The Mercury from Pottstown, Pennsylvania • Page 1

9leeak UXftl COHHWVj i i VLOCUL maJ RED ZONE POLICE OPEN FIRE ON BERLIN STRIKERS Youth, 16, Is Shot Down As Railway Workers Storm Elevated Station BERLIN, May 23 (AP) Railway police from the Russian sector fired tonight on 3000 striking railway ployes and sympathizers who tried to storm an elevated station in West Berlin. A 16-year-old youth killed, and two other persons wounded. Order was restored when the 200 Eastern railway police yielded to a British demand that they evacuate the two-story station that serves the Berlin zoo. Western Berlin police took over the building. While the strikers howled about the station, British Col.

James Stewart went up on the platform and demanded withdrawal of the Eastern sector railway polit e. The stone-throw- injf mob was restrained by West Berlin police and union leaders armed with clubs. The demonstrators yelled for but a union leader appealed to them: patient, my young ones. Three days we have struck, and now we are reaching our goal. The murderers of our people will be taken by the English But the British made no arrests.

THE STRIKE WAS started early Saturday to enforce a demand by Western sector employes of the railway that their Russian-controlled management pay their wages in West marks instead of the less valuable East marks. The Russians aerate the elevated railroad in all of the city, under four-power agreement. The dash at the zoo station followed a refusal earlier today by Western military commanders in Berlin to expel Russian sector police from all property of the elevated railway in West Berlin during the walkout. Instead, the American, British and French commanders authorized intervention by Western police only to quell outbreaks of violence at individual stations. In the event of such outbreaks, order will be restored and the property then turned back to Russian-directed police.

DEPUTY MAYOR Ferdinand Friedensburg said two persons were wounded in addition to the fatality. He added: have an enemy on your land have peace. The zoo shooting is proof that the city government is right in demanding Allied authorization to expel all Soviet police from West Berlin." Brig. Gen. Frank L.

Howley, American commandant in Berlin, said the zoo riot showed Is getting to the point where it is a serious mistake to allow these tftst sector police who are so free to shoot, to exercise responsibility in Western Berlin." He added: may be that the Russian sec- tor police were made more bold by the assurance that they will not be interfered Western sector police announced today's fatality, the first officially i reported in the three days of strike- born violence. The demonstrators marched down a main thoroughfare and tried to smash through the barricaded gate. Incensed by the shooting from the ranks of the railway police, the crowd showered stones on the sta- tion platform. Communist strike- breakers threw the stones back. BRITISH INTELLIGENCE agents who mingled with the crowd said the attack on the zoo station was carefully planned by the strik- (Continned on Page Five) Tornado Showed No Mercy in Sweep Through Valley Tornado Stricken Residents Dig Out of Storm Wreckage Cans Out to Help Kids Food processors have advertised that health comes in cans.

Pottstown now may be able to put health in cans, too. For yesterday members of the Spicer Aid association, which is sponsoring the Fresh Air camp at Earlville, began distributing cans for camp funds. Headed by Harry Travis, a Spicer committee placed the cans in Pottstown clubs and in High street business places. The cans Underprivileged children selected by Capt. Meral Cox, of the Salvation Army, will be sent to the camp free for various lengths of time.

Children tn need of fresh air, nourishment, will be chosen for the building-up process. Names for the privilege are supplied by Pottstown public school authorities and local charity organizations. The fund this year almost has reached the $1000 mark. Persons SURVEY SHOWS HEAVY DAMAGE NORTH OF BALLY Effect Is Felt All Along Butter Valley; Many Buildings Shattered invite the public to to The I who sent contributions to Mercury Fresh Air Fund to send a i The Mercury may make their gifts poor child to I in the cans around town. Youth Tells Of Fright as Wind Struck IE tornado which ripped its way out of a black, storm-ridden night to wreak destruction on the hapless residents of Butter valley, two miles north of Bally Sunday night, almost claimed several Staff Photos Sweeping through Butter valley, two miles north of Bally, the giant hand of a tornado Sunday night plucked the roof from the home of Walter J.

Shuhler (top photo), Clayton. Standing in the attic rubble are Veronica (waving), Mrs. Florence Shuhler and son, Ralph. Directly above are the ruins of the huge stone barn on a farm tenanted by Mr. and Mrs.

James I. Meitzler and their son, Arthur. They survey the wreckage. When the wind ripped away half of the roof of the home of Mr. and Mrs.

Jacob DeLong (upper right), Palm, it sent stones from a wall cascading into a bedroom (lower right). Mrs. DeLong points to the damage. (Other photos on Page 3.) Forrestal Suicide Was Second Try WASHINGTON, May 23 (AP) The death plunge which ended the career of James V. Forrestal, former defense secretary, early Sunday, was not the first time he had tried to take his life, a Navy psychiatrist indicated tonight.

Capt. George N. Raines, chief of neuro-psychiatric services at the Naval medical center at Bethesda, said case included history of an alleged suicide at Hope sound, Fla. Rallies gave no details. Aulo Workers Urge Arbitration of Strike I DETROIT, May 23 CIO United Auto Workers tonight proposed arbitration of the main issue in the Ford strike.

It was the first major step aimed at breaking a 19- day deadlock. UAW President Walter Reuther suggested that six minor issues be Settled first before going to arbitration. After these were agreed upon, he said, the union would sign a strike settlement. When talks broke off yesterday, the company expressed belief that the chief issue in the one for which the UAW proposed the big snag. John S.

Bugas, Ford industrial relations director, said he was Full Military Honors To Be Paid Forrestal In Final Services WASHINGTON, May 23 funeral honors due to a military hero will be paid to James V. Forrestal, who broke under a nine-year burden of high service in war and peace. Thee national military establishment announced today the first secretary of defense, who took his own life, will be interred in Arlington National cemetery with military ceremonies. The funeral has been scheduled for 11 a. m.

Wednesday, Religious services will be held at the graveside, with President Truman in attendance. FORRESTAL'S BODY will be taken directly from the hospital to the cemetery. It will be transported through the cemetery on a caisson and escorted by small detachments of the three military services. Representatives of the military services will be at the cemetery and a 19-gun salute will be fired. Attendance will be restricted to members of the cabinet, government executives, members of the congressional armed services committees and personal friends of the family.

The family has expressed a wish that the fu(Continued on Page Five) Forrestal had gone to Florida for a rest, after relinquishing his post as defeme secretary, and later was transferred to the Naval hospital at Bethesda. Raines gave newsmen an outline of the medical situation which led to leap Sunday morning from a 16th floor window of the Naval hospital. The psychiatrist blamed the jump on sudden fit of during a crucial period in mental illness. RAINES SAID THAT at no time during Forrestal's stay at the hospital had he a suicidal attempt or a suicidal Raines said the of which the former cabinet officer suffered the night before his suicide extremely common in all depressions of the severity of which he suffered." The officer, who had gone to Montreal to attend a conference, said that at his last interview with Forrestal on May 18 his patient continued to show improvement I felt that barring any unforeseen incident he would be able to carry along during my absence from the feelings of hopelessness and possibly of suicide had been a matter of frank discussion between the two of us throughout the course of the the officer said in a lengthy statement. also felt that he was nearing the end of his illness and that the (Continued on Page Five) human victims as it tore roofs from homes and demolished bams.

One of the persons who narrowly escaped death or injury in the on-rushing path was Joseph As tired residents of Clayton, their eyes swollen and red from lack of sleep, started to dig out from the Shuhler, Waiter debris left in the wake of the tornado which ravaged their community Sunday night, further reports of damage began to seep out yesterday. Homes and barns in the Clayton Palm Hosensack Coopersburg area had their roofs blown away, while many small sheds, chicken coops, and corn cribs were destroyed completely. Many roads, including Route 29, were blocked by fallen trees, uprooted by the thundering force of the big1 wind. The twister roared through Butter valley with all the capriciousness of a ballet dancer on a hot griddle. Stone-walled farm houses lost their roofs and third stories while rickety sheds standing next to them were left untouched.

IN ONE FIELD, every large tree was felled with its top pointing due north, while in a field immediately to the right, the fallen trees all pointed east. High-pointed stone farmhouses fell victim to the giant puffs. One house, the home of Walter J. Shuhieiy Route, last, its Bally Star route. Yesterday, still shaken by his ordeal, the youth described the terror which gripped him as he fled to his home just before the whirlwind sliced the roof from the house and hurled it into the side of a barn.

was he related, the wind suddenly became very strong, there was this roaring coming up the valley and I quick ran into the house. I had just gotten inside to hear my father warn everyone to stay away from the windows when it hit. was terrible. No one knew what was happening but we knew something would have to let go, was all over in less than 15 THE WIND SHREDDED the roof of the Shuhler home and flung it like chaff across the yard against the side of the barn. Some of th3 (Continued on Page Five) Twilight Play Program To Begin Tomorrow A Spring night playground program will begin tomorrow at eight play areas and will continue until June 24.

This was announced last night after a meeting of the Pottstown Recreation commission in borough hall. The playgrounds will be open from 6 to 8 p. Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, with Tuesday and Thursday nights left open for rain dates. THE WEATHER For Eastern Pennsylvania: Partly cloudy with scattered showers today and tonight. Somewhat cooler tonight.

Fair and coaler tomorrow. 76 Mercury 59 Antics Low Couple's Hunt for Prowler Ends in Berks Street Crash TEMPERATURE EXTREMES Local temperatures yesterday and early this morning were: 4 a. m. .................60 4 p. m.

5 m. .................60 5 p. m. 8 a. ........................60 6 p.

m. 7 ........................59 7 p. ra. 8 a. 8 p.

m. 9 a. .....................62 9 p. m. 10 a.

m. .................65 10 p. m. 11 a. ........................67 11 p.

m. 12 ...........................68 12 p. m. 1 p. .................69 1 a.

2 p. .................71 2 3 p. m. .................73 3 a. A hunt for a prowler by a Stowe couple ended this morning at 1:15 with their car chopping down two trees, a pole and a small corner of a house on Berks street near Glasgow street.

The husband, Steve Zazo. 25. of 559 Howard street, Stowe, was thrown about 25 feet from his 1941 convertible when it careened across the lawn of the home of Thomas file. The wife, Ann Zazo, 26, was thrown about 15 feet. Neither was injured seriously.

After swerving off the road while heading north on Berks i street, the cream-colored convertible bounced across a shallow gully along the road, then went com! pletely out of control. FIRST VfCTIM was a large terra cotta flower receptacle that was crushed and a metal pipe in the ground. The car then snapped a 12-foot cherry tree near the bottom and (Continued on Page Five) High School Cancels Senior Class Night Senior High school fires have brought about the cancellation of the Class Night. First, the May 5 fire destroyed the costumes in the M. H.

Richards building. Next, a fire in the house lights switch of the auditorium the past Friday afternoon has made the auditorium llghtless, putting an end to night rehearsals for Class Night. A skit is traditionally part of Class Night activities, and the Seniors wrote one this year that involved the class will, the class prophecy and the use of elaborate costumes. Most year-end activities, however, will be held as scheduled. The Honor club, a group of more than 75 boys and girls who have maintained a average without having any mark lower than a will have an outing at Riverview beach, on the Delaware river, June 13.

The school band members will have their annual picnic at Hershey on June 8, This will be the first year the evening program will be held at all eight playgrounds, and the first that paid leadership will be provided. Three play areas were open under volunteer leadership in 1947. AFTER JUNE 24, a three-day conference of playground leaders will be held by Francis Donnon, recreation director, and the eight-week Summer season will begin June 30. with the playgrounds open during the daytime. Mrs.

Florence Manthorne, Pughtown, who has been playground (Continued on Page Five) Rummage sale, YWCA, May 25, 9 a. Rainbow Class Trinity C. Heat in Winter Cool in Summer. Mike Raymond, 358 Cherry. Ph.

2231. Assorted colors Rytex printed Stationery. Mercury Office. Look Market Ad. Page 7.

Big Values I INJUNCTION DISSOLVED PHILADELPHIA, May 23 The temporary injunction barring mass picketing at two plants of SKF industries was dissolved today by agreement of company and union counsel. Brookside Dup. Bridge, 8:15 p. Library Hall. This week only.

Norco Band to Present First Concert Tomorrow The first North Coventry school band since 1941 will give its first recital tomorrow night at 8 in the auditorium. Sixty pupils from Grades 3 to 12 will play under the direction of William F. Lamb Jr. The band was formed in October and has made only one previous appearance at the Thanksgiving Day football game. On the program are Big Base featuring the base drummer, David camahoe; Military a specialty number, and numerous selections by small groups of band members.

The program will last an hour and a half. Former Local Man Held as Suspect in Burglary, Holdup Police yesterday swore out warrants against Albert Brown, 30, whose last address was 50 South Adams street, charging him with burglarizing the Pottstown Independent club of nearly $700 and of being one of the gunmen who held up and robbed the proprietor of a grocery store of $50. Detainers also were lodged against Brown, who is under arrest in New Orleans, charged with armed robbery. Plainclothes men Earl J. Rhoads and Harold E.

Hahn investigated the two crimes. Rhoads said that Brown and another man Jeft the borough after the Independent club burglary, on April 11, and that giving their description were sent out to other police departments. He was arrested in New Orleans the past Wednesday, and is expected to be tried there first. If found (Continued on Page Five) entire third story. The first gust of wind peeled the roof from the structure and hurled it with savage force against the side of bam.

Smashed boards in the side of the bam and wooden sheathing which punctured the walls testified to the might. Broken by the resistance of the house, the wind itself tore only a few' shingles from the barn. It vented its force on a chicken coop standing nearby, however, and sent chickens and boards flying over a steep hill to the rear. AT THE CLAYTON garage, part of the roof was liftted up neatly and blown away. The Bally home of Dr.

Stanley M. Nowacki, Pottstown physician, also lost part of its roof, while the windows and window frames in his barn were blown in. Roofs also were lifted from the home of John Melcher, the barn of Ulysses Moyer, both in Bally, and the old Lesher mill, a Ciayton landmark. Stones from a wrall, shattered when part of the roof blew away, tumbled down the attic steps at the home of Mr. and Mrs.

Jacob DeLong, Palm. They cascaded out onto the bedroom floor. The weight of the stones which fell into the attic itself smashed the tongue and groove lumber forming the ceiling of the bedroom. Just down the road on Route 29, the roof and half of one wall in the barn of Clarence E. Treichler were blown away.

Huge trees lining the front of home toppled over the highway and blocked traffic. Highway crews had to saw through the trees piece by piece to clear the busy road. POWER TO BALLY and Clayton was cut when falling tree limbs cut a 13,000 volt high-tension line from Boyertown, officials of the Metropolitan Edison company reported. Another 4600 volt distribution line and a power bank located outside the East Greenville Hosiery com(Continued on Page Five) BOARD BOOSTS TOWNSHIP TAX Real Estate Levy to Go Up 10 Mills, Directors In Upper Pottsgrove Vote Upper Pottsgrove school directors last night adopted a tentative budget of whieh calls for a ten- mill increase in the real estate tax. The school board also re-elected Collier Rhoads, secretary, for a four- year term, and accepted the resignation of William J.

Anderson, vet- teran board treasurer and member. Anderson resigned because of ill health. He had resigned as school janitor the past year. Succeeding him as treasurer July 1 will be Edward W. Hughes, financial secretary of Upper Pottsgrove Fire company and a die maker at the Doehler-Jarvis corporation plant.

THE BOARD SAID the ten-mill boost in the real estate tax, to 35 mills, was necessitated by costs of sending Eighth grade pupils to Pottstown, supplemental bus contacts and purchase of new textbooks. The budget also took into consideration the probability that Seventh grade pupils will begin going to Pottstown next Fall. The 25-mill rate has been in effect for the past two years. The board retained the $5 per capita tax. The budget is based on the new assessed valuation of $393,790, an increase of $70,000.

RHOADS WAS authorized to advertise for bids on a new oil burner 1000-gallon storage tank for the school basement. John B. Ferdinand, principal of the consolidated school announced that a Spring music festival will be held tonight at 7:45 o'clock in the school. There will be a half day of school to prepare for the event, which is in charge of Mrs. Estella K.

Rotz, music supervisor. Thursday, the annual picnic and (Continued on Page Five) More Rain in the Offing, Weatherman Forecasts Pottstown, still as squishv as fresh grapefruit from recent like rains, is slated for more today and tonight, the weatherman said. Along with a prediction of scattered showers, he forecast partly cloudy today, cooler tonight and fair and cool tomorrow. Fresh Air Fund auxiliary, Pottstown Post 780, Veterans of Foreign Wars 14.00 Amityville Hotel 10.00 Previously acknowledged 969.35 Total $993,35 Timely Calls on 'Big Blow 9 Put Tipsters in the Money ON THE. MAIN DRAG Big news figured in the past week's Mercury news tip contest.

Two of the winners thought twice before ducking for the storm cellar Sunday night during the devastating wind and thunder storm and called The Mercury. richer now than before. George Krum, of Barto, has an extra five spot because of his timely call on the tornado that swept the Bally area Sunday night. He told of the crushing damage to the barn and home of James I. Metzler, Clayton- Bally Star route.

A Mercury reporter and a photographer were on the spot in half an hour. story and pictures are the result. The news that a man had been hit and killed on a Royersford grade crossing by a Reading company streamliner was given to The Mercury only seconds after the accident by Mrs, William Sell, 159 Main street, Royersford. The man, later identified as Montgomery H. Nettles, Royersford bar(Continued on Page Five) Rummage sale, YWCA, May Z4, by American Legion Auxiliary.

Rummage sale, Baltzell Church Walnut 9 a. m. Dance Sunday, Hall. Johnny Minarchick 12 Musketeers. Quick Radio Repairs.

Call 3525. Fegely Son. 38 High St. O'Dell Brothers. Fine Beers and Beverages.

Phone 40. JAMES SMITH with a toddler in need of a haircut. ANDY BILLY his daughter up to look in a store window. MURRAY KATZEN with some old friends, DOROTHY ASAY in line to spend money. HARVEY THOM VS with his dog.

HOWARD GILBERT at a new automobile. JUNE MULL IN her youngsters for supper. MRS. FLORENCE JOHNSON up the luneheea check. ELOTSE KNASTER a new do.

riOOK 7TH STS. READJ 13, -pAt HEAT TROUBLES? CALL 2490 B. S. STURGES Oil Burners Fuel Oil Supply Stokers 243 JEFFERSON AVE. Pottstown VOL.

18, NO. 204 ASSOCIATED PRESS CENTRAL PRESS TELEPHONE 2263 POTTSTOWN, TUESDAY Mercury MORNING, MAY 24, 1949 ASSOCIATED PRESS 4 COPY CENTRAL PRESS TELEPHONE 2263 213 HIGH (Sttond.