The Mercury from Pottstown, Pennsylvania • Page 1

REAOtMa 13. PA STS Pottstown VOL. 23. NO. 185 LIEUTENANT ftOOO ASSOCIATED PRKftS CBNTRAL PRKBn POITSTOM N.

SATURDAY Mercury EPNER PJICH I oat Family at fit tre 'l39 HIGH ST. Ph. 877 MORNING, MAY I. 1954 mo CiNTRAL A cort l-W! A WUK Stricken by Heart SCHWENKSVILLE Plotting TEST SET FORWilbur Riley, Former dream library TODAY: 4 FILE Hill Grid Coach, Dies Others Expected to Take Exam Scheduled at 1:30 P- M. NO FILING DEADLINE SET BY COMMISSION Wilbur C.

Kilcy, formt'r Hill jfrid coach and director of athletics and physical education, died ofj A heart attack at a. m. He was 51 old. Ho was pronounccd dead by Hill Kxaminations for police lieutenant will he conducted by Civil Service at 1:30 9 in council horouprh hall. Commission Secretary GeorRe H.

Saylor reported late last niijht only four candidates have filed to take the test. They are Sj(t. Harold K. Hahn, Plainclnthesman M. and Irvin K.

erirk and Michael Shanta, xerxeanti who were sworn In by Rurgesi John K. Hartenstine Jr. thlK past Thursday. Saylor said, know how many others will report for the examination. We set no filing dead- line.

they are present at Motith Ground-Breaking Rites Planned There Today SchwenVsvllle area citiien.s will have more than a 11 medical director Dr. Wil- brary today. liam M. Faber upon arriving at lu i (iround breakinif ceremonies Memorial hospital in the Good afternoon at lr30 will ambulance. herald the of a $75.000 com It was second heart at- munity library to be built at the fack in 16 months.

He wa.s stricken Second avenue and as he entered his car. parked in street in Schwenksville front of his 913 High street Summer. dence, before returning to teach a Urapped up In this project class at the school at 9 30 a. m. dreams, hopes and work of 20 years of hundreds of citiKens in the Schwenksville area.

The library, which will become a reality this Summer. will be a two-story brick building. The first floor will be an auditorium with a seating o'clock they can take the test. PRESENT and qualified sergeants and all patrolmen with 10 service can take the Eight patrolmen passed the civil examination this He had been teaching history and religion since he re'ired from active coaching Nov. 2, following the first attack which occured during the first quarter of the Hill-Peddle football game at Hightstown, N.

J. Mr.s. Francis P. Armstrong, who lives in the apartment above 300 p.r.sons, the Riley lying on the There will be kitchcn and cafc- sidewalk as she left her home en tcria facilities on the first floor, route to the school. She notified (Continued on Three) The library will be on the second There will be an upstairs meeting room with kitchen facilities that will 110 people.

PLANS FOR the building started 20 years ago when the Rev. Scott Brenner, then pastor of Heidelberg Reformed church, Schwenksville, called for a com-; April wa.s a crazy, month. mittee to be appointed to work It warmer than usual in of the fact that it community library. Eva Meng was chairman of the WILBUR RILFY April Provides Variety of Weather; Warmer Than Usual, Record Low Set past April 3 the examination which resulted in the appointment had a day when a record low wa.s recorded. of Frederick and Shanta.

And if was drier than usual in committee. She has been Staff Photo Elwood R. Angstadt. former president of the club, to the calendar date when Pottstown will make ita bid to become known as the friendliest community in the State. The Optimists yesterday took up the sponsoring chore of the suggested in The Around the column.

The committee supervising the event is shown above, left to right, Clyde T. Optimist club treasurer, D. R. Perkins, Club President Bnice Angstadt and Burgess B. Hartenstine Jr.

RIIII nnro Drcftnr Tourists Here to Get Surprise of Lives bUES DtrDRcwhen in Hospitality Event JURY MONDAY 20 to 25 Witnesses to Be Subpoenaed by Defense The defense w-ill subpoena at The remaining six who qualified for sergeant can take the examination. They are Robert Scheldt, PauJ Smith, William A. Mars, John Kirlin, Stanley Borowy and John Paretti. PLAINCLOTH ESM AN Bor giet qualified as a patrolman with more than 10 service. Others qualified to tske the ex- finination are Sgt.

Daniel J. Linton, who was appointed acting(Continued or ragi Three) BETHLEHEM SETS WORK WEEK HIKE spite of having 11 days when rain guiding and working influence in 20 witnesses in the murder CENTRAL SIREN- fell. what statistics released yesterday by Reading weatherman Matthew Peacock revealed. The average temperature for month wa.s 56 degrees. This wa.s five degrees normal April.

Total precipitation was inches against a normal April rainfall of 3.24 inches. The drawing rooms at Bethlehem Pottstown plant will go on THESE FIGURES were con- a 45-hour week beginning Monday, fact that the mer- cury fell to a record low for Apnl announced yesterday by degrees. The previous nt manager H. Lewis Williams. ffjf jay was 24, set in The draftsmen and their as so- 1904.

the library since that time. From the work of this orig- (Continued on Pige Three) Drawing Room Hours Increased by 5 Weekly PIPE PROJECTS DELATTRHFFIC New Four-Inch Gas Main Slows Vehicles on King Street itrial of Mrs. Susan Zayac, 285 Manatawny street, beginning in the courthou.se, Norristown. Defense Attorney Louis Sager night said, will call upon 20 to 25 trial will take at last two Jurors for the trial involving I the 34-year-old woman, who fatally shot her machinist husband, George, the past January will be selected on Monday. The pro.sccution headed by Firit Assistant District Attorney; Bernard E.

D. Joseph, will wseki CHURCH UNIT IN SUMNEYTOWN REQUESTS SPLIT Evangelical Reformed Wants Separate Charge King street drivers had their woes yesterday. verdict of first degree murder. i work nine hours daily: The temperature climbed to 81 workmen had the street torn up i niJLIIllJl ulllJIllI I Monday through Friday. The fiveidegrees on April 19, however, at Hanover, AMONG THOSE called to testify' I wiiwi w.w.lf wii I hours will be counted a.s then leveled off to an even 80 and the other at Charlotte number of character wit- Civilian Defense Chief Wants 4 Alarms Linked overtime.

The added hours for the drawing rooms is part of the plan to allocate hours according to available work. Some departments have been Civilian defense director Richard H. Thompson will check with the A borough electrician next week, to working four days in.stead of five whether it will be possible for because of a temporary slack in four stparately-operat- their particular line, ing air raid sirens to be central- jgrees on the 20th and 21st. Rain fell on the 1st, 3d, 6th, 8th, lllth, 15th, 16th, 17th, 23d, 27th, 'and 28th. Snow almost by-passed the first full Spring month, but a few flurries were recorded on April 1.

It amounted to one-fifth of an inch. There were 13 cloudy, ten clear, and partly cloudy street. Philadelphia Electric company workmen are putting in a new four-inch gas main along the north side of King ized. depends on the Thompson said. Council has appropriated $500 for civilian defense for the coming year, and should the cost of centralizing the alarms be within that figure, Thompson will present his request to council at its next meeting.

WILLIAMS, in a prepared state-days during the month. The high ment issued yesterday, said: wind velocity for the month was working force and hours 45 miles per hour, registered from I worked per month by the employes the west on April 17. of the Bethlehem Steel company Thunderstorms took place on Pottstown works have not varied April 8, 22, and 27. greatly from a six-day work week Ye.sterday’s sunny skies'provided the past two years. For the a relief from the cloudy past month, one or two certain weather.

The sun broke through departments have worked a cloud barrier through most of Thompson tested the sirens per week schedule as compared to the afternoon, yesterday morning and found them the 40 to 48 hours worked Clouds and showers will make in working order. The previously. a return appearance for the week- however, are currently operated have been no lay-offs to end, however, from their respective locations. date. are hopeful that the pres- The Weather Bureau forecast a This would facilitate ent situation will show of showers and thunder- and uniforni action in case (continued on Three) 'storms for today and tomorrow.

of an emergency, Thompson pointed out. wJte'r Seidel, JoscpH Rettew Reign nues, Rosedale drive and Chestnut street, and at Borough hall. GOP Rally Urges Support for Four Republicans of Collegeville, Trappe and Upper Barriers Could Have Blockaded Santa Maybe you had traffic problems the past few days with King street closed while the Philadelphia Electric company was laying a new gas main. It could have been worse. Imagine trying to park your ear while doing Christmas shopping, for instance! The street digging was scheduled to be done the week fore Christmas, Borough Manager Horace Gulden said day.

I flagged he declared. want any downtown streets tied up during the height of the shopping nesses. Mrs. Zayac, the mother of two children, George 12, and Dar- 9, shot her husband in the upper chest Jan. 16.

The 38-year- old father died in Pottstown hospital eight hours after the shooting. The fatal shot was fired in a bedroom of their second floor (Continued on Page Three) School Directors May Ask Tax Hike The Pottstow'n Optimists are Roing to make Pottstown ithe friendlie.st community in the State! The Optimists, livewire Pottstown civic club, accepted a challenge i.ssued by The Monday. In the the Town column, The Mcrcury asked: a livewire Potts- 1----- -------------town group, like the Optimists, like to bring fame here by duplicating this stunt? A policeman nabs a touring man and wife at the edge of town and charges them with some outrageous traffic infraction, then hauls them off to borough hall. They protest their innocence. Whea.

they aurrlver Burgess John B. Hartenstine is on hand to give them the keys to the town, the manager o( one of the hotels invites them to occupy his choicest suite, chants shower them with gifts, and they get a big Pottstown meal! They are hailed as visiting celebrities and The Mercury rushes out to gel their pictures and story of the deal. a hospitality program that should put Pottstown on the map this Summer. Object is to gain a reputation for friendliness and to encourage home folks to greet visitors with a handshake and smile. for it? THE OPTIMISTS said In an emphatic way.

Tliey said visiting tourists with gifts, give them a hearty meal, fill up their ga.soline lank, and then send them away with a warm feeling for Pottstown. MEAT PACKING PLANT PUT UP FOR AUCTION 63 Year Old Business To Be Offered For Safe STARTED AS MEAT MARKET IN 1891 BY J. Y. KECK A 63-year-old business, Abattoir, portation will be offered for sale Tuesday at a sale in bankruptcy. Affiliated Auctioneers, Philadel- will begin the public auction I of the real estate located at 17-23 East Third street at 11 a.

m. on the premises. Machinery, trucks and equipment will be included ia the sale. The Pottstown business is owned by George A. and Francis berger.

aale is in the handf oC the George Humberger said last night. Trustee is Norman Klauder. The meat slaughtering, process- I ing and packing business in its present location as a retail meat market and slaughter house in 1891 by Jonathan Y. Keck. KECK AND his brother, Dtvid, formed a partnership in 1896 and began the commercial plant known as the Pottstown Abattoir.

Jonathan Keck retired in 1913, Harry F. Himmelbcrgcr joined David Keck to operate the abattoir, David Keck retired three years later, and Himmelberger conducted the business until he died in January, after an elevator accident. The Keck family again ac quired ownership of the abattoii in 1928, when Wilmer N. Keck (Continued on Paft The Consi-story of Evangelical and Reformed church, Sumneytown, enacted a petition requesting that it become a separate church charge, it was an nounced yesterday. The petition was addressed to the Lehigh Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed church and will be considered at a congregational meeting June 6.

church has a congregation of 300 from the area of Sumneytown, Green Lafie and Perkiomenville. It Is part of the three-church Old Gosh- enhoppen charge that includes the Old Goshenhoppen church of H'oxall with a congregation of 2.10 and the church, of Obelisk, with a congregation of of which the Rev. Robert A. Haas has been pastor for the past three years. The three congregations have (Montgomery) school since the founding board may have to asit for higher taxes to meet its new budget, time the bers agreed at a meeting at Congo Optimist president, Clyde T.

pmnsburg Heformed church was (Continued on Part Three) Hast night. Jointure expenses will boo.st the of education to a higher fig- 7.Year-0ld llM HUrlCt ure than can be met with the pres- ent 18-mill property tax and $10 In Coma lor Fourth Day also part of the charge. LINE PREPARES TO HALT BUS RUM Pottstown, West Chester Service Will End May 9 Bus between Potistowi and West Chester, a daily rou tine for more than 30 years, wil end on May 9. The 50-minute run between th two communities is one of thi oldest operated by the Short Lim Buses, West Chester. The franchise was granted i the early The schedule includes two runs daily at 19 a.

m. and p. m. There is an additional run on Saturdays at 2 p. m.

Buses enter and depart fron the Readinj; company station Tickets are sold at the Readinj company ticket office. A one-way fare costs 77 cents The price of a return ticket i $1.38. Both figures include tax A SPECIAL meeting of the Con-! A Short Line spokesman las si.itorics of the Old (io.shenhoppen 1 reported that beginning Maj and churches will be held service will be discontinued Thursday at the church in Obelisk. directive signed by T. B.

Har (Continued on Page Three) street between Charlotte and Hanover streets. Seven-year-old Lynn Hurter was A joint petition requesting both in a coma for the fourth straight congregations be made a new two-j ------------------------day and still in critical condition church charge will be made at at Memorial hospital yesterday, time. i IiLU llvllvlj She is suffering from encephali- This decision is subject to con-i School Crowns King, Queen IT 4 1 i Work on the new main started Joan Seidel and Joseph Rettew are the 19o4 kinK and queen of Pottstown Hitrh scriool. Issued During April dence township last night called seniors a week ago and reigned for support of the four a dance in the school gym last 'Third Legislative district candi- night. The Senior boy and girl were crowjied yesterday in an a.ssembly in the school auditorium at 2:25 p.

m. They were elected from a group of six dates. At a rally in restaurant, Trappe, the party quartet, engaged in a race for GOP nomination, asked for support of leaders in the three districts. Incumbents Herman i 1 (Continued on Page Three) The class and its advisors, Bertram P. Scanlin and Gertrude E.

Harley, sponsored the contest, the assembly and the dance. Comprising the court were Seniors Linwood Bieler, Sue Tinkler, Jonathan Smoyer and Nancy Saltzer! Juniors Howard Bedell, Gail Hurter, Richard Stiidel and Gail Pollock, and Sophomores lezzi, Sue Britton, Ann head tax. The directors worked on a tentative budget last night for adoption at the May 28 meeting. transportation will be a big item if Boyertown jointure tis, which grew out of a case of gregational approval at future A company spokesman said adopts double Board mumps. The disease is com- meetings.

Both petitions are also- yesterday, hope to have the Secretary Harvey Tagert said, nionly known as sleeping to the approval of the Le-j Pottstown police handed ou Charlotte intersection it looks as if it will adopt The ill condition was high Synod which will meet for, more parking violation tickets dur ished for the slightly improved, her doctor Spring business sessions Junejing April than any month excep ported yesterday. She is the 2 and 3 at Cedar Crest since 1950. IN OTHER business, the board daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Allentown.

The general council of! Counting dollars paid for laid the new main from the con-accepted the resignation of Martha c. Hurter, 935 North Washington denomination must also ap- tickets yesterday afternoon, it wa; street. 1 (Continued on Page Three) found that 720 persons receivci 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------tickets and paid their penalties. The only month topping this figure was October, 1950, when policemen gave 909 tickets. in parking tickets ha: been rising steadily this year.

During and February 324 and 418 tickets were hung or cars mostly for illegal parking. (Continued on Page Three) (Continued on Page Three) Crowning the New Queen PT THE WEATHER For Eastern Pennsylvania: James Partly cloudy and somewhat Chaphn and Paul Zirkel. warmer with chance of scattered Shirley Corbett, the past showers or thunderstorms today, queen who has since graduated, Highest 75 to 80. Tomorrow mostly was on hand at the assembly to do cloudy and warm with showers the coronation honors, and thunderstorms. 70 Mercury 48 Antics High Low TEMPERATURE EXTREMES Local temperatures and early this morningwere; 4 a.

4 p. m. ...............70 .50 5 p. m. ...............70, 8 a.m...................

0 p. m. 7 a. m. .46 7 p.

m. Mi 8 a. 8 p. m. 67 9 A.

.54 9 p. m. a. 10 p. ft.

.59 p. m. 12 .82 12 m. ...............60 1 p. .94 1 a.

m. ...............59 2 P- m. 2 a. m. ...............59 3 p.

.06 3 a. m. IN ADDITION to the. crowning, the were also treated to a coronation procession, a musical presentation by members of each class, and a maypole dance by 14 girls. Senior Jesse Matthews offered piauo and Sophomore Joy Daniels played the marimba.

The oiher act consisted of a Junior quartet, comprising Larry Directed by A. Edna Hutt, ON THE Shirley Corbett (standing center), the past Pottstown 'High school physical education teacher at the queen, is shown placing this year's crown on the light brown locks of Senior Joan High school, the girls in the May- seidel in the coronation assembly in the High school auditorium yesterday afternoon. (Continued on Three) Joseph the Senior boy elected king by fait icbooimatef, it in the white Staff Photo coat. Members of the royal court are: sitting, left to right, Ann Chaplin, Gail Pollock, Tinkler, Nancy Saltzer, Gall Hurter and Susan Brinton. Standing) are James Richard Seidel, Jonathan Smoyer, Linwood Bciler, Howard Bedell and Paul ZirkeL MAIN DRAG MAYER up her teachcr.

JAMES GRIFFITHS a dance. MRS. HELEN B.ASTI.\N the afternoon coffce run ANTHONY DIMAGGIO down irom a balcony HARRY BVRDVN a ladder, HENRY ROSENBERRY birthday greetings, BOB ROMIG a good fruit crop, WILLIS HETRICK about the new Grange hall. BOB MACK a golf stroke. JOHN RLTKOWSKl a lawn.

MARIAN pretty in hairdo..