Daily Independent Journal from San Rafael, California • Page 1

WEATHER FORECAST Bay Region: Fair tonight; increasing cloudiness Saturday afternoon and rain probable Saturday night; cooler tonight. Sierra Nevada Clearing tonight; colder tonight; Saturday increasing cloudiness with rain DAILY Est. 1861 SERVING ALL Of MA RIN COUNTY William Thomas Named Marin Appoints Successor Governor Whiteley FIRST DEEPWATER PIER of the San Rafael Richmond bridge (second construction from left) pokes its head out of water as contractor Gerwick-Kiewit pushes on with the 514,000,000 substructure job. One of the 13 concrete piers already completed on land or in shallow water is at left. Piling has been completed for four other deepwater piers, two of which are visible in the photo.

No piers have been completed on the Mann side, but sites for 20 of them have been dredged and preliminary timber pilings are being driven lor them. (Richmond Independent Photo.) Flood Control Plan Harasses GofM. Board of Trustees of the College of Marin last night took under advisement a request by Kent Woodlands and James Orr, real estate man. that a drainage ditch along college property be cleaned and straightened. Permission is needed to cross college property with work to be paid for by the company.

proposal was made by San Rafael attorney Brian McCarthy who said it would be the first step in ending flood conditions in the Kent and College avenue intersection area of Kent field. FLOOD AGENCY Throughout some two hours of discussion and argument, there were proposals that the matter should be handled by a flood control agency, sometimes described as County Road Commissioner Marvin Brigham. Several persons, mostly residents whose homes were flooded in the area last winter, were present to back Orr request. McCarthy contended that the ditch had to be straightened to allow faster and better flow of rain waters through the ditch to Corte Madera Creek. He said that two turns in the ditch, almost right angles, prevented proper flow.

REFERRED TO ENGINEERS The board referred to the matter to Ward Austin, president of the college, and Carlton Cherry, a teacher, both engineers, who said incoming tides stopped the flow of draining rain water and the debris it carried and that straightening the ditch would have little effort on the rate of flow. Austin admitted that he was not a civil engineer but that all en- 'Light-Fingered Hero' Nabbed By Deputies gineers had to take hydraulic engineering courses in college and therefore knew the general principles of which he spoke. He said widening of the creek would tend to solve the problem. ON COLLEGE LAND The Orr proposal foresaw the need to cut through a corner of college property by the Tamalpais Center. Trustee Macon Smith, Sausalito, said this would threaten the future baseball field which is now being filled.

Smith said the whole matter should be handled by flood control agencies. And he said he was against giving away college property. The small piece which would be cut away by the ditch would-not be "given away" but would be rendered almost useless to the college. Henry Muller of the Kentfield Civic League echoed Smith thoughts and said that an act of the state Legislature enables the county board of supervisors to set up a flood control district and appoint administrators. He asked the trustees to request the county to set up such a working unit Because McCarthy and the board could not agree on what engineering job is necessary, McCarthy asked the board to seek an impartial survey.

BOARD DISPLEASED Later when the Orr interests had left the meeting and several pleas had been made by Roger Kane of the league for a date on when an answer would be made, the board members expressed displeasure at having been told to a survey. The board also contended that if some land had to be deeded to Orr for the right of way of the creek, a lot ol legal work would have to be done. In order to avoid this it was finally decided that Austin and Cherry would- try to find a way to change the flow of the ditch to a straighter course within a 60 foot right of way and see it Kane. Orr and others would agree that this would be enough of a change. Mrs.

Ada Fusselman, board chairman, said that when that report is ready she will call a A solicitor, who posed as a war speciai meeting of the board to hero but reportedly took from majte a decision. census count For ENDS TODAY IN corte madera Bridge irt pAfia Go To Bid Population count in Corte Madera was due to be completed today while census enumeratiors still have next week to work in San Rafael. In both cities, supervisors said good progress was being made on the up-to-date count of residents. However, they asked that residents who canont be at home when enumerators call record the names of their family members or? a form printed on page 17 of Independent-J a 1. The form should be mailed to the city hall in the city in which the persons live.

By HENRY C. MacARTHUR SACRAMENTO (CNS) William H. Thomas, 58, general manager of brickyard in San Ratael, was appointed today to succeed the late George Whiteley on the Marin County Board of Supervisors. Announcement of the appointment was contained in a memorandum issued to the press from the oflice of Gov. Goodwin J.

Knight. "The memorandum noted that Thomas has seised as general manager of the brickyard since 1931 and for nine prior was assistant manager. A resident of Marin County since 1931, Thomas is a native of Petaluma. He attended Berkeley schools and the University of California. He served in the Army in World War I and was separated in 1919 as a first lieutenant.

The memorandum from Governor office made no mention of whether Thomas might be a candidate for a full term when his present term expires in 1954. Truman Promoted Known Russian Spy, Brownell Charges T-Man Says Hallinan Kited Trial Expenses SAN FRANCISCO Internal Revenue agent testified today that attorney Vincent HalU- nan listed $16.500 income tax deductions for expenses in defending Harry Bridges but later admitted the expense was only $3,000. The agent, Richard Nossen, was a government rebuttal witness at the trial of Hallinan and his wife on charges that they evaded $65 222 in income taxes for 1946-50. Hallinan was chief of defense for Bridges when the longshore labor leader was tried and convicted of perjury for swearing at a naturalization hearing that he never had been a Communist. Commuters Club Revising Bylaws Call for bids for electrical and mechanical installations on San Rafael-Richmond bridge was issued today in legal advertisements in the Independent-Journal and other California newspapers.

Frank B. Durkee, state director of public works, estimated the cost of the work would be approximately $1.000,000. Included in specifications of the San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings Division, which is building the bridge, are overhead fluorescent lighting for the roadway; navigation lights for each of the two channels under the bridge; airway beacons on the bridge towers; maintenance telephones and emergency call boxes along YKe span; lighting in the administration building and in maintenance buildings on both the San Rafael and Richmond sides; cable, conduit, and other electrical and mechanical equipment. Power will be furnished to this equipment from both the Marin and Contra Costa sides. Under ordinary circumstances each will furnish power about half way across the bridge.

However, should there be an interruption in service from either side, an automatic switch would put power into the whole operation from the alternate source. Remote control apparatus for all electrical equipment will be housed in the Richmond administration building. Four substations, one at each end of the bridge anch one in the base of a tower flanking each channel, will distribute the power to the various operations. Bids will be opened by the division on Dec. 1 in its Berkeley office.

County Clerk George Jones said he presumes he will administer the oath of office to Thomas at next Tuesdays board meeting. Jones says he expects to get official word of the appointment before then. Thomas lives with his wife Lucretia. at Route 1, Box 264, San Rafael, near Bayside Acres. have three children, William M.

and Robert S. Thomas, and Mrs. Lucretia Sias. Thomas has been a member of the school board of trustees of Petaluma and Kentfield. He is member amd director of the Chamber of Commerce, and mem- ber of the San Rafael and San Francisco Chambers of Commerce, 1 the Structural Engineers Assn.

of them the CHICAGO Atty. Gen. Brownell charged today that President Truman kept the late Harry Dexter White, a Treasury aide, in the government and promoted him in the face of an FBI report that White was a Russian spy. His charge brought an immediate denial from Truman who declared Brownell was trying to offset Republican political Brownell related what he called the action by Truman in an address prepared for the Executives Club of Chicago. REPORTED TWICE He said the FBI twice gave reports on espionage activities to Gen.

Harry Vaughan, military aide and close friend of man, for delivery to the President Truman was informed in Kansas City of Brownell's remarks. The Bond Vote Set For West Marin nia Manufacturing Assn. and several clubs and fraternal tions. GOP-ENDORSED name wTas, one of five given Knight by the Marin Republican Central Committee as possible successors to Whiteley. Others were Walter Castro, member of the San Rafael Fire Commission who served on the board from an interim appointment after the death of the late William (Pot) Barr; San Rafael Mayor Edward Culver; Gene San Rafael insurance man, who had been the choice of State Senator Jack McCarthy; and George Marshall, member of the GOP committee.

Peter Jordan, advertising solici tor, who was defeated by Whiteley in 1950, also sought the post. Others mentioned as aspirants for the Job were Cliff Bartlett, retired Pacific Gas and Electric Co. official; and Ray Bacon, chairman of the Marin Democratic Assembly Youths Toss Eggs, Cans In School Yard A reported initiation of fresh- Two Workers Die In Fall From Golden Gote Span earned before a friendly Novato family, was found in San Francisco yesterday alter he had gone on a spending spree. Marin sheriff deputies said. Jailed on charges of petty theft was Frank Fiedler, a magazine solicitor from Chicago, who had spent more than $40 of the missing money, deputies added.

Fiedler stopped at the home of Mrs. Mary Kenny. 1135 Fourth street, Novato, on Wednesday and said he was an ex-fighter pilot, selling bonds for a organization. He visited with her and her husband, a retired Air Force colonel, Mrs. Kenny said, then left.

Mrs. Kenny told deputies she then discovered $150 miss- lug from a ccat. The solicitor had employed by the Judson-Paemc given his name as Frank Hoff. I Murphy company of San Francisco Deputies started their search for which has contracted for a the man by locating another solic-j 500,000 strengthening of the itor. They were sent to a San; bridge.

Francisco hotel known to be a Exactly how the accident hap- Two ironworkers were to their deaths shortly noon today when a ton structural steel scaffold fell from under the Golden Gate Bridge into the water 246 feet below. The two men, identified only as A. Croxson of San Francisco and Hogan of Walnut Creek, were Mill Valley Commuters Club directors met last night and set 19 as the date for another meeting to revise club bylaws and help draft new bylaws for the Ma rin Federation of Commuter Clubs In addition, a nominating com mittee is being formed to draw up recommendations for new officers and directors. President Peter Behr said the committee will send meh student at College of Marin cards to all members asking for yesterday brought a complaint recommendations. that the youths had thrown eggs and beer cans about the Adeline E.

Kent School, Marin sheriff's deputies said today. James Jordan, principal of the elementary school, said the youths I were driving rapidly around the school throwing eggs and I beer cans about the grounds. Jordan said he learned a freshman initiation was held recently at the Tamalpais Centre building and the speeding cars may have come from that event. He told deputies he would refer the matter to Ward Austin, president of the college. headquarters for solicitors in the Bay Area.

At the hotel a manager for Union Circulation Co. said Fiedler had been fired that day, deputies went on. Fiedler was later found in San Francisco with $107, they said and he retried spending funds to rent an auto and to buy drinks for friends. Fiedler is 19, and told Mrs. pened is still unexplained, ac- conding to James Adam, b.iu^c public relations officer.

The two men apparently were standing on the outside truss of the bridge helping to move the scaffold to a new location. In some manner end of the scaffold slipped off the girder supporting it and hurtled down into the water belowT. The men, who did not have the bonds uth puUed oM the scaffold fell. private in the! The Coast Guard U.S. Air Force but was not a was notified and a crash boat sen fighter pilot, they added.

to the scene. Two jackets believed to belong to the men, were recovered, but by early afternoon their bodies had not been found. The scaffold is the regular scaffold used nearly every day by the bridge painting crew. It is moved by hand, a block and tackle being used to pull it along a row of rivets which act as a track for its suspension wheels. However, there is room enough for the wheels to slip out between each of the rivet heads.

Bridge directors, long fearful of such an accident, three years ago adverstised for bids to replace the scaffolds, four of which are used to reach the under side of the bridge. Bids at that time however, lowest of which was $750,000 and highest nearly a million, were considered too expensive. The big wind of December 1, 1950, which closed the bridge for three and a half hours, forced the directors to approve a bottom lateral bracing system which altered the under part of the span. Plan is to replace the old scaffolds with new, motor driven units, as soon (Continued on page eight) S.R. Streets Chief Plans To Resign John Robello, superintendent of the San Rafael street department and a city employee for some 20 years, is reportedly preparing a letter of resignation to be submitted to the city council next week.

Robello's decision will come soon after the departure of former engineer Ray Boege and will leave San Rafael with few other employees are familiar With the street and sewer systems. The street superintendent has not indicated his reasona for the resignation. He lives at 22 Picnic avenue. Car Chains Needed In Mountain Areas SACRAMENTO Both snow chains for motorists were forecast for Northern California mountain areas today. The U.S.

Weather Bureau cast snow for elevations above 3,500 feet. The highway patrol predicted the chain requirement would follow. January Draft CaH Still At 23,000 WASHINGTON (U.R) The Defense Department has decided on a draft call for 23,000 men in thereby postponing action on an Army proposal to "level off" draft calls' at a higher level, it was learned today. TEMPERATURES San Rafael noon today 61 Yesterday High 61, Low 45 S.R. RAINFALL 24 hours to noon today Total rainfall to date This date last sear Seasonal 0.24 1.08 0.05 2.94 INSIDE TODAY'S District Attorney explains why he ask death sentence for confessed Mt.

Tam killers. 7 Million-dollar show left audience cold (the performers come). Page 4 First pictures of polio virus are shown at medical meeting in Independent-Journal. 12 Ram or shine, Stanford will try passing in game. Page 10.

Two Seriously Hurt On Wet Marin Streets Two persons suffered serious injuries in auto accidents on Marin streets and highways last night and rain-drenched streets were partly blamed for the mishaps, the California Highway patrol reported. A 54-year-old San Rafael man, Roger John Lyons, employee at the Aldersley Danish Home at 326 Mission avenue, was reported in fair condition today despite compound fractures of both legs, attendants at Marin General Hospital said. Lyons suffered injuries at 9:50 p.m. yesterday on Briones street in Marin City when he started to walk across the street, the patrol said. Cars were approaching from both directions, according to the patrol, and Lyons jumped to avoid one cdr and landed in the path of a Yellow Cab, owned and driven by Lindsay Joseph Cage, 37, of House 669, Marin City.

He was taken to the hospital by Sausalito ambulance, the patrol said and Cage was not cited. A 50-year-old Kentfield woman suffered possible fractures of the nose and right arm and a severe cut on her lower lip but was reported in generally good condition in Ross General Hospital today She was Mercedes T. Bartlett of 47 Laurel Grove avenue, whose car collided with a bridge abutment on Highway 101 just north of Corte Madera Wye at 11:25 yesterday, the patrol reported. She told patrol she apparently went to sleep. Patrolman Steve Liswfeod who investigated both accidents, said streets were wet at the time and were probably partly to blame for the mishaps.

Following a three-car rear-ender at 7:40 a.m. yesterday on Tiburon boulevard at Belvedere drive in Strawberry, three citations were issued to two drivers, the patrol said. Cited were Aurora Angela Williams, 16, of 25 Lomita drive, Alto, a student at Marin Catholic High School, driving without an instruction permit in her possession; and George Edward Billings, 55, of 29 Apollo road, Belveron Gardens, cited for speeding and following too closely, the patrol said. The mishap occurred as Miss Williams, going west on Tiburon boulevard, started to turn left on Belvedere drive, the said, when the car driven by collided with the rear of another car driven by William Harry Shoard, of 317 San Rafael avenue, Belvedere, pushing it into the rear of the car driven by Miss Williams. Voters in the West Marin Union Elementary School District will be asked to approve a $154,000 bond isifue Dec.

14 to raise funds for a new school building and to pay off bonded indebtedness in Une old Inverness district. School Trustee Board Chairman Donald J. Mclsaac of Tocaloma said today that a brochure explaining the bond issue the need for its passage is being prepared and that it will be mailed to voters in the district soon. OLD DEBT He explained that $128,000 is being asked to build a new school, and that approval to spread out payment on $26,000 owing from the old Inverness district among taxpayers in the union district will also be asked. The proposals will make two items vote upon.

Niclsaac said the brochure will explain why a new school is needed and will contain an sketch of the new school. He said the Pt. Reyes Volunteer Firemen and the Catholic Aid Society of Pt. Reyes have endorsed the bond issue. SITE REPORT Meanwhile, he reported the board had not received officially the county planning report that the proposed school site on seven acres at Pt.

Reyes was not favorable because it would be too near future highway. The school trustees can disregard the report after 30 days. The California State Division of School Planning reportedly favors the site. Students, except first graders, are attending double sessions at the Inverness School, while first graders are being taught in the Pt. Reyes Station Community Church.

The Black School at Pt. Reyes Station and the Olema School have been condemned and are not in use. Passage of the bond issue would enable building of a new school to eliminate double sessions and use of the church. former President said: "I don't recall that such a thing happened. As soon as we found out that White was wrong we fired Truman then added that thp Eisenhower administration is Is a desperate effort to offset what has happened in New York and New he said, referring to elections, "and stop at nothing, lies or anything else, to accomplish their purpose.

scared. In Alexandria, Vaughan told a reporter that he has no recollection of ever having known White, and "certainly never received any such from the FBI. "I conceive of J. Edgar Hoover( the FBI director) giving such a report to my office rather than to the Department of Vaughan said. seems very Vaughan said Brownell "seems to be stretching his IKE APPROVED At the White House, Press Secretary James Hagerty said President Eisenhower had knowledge about speech and had approved it.

Hagerty said White House are being searched for any trace of the two FBI reports. Brownell said "It is a source of humiliation to every American that during the period of the Truman administration the Communists were so strikingly successful in infiltrating the government of the United This, he said, left the Eisenhower regime a difficult of weeding out subversive elements from the federal payroll. TREASURY AIDE White, who held many degrees in economics and a reputation as a monetary expert, came into the government in 1934 using the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. He held a number of high posts, rising to be assistant secretary of the Treasury.

White died at his summer home in New Hampshire Aug. 16, 1948, a week after he appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee and denied testimony that he was a member an group in the Communist apparatus in Washington. Yule Checks Worth $25,000 In Mails The first group of Christmas Club checks totaling $25.000 were mailed this week by Northwestern Saving Loan Assn. Accoiding executive vice Kids Blamed In, Marin City Cross-Burning Burning of a cross on a Marin City hill Wednesday night was part of a high school initiation ceremony, Marin City Deputy Sheriff Ed Mythaler said today. While he is still investigating the case for further details, the deputy said that he learned yesterday that high school students in Northern Marin participated in the prank Mythaler said his investigation led him to the high schools on the theory that no one in Marin City was responsible for the act because there has been no conflict between Negroes and whites there.

Confirming this attitude, representatives of the tenants council this morning, before learning of the investigation, had commented president, mother totaling I that there was more $17 500 will be mailed in the next Mann City now than had existed two weeks. ifor a long timc' SAVE ON 1,001 HOME IF EVERYTHING FOR THE WEEK-END BUILDER OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK REDWOOD EMPIRE LUMBER AND SUPPLY COMPANY GREENBRAE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Plywood, Lumber, Drain Tile, Brick, Hardware, Paint Always Open Le wood 3-5035 FREE DELIVERY.