page a) Women Pick Through The.