The Pomona Progress Bulletin from Pomona, California • 9

Big Air Raid Siren Hoisted Onto Perch PDiir i Civic Problems Aired at Meeting That the next most pressing problem facing Pomona providing underpasses at the railroad tracks in downtown Pomona, was indicated in sentiment of the more than 100 people assembled in Pomona City Council chambers last night for the meeting called by the City Council for discussion of a number of civic Page 1f Local Realtor Is Honored by Sec. 2 Convention st "S' tv- V. 1 AJ i i MARAIS A MIRANDA Balladeers Open CMA Season Pomona Civil Defenses big air raid siren was taken out of storage today and hoisted to the top of the five story First National Bank building from where it is hoped to put the siren into action in next Mondays statewide warning drill. The two-ton device was lifted 100 feet into the air to its permanent perch on top of the bank buildings elevator shaft by a 35-ton crane imported especially for the hoisting operation. Directing the big lift was Eugene Conry, Pomona crane and rigging specalist.

The big crane was brought here last night from the Mojave Co. in Santa Fe Springs. It was moved to the lift scene at daybreak today as police roped off the area. Boom Assembled A smaller crane owned by the Conry firm was employed to assemble in sections a 130-foot boom which was used in the lift. A dry run was made before the cable was attached to the siren.

The actual lift was made without a hitch. Taking part in the unusual operation were Elias Crisp, director of civilian defense; William Parsonage, chief of the air raid warden division; Robert Stephens, building inspector; and Walter Harris, city administrative Crisp said it is hoped that the air raid siren can be readied for the statewide warning drill next Monday which will mark the first time that most of the population of an entire state will be alerted simultaneously. Todays project culminated months of planning to place the air raid siren in the best location from which most residents of the city will be able to hear its blast. Tested Last Winter It arrived here last winter and was given a test from a point overlooking the city above Ganesha Park and from a downtown location at the street level. Reports from residents thruout the area indicated that the low, guttural wail of the siren was audible for a distance of at least six miles.

Better reception thruout the community was believed to be attained by placing the siren in a more central location. Hence, the top of the bank building, downtown Pomonas highest structure, was selected. Bank officials gave their okay when the building- was pronounced structurally sound to support the big device. Pomona was one of the first communities in Southern California to receive the Chrysler-made siren. It is powered by a 180 horsepower V-8 engine and may be operated manually or by remote control.

The cost of $8700 was shared bv the city; 25 per cent, and stale and federal governments, 75 per cent. Expense of placing the siren on top of the bank building will be apportioned similarly. Marais and Miranda, distinguished balladeers, arrived today for their concert this evening at 8:15 oclock In United Artists Theater under auspices of the Civic Music Association of Pomona. Altho they are especially well known for their South African Veld songs, the balladeers have a wide repertoire of folk songs from all countries, including French, English, Flemish and American. Marais and Miranda made their Town Hall debut just six years ago.

Their subsequent rise to success was swift and sure. They gave concerts in every major U.S. city and these, plus extensive recordings and frequent network appearances, established them as the most meticulous and highly polished of song stylists. With the election of Everett E. Legters, Pomona realtor, as vice president of District 16, California Real Estate the Pomona Valley Real Estate Board is honored, Ward M.

Turney, president of the local board, declared today in commenting on Legters election at the convention of the state association just held in Los Angeles. District 16 includes the following boards: Alhamhra, Arcadia, Azusa-Glendora, Chino Valley, El Monte, Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley, San Marino and the Pomona Valley Real Estate Board. Inasmuch as Mr. Legters is a past president of the local board, and a director of the state association and Los Angeles County Council of Real Estate Boards, he is well qualified for his new post, said Turney, member of the firm of Turney Laws. Organized Chino Board While Legters was president of the local board, he instituted the Chino Valley Board of Realtors.

He is a partner in the firm of Moss-Legters Realtors of Pomona. Mr. Legters has stated that the Build America Better program, as sponsored by the National Association of Real Estate Boards, will be encouraged in this district, and the state association is supporting this tremendous program 100 per cent, said Turney. The program locally is being supported by the Chamber of Commerce and City Council. Thruout the 10 days of the combined state and national conventions in Los Angeles, a tone of optimism for the future of real estate values was reflected by all the speakers and the 5,532 delegates from all over the United States.

Booker T. Wilson Young People's Dinner Speaker Speaker for the annual young people's Thanksgiving banquet at 6 p. m. Thursday at the First Presbyterian Church will be Booker T. young lay leader of the Hope Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, Miss Carole Hamilton, general chairman, announced today.

Subject of his message will be A Christian View of Race Relations. Gary Robinson will serve as toastmaster and the turkey dinner, with all the trimmings, will be prepared and served by Mrs. M. W. Cum and a committee of mothers.

The banquet is an annual affair for junior high, senior high and other young people of the church. problems. As a climax to this discussion, a show of hands revealed that a large majority of the assemblage felt that efforts should be directed toward providing three underpasses, one at Garey Ave. and the others at White and Towne not necessarily under a simultaneous construction program. Roy O.

Day, president of Pomona Chamber of Commerce, said he would ask the chamber board of directors at its meeting next Tuesday to urge the council to take steps looking toward realization of underpasses. He believed first procedure should be to ascertain from the Public Utilities Commission of the state how costs of underpass installations wpuld be divided among the state, county, city and railroads. Parking Area Suggested One spokesman suggested depression of the tracks not only to solve the crossing problem but at the same time to provide an extensive parking area. Another felt that the underpasses should be located farther east and west than Towne and White Aves. Mayor Arthur II.

Cox, who presided at the meeting, which was attended by all of the councilmen, pointed out that the initial move toward realization of underpasses was started some time ago in the working out of plans for the Union Pacific to move its tracks approximately 20 feet to the north and at the same time put them at the same grade as the Southern Pacific tracks. Engineering Simplified By closing space between the railroads and putting the tracks on the same level, building of an underpass or underpasses will be simplified from an engineering standpoint, it was stated. Following lengthy discussion of the whole problem, the how of hands indicated that the assemblage felt work should be directed toward having underpasses at all three of the crossings mentioned, Garey, White and Towne Aves. The mayor requested that the representatives at the meeting ask their respective organizations to express themselves as to the grade crossings. He said the city would furnish speakers at organization meetings, if they were desired, to outline the factors involved in underpass construction.

Charter Discussed Other problems discussed at the meeting were a proposed review of the City Charter looking toward its being rewritten or amended, increased water facilities, the internal sewer system, adequate fire protection, park development, future public buildings, a program of streets, sidewalks and highways, and future taxation policy. The assemblage felt a committee should make a study of the charter and sentiment was that it should be made to meet present day needs, either by being rewritten or revised. As to water, the group, by a show of hands, felt water bill payments even tho they have been increased considerably should be continued under the present plan rather than having the cost in the form of an added tax. Favor Committee Study The mayor believed there are deficiencies in the charter, adopted in 1911 when the citys population was some 10,000, as it applies to present day conditions. Councilmen Mack E.

Wright Milton P. Collins, and W. E. May felt the same way and Councilman LeRoy Hoover favored a committee study. It was pointed out there are some elective offices that might be better classified as appointive.

Offices of city administrator and city controller are by ordinance rather than charter provision, it was stated. The method of getting bids was declared cumbersome. City Attorney Arlo E. Rickett Jr. believed if charter changes are made there should not be a revolution in the theory of the citys government.

Patching Found Difficult Mark H. Potter reminded that some years ago a board of freeholders prepared a new charter and that it was essentially a good one. Nelson F. Higby felt the present charter should be rewritten. Day, who was a member of the board' of freeholders that worked on the proposed new charter for a year, said citizens were Invited to offer suggestions and that it was modeled after some of the best charters in the country.

People did not get back of it, however, he said. He pointed out to patch up a charter is a difficult task. Increased water rates citizens are paying now to provide rev enue for the capital improvement program in the water sys tem, which includes laying of new and larger pipe lines, equalizing pressures and other developments, including connecting with the Metropolitan Water District system, in the face of the increasing population, were another ma jor part of the dis cussion. Master Water Plan Councilman Wright explained at some length that the improvements to the water system are being made in accordance with a master plan prepared by capable hydraulic engineers to insure that in the future every section of the city will be properly served. The special census just completed shows that some 3,000 new families have been added to Pomona since the regular census in 1950.

Altho different persons complained about the increased water rates, it was felt by the general group that it would be better to continue paying temporarily out of water revenues than to meet the increased cost by added taxes. City Administrator Fred Sharp said the second contract has just been let for construction of the second section of the outfall sewer line from Puente to Pomona and that this will bring (Continued on Pago Coo. I) STEADY NOW A workman standing on the roof of the Pomona First National Bank Building signals to a crane operator five stories below to swing the city's new two-ton air raid siren to its resting place 100 feet above 2nd Street. Hundreds of sidewalk superintendents watched the huge siren being installed this morning. It is hoped that the $8,700 alarm will be ready for action when next Mondays statewide warning drill gets under way.

(P-B photo by Boris Sfankevich) 1 r. I jl JU rA Junior Academy' To See Movies Of Doctor's Trip Under auspices of Pomona Junior Academy, Dr. P. Ma-gan of Covina will show his color movies of a nine-month tour of Europe and the Middle East at Washington Park Clubhouse Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited.

Dr. and Mrs. Magan have just returned from their trip. The Covina doctor will act as narrator for the movies. He took some 8,000 feet of film.

offering will be taken for the Recreation Building fund at the Junior Academy. The building is soon to be started on the Academy grounds. i Vff 1 i 1 -S Selling Loss estmont Ranch hse. 2 b. r.

F. P. $8700,, $1000 dn. patio; bar-b-q. Ly.

2-1224 bet. 10 and 3. Mrs. Elmer. Adv, Theft of Chino Auto Reported Edward Sexton, of 227 S.

7th Chino, last evening told officers he left his car parked for 15 minutes in front of his home and when he returned the vehicle was gone. Sexton said that the car was unlocked but that the keys were in his pocket. -a! SAFE AND SOUND Pomona's new two-ton air raid siren rests high atop the five-story First National Bank Building after being hoisted into position by a mammoth crane this morning. Inspecting the siren are from left, Walter Harris, city administrative assistant; Elias Crisp, Civil Defense chief; and Robert Stephens, building inspector. (P-B photo by Boris Stankevich) The Agitator Shop is delivering Maytag Automatic Washers and Dryers Christmas Eve.

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