FORECAST: Y ♦ W ^ Served By Leased Wires
s“"s:r Wtimmqton DHnrtttttn vtsr i^asr.,
--—- State and National News
0L_80-—N0- 273-—_____WILMINGTON, N. C., SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1947 ~ ESTABLISHED 1867
iornado Rips
West States
Twister Thundering Out Of
Canada Takes Toll
Of Ten Lives
GRAFTON, N. D., July 4. —(U.R)
__ ^ tornado that thundered out of
Canada and swept across the Red
•river valley, killed 10 persons and
injured at least 45, eight critically,
, survey of the ravaged areas
,ho\ved today.
The tornado struck first at Windy
•ates. Man., on the Canadian bor
der last night. One min, identi
fied only by the last name of Mi
kolasik, was killed.
The twister then cut i path into
fhe United States, moving across
the northeast corner of North Da
kota. and swept into the Red Riv
er Valley. It blew itself out in
Minnesota.
Near the end of its path, the tor
nado hit a farm house four and
(ne-half miles East of here, killing
,iX of the 20 occupants. The house
was wrecked and the other 14
occupants were injured. Nineteen
(f the occupants we.e members of
, family of migratory workers of
Mexican descent who had come
from San Antonio, Tex., to work in
sugar beet fields on Luther
lydden's farm.
Couple Killed
Mr. and Mrs. Martin C. Ander
ion were killed on their farm near
Oslo. Minn., and Frank Rogalla,
about 70, Minto, N. D., was killed
,t Warsaw, N. D.
Witnesses said the heaviest dam
was done by high winds that
Banked the tornado. At Warsaw,
which was not hit by the twister,
high winds leveled every building
,xcept a Catholic church and one
ither structure, observers reported
The twister also hit near Oslo,
linn., but a heavy toll was prevent
id there because a crowd of ap
iroximatelv 400 persons attending
i baseball game saw the storm ap
iroach.
The spectators and players rac
id to safety. After the storm pass
id, they formed rescue squads and
loured the ravaged area, rushing
Ihi injured to a hospital at War
ren, Minn.
QUEEN OF STUDENT
NURSES AT BEACH
Miss Alice Geraldine Max
well Arrives For Holiday
As Guest Of SENCBA
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, July 4
Miss Nor'h Carolina Student Nurse
It 1947—Miss Alice Geraldine Max
rell — to j*Du, arrived at the
Eds.ewater hotel here this after
loon to spend a week’s vacation
is '.he guest of the Southeastern
forth Carolina Beach Association.
“It’s just wonderful. I was never
10 surprised in my life.” she told
lowsmen. The pretty 20-year-old
liudent nurse at the Baker-Thomp
icn Memorial hospital at Lumber
Ion, said she was planning to ge.
ilenty of sunshine and have lot’s
)t fun while visiting the beach.
Miss Maxwell is a pretty bru
lette with brown eyes and is five
leet, four inches tall, weighing 119
pounds. She has been a student
lurse at the Baker-Thompson hos
pital for 34 months and expects to
[raduate October 25, 1947.
Miss Grace Maxwell, a sister of
•Miss Student Nurse.” and herself
graduate nurse, accompanied
re winner cf the state-wide con
es! here. She is working at the
Saker-Thompson hospital as a su
pervisor.
“I have not made • any plans
ret, ’ she said, “But I have lots of
Iriends here at Wrightswille Beach
ind I expect to spend a lot of time
rfith them.” Miss Maxwell has
visited here often, during her va
pation period from the hospital.
“You know, the senior nurses
ion; get u vacation, and this year
am a senior and winning the
Mitest gave me an opportunity
o have this swell vacation,” she
laid.
Raeford Native
Miss Maxwell is a native of
iaeford and she said tonight that
he plans to take a post graduate
Pourse in surgery when she grad
ates. When asked about boy
Hends, she said that she expects
Per "boy friend” to come -down
lie first of the week.
She was crowned Miss North
Carolina Student Nurse of 1947 by
lay Kyser, radio and screen star,
Raleigh Tuesday night. Nine
t.es from hospitals throughout
I. h Carolina were represented.
|’S 3 DIE IN CRASH
[AMDEN, N. J., July 4. —(A*) —
ather and two young children he
*k on a holiday ride in a rent
1 airplane died today in the crash
! the plane in a thickly-populated
tction of East Camden.
The Weather
FORECAST:
*orth Carolina and South Carolina—
’ and slightly warmer Saturday:
'finued warm Sunday.
(Eastern Standard Time)
(By U. S. Weather Bureau)
J'teorological data for the 24 hours
?,r-g 7:30 p. m. yesterday.
TEMPERATURES
M a. m. 40; 7:30 a. m. 71; 1:30 p. m.
‘:3n p. m. 78: Maximum 86; Mini
's 66: Mean 76. Normal 75.
HUMIDITY
? > m. 44; 7 :30 a. m. 71; 1:30 p. m.
‘;30 p. m. 60.
. PRECIPITATION
•jai for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p.
. inches.
^ Since the first of the month
®*es.
* TIDES FOR TODAY
?*» the Tide Tables published by
1 Coart and Geodetic Survey I.
L. HIGH LOW
^“gion _ 11:05 a.m. 6:10 a.m.
W 11:29 p.m. 6:04 p.m.
**« Inlet .. 8:42 a.m. 2:58 a.m.
l,:, 9:07 p.m. 2:47 p.m.
V'2 5 56; Sunset 7:27; Moonrise
j|Moontet 6:46a.
^ ATHER On Page Twi
“SUSIE,” a nine-week-old kit
ten owned by Dr. Herbert Schein
of Erlanger, Ky., has a great lik
ing for corn on the cob. Lunch
time is at hand, and “Susie”
shows her unusual appetitie for an
ear of golden bantam.—(AP Wire
photo (.
SOUTHERN OWNERS
SEEK MORE LIGHT
Coal Producers Fail To
Reach Agreement On
Lewis’ Wage Demands
WASHINGTON, July 4 — (U.R) —
Southern Coal producers decided
today to look for “more facts” be
fore trying to deal with the new
wage agreement between Northern
operators and John L. Lewis'
United Mine Workers (AFL).
The southern mine owners, rep
resenting about 25 per cent of
soft coal production, passed up
the July 4 holiday to talk about
the 35 cents an hour pay increase
and other benefits which Lewis
won from the Northern segment
of the “captive" mines of “Big
Steel.”
They arrived at no decisions
and broke up their meeting until
4 p.m. EDT tomorrow, saying they
wanted more information. That
is the timo set for the UMW’s
wage policy committee to ratify
the Northern agreement.
No Decision
“We discussed a lot of things,
but no decision was reached,”
Walter R. Thurmond, secretary
of the Southern Coal Producers
Association, told newsmen after
the three-hour conference.
Although the conferees said
nothing publicly, they were con
cerned over the generous terms
of the Northern agreement. Be
sides granting the UMW a sub
stantial pay increase, it is under
stood to provide for an eight-hour
day, 10 cents a ton contributions
to the miners’ health and welfare
fund, adoption of the federal safety
code, and bargaining rights for
some workers now classified as
supervisors.
All the 400,000 soft coal miners
now are on their 10-day vacation
which ends Tuesday. Assuming
See SOUTHERN On Page Two
RUSSIANS FORBID
KIDNAP REPORTS
Austrian Interior Minister
Tells Parliament Of
11 Snatchings
VIENNA, Austria, July 4—(U.R)—
Interior Minister Oscar Helmer
told parliament today that Russian
authorities had forbidden Austrian
police to report to government
agencies the frequent kidn.-ppings
by Russian soldiers within the
Russian zone.
Helmer said he had definite
evidence that 11 persons had been
abducted by Russian soldiers in
the last few weeks.
“This includes only kidnapings
which have officially come to the
attention of the ministry of interi
or,” he said.
"Despite vigorous efforts the
ministry has not been able to learn
the motives which caused the ab
ductions, nor have we been able
to gain any clues as to where the
victims are being kept.”
Helmer, in a formal report to
parliament, listed the exact date
of the 11 cases officially reported,
along with eye witness details and
evidence such as the finding of
Russian army caps which the kid
napers lost in snatching their vic
tims.
The Russians now, Helmer said,
have issued orders to all Austrian
police officers in their zone not to
report kidnapings to higher Aus
trian government agencies “unless
approval for such action is given
by Soviet authorities.”
Flying Saucers Set
Pa Theorists
“Unca Described As Eye Spots,
Space oiiips, New Navy Planes; Reports
All Coincide As To Their Shape
Chicago, July 4—(U.R)—The
“flying saucers” apparently
were celebrating Indepen
dence Day in their own way.
They flashed across the skies
above California and brought
forth new ideas as to what
they are.
Robert L. Jackson said he
and William Baker were at a
naval air station in San Diego
when they saw three flying
“discs” traveling about 400
miles an hour about half way
from the horizon. Both are
Navy chief petty officers.
Meanwhile Mead Layne, al
so of San Diego, publisher of
an occult magazine, said the
flying “saucers seen through
out the country are etheric
bodies from another world.”
Layne, who last November
reported having had contact
with a “space ship” which
was seen over San Diego, said
he had received a message
from the people aboard the
“saucers” through a trans
control, or medium.
“These visitors are not ex
carnate humans but are hu
man beings, living in their own
world,” Layne explained
"They come with good intent.
They have some idea of ex
perimenting with earth life.
That is coming to live on the
world for awhile.”
The Los Angeles Daily News
said the “saucers” may be the
See SAUCERS on Page Two
Bevin Warns Russia
Against Provocation
THOUSANDS ENJOY
HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Concert By Municipal
Band, Prayer, Speeches
Held Al City Hall
By JOHN RALSTON
Star Staff Writer
Strings of lights made brighter
by their reflection against the
whiteness of the city hall, illu
minated more than 2,000 persons
last night as they listened to music
and prayer and a plea for this na
tion to be of service to other
countries at Wilmington's first
Fourth of July observance in many
years.
On a flag bedecked platform
atop the stairs to the city hall, sat
the speakers.
At the bottom of those stairs the
city's municipal band played, in
the street in front of the building
paraded, in varied formations, the
red and white uniformed Wilming
ton state championship American
Legion drum and bugle corps.
Spectators stood, sat at vantage
points about the stairs, along the
sidewalks and on the curbs on
both sides of Third street.
Howell Sounds Call
It was the Rev. Andrew J. How
ell, the city’s historian, who sound
ed the call for aid to other na
tions.
“We have never lowered our
flag before any nation,’’ he assert
ed. “May God give us a courage
ous spirit to face the future with
confidence and grow stronger in
our purpose to be a good neighbor
to other peoples. Let us never tol
erate any misgivings as to our
national strength.”
Through a loud-speaker system
while police kept traffic off the
street, Councilman J. E. L. Wade,
presided at the program. It opened
with the singing of America and
an invocation by the Rev. R. L.
Sturgis, newly seated American.
Legion chaplain for this post.
Five-Minute Talk
In his five-minute talk on the
meaning of independence day, the
Rev. Mr. Howell told of the first
victory of the American forces in
the Revolutionary war, February
27, 1776, at Moore’s Creek bridge
near Wilmington.
Independence Day means, declar
ed the speaker, that “we have as
a nation shown ourselves to be re
markably capable, because each
man has entire freedom of thought
and can progress in knowledge and
achievement and because rule by a
majority is always the safest gov
ernment.”
The reason the United States has
been able to hold its place in the
world is because “we have always
been able to mass our intelligent
See THOUSANDS On Page Two
ANTI - FIRECRACKER
LAW WELL OBEYED IN
NEW HANOVER COUNTY
Wilmingtonians yesterday really
obeyed that new state law forbid
ding the sale and shooting of fire
crackers.
The Fourth of July passed with
out a single arrest or complaint on
their use. At least last night police
and deputy sheriffs said they had
no trouble enforcing th^ law plac
ed in effect in North Carolina this
year for the first time.
The nearest to any complaint was
from a resident on Chestnut street
who reported hearing the shoot
ing of firecrackers. But investiga
tion disclosed it was only house
wreckers pulling lumber from the
side of an old structure.
July Fourth Becomes
India Independence Day
LONDON, July 4—(U.P.)— Prime
Ministed Clement Attlee introduced
the first reading of the Indian In
dependence bill in the House of
Commons today, making July 4 In
dependence day for the vast sub
continent with its nearly 389,000,
000 people.
In essence, the bill would create
two independent dominions in In
dia—India (Hindu) and Pakistan
(Moslem)—by August 15. Specifi
cally, it concerns only British In
dia, about 55 per cent of the whole
of India. Actually, it affect* tbe
whole sub-continent, because the
princely and tribal states may join
either India 0r Pakistan or become
independent in themselves.
The text of the bill was not read.
It will be available, however, be
fore second reading and debate
next Thursday. There was no doubt
about its passage; the opposition
Conservative party was expected
to support it completely.
Altogether, there are 25 clauses
in the bill. None suggests a new
constitution for India.
Secretary Says Britain
Tired Of Those Who
Play With Peace
LONDON, July 4 —<U.R)—Foreign
Secretary Ernest Bevin warned
Russia implicitly tonight that
“you can carry provocation too
far” and said “we are tired of
those who think they can play
with peace-loving peoples too
long.”
Bevin made his speech at an
American July 4 dinner a few
hours after British and French en
voys had delivered formal invita
tions to 22 European countries to
attend the Marshall plan confer
ence in Paris July 12.
The invitations, emphasizing the
urgency of the European econo
mic situation, asked acceptance
or rejection of the invitation by
rsext Thursday, and called for
committees to start work by July
15 on a four-year European re
covery plan.
Report To XJ. S.
A report is to be made to the
United States by Sept., 1 on Eu
rope’s available resources and
needs during the next four years.
Italy accepted the invitation of
ficially only a few hours after it
was handed to Foreign Minister
Count Carlo Sforza. *
Bevin’s spech was the first
statement he made since his re
turn from Paris, where Britain
and France decided to go ahead
with the Marshall plan despite
Russia’s boycott.
“We are tired of those who
think they can play with peace
loving peoples too long,” Bevin
said. "They must study their psy
chology.
“The time may come when we
See BEVIN On Page Two
PARTIES SEARCH
DEVIL’S FUNNEL
Underground Hunt Con
tinues For Missing Chat
tanooga Man
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 4
—(JP)—Search parties continued an
underground hunt today for a 33
year-old Nashville man who has
been reported lost in a commer
cial cave near here since early
Tuesday morning.
Searchers had two theories about
the whereabouts of John T. Hurn,
whose brother is part owner of
the cave. They found marks
around the slick clay edges of a
deep pool of water inside the
cave and some expressed the be
lief Hurn may have drowned there.
Others felt that Hurn may have
wandered away into the maze of
caverns honeycombing nearby
Sand Mountain, under which the
cave winds.
Neighbors of Hum’s brothar,
Hollins Hum, dragged the pool
known as “Devil’s Funnel,” dur
ing the day.
Hollins Hurn said his brother be
came lost after he entered the
cave to find another entrance.
Mrs. John Hurn kept a constant
vigil at the entrance to the cave.
Violence Takes 125 Lives
On July Fourth Outings;
Iowa City Hit By Floods
-!— - ..----I -
Grand Tower
Under Water
One Thousand Residents
Flee Homes As Missis
sippi Levee Breaks
GRAND TOWER, 111., July 4—W
—Their battle against the ' relent
less Mississippi lost, the people of
this river town anxiously watched
muddy A-ater inching higher into
their business district and most of
their homes today as the river’s
crest approached.
A sandbag barrier feverishly
erected by the town’s 1,000 resi
dents after several days of back
baking labor, in which even wom
en and children took part, was
smashed last night and the river
spread over about two-thirds of
the town, including all of the busi
ness district.
The break came so suddenly that
the weary towns people had no op
portunity to repair it. The two
big pumps which had been used
to dispose of seepage water were
washed away.
Mayor Jesse Grammer reported
the river had climbed to 40.45 feet
this afternoon, the highest stage
ever recorded here, and described
it as the worst of several floods
experienced by the town, which is
not protected by a permanent dike.
Fear New Rise
Should the river rise several
more inches the water would pour
over the ground floors of several
business establishments, greatly
increasing the damage, he said.
The government weather bureau
at St. Louis, 75 miles upstream,
reported the crest just above
Grand Tower and said the river
probably would rise only a few
more inches here before reaching
its nighest stage tonight.
Families forced out of their
homes moved into two school
buildings and into tents thrown
up on the school grounds _ in the
Higher part of the residential sec
tion. City officials said this part
of the town would probably re
main dry.
There was no danger of the
See GRAND on page Two
MARGE HURLBURT
KILLED IN CRASH
Holder Of Women's Inter
national Air Speed Rec
ord Dies Instantly
DECORAH, la.. July 4 — VP) —
Marge Murlburt of Panesville, O.,
holder of the women’s internation
al air speed record, crashed to her
death before an estimated 2,500
spectators today while she was per
forming in a Fourth of July show
at the Decorah airport.
Flying a borrowed plane, an A
T-6, the 32-year-old former Ohio
school teacher who served as a
WASP during the war, had been
in the air only a short time when
the accident happened.
She had circled the airport,
bussed the field and completed a
loop. Then she was executing what
appeared to be a slow roll when
her plane dived into a corn field
at the east corner of the airport,
about a mile from the grandstand.
Shrieks went up from the crowd,
followed by a stunned silence.
Then the spectators made a break
for the scene of the crash and
swarmed about the twisted and
broken plane.
Dr. L. C. Kuhn, Decorah, who
had rushed out with a fire engine
crew, said Miss Hurlburt died in
stantly. Her body was found still
in the fuselage. The plane did not
burn.
The exhibition, which had been
in progress for about an hour, was
halted.
Along The Cape Fear
HITCHING POSTS — The hitch
ing post, a relic of yesteryear, is
seldom seen on the streets of Wil
mington today. Some few still
stand guard over the curbstone—
leaning a little perhaps from a
bump they received from a park
ing car—in front of the older resi
dences in town.
But the ravages of time and the
turn of the century with a street
workman’s disregard for traditions
took most of them from the thor
oughfares of the Port City.
Most of the hitching posts .were
made of iron. By far the greater
number were shaped like horses
heads with a ring through the
nose for hitching. Some few were
cast in the form of a Negro boy
with a hand extended to which
the reigns of the bridle could be
tied.
ONE OF THE OLDEST — Prob
ably the oldest hitching post in
town and possibly the only one of
its kind when grandpa took grand
ma buggy riding, stands in fron*
of the residence of George Thomas,
at the intersection of Fourth and
Market streets.
Thomas can trace the vague his
tory of the post back to 1859. How
long before that It kept horses
from straying is not known. Ap
parently there is no way to find
out.
• * *
DIFFERENT DESIGN—Thomas’
hitching post is about seven feet
long. About two and a half feet
are imbedded in the ground. It is
made of slate, and is almost
square. The hitching ring is hand
made of wrought iron and it is
set in lead in the stone.
The Thomas family first used
it when Dr. W. G. Thomas moved
from Tarboro to the house at Mar
ket and Fourth streets in 1859. The
lot just below the house was also
purchased and a doctor’s office
constructed there.
The doctor’s office remained
there until 1920. In that period
of time Dr. W. G. Thomas, his
son, Dr. G. G. Thomas and Dr.
Pride Jones Thomas, used it to
hitch their buggy horses. The post
was in front of the office all thai
time.
POST MOVED—In 1920 Dr. G.
G. Thomas died and the office
was torn down. Because of the
senliment attached George Thom
as had the post dug up and moved
See CAPE FEAR On rage Two
. NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS of Klwanis International gather
around the club symbol during the 32nd annual convention In Chicago.
Left to right: Vice President Charles H. Hulse of Ottawa, Ont.; In
ternational President Charles W. Armstrong of Salisbury, N. C.;
Treasurer J. Belmont Mosser of St. Marys, Pa., and another vice
president, Harrison U. Wood of Racine, Wis.—(AP Wlrephoto).
Holiday Crowds J am
All Beach Facilities
REASON ENOUGH
LIVERPOOL, England, July 4.
— (U.R) — Paul Greenburge, 37,
chef, asked why he “kidnaped”
a 17-year-old girl and lived with
her for one year, told the judge:
“I can’t offer any explana
tion except that she is a very
pretty girl and I was fed up with
my wife.”
HAYES SATISFIED
ON POLICE SETUP
Chief Declares He Wishes
No Radical Departure
From Present System
Police Chief Hubert Hayes does
not wish any radical departure
from the present setup of the police
department but would like an ad
ditional two more uniformed lieu
tenants and "possibly two or three
more sergeants.”
However, no separation of the
joint city-county identification bu
reau activities are needed.
That was the declaration last
night of Chief Hayes in clarifica
tion of published reports that he
would ask "a complete revamp
ing" of the entire department.
The chief explained that lately
he had been giving some thought
to asking City Manager J. R. Ben
son for certain changes that might
lead to improvements but that any
such proposals were in the pre
liminary stages.
To Study Report
Benson declared that he had
received no requests for any
changes from Chief Hayes. It
was pointed out by Benson that
he yet had to study the report
submitted by Roy Morgan, for
mer FBI agent, as to steps to be
taken In giving the police depart
ment greater efficiency.
Chief Hayes said that he was
studying a plan of establishing
four departments with an officer
adapted to that certain type of
work at the head of each depart
ment.
Departments under consideration
by the police chief would be de
tective, records and Identification,
patrol car and uniformed offic
ers. i
The only change already being
carried out Is one to simplify the
index system and a master index
card file.
BEVIN GLAD AMERICA
DEFEATED BRITISH, HE
TELLS LONDON YANKS
LONDON, July 4 —(£>}— British
Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin
said tonight he was glad that Am
erican colonists whipped the Brit
ish.
He spoke jocularly at an Inde
pendence day dinner here at which
United States Ambassador Lewis
Douglas presided, saying:
“We are here to celebrate your
victory and our defeat. Thank you
for defeating us, producing as a
result the wonderful United States
of America.
Ideal Weather Takes Thou
sands To C a r o 1 i n a,
Wrightsville Friday
The Fourth of July yesterday
was the biggest ever for Wilming
ton and the nearby beaches — if
the stream of cars heading ocean
ward and the unofficial estimates
of the police departments at Caro
lina and Wrightsville Beaches are
any indication.
Clear skies and warm tempera
tures sent motorists, boaters, fish
ers, swimmers and sunbathers to
the resorts in throngs larger than
any that could be recalled by the
beach residents.
And late yesterday afternoon they
had observed the Independence Day
in a safe and sane manner. No ar
rests, no auto accidents and no in
juries were reported by the police
at Carolina and Wrightsville.
Some indication of the number
of persons that streamed to the
beaches yesterday was given by
the operators of the draw and swing
bridges at Wrightsville Sound and
the Atlantic Intracoastal water
way at Carolina.
30 Per Minute
The operator of the bridge on the
road to Carolina said each time he
opened the bridge between 100 and
180 cars were backed up on the
shores of the waterway. The open
ings, he said, were of five and six
minute duration.
The operator of the draw at
Wrightsville Sound said that on a
three minute opening, from 25 to
See HOLIDAY On Page Two
BURLINGTON MEN
KILLED IN CRASH
Engine Of Light Plane Fails
At Low Altitude Over
Municipal Airport
BURLINGTON, July 4 — UP> —
Steven Arnold Douglas, 33, Bur
lington restaurant operator, and
Dr. F. T. (Bo)Harper, 40, Bur
lington physician and medical di
rector of the Alamance County
Tuberculosis sanatorium, were
killed here late this afternoon when
a plane in which they were rid
ing crashed at municipal airport.
Spectators reported that the en
gine of the plane, a PT-19, evi
dently stalled and the plane crash
ed to earth from a low altitude.
Both men were instantly killed.
The plane was coming in for a
landing at the time of the crash.
Both bodies were thrown from
the plane.
It was not definitely establish
ed who was piloting the plane.
Douglas, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.
D. Douglas, of Greensboro, had
been operating a restaurant here
for the past year. Dr. Harper is
a former member of the staff of
State Tuberculosis sanatorium and
had been practicing in Alamance
county and in Burlington for the
past six years.
The plane was owned by Doug
las, who was a licensed pilot. Dr.
Harper had been taking flying
instructions for several months
and only recently made his first
solo flight.
Mr. Stork Gets Tangled
In Four-Way Auto Crash
PHILADELPHIA, July 4. —<£>)—
The stork got all tangled up in a
four-way automobile crash today.
A police emergency car rush
ing 33-year-old Mrs. Stanley Pry
bella to a hospital collided with one
machine then pushed another
against a bus.
The shock was so great, doctors
said, her baby almost was born
before a passing motorist grot the
woman
bella, cut on the face, gave birth
prematurely in the hospital waiting
room to a four and a half pound
boy.
Pinned behind the wheel of the
first car which overturned, 52-year
old George H. Hughes was extricat
ed by firemen with crowbars and
taken to a hospital in serious con
dition. Mrs. Prybella’s husband,
two policemen and two sailors suf
fered slight injuries.
Seven Killed
In Carolina
Traffic Accidents Account
For 51 Fatalities; 47
People Drown ^
By the Associated Press
At least seven persons died
in accidents in North Carolina
during the first day of tha
three-day Jnly 4th holiday.
Four of the deaths wer#
drownir.gs In the Charlotte
area while two men were kill
ed in a plane crash at Bur
lington.
Vivian Lee Ross, 17, and her
cousin, June Carroll Baucom,
16, drowned when their boat
overturned at McEwen Lake at
Mint Hill near Charlotte.
Paul Stowe, 33, of Charlotte
and his 12-year-old niece, Caro
lyn Riley, Negroes, drowned in
the Catawba river near Char
lotte Friday morning.
Steven Arnold Douglas, S3,
operator of a Burlington res
taurant, and Dr. F. T. Harper,
40, Burlington physician and
medical director of the Ala
mance Tuberculosis sanltor
ium, were killed when their
light plane crashed at the Bur
lington airport.
M. M. White, 47, city en
gineer of Elizabeth City for 20
years, was drowned Friday
afternoon In Little River, when
he was seized by cramps as hn
sought to retrieve a drifting
row boat.
By the Associated Press
The nation's violent death toll
climbed to 125 Friday night, in
cluding two fatalities from the
Fourth of July fireworks, as the
first day of the three-day holiday
drew to a close.
Traffic accidents, for which the
National Safety Council predicted
275 deaths by Sunday midnight,
accounted for 51 of the 125. Drown
ings were second - 1th 47. Mis
cellaneos mishaps, including plant
crashes, totaled 25.
Fireworks Kill Two
The first two fireworks deaths
reported resulted from an explos
ion of skyrockets at a family re
union in Elkton, Md. The dead
were Ann Cameron, 8, ana Ruth
Anne Holmes, 2.
The tabulation did not include
10 deaths caused bv a tornado 'n
North Dakota and Minnesota. Moat
spectacular was the dealn >n
corah, la., of Miss Marge Hurl
llfe.
See SEVEN on Page Two
SHIPSSCOUR SEA
FOR LOST VESSEL
Forest Service Station Re
port Sehds Cutters On
Fruitless Hunt
SAN FRANCISCO, July 4—(&)—
Reports of a ship burning and
sinking off the northern California
coast touched off a fruitless air
and surface search today and the
alerting of all shipping to the pos
sibility of a marine disaster.
The report originated at the Oak
Ridge Forest Service lookout sta
tion 0n the Sonoma county coast
late yesterday. The station is at
2,600 feet altitude in coastal moun
tains with a search range extend
ing 30 miles to sea.
Aerial search at dusk yesterday
and again at daybreak today by
the Coast Guard produced nothing.
A Coast Guard plane returning
to its South San Francisco base
shortly before 9 a.m. reported
sighting only small fishing boats.
The Coast Guard said the area was
fogging in, but that aerial search
would be continued as long as
weather permitted.
Surface motor launches from
Coast Guard stations at Point
Reyes and Point Arena were in the
area today.
With the first flash from the
Forest Service station at 4:15 pm.
yesterday of a tanker burning and
sinking, conjecture turned to the
Russian tanker Elbrus, which put
out Wednesday afternoon for Vladi
vostok loaded with high test gaso
line from Richmond, Calif.
The Elbrus today, however, ac
cepted a radio message, indicat
ing no disaster had befallen her.
And So To Bed
“la ahe pretty or la It Just
the distance?”
A young blade at Wrlghta
ville Beach might have fared
better had he asked himself
that question yesterday.
He spied what looked to be
a comely miss at a distance
of about a block. She was
walking on the beach toward
him.
He gave a low whistle, rose
to his feet and brushed the
sand off himself. “That’s for
me,” he surmised.
In a few moments he re
turned to his place on #14
beach, somewhat cr^stfalleak
“It was the bathing suit, I
meant, and not the girl,” was
his only comment, after a clos*
er look. ,