Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • 1

3ftritene eprter PRICE 10c 4 VOL LXVIII NO 116 Sunday "WITHOUT OR WITH OFFENSE TO FRIENDS OR FOES WE SKETCH YOUR WORLD EXACTLY AS IT GOES" Byron Attociated Prtn (AP) ABILENE TEXAS SUNDAY MORNING DECEMBER 5 1948 -FIFTY-SIX PAGES IN THREE SECTIONS L'nited Peru (IP) A TOMS JU VDTSMFER NlSihro Truck Hastf Leaves 2 Driver and Throckmorton Dead California Is Rancher Explosion Victims ed the bed and aldewatls of the trailer on the six wheel trurk ahead pushing the cab In from behind twisting heavy metal of the frame and toasmg the big vehicle! a couple of hundred yards out Into a Arid A fifth vehicle a pickup driven by Dale Smith of Throckmorton was almost gravrly Involved It was traveling south and had Just passed the nitro truck It was far enough away not to receive serious damage but had some windows shattered by the blast Identification of the nitro truck and driver was difficult because See NITRO BLAST Pg 4 Col I FROM BLAST Heavy load Saves Eye-Witness's Life SHATTERED BY BLAST Here! what the explosion of nitroglycerine truck on the Albany-Throckmorton highway Saturday afternoon did to two other vehicles traveling which Willis which wrecked his car The lower photo shows the trailer-truck which was traveling Just ahead of the blast car and whose driver Jack King of Wichita Falls was seriously injured The nitro truck itself was disintegrated and fragments of it scattered a half-mile radlua The bed of the stake truck was shattered and the cab caved in from the rear The big trailer-truck landed In a field a couple of hundred yards away from the point where the nitro exploded (Staff photos by Don Hutcheson) Sterling Wootens Pilot Bohannon Die at Houston Three prominent Ahileniins were killed Saturday after noon in a plane crash 10 miles north of Jlouston The dead: Sterling II Wootrn 69 president of Wooten Gricer Co and head of the vast Wooten enterprises Mrs Sterling Wooten 38 Bohannon 47 co-owner of three Abilene taxicab com panics and a commercial pilot Witnesses said the small plane a single-engined Beech craft Bonanza exploded and caught fire in midair and fell In a row pasture about a half mile east of Humble Road About 2000 persons rushed to the scene following the crash Dispatcher Jimmie Womack of the Houston sheriff's nffico said identification of Ihe Wootens was made through papers found in Ihe crash LAST THEN CRASH Tha Identification of Bohannon's body was not made until the sheriff! department had railed Abilene Bohannon left Abilene about 10 am Saturday for Galveston to fly the Woolens to Abilene Deputies laid an the bodies ware badly burned one practically hr yond recognition Ashworth who Uvea about 400 yards from the scene nf the rrash told The Associated Praia that ha heard a loud muffled explosion and then a rrah Another resident of the area Gregory aald ha heard a loud elirking nnlao He said that ho ran nut of tha house and saw that the plana had Ctaihed and was burning CIVIC BUIINESI LEADER Klnre the death of hla fattier In December 1B47 Wooten had held tha office of president of the Wooten Grocer Co tlie Woolen Properties including the 1 10 story Wontan Hntel haro tha Wooten Investment Co and the Rosen Snyder and Pacific Railway II waa a member of Ihe board of directors of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank and the AMIene Savings and toan CM lie also was a member nf the McMurry College board and waa a former rhairman of Ihe hoard nf stewards of the St Paul Methodist Church A civic trader Woolen was pronv Inent In the activities of the Kl-wanls Club and wa a former director of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and served as an artive member nf Ihe organization's aviation roinmitlee during the recent war OWNED FLANS An aviation enthusiast ha held a im ale pilul luiiie and owned the plane that crashed lie was horn tn Abilene SepL IK IWKI and had lived here all of his life Me attended puhlie schools in Abilene and later MrMurrv College and the Cnlverstty of Colorado at Boulder Colo In 1930 Mr Woolen began work aa auditor ol Hie Wootrn Hotel He herein secretary to his lather the late II Wooten In the Wooten Grocer Co In 1934 The Womens were married on March 16 1U1 She waa Ihe former Georgians Amyx who had moved In Ahllene from Chanule Kansas She was born on Sept 5 1910 She too was a graduate of Abilene's puhlie schools and later I See WOOTENS Pg 4 Col 3 1 r- KATHARYN DUFF Raportar-Nawa Staff Writer THROCKMORTON Dee 4-Two man wart killed a third badly Injured ana houae heavily damaged and other property harm- fj when a truck loaded with nltro-iycerln exploded with a tre-mendoua roar shortly before 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon on the Albany highway about five miles south of Throckmorton Dead are a man tentatively identified aa Roger Towry about 30 formerly of Stanton and now of Bartlesville Okla driver of a DuPont nllro truck Willis Buchanan Throckmorton rancher who was driving along awe highway In hla pickup truck Injured was Jack King of Wirhila Palls driver of a trailer truck which was traveling Just ahead of the nitro truck The farm home of Mr and Mrs II Bird about 130 or 200 yards away was nearly wrecked The blast left It standing upright but rafters and walla were buckled and all wlndowr were blown out Windows and dishes were broken In the Orvlll Houston home a half-Aille away and there was some breakage of glassware here as shock waves rattled the town The roar of the blast was plainly heard In Woodson 15 miles away VEHICLES INVOLVED Plva vehicles each with a single occupant were Involved In the freak accident Three trurks were traveling north King's trailer-truck was In front the nitro truck Just behind with Cretsinger's loaded bu-Aine truck trailing it about ISO arda Cretslnger the only eye-witness said the nitro trurk "seemed to drift" off the highway It rammed Into a ditch Just past a culvert bounced Into the air and disintegrated as It hit the ground LAZES FROM PICKUP Buchanan In his pickup was meeting the ytro truck and was Just about even with It traveling south He did not collide with the Qlast car but Impact of the explosion crumpled his pickup He was blown from It and died within minutea Concussion from the rear shread- Man Is Found Dead in Hotel Hit by Severe Rolling Quake LOS ANGELES Dee 4 UT-A rolling quake centering In Isolated hilla a hundred miles east of here damaged windows and sent hundreds of persons rushing Into the streets Saturday But there were no reports of deaths or serious Injuries In the San Bernardino Mountains north of Banning It rauaed landslide and broke chunks of pavement on a road leading to tha Morongo Indian Reservation In Iho winter resort town of Palm Springs some 20 miles to the south police said the rear end nf a furniture store collapsed plate glass windowg were broken elate slid off a roof Other rities In the general Twenty Nine Palma and Indio among them reported sever shocks and much consternation In Indio the pobca desk sergeant released his prisoners into the Jail-yard a liquor store reported heavy damage as stocks tumbled to Ihe floor merchandise bounced off shelves In markets A bank vault waa sprung in Twenty -Nine Pnlma and pavement a bowed crarka Seismologists reported the quake about equal In severity to one In April 1047 which alio centered in remote desert area northeast of here Only tha Isolated nature of the country said the experts prevented aerlous damage and possible loss of life The tremor was felt la a band extending from Santa Barbara and Fresno on Ihe north to San Diego and Fl Centro on Ihe south and east to the Colorado River There were report of plaster cracks broken dishes and flopped clocks In I ns Angeles In Arlington windows were broken and a paint store messed up when stork fell to the floor Windows were broken In the building of the Ontario Daily Report A telephone operator fainted In toa Angeles and a shopper fainted in Riverside department store Brief power line failure mrurred in Virtnrville In quake rnnsrioui Umg Reach where Southern lalitoima's Iasi quake id disaster slatii mrurred IK years ago residents reported hearing a nimble preceding Ihe rocking temblor lied Cross disaster units were alerted throughout Ihe metmlpoli-tan area and official said it turned into a excellent test although none nr riled At California Institute of Technology Pasadena Dr Charles Kirhter limed Ihe quake's official onset at 4 4342 pm Pacific Daylight Time) and said II magnitude was It's or a teismologlcal scale which rales the world's most severe quake a I1 The disastrous tong Beach wake of 1933 was but occurred in murh more populous area 0 Samuel Gilmore about 35 Route 2 waa found dead at 7:10 pm Saturday In the Southland Hotel He had registered there Fri-day night about 11:30 and waa were found Thursday in a pumpkin lie said these were separate from Ihe mirgofilmrd copies of secret government from the Stale Department which Stores Jammed by Christmas Buyers found by a porter Saturday He waa a veteran of World War If and was employed by the Lone Star Gas Co The body was at Kiker Warren Funeral Home awaiting Inveitiga-fon of cause of death By STAPP WRITER THRUCKMORTON Dec 4 Cretslnger eye witness to a highway tragedy that killed two men here Saturday afternoon bo- New Hearings On Red Spies Open Tuesday WASHINGTON Dee 4 WL-New hearings In dig Into fresh reports of a pre-war Red spy ring were ordered Saturday by the House Un-Ameriran Activities Committee The hearings will begin Tuesday afternoon The committee said It now know who slipped out the national Barrels which were found in hollowed out pumpkin on the Maryland farm of an admitted former Communist rourler Evidence identifying the person who took the document will tie brought out at the hearings Robert Stripling the committee'! chief investigator promised Before announring reopening of Ihe investigation which produced sensational evidence last summer Stripling said that some "very Important" new documents have been turned up on Whittaker farm near Westminster Md Chambers has testifinl that he waa a pre-war member of the Communist underground hut since has renounced communism At present he is a senior editor on Time Magazine every needy family has a merry Christmas Approximately 300 families 50 more than last year will need Gnndfeliow cheer this year Mr Ilennti Schmidt director of tha Abilene Taylor Ciuisfy Welfare Unit and chief investigator for the (Sondfellows said The Goodfellnwt supported wholly by free will contributions and Sift have made Christmas merrier for the needy families in AW-lene for the past 20 years Saturday's contributions to the Goodfcllow Fund tntaled 020950 making the total to dale 645350 New contributor include: Mrs Will Smith $10 00 Samuel Nesmith 290 Anonymous 34 00 In memory of Gloria 2500 Cr Swensci L'nited Oil 4c Grease Co Oil Transports Inc Violet Tinner Mr and Mrs A Kessler Charlyne Tugwell Mrs Hooks Hub Park Mr and Mrs Caldwell Mnnie Ward Bradley Huilily Mutt I A No 591 1500 2500 23no 10 00 500 230 10 00 1000 2500 500 5U0 100 laical 20 00 Total Total to date 120950 145350 lleves that 3000 gaUona of butane gaa may have saved hla life The trucker ahaken by his brush with death explains It lifcw this: He waa drivinga from Brack-enridge back to Throckmorton with a full load in his butane transport trurk Because of that load he had slowed going up a rise on the highway When he topped the hill he waa about ISO yards behind a nitroglycerine truck he had been trailing He waa far enough behind when the truck disintegrated blowing itg driver to bHa killing the driver of another vehicle ana wrecking a trailer trurk and a pickup that he escaped death But he was close enough that the Mast "lifted" hla loaded truck off Ihe highway and showered It with fragments BLINDING FLASH A roaring blinding flash a snaring billow of black smoke dust and debris Then nothing but a gaping crater where a trurk once was That's Cretsinger's description nf the tragedy So complete was the destruction of the explosives truck and man that it was hours before it cmild be determined whether there was one occupant or two Bits of crumpled seared metal was scattered over a half mile radius REA power lines along Ihe hiehttay sere knocked out A half-mile away a West Texas Utilities Co power line was twisted and severed when the rim of a wheel soared from the nllro trurk and entangled itself with two of tbe heavy tires A Wide rrster about 10 feet deep was lorn out of the highway shoulder and barrow ditch by the explosion Highway department machinery and workers were rushed to the srene filled the hole and made emergency repairs long after dark crowds of curious sperlatora lined the highway while power company crewmen worked to restore electricity service In the area a Identification of the trurk and driver was long dreary task of elimination checking on surh vehicles which might have been in the area and didn't coma home at night Sheriff Boh Rankin Deputy Dick Sea HIGHLIGHTS Pg 4 Col 4 CRETSINOER He Saw Survived Bint GOODFELLOWS NOTE! Livestock Warnings As Cold Wave Hits Dad Without Job 4 Children Ask Aid A gin and rotton yard fire waa out of rnnlrol at Carlisle 10 milts east of Lubbock There was a gin fire at New Home about 20 mile smith of luhhork and another at i dUft atom reported that aearfa purses evening stole ant hags were big Hems nf sale In women's articles The sentiment of most nf Ihe wishful-eyed shoppers was best ex pressed by Galb Braver 23ft North Third St and Dicky lltcks 1717 Swenson Ace who while pressing their noses against a window full of pretties murmured "Boy I'd to have torry George 4 son of Mr and Saa BUYING Pg 22 Col I THE WEATHER DrMTrr or rnwwrRd irTMiK miMi' ARM KNK AND VICINITY' Partly rlmMlv with pnMihl tiuwara Md colour toifav and Ivntghi Pirtl? rlnudv And nmliftiifd mid Mtmdav High tPmprra lur ludiv In drgirgm Uw ft nighi nrgr JV high M'lhdav MKT TFXAft Kiindiv ilintFri In Iha Fit! pnttiafi nddr in th tntprinr Mon dav parity rliMidt rnldnr In III rcMfal Mb lion fnnlittutd rm In dip Intnriot Mining MNiihpflv wlwh on ih roa hiriing hi iwirthorly lata lundav and drrrfing M'lnitay WftfcT TKXAft Mai iidar contfdrraMa rliiiftinn and windy with light Bnow In in FanhMdB C'nldor fhinnar with iFRippraltirp fallmfc la 19 to ti ifogron In Panhandi and Amtth Plain Mundav night AdUaa aiAPhmnn Mnndav lair with iluwir rIMng lompaiatum in aftrr IHPill UWPIIRUIKLN A Hat 7 71 79 71 71 an 07 17 I I XI 9 1 4 Vi fl VI 7 VI 41 ll VI II VI Mi Itijli snd law tprviirrNliirB for 14 hr lo id ns 7 and SI rtoiiMi llifti and Utm Stviipraljie mini dot tit and 41 dr? Ucf nitfht 9 9 Hinii itrrtav 7 fnnifht 9 11 fMrnirnfrr rdng a vi 97 Ha aiiva Jiunudlty At A30 9 Matador northeast nf the South ued also for tho Oklahoma Pan Plain handle and for western Kansas The highway patrol said a pral-1 The norther pushed down out of rle grass fire raged 1 Idalouithe Northwest and spread east of Iubhork the Rockies Texas wilt catch Travellers were cautioned against mthern wtd the' weather bathe coming storm A week ago In a similar storm hundreds of motorists temperatures war ex Yvear Goodfdlowi I have never written to you before herauae my daddy always had a Job before at Christmas time He doesn't have a Job now and has gone off to look for work so my little sister and brothers may not get anything this year unless you ran come to see us My sister is years old one brother la I and the other is 2 I am 10 4 Wa would like some underwear and socks Rut don't miss anyone account of me Thank a If letters like the above which pour In daily are any indication the Goodfrlluwa of Abilene will have a big Job seeing to it that By Tht Associated Frets Thick blark dust swirling off the front of a norther eit visibility to zero In some parts nf West Texas late Saturday and cattlemen were warned to prntert livestock against possible snow and sub freezing temperatures By Sunday night the forecast railed for blowing drifting snow In the Panhandle and lows of IS to 20 degrees during the night Fl Paso rrixtried visibility rut to zero by dust riding on winds as high as 69 miles per hour Ialer however visibility lifted to one mile there Salt Flail also in far West Trx- as reported that visibility hovered Intermit lent I at zero At Lubbock a "black duster" rolling off Ihe plains almost balled traffic and rausrd electrical service disruptions Visibility was rut to four blocks at tohhmk The wind velocity hit 60 niiirs per hour Several of electrical lights used as Christ mas drrnratinn were By ERMA HOLT and LEWIS HENSLFY Christmas buying hit a fat pare In Abilene Saturday as shoppers from throughout Writ Trxa thronged tha street to grt the early pickings of Christmaa goods They hit tha streets right after atom opened Saturday morning -and stayed until the store closed at 7 pm Virtually every business In Abilene had a busy day ai they tried to arrnmmodate the customer Cafes cafeterias lunch counters and soda fountains did a booming businrsg aa shoppers took time out from their rushing to refresh themselves Theater were filled with children left there by parents who wanted to do a little "Santa PARKING LOTS FILLED Parking spare was limited Downtown parking lots were filled anil dozens of rare were lined along the streets several blocks from Ihe business district proper What were the people buying? Everything No 1 Item waa Christmas decorations and gay Christmas wrap-lugs Variety forr attnirtrd hundreds of people who were hunt- ing fur ger-gaw In bans un the hrlslmas tree Ranking next were toys nf every variety but more especially dolls and doll buggies and cowboy suits Department DEATHLESS DAYS INABILENE TRAFFIC 543 Made Texas In the Dallas Fort Wort! area By noon Sunday and should cover tho 1 state before Monday morning tho bureau said The livestock warnings wrere to peeled late Sunday night or early Monday Tha forecast was' tor clearing weather In tho Panha die Monday noon Airlift Plane (rashes BERLIN Sunday Dee 1 (Tv-United Slates Air Force Headquarters announced today an American 54 airlift plane crashed at Fast-berg In Ihe British zono of Gen-many killing all three crewmen The four engine Skymaater rrashrd at 12:13 am pm Eastern Standard Ttme two mllea from the airfield at Fassberg shortly aflrr taking off The rause of Ihe erash waa not Immediately established An investigation has been ordered AIT Fore headquarters said 1 blown over the rity Seveial fires Abilene Saturday night should psss Ihe West El Paso Saturday night Abilene Will and Winter swung a vere stranded by snow They were warned In stay off the roads Sunday afternoon The weather bureau said Ihe front norther now moving fast Texes rity of It Is due Gel Colder one-two blow at A cold front from Ihe North was experted to strike early today dropping temperature to Ihe freezing level On Its heels a fold front from the West will arrive sometime Monday morning pushing temperature down to alNiut 23 degree Either of the fronts could bring showrrs vrathrrmrn sail Tha first front will bring winds of high inri minor arrlilcnts contributed to confusion Kuulhwrairrn Public Service Co olficials reported because of Ihe hlgfi winds they hail no hope of saving Fill bales of rotton whuh caught (ire Ml Shallow aler Piiuirrr An lines reported that Plsuis'irw was swept liv 53 mtle-prr hour winds and that visibility was zero on part of the Amarillo-Plainvtew Highway.