Newspapers / Shelby Daily Star (Shelby, … / Dec. 26, 1945, edition 1 / Page 1
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WEATHER Clearing today; cooler in east and cool in west followed by fair and colder tonight. Thursday,^fair and cool. Low temperatures tonight 25 30 in interior and freezing on coast. 1 Tfhe Schellli Baily Sim - State Theatre Today - “DUFFY’S TAVERN” Starring ED GARDNER, with 32 STARS CLEVELAND COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894 TELEPHONE 1100 VOL XLII1— 308 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS SHELBY, N. C. WEDNEST \Y, Dec. 26, 1945 T7LEMAT PICTURES SINGLE COPIES— I Nation’s Holiday Death Toll Pushed By Traffic And Fires To 350 Figure Autos Claim More Than Half Of Total Deaths In Stormy •Christmas Season By The Associated Press Black crepe replaced the green holly in scores of the na tion’s homes today as mourning for victims of violent deaths over the Christmas holiday. A survey disclosed approximate ly 350 persons were killed violent ly, with more than one half of them victims of automobile acci dents. The traffic fatalities num bered 176 while at least 61 persons died in fires. Violent deaths by miscellaneous causes accounted for 111 victims. These included deaths by shootings, freezing, a tornado, train and airplane crashes and acci dents in the home. HOSPITAL FIRE The heaviest single toll over the holiday was taken In a hospital fire In Hartford. Conn., with 17 persons fatally burned. Six other ■ persons In Meriden, Conn., died In a fire at a home. Texas and California reported the most deaths by violence, 47 and 46, respectively. The fatalities In Texas were 29 victims of traf fic accidents and 18 by miscellan eous causes. Including 15 slayings. California topped the country In motor deaths with 35. In New York state 21 violent deaths were reported, including six in traffic accidents, while Illinois motor mishaps, all In Chicago, to talled three. Heavy snowfalls, rain and sleet In many parts of the country kept highway travel at a minimum over the holiday. ? The violent deaths by states, listing in order traffic, fire and miscellaneous causes: Alabama 0-1-0; Arisons 10-0-0; Arkansas 2-0-1; California 35-2-9; Colorado 10-0-0; Connecticut 0-23-2; Florida 0-0-4; Georgia 1-0-0; Ida ho 1-0-2; Illinois 3-1-11; Indiana 8-0-1; Kansas 1-0-0; Louisiana 3-2-3; Maine 0-0-5; Maryland 6-0-1; Massachusetts 0-0-2; Michi gan 8-1-2. Minnesota 2-2-0; Mississippi 3-0-3; Missouri 6-3-3; Nebraska 3-0-1; New Jersey 2-8-4; New Mex ico 9-0-3; New York 6-4-11; North Carolina 2-0-0; North Dakota 1 3-1; Ohio 9-2-1; Oklahoma 6-0-2; Oregon 1-0-4; Pennsylvania 7-3-2; South Carolina 0-0-7; South Da kota 1-0-0; Tennessee 2-0-1. Texas 29-0-18; Utah 0-0-2; Wash ington l-O-l; West Virginia 3-5-1; Washington, D. C. 0-1-0. States not listed did not report any violent deaths. SEEK STRIKE SETTLEMENTS EUctricol Workers Strike Impending As GM Ne gotiations Resume (By The Associated Press) The nation’s current major labor dispute, the General Motors strike, and a threatened walkout of 250,000 CIO Electrical Workers, held front rank in post-Christmas business along the country’s labor front to day. In Detroit, officials of General Motors and the CIO-United Auto workers planned to resume regoti ations, but the Wage issue—the un ion's demand for 30 per cent rate Increase—was not scheduled for discussion. In Washington, oflicials of the CIO United Electrical workers whose 250,000 members have authorized a strike in support of demands for a $2 a day wage hike, were sched uled to meet with labor department conciliators. The Detroit meeting said, Walter P. Reuther, UAW-CIO vice presi dent, was to deal only with pro cedure for handling local union grievances In the absence of a work ing contract. Agreements between the company and the union were cancelled after the strike of 175, 000 last Nov. 21. Meanwhile, picketing of the strike-bound GM plants, halted ov er th e Christmas-holiday , was maintained only on a token basis today. No date for a strike of the CIO Electrical workers has been set, al though a union spokesman said it might be called after the first of the year unless General Electric and Westinghouse “at least meet the offer of General Motors for 13 1-2 cents an hour increase.” Federal conciliators have invited GE and Westinghouse representa tives to meetings tomorrow and Friday. I CONGRESSMAN JOE W. ERVIN ENDS OWN LIFE Despondent Over Old In jury, Charlotte Man Sui cide At Washington CAUDLE FINDS BODY WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.— (/P)—Clutching a pistol and a razor, Rep. Joe W. Ervin, 44 year-old North Carolina dem ocrat, was found dead in the gas-filled kitchen of his home here Christmas day. Coroner A. Magruder Mac Donald issued a certificate of suicide by asphyxiation. Ervin, a first-termer, had com plained Monday night of an old leg ailment which had been com plicated by a fall last week and of a recent heart disturbance. He had just been released from Wal ter Reed array hospital after two days of treatment. The body was discovered by Theron L. Caudle, assistant attorney general and close friend who had called to take the lawmaker to Christinas dinner. THREE NOTES LEFT A note on the dodrstep address ed to Caudle warned that the house would be filled with gas. Two other notes were on the dining room table. One was ad dressed to Ervin’s widow, Susan, who had gone to Morganton, N. C„ to spend the holidays with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Samuel J. Er vin, sr. The other was to a. bro ther, Samuel, former Superior court judge at Morganton. Neith er was made public. Caudle said Ervin asked him in his note to tell his mother he had See CONGRESSMAN Page 2 WHAT’S DOING TODAY 7:30 pjn. — Student recog nition night at Methodist church. 9:30 p.m.—Jaycee Christmas benefit dance at armory. ICE STORM MAKES SHAMBLES OF COIJRT SQUARE—Cleveland’s beautiful court square had its trees broken down by the Christmas snow storm. Shown is -the courthouse with a view of a part of the d amaged trees. Photo by Floyd Willis. SEVEN KILLEDIN GAFFNEYCRASH Coroner Investigating Au tomobile Train Collision Christmas Eye CT ATTN ICY. 8. C .,*»e<r. SS-W7— A coroner’s Jury Is scheduled on January 3 to investigate the death of seven persons in an automobile - train crash here on Christmas live, according to Deputy Sheriff John S. Vess. Two of the dead were identified by the Shuford-Hatcher mortuary as members of the armed forces. They were Charles Edward Phil lips, Jr., 28, on leave from the merchant marine, and Jack T. Cothran, 21, home on leave from the navy. Other victims were identified as Fred Warren, Henry Phillips, Ro bert Phillips, G. C. Self and Miss Geraldine Byers, all believed to be Gaffney residents. The seven persons were killed in a collision with a Southern Railway train on a grade crossing near the center of Gaffney. Po lice Chief Blaine Byars said that a freezing rain and poor visibility probably accounted for the deaths. Senate Committee Probing Wake In Surplus Disposal WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 —(JPh Senator Knowland (R-Calif). who has seen the waste of war, said to day he and fellow senators hope to determine within a month whether military gods are being wastefully thrown away now. Are usable trucks being pushed over cliffs? Is food being allowed to spoil while children go hungry? These are among the questions a subcommittee of the Senate's De fense Investigating committee will seek to answer in a month-long ’round the world flight. The trip starts tomorrow. Head ing the group is Senator Tunnell (D-Del), an old hand at Investi gatlons aboard. The tided member is Senator Mitchell (D-Wash). Knowland said in an interview (that the army during the war had a crackerjack ssytem i of salvage which saved "a tremenduos amount of shipping” by repairing battle damage. He served ife.a major in Europe before becoming a sena tor. <>* Truman Defies Storm'To Fly Home For Christmas By ERNEST B. VACCARO INDEPENDENCE, MO., Dec. 26 —(A*)—President Truman went merrily about celebrating the Christmas holidays today as his home folk showed every disposi tion to allow him \ to do it in his own way. His round of Yuletide calls spread to Kansas City where friends were invited to drop into his office in the federal building for an ex change of season greetings. Mr. Truman covered plenty of territory upon his arrival here yesterday by plane from Wash ington through sleet and storm. He went immediately by automo bile over icy pavements for a 26 minute visit with his mother, 93 year-old Mrs. Martha E. Truman, at nearby Grandview. Mayor Roger T. Sermon of In dependence made it clear that there will be no> official observ ance of the President’s visit. “He came noma to spend the holidays with his family and close friends,” Sermon told reporters. ‘T expect to drop by for a handshake, that is all. We want the President to feel t Carolinas Emerging From Christmas Ice Storm Clearing Weather Helps Emergency Crews Speed Restoration Of Services (By The Associated Press) , tffldJW-amer ysaJt^..srfiW^^X>woUaiaDs today: following a severe Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ice storm that hit the two states, disrupting travel and communications. At least 12 persons were killed in accidents on slippery roads. Seven met death at Gaffney, S. C., when a passenger train struck their automobile at a grade crossing. Most of the North Carolina and the northern and western sections of South Carolina were hard hit by the ice storm, while the re mainder of South ' Carolina ex perienced heavy rains. Fair and cooler weather was pre dicted for both states tonight.and tomorrow. SECTION HIT HARDEST Asheville, Shelby and Hickory were among ttye North Caro lina cities reportedly hardest hit, being virtually isolated at the height of the storm yester Bus schedules and plane flights, almost all of which had been can celed, were gradually returning to normalcy today, while trains, still running behind scheduled, were ex periencing less difficult going. Many Christmas dinners were delayed because of power failures. Power and telephone company crews were still working today to restore facilities. Greenville and Spartanburg were among the South Carolina cities to feel the effects of the storm. Much of Greenville was without electric power for several hours yesterday morning, but slow ly rising temperatures and steady rainfall later in the day brought some relief. Damage to trees from the heavy ice burdens was widespread. GFs Reprimanded For Demonstration When Sailing Balked MANILA, Dec. 26—(fP)—Spokes man for 4,000 G.I.’s said a mass meeting would be held today to discuss cancellation of a scheduled home-bound transport sailing—af ter a mass protest march yester day brought both an explanation and a reprimand from their col onel, who was quoted as telling them: “You men forget you’re not working for General Motors—you’re still in the army.” The army newspaper Pacifican attributed the statement to Col. J. who ordered the men to their bar racks. He explained that the sail ing cancellation was in connec tion with consolidation of the 21st and 29th replacement depots. The men dispersed within 10 minutes, discarding their “we want ships” banners. FIRE HITS OLD .CHURCH PHILADELPHIA— (IP) —Old St. George’s church, Shrine of Amer ican Methodism and seven years older than the nation itself, was damaged by fire last night. The historic building, dedicated in 1769, is the second oldest Meth odist church in the world. day. C. Campbell, POLICY MAKERS OFF FORTOKYO WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 — (A*)— Nursing ambitions at policy mak ing rather than mere advice giv ing, the Allied Far Eastern com mission leaves today for Japan and a look-see at Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur’s administration. Weather permitting, commission members will board a plane here at 7:15 p. m. (EST). After flying to Pearl Harbor, they will complete the trip on the U.S.S. McKinley, a Navy command ship. They expect to return to Washington about February 15. The ifelO-nation commission made it plain in two months of deliberations in Washington that it does not expect to find any grave fault with the way MacArthur has administered Japan. Most commission mem bers have said they believe the Supreme Allied Commander has done a creditable job. What the commissioners will do is study carefully how United States directives to MacArthur have been carried out. Up to now, the commission has devoted most of its time to debat ing the directives themselves. A basic policy committee under lead ership of Australia’s foreign min ister, Herbert V. Evatt, has re written the original White House directive to MacArthur* issued shortly after the Japanese sur render. Wires Burned To Delay Warning Of Fire In Hospital HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 26—</P) —The Christmas ’Eve fire that took 17 lives at the Niles Street hospital here got a head start be cause it burned through telephone wires, causing a delay in the sounding of the alarm, Edward J. Hickey,, state police commissioner and state fire marshal, has dis closed. Because of the few minutes that elapsed between the time the fire broke out in a tinder dry Christ mas tree and the sounding of al most simultaneous telephone and box alarms by a next door resi dent and a passer-by, Hickey said last night, many of the 31 elderly, bed-ridden patients in the hospital I were beyond aid when the first firemen arrived. Thirteen patients, two of them women over 90, and two kitchen employes died in the fire or with i in a few hours after it. Two more patients died yesterday. S 1-c BARRETT MISSING SAILOR PRESUMED DEAD Seaman first class J. B. Barrett, son of Mr. and Mr»iA. V. Barrett, of 714 Parkview street, Shelby, has been presumed dead by the navy department, following the lapse of one year’s'-time since he was reported missing in action on November 3, 1944, according to a message received here by Mr. and Mrs. Barrett. Seaman Barrett jwas reported missing in action /•'following the torpedoeing of the USS Reno, a light cruiser aboard which he was serving as a shipfitter, in opera tions off the Philippines. No evi dence has been uncovered since that time to justify the belief that Seaman Barrett still lives, the message indicated. Barrett entered the service in November, 1943, and took his train ing at Great Lakes, 111., prior to going overseas in April of the fol lowing year. He was serving with task force 38 at the time he was reported missing. ., Before entering service Barrett was employed by the North Caro lina Shipbuilding company, at Wil mington, He is survived by his wife, the former Miss Millicent Corsbie, oi Greensboro; his parents; one sis ter, Reba Barrett, *-and a grand 4 mother, Mrs, Shelby. Hayes, of Paralyzing Devastation Isolates Area As Trees And Timber Are Wrecked Court Square And Tree-Lined Streets Badly Damaged; Services Being Rapidly Restored An ice-bound Shelby and Cleveland county had their “white Christmas” but old man winter wrote in icy figures such a bill for its attendant damage as to put it definitely, into the red. The worst ice storm in recollection of the county’s oldest citizens devastated trees and timber, paralyzed traffic, electric service and communications, endangered life and property Christmas eve and Christmas day, completely iso lating an ice-laden community which this morning after 36 hours was beginning to get normal services restored. Estimates of damage to this county ran as high as a million dollars, most of it to timber and shade trees as the heavy glaze—gathered from nearly two inches of rain fall ing in below freezing temperature to cling and freeze to whatever it struck on the way down—broke down what has been Shelby’s crowning beauty and reduced this city’s lovely tree-lined streets and court square to a shambles. The ice storm extended over a wide area of state and nation to dis rupt traffic and wire services generally. Mayor Urges Use Of Broken Boughs For Firewood Purposes People who want to use broken limbs for fire wood are encouraged by Mayor Harry Woodson to do so and use whatever they can of wrecked boughs on city-owned property. “It would take at least three weeks using all our facilities to clear up the wreckage so that any help householders can give while getting themselves some firewood will make all of us just that much to the good,” the mayor said this morning. Work of moving the debris is already underway and will be pushed as rapidly as possible by city employes, but where property owners will cooperate by cutting it up or even burn ing the wood on the ground cooperation will be helpful in overcoming the damage more quickly. The city is putting a force of tree workers on the job to seal up and trim damaged trees on city-owned property but that service cannot extend to any private property, offi cials pointed out. Trimming of trees on private property will have to be provided by the owners themselves. THREE BLACKOUT BREAKINGS HERE Taking advantage of Shelby’s involuntary blackout last night, thieves attempted three burglaries, one successfully, and escaped with a loot of two watches from Wray Green’s Jewelry store on South Washington street. Shortly before 6:30 last night the thief apparently broke the store window with a rock and lifted the watches from their display cases. When local police discover ed the break-in, an attempt 'was made to contact all merchants so that window lights could be turn ed on. Soon after discovery of the initial burglary, broken windows were also found in the rear oi Kester-Groome Furniture Co., and the Shelby Motor Inn. No losses had been reported at either of those places, however. At eight o’clock Police Chief Knox Hardin called off duty po licemen to tour the blacked-out business district on both foot and motor patrol. No further trouble was encountered after that time. Patton’s* Soldiers Bear Him To Luxembourg Grave By RICHARD A. O’REGAN LUXEMBOURG, Dec. 26 —(JP,— Gen. George S. Patton, jr., was laid to rest this Christmas Eve in the American military cemetery near here, his grave no different from 6,000 others whjch nuirk the final resting places of soldiers from his own beloved Third army. Generals of allied lotions stood stiffly at attention in the rain as the body of the fallen warrior was placed beside that of an American private. A plain -white cross was placed above the general’s grave — just like 6,000 other white crosses which ! dot the gently sloping hillside. These were the graves of Third army men who fell just.a year ago as Patton’s mighty armored col umns smashed northward in the bitter battle of the bulge. In the same fog and fain the half tracks and armored cart moved once again, slow this time One of them bore a silver caske! covered with the American flag. Soldiers who fought under Pat ton paid their commander a: great a tribute as any of the mane governments who honored him — an evergreen wreath with the sim ple inscription: “To Our Leader.” The train bearing the general’s body arrived before dawn. In a second special train was Mrs. Pat ton, and with her the 11 generals and two colonels who served as pallbearers. n. ucav y lug saot/ uiguv *u*w*v» crippled work of restoring normal services, but clearing and warmer weather today rapidly was routing the snow and ice and encouraging workmen putting up polls and cleaning up storm debris. Falling limb took down with them power and phone lines to add to the inconveniences of wea ther and to create further hazards as high voltage lines went down so fast and in so many places it was with difficulty they were ser viced or even policed. Mayof Harry S. Woodson, who worked through out the day with the service forces, breathed a sigh of relief last night when the day ended with no electrocutions to add to the troubles incident to the extreme weather conditions. TRAVELLERS STRANDED Fifty persons stranded here Mon day night when bus service had to be discontinued after a west-bound bus slipped from the highway into a ditch six miles west of the city spent the night in the local bus | station as hotels were overflowing with scores of people who were forced by the snow and ice to halt their travels here. Casey Tur ner, manager of the bus station, kept the place heated and open through the night and served cof fee to the people who took their inconvenience good-naturedly until busses came through Tuesday af ternoon as highways cleared. Bus service was back on a normal basis this morning. Telephone lines into and out of the city all were out and no calls other than local could be hand led. The Western Union could get up no telegraph wire all day Tuesday, but expected to provide limited service later today. Dis patching of railway trains in this area was handled via the Shelby police radio in cooperation with the state highway patrol station which transmitted the messages when telegraph lines went down. COUNTY HIT HARD In the county, power and phone lines toppled even more extensively than in town, 22 poles falling with in one mile in the Lattimore com munity. In some places highways were blocked temporarily by fallen power and phone poles or broken boughs, but highway workers work ed continuously to get the wreck age and slush cleared so that through traffic was able to pro ceed with caution. Today, the area was digging from under the devastation and try ing, to get services restored to nor mal. The Christmas holiday both served and complicated the com plex conditions created by the ex treme weather, people generally remaining at home to enjoy their Christmas dinner where electric service interruption did not pre vent its preparation. Many were See PARALYZING Page * Stores Open, Banks Closed Shelby retail merchants \ _'d just before Christmas to remain open for business today but clos i ed on New Year’s Day, so local stores were offering their wares ! today with reduced sales person nel. j Practically all holiday merchan dise was moved in the scramble for gift goods. Shelves were mad6 1 scant and lean after the shoppers had bought their Christmas re quirements, but after-Christmas sales were the order today. Banks, building and loans and other financial institutions were closed today but will remain open on New Year's Day when It is more important to stay open for j the transaction of year-end busi ness.
Shelby Daily Star (Shelby, N.C.)
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Dec. 26, 1945, edition 1
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