Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Local Weather Partly Cloady And Windy Bible Thought i 'He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?" Psalm 94:9. Blair County' Oldett Daily Neumpaper Phone 8181 VOL 101 No. 78 Wednesday Morning, April 3, 1957 Your INDEPENDENT Morning Newspaper Seven Cenri mwnm 7 i Vi "Ulm City Terrorized As (Block Funnel (Blasts District DALLAS (AP) A roaring black tornado lashed Dallas for 40 awesome minutes Tuesday while thousands watched in terror and fascination. Nine persons were reported killed. Asst.

Police Chief J. E. Curry said 216 injured had been treated at hospitals. He said there were many unconfirmed reports of missing persons and police were continuing to check hospitals. Property damage will run into the millions.

The path of destruction was approximately 21 miles long. Hospital corridors overflowed with stunned and bloody victims. Four of the dead were children and dozens more chi-dren, numb and soaked with blood, were among those badly hurt Dallas' horrified citizens watched from roof tops, windows, viaducts and automobiles as the tremendous funnel, boiling with debris, danced from South Oak Cliff north through West Dallas and Northwest Dallas. In one 13-block area, 197 homes were destroyed. Drivers Exonerated At Inquest Into Fatal Bus Crash Roads Blamed In Accident In Which Four Died A coroner's jury exonerated the operators of the Blue and White bos and the tractor trailer truck which collided," resulting in the death of four persons including the bos operator, er Cross Keys on Jan.

S8. at an inquest at city hall, Tuesday night. Coroner D. Harold Troxell. assisted by Deputy William Crawford presided at the inquest at which the following served as jurors: J.

B. Cherry, 103 E. Walnut foreman; A. 51. Ash-burn, 128 Walnut Alton D.

Shaw, 227 Willow Walter J. Bowman, 323 Walnut Preston Griffith. 305 Walnut rear; and Walter H. Snyder. 307 Lexington Ave.

The operator of the bus was Raymond F. Harbaugh, D. No. 1, Claysburg, who was killed, and the operator of the truck was Richard W. Lanius, 21, of R.

1, Stewartstown, York county. There i were three actual eyewitnesses to the fatal crash in-eluding one of the bus passengers, a truck operator following the truck and tractor trailer, and jBilli tv, ensuing two days. Shown at the Altoona Chamber of Commerce exhibit are (left to right) Miss Pennsylvania, Darlene Lockard, Altoona High school student; Mary Sanker, Altoona Catholic High school student, and John Hill. MY FAIR LADY In the person of Lora M. Ringler, Miss Pennsylvania, is welcomed to the second annual Home Improvement show at Jaffa mosque Tuesday evening by John Hill, general chairman of the show committee.

The 19-year-old beauty queen will remain in the city for the "Oh, lawd, it roared down Changes Planned In Sales Tax Enforcement Bill Would Alter Method For Seeking Refunds HARRISBCRG UP) Houro Republicans Tuesday night drafted amendments to change enforcement provisions of the three per cent sale tax on the basis of a tentative agreement with the state Justice department. Rep. Johnson, house Republican floor leader, declined to discuss the amendments in advance of" presentation to the house GOP caucus today. They reportedly dealt with changing the method of seeking refunds and imposing a bond while a tax appeal is under way. The house ways and means committee sent to the floor during the day a skeletonized sales tax bill which will be padded out by the enforcement amendments today under Johnson's plan.

Rep. Lovett (D-Westmoreland) attacked the move as "shortcut-ting And Rep. Mo Cormack (rPhila.) said it was unconstitutional. The changes in the enforcement provisions, Johnson said, will be accomplished by a bill separate from that now on Gov. Leader's desk which gives new sales tax exemptions to manufacturers, util- ities and shipyards.

The governor has until midnight Thursday to sign it veto it or permit it to become law without his signature. Republicans ha'e. refused to recall it for amendment A gubernatorial veto would mean the sales tax would fall automatically to two per cent June 1 and the beginning of a revenue loss that could run as high, as 160 million dollars, t- QONWRMED Other legislative deveiopmentssV Public Utility Commission The senate unanimously confirmed the reappointment of p. Stephen Stahlnecker, Philadelphia Republican, to a full 10-year term the public utility commission. The GOP majority also went along In confirming the appointment last May of Joseph Sharfsin, Philadelphia Democrat, to a PUC term extending to April 1, 1955.

The Sharfsin action was predicated on the governor's renaming Stahlnecker, whose old term expired Monday. The jobs pay a year. Gasoline Tax Senate Democrats sponsored legislation to earmark an extra cent of the gasoline tax entirely for state aid for local roads instead of permitting the six-cent levy to fall to five cents June 1. The drop was voted by the Republican legislature and is now before the governor for action. Sen.

Dent, Democratic floor leader, estimated the plan could give local governments as much as 36 million dollars in state road aid. i Perm State Appropriations Anti-Air Pollution Ordinance Passed HUSSEIN ALA Iran Prime Minister Resigns Over Murders TEHRAN, Iran (P) Prime Minister Hussein Ala subm i 1 1 his resignation Tuesday because of the murder of three Americans by Iranian bandits. The venerable 74 year old Dr. Manouchehr Eghbal, energetic 49-year-old court minister to Shah Mohammed Reza PahlevL Ala will take Eghbal's job. Troops and police were ordered to intensify their search for the killers in the desert 800 miles southeast of Tehran, but there were no new reports that any of the gang had been found.

Two bandits were slain and another caDtured earlv in the hunt GUARD FRONTIERS Neighboring Pakistan gave new orders to its frontier forces to keep a strict watch for the bandits and arrest them if they should slip over the border. A government source said the need for a politically stronger and more powerful prime minister was demonstrated by the failure so far to find the persons responsible for the deaths of Kevin Carroll, a U. S. Point Four official; his wife Anita; and Brewster Wilson, Near East Foundation specialist. They and their two Iranian' drivers were caught in a bandit ambush May 26 while motoring across the desert.

Clark S. Gregory, U. S. Point Four aid director for Iran, said his order suspending the aid program until the arrest and punishment of the bandits apply only to the area in which the Americans were killed. The chief project there is development of the port of Chahbahar, on the Gulf of Oman, which will effect nearly a million persons in southeast Iran when it is completed.

Dulles Disputes Statements In lis Biography By WARREN ROGERS, JR. WASHINGTON iff) Secretary of State Dulles Tuesday pulled the rug out from under two major assertions in a new book about him. Dulles told a news conference: 1. His withdrawal last July of a U. S.

offer to help Egypt build a billion dollar dam at Aswan on the Nile river was not an attempt to force a Middle East showdown with Russia. 2. The United States has made no flat commitment, secret or otherwise, to help defend the Nationalist Chinese islands of Quemoy and Matsu off the Red-held China mainland. Dulles spoke out in reply to questions based on a book being published today. Called "John Foster Dulles: A Biography," it is an extremely friendly account by Time magazine's diplomatic reporter, John Robinson (Jack) BeaL Beal wrote, after personal interviews with Dulles, that Dulles' withdrawal of Aswan Dam aid was "a truly major gambit in the cold war." Beal said it was aimed at exposing "Russia's foreign economic pretentions" and demonstrating to wavering neutrals that even U.

S. tolerance eventually "must give way to Beal also said in his book that President Eisenhower sent Nationalist China's President Chiang Kai-shek a secret "personal letter satisfying him that the United States would help defend Quemoy and Matsu." Dulles said the U. S. policy to-(Coatlaned Oa Pace CoL S) like a freight train and then it was on us tearing our house down," Robert Thur-man said. Blood oozed from a wound In Thurman's head and he trembled as he spoke.

Beside him his Injured wife wept quietly. Two women were killed on Harry Hines boulevard when the twister hurled their car off the road. An attendant was killed when the twister hit a service station. Another man ot. unknown faith died at Parkland hospital while a Catholic priest administered last rites.

As he died the corridors and even the offices of uic iiuoMuai nut uvnucu Willi more than 10Q serlously lnjure(i Xhe waiIs and moans of victims and relatives echoed through the tiled halls, SERIES OF TWISTERS The funnel, which plowed across the western side of this city of half a million on Election Day, was part of a series of twisters which hopped over the state. iNortneastern Texas was under a severe weather warning from the Weather Bureau. Tornadoes also plowed into southern Oklahoma, killing at least three persons there. The tornado hit at about 4:20 P. M.

and crashed across streets clogged with rush hour traffic. Tremendous traffic jams de- veloped at Dallas and there was great Panc Many simply abandoned their aUt. fearing the tornado was heading toward them. Screaming ambulances and police cars fought for passing on main traffic arteries. A tearful old man cried and bged: 'lye got to get out of this jam-its hitting my house jny fe "J- CLOU FROM BLACK CLOUD tx auc wiaici, liaiuiy viaiuic livriu downtown Dallas, struck from a black cloud at Duncanville, about business district.

It then moved business district. It hen moved northward like a giant top, spinning through residential, business and manufacturing areas. It, slammed through Oak Cliff, part of the Trinity industrial district, West Dallas, and went on to the north. It finally broke up northwest of Dallas. Its base apparently varied from 150 to 500 feet in width.

Huge pieces of debris were whirled into the. air and sailed out sideways frarr. the funnel. Sheriff's Deputy Bob Krause said some looting had already taken place and officers were rushed to the scene. Krause said they were evacu ating a 13-block area where 197 nomes weie aesmij.

An officer walked through the section with a portable loud- speaker, advising, "There is no smoking. Wires are down and hot Gas is leaking. Everyone who does not belong here, please leave." 4 HOUSES LEVELED The tornado swooped into a Negro settlement of small frame houses in West Dallas. Forty-six houses were leveled in a three or four block area. Reports said 45 were injured there and 23 ambu- 'anees were sent to the scene, Gas meters were broken and sas was smelted in the damaged Negro district, but no fires were reported.

Power and telephone lines were knocked out in several areas. One tornado hit near McKln- north of Dallas, and plowed through the Melissa community, Continued oa Page CoL Colorado Hit By Paralyzing 42 Inches Of Snow DENVER MB A paralyzing spring storm, worst in 28 years, spewed up to 43 inchoe of -snow on Colorado Tuesday and disrupted power, communication and travel throughout the Rocky Mountain area. pmy. Three deaths were attributed to the storm. By mid-afternoon, Denver was a virtual ghost cfity as stores and industries closed early.

At Pueblo, Colorado Springs and in smaller cities, schools and churches open- ed their doors to accommodate stranded travelers. More than 24 hours of con- tinuous snowfall left 16 Inches of moisture-laden snow in the Colorado capital and 42 inches at Ruxton Park, on Pikes Peak outside Colorado Springs. The weather bureau predicted the snow would continue through Tuesday night and into today. Colorado's second largest city, Hth inonm nnnnlfltion. was without power since early Two buildings were evacuated there with the weight of accumulated snow threatened roof cave-ins Office workers of the Southern Colorado Power oo.

risked elec- trocution in tracing breaks in power lines that carry up to 000 volts. A crewman said two such lines, slapped by a 20 mph ff h.io flrmvnrkfi display." At Colorado Springs, civil de-(Continued on Page t. Col. 5) Eleven Killed As riavy Bomber Crashes In Virginia CHINCOTEAGTJE, Va. lP) A long-range navy bomber with engines sputtering smashed into a plowed field and exploded Tuesday minutes after takeoff in a misty drizzle from Chincoteague Naval Air station.

All 11 aboard The twinengine propeuor-ariv- en Neptune carrying two officers and nine enlisted men appeared to be groping for an emergency landing due to power failure at a point in this Atlantic coastal region only four miles from the airstrip it left at 6:54 A. M. And then, from an altitude of only a few hundred feet far be- low the possible bail-out level- the ship nosed over a wooded patch, slammed into the soggy field and exploded in flames. The blast rattled windows in the ad- jacent community of Atlantic and blew open the kitchen door of a house half a mile away. It was the second major crash of a Virginia-based military plane in two days.

Monday six lives were lost in the crash of an Air Force converted B25 bomber from Langley field near Dickson, Tenn. Four survived parachute Jumps in that crash. a rural mail carrier following the bus. These were among the witnesses who testified. THE VERDICT -The verdict read by Foreman Cherry follows: we, the coroners jury, nna from the evidence given by witnesses in the case that due to Icy road conditions neither driver was operating at excessive speed that no criminal negligence be charged to either driver involved." The witnesses included Raymond H.

Smith, R. D. No. 1, Duncansville, driver of a truck, which was back of the tractor trailer, and Smith's father, Raymond Smith. who was an occupant of the truck.

Clifford E. Walters, 3500 West Chestnut Aw, was the mail carrier who was following the bus. PASSENGERS TESTIFY The occupants of the bus, who testified, Valerie Nemic, D. No. 1, Duncansville, who saw the crash through the windshield of the bus; Helen Miller, D.

No. 1, Claysburg; Mary Thrush. R. D. No.

2, Duncansville; Margaret Remaley. Brooks Mil's, Hollidaysburg; Florence fcell, 312 14th St, Duncansville, and Phyllis McCready. R.D. No. 1, Box 123.

Hollidaysburg. Richard W. Lanius, operator of the truck-tractor trailer, did not testify on the advice of his counsel, Attorney Robert Haber-ttroh. Troopers William J. Schmit, in charge of the state police investigation and the assisting officer, John P.

George, were the last witnesses called. Coroner Troxell informed the Jury that three of the victims were fatally injured at the time of the crash, having suffered fractured skulls in addjtion to multiple other injuries, and that one passenger died less than two hours after the crash of chest injuries at Mercy hospital The crash occurred on a curve Just south of the underpass on the Sixth avenue road, route 764, near Cross Keys, at 11:30 A. M. Jan. 28.

Fatally injured were: Raymond F. Harbaugh, the operator: Virginia Dively Mc-Carty. Claysburg, R.D.; and William Eifler. Duncansville, R. who died at the scene, and Mrs.

(Continued on Page 2, CoL 8) "Ya know." sez Mr. Wn eyin' me bleakly when I goes in fer th' nightly forecast, "I wuz jest think in' of how ya come in here every night pick-in argyments with me. Ya aint got no manners. Doncha know nothin' ever is lost by politeness?" "WelL nothin'." sez "except-to mebbe yer seat on th' bus "Forecast fer Wednesday," sez he. "calls fer PART CLOUDY.

AN WINDY WITH HIGH TEMP- AROUND 40-45. Thurs day increasin' cloudiness with rain likely in southwest portion by afternoon. High Tuesday wuz 53. Alow 4L humidity 883, barometer 28.60, rain, .83 of inch, temp'ature Miss Pennsylvania Opens Home Show At Mosque Amid all the pomp and splendor usually accorded a reigning queen, Miss Pennsylvania, in the person of Lora M. Ringler, officially opened the second annual Home Improvement show at Jaffa mosque Tuesday evening.

The 19-year-old honey blonde was escorted through the portals by John Hill, general chairman of the show and Robert L. Hite, president of the sponsoring Altoona Chamber of Commerce. The beauty queen from Upper Darby, together with six girl students from the local High schools, circulated throughout the opening night crowd and added their beauty to' the already brilliant displays of home improvement ideas. More than 11.000 spectators are expected to pass through "The Gateway Modern Living, Comfort, and Happiness" during the show's three day engagement By circulating among the 100 display booths visitors will be able to see the most advanced ideas for comfortable and practical home living. Every facet of home living, from "speckled" paint to a complete "wall" kitchen may be seen.

In addition, you may win one of the valuable prizes to be awarded at each session of the show being staged to stimulate interest in home repairs and improvements for property beautifl-cation. The show continues today and Thursday from 7 to 11 P. with an added matinee performance today from 1 to 5 P. M. WEATHER Western PennsytranU Partly cloudy and cool Wednesday, highest MS.

Thursday cloudy and warmer with rain by afternoon or evening. Middle Susquehanna and Pocono Wednesday partly cloudy and windy, high 45-50. Thursday increasing cloudiness with little temperature change. rpper Susquehanna and North Centra; Wednesday partly cloudy and windy high 40-45. Thursday increasing cloudiness with little temperature change.

South Central Wednesday partly cloudy and windy, high 45-50. Thursday increasing cloudiness with rain likery by afternoon. Little temperature change. Northwest and Southwest Pennsvl-rania Partly cloudy and cool Wednesday. High near 40 in north and la low 40s is south.

The U. 8. Weather Bureau reported the following temperatures for Tuesday, April 2: Blgfe Law Atlantic City 69 41 Boston 57 45 Chicago 38 Clereland 38 34 Denver 33 25 Jacksonville S3 58 Miami 65 New York 0 48 Philadelphia CS 48 Pittsburg S3 38 St Louis 49 43 Washington 71 65 Clair County Traffic Tell, 1957 Killed 10 Injured 134 City council made "artificial respiration" for the city compulsory Tuesday. Am air pollution ordinance, aimed at carrying out the old phrase "In with the new air, and out with the old," was approved npon motion by Mayor Robert W. Anthony.

Under its provisions, the first of which goes into effect May 1959. violators are subject to fines of $25 to $100, or up to 30 days in jaiL ordinance becomes fully effective Nov. 1, 196a Organizations, which have fought for this ordinance's passage, plan a city-wide campaign of education, so as to be ready for the first day of enforcement" Council, returning to other business, received bids for some 80,000 gallons of gasoline for the city were received from the following: Independent Oil regular 13.8 cents, premium 16.3 cents; Atlantic Refining regular 13.75 cents, premium 17.25 cents and Tidewater Oil regular 13.7 cents. Bids will be awarded after study. The purchase bid of the second new three-wheeled motorcycle for traffic policing was awarded to Harley-Davidson which made the only bid.

The price is $1,247. The Cal G. Griffith, agency was awarded a liability insurance program covering the city's vehicles. Griffith's bid for comprehensive coverage of all city cars and trucks during 1957 is 52,882.23. NEW EMPLOYES New employes approved include: Thomas A.

Bagley, laborer in the water bureau, appointed patrolman for Horseshoe Curve reservoir effective April 1, at a salary of $3,558 per year. Bagley fills the vacancy created by the death of Drew Hepner. John Louis Pielmeier. 1300 Harrison a veteran, assumes Bagley's position as water bureau laborer. Effective April 1, the payment is $1.28 per hour.

Marguerite Burgoon, clerk in the city controller's office, was granted an increase in salary because of increased clerical work due to addition of social security for city employes. Her salary is now $2,934. Council approved payment of $641 membership dues to the Pennsylvania League of Cities for the present year. Half of the amount will be paid immediately, with the rest following July 1. Mayor Anthony received permission to sign an agreement with the national government to permit the city to reclaim a portion of land leased on July 1946.

The section of land, near the naval and marine armories on Juniata hilL is for an extension of Howard avenue across the southwest corner of the present training site for a new highway to connect with Chestnut in front of the armories. City Clerk Fred Walker told council that State Secretary of Highways Joseph J. Lawler has replied to council's recent request for improvement of the Pleasant Valley boulevard and JCaatkMBi osi Paf CoL S) 117 Hew Parking Meters Slated For Juniata Juniata's business sections are to get 117 of the 133 new parking meters approved by city council at Tuesday's meeting. Traffic meter receipts totaled $17,200 in the first quarter, due to the increased number of meters and the higher rates for central business areas. Meters numbered 803 compared to only 526 in 1955 and 1956 when receipts for thhe first quarter were, respectively, $10,755 and $10,715, the report of Lt L.

W. F. Haber-stroh disclosed. The new meters will be erected as follows: Sixty-one meters on both sides of Fourth avenue, Juniata, between Sixth and Eighth streets Fifty-six new meters on both sides of Second street, Juniata, from Park place to Eighth avenue. Eight new meters on the west side of Union avenue, Eighth avenue to Seventh alley.

Eight new meters on the east side of Twenty-fourth street, Eighth to Ninth avenues. v- The new "traf-o-teria" system of permitting violators to pay fines by posting it in special small yellow boxes attached to the parking meter posts at intervals is working satisfactorily, Lt Haberstroh's report indicated. Fines paid in this manner eliminate the necessity of a trip to city hall and of 1,868 tickets is-used in March, only 467 were paid at City hall 34 Per Cent Of Claysburg By-Pass Is Completed Approximately 34 per cent of the project on the 8.75 mile Claysburg by-pass on route 220 has been completed by the contractor, according to the district 9 office of the state department of highways at Hollidaysburg. Paving operations are expected to get underway by mid-May. The contractor, Hempt Brothers of Camp-Hill, began operations early in the past July after being awarded the $1,600,000 contract Grading, drainage and the construction of approximately a dozen bridges have been completed on the by-pass which extends from north of Leamersville and extends within 1,500 feet of the Bedford county line.

The contractor currently is laying an insulation course prior to 'the start, of the paving operation. Another project, reconstruction of the Frankstown road, is aa Pace CoL 4) (Continued on Page CoL 8) Tanks Fire On Rioting Crowds In Chile SANTIAGO, Chile Cff Army tanks and armored cars fired Tuesday night on crowds rioting and looting in demonstrations against high costs of living. The Chilean presidential palace was stoned. Several persons were reported killed and others injured. The government proclaimed a state of siege throughout Chile.

Crowd angered by inflation plundered shops in the heart of the city. About 5,000 persons massed in front of the building of the Student Federation, the leader in nearly a week of demonstrations against inflation. PORT AO PRINCE. Haiti Provisional President Franck Sylvain was reported under army arrest in the presidential palace while an alleged bomb plot is being investigated. The army announced Sylvain, the third interim ruler of Haiti since December, has resigned.

An informant said Sylvain had tried to escape the palace in a car driven by his sister-in-law, Lydia Leanty, but failed to get away. She was arrested. BUENOS AIRES President Pedro Aramburu prevailed over Argentina's defiant air force. He had faced what many regarded as the most dangerous crisis since Juan was ousted from the presidency in September of 1955. Ilk Wednesday 49,".