“7 High”
Recollections of a Combat Defense Squadron “Ramp Rat”
Route 1104
Route 1104 outlined in red.
It was the fifties, early 1956; I was 14 years old, in Spokane Washington, USA, when I became convinced of the advantages of a paper route. My buddy, Calvin Lidstone and I were walking home from Havermale Junior High School one afternoon. Some guy pulled up alongside of us in his car and asked if we wanted a job. It was raining; we got in his car, a green Olds 88, to listen to his pitch. He was in his early twenties and worked for the circulation department of the “paper”.
While he had picked us because Lidstone was a big kid, I ended up getting the job. I had subbed on a Spokesman Review route and had a lot of handbill delivering experience. Mom gave me permission before she understood that it was a downtown route.
A couple of days later, after school, I took the bus downtown, to the circulation department in the Spokesman Review building. I purchased my equipment and met the outgoing carrier. He took me around the route one time. It was getting dark by the time we had folded and loaded the newspapers.
Route 1104 newspapers were tossed out of an orange International Harvester Metro van, in wire wrapped bundles, to the NW corner of Sprague and Madison every afternoon about 3:30. The newspaper maintained a fleet of these vans with switchable signs for the Spokesman Review or the Spokane Daily Chronicle, both papers operated from the same facility at Monroe and Riverside in downtown Spokane.
The Review/Chronicle rigs were a little more orange, but very similar to this 1962 model.
The sign on the sides flipped up/down to show the proper paper name for the delivery.
I’m still looking for a photo of a “real” Chronicle/Review van
The drivers all had a helper or two aboard and the bundles had been loaded in delivery order. Bundles were tossed onto the sidewalk from the passenger side door, the van barely slowing down. As my corner was only a block from the newspaper, it was one of the earliest deliveries for the Final Fireside Edition of the Spokane Daily Chronicle. Here is one of those papers I lugged; from January 15, 1957:
A readable version of this newspaper and many more can be found at:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19570115&printsec=frontpage
One of the reasons I chose this edition as an example was to show the vague writing style and reference to “coast”. Why wasn’t the name of the base used in the headline? It wasn’t a space problem. “…at McChord AFB” is more concise and shorter than “…hits coast base”. A tirade could be developed on this subject quite easily. It was/is an attitude problem, plain and simple. The “coasties” were/are evil.
Other interesting items in this issue include; Langlie was signing out as governor, with a balanced budget. Juvenile delinquency was a front page problem, especially auto theft. There was still advertising for railroad travel and coal. The new 1957 Dodge was quite a boat. The Crescent sold vacuum cleaners. It was a lot of fun browsing through those old editions of the Chronicle.
The Chronicle had at least three editions. In the morning was the Empire edition. My recollection is that It came off the presses about 10:30 or 11am. The Red Streak was the afternoon edition, and came out about 2 pm, sometimes not hitting the streets until almost 4pm. The Empire and Red Streak editions were not delivered residentially, both were circulated downtown, the Empire edition was sent to out of town customers. The Red Streak edition would just be hitting the street newspaper racks, and vendors when I hit the streets with the Final Fireside.
Because the Final Fireside was a later edition, folks wanted it instead of the Red Streak. I sold a lot of papers to passers by. These customers paid full price, seven cents, a lot of folks gave you a dime. This was gravy that the suburban newspaper carriers didn’t even dream about. The weekly residential price for Monday thru Saturday service was thirty-five cents. This was a one-cent per copy break over retail, plus it was delivered to the doorstep. The newsboys purchased the papers from the circulation department. We paid about nickel apiece, for a “profit” of a penny a paper. To have somebody give you a dime, was a five cent profit, huge.
Route 1104 had just under a hundred customers when I took over. On Saturday this would be just one bundle. On Thursday, the heaviest day, it would be three.
Slipped inside the top folds of the primary bundle, in a “secret” place was any mail from the newspaper. This included customer addition and deletions, our bills, which needed to be paid each week, and other information about meetings and contests mostly. There must have been something worth stealing, because that was a problem occasionally.
The bundles were opened with a little round tool with a notch cut into the edge. The bundle wire was fitted into the notch and when the tool was twisted it would break the wire. We would get the occasional wise guy with wire cutters that would cut your bundles to steal a paper, of course. The newspaper sold you the tool along with your carrier bags, punch and change machine.
The route book was a canvas covered clamp device that held a page for each customer. The canvas cover started out tan, but quickly turned black from the newspaper ink. Each customer’s page had a calendar to mark off weekly payments. We were also supposed to have a special punch to use on the cards the customer kept as proof of payment. For the Chronicle it was a “C”, the Review an “S”. There were occasional problems of other kids collecting from your customers, or customers trying to rip you off by punching their own card, it was hard to tell.
My predecessor’s route book was in terrible shape, incomplete, inaccurate and just about worthless. He was FIGMO, and could tell I had no clue. By the time we had finished the first hotel, he was disgusted and I had freaked out. Looking up that next long flight of stairs with a heavy load of newspapers loaded into my new shoulder bags that I hated already made me question the whole newsboy business.
Those first days, I lugged every damn paper up and down those stairs, from the beginning of the route, just like I was taught. What a dumbass rookie I was. Later, I would use my bike; put a bundle on the carrier before breaking the wire. Then, only take the amount of papers I needed up into each building. On heavy days I would have to make a trip or two back to the corner to get another bundle. Thursday was the heaviest day, thickest newspaper, Saturday the lightest.
My first Christmas on route 1104, I received over $50 in tips. I couldn’t believe it. My customers were poor folks, but had not had reliable delivery before and really showed their gratitude. A lot of folks tipped me a whole buck, a handsome reward indeed. A Bell & Howell 8mm projector was $80 at Payless, and not the bottom of the line, either.
Let me slow down, back up, and start at the beginning. The Chronicle route number was 1104 and covered about four downtown blocks. There was a lot of history happened on those four blocks. Just this corner at Sprague and Madison, where my bundles are delivered, has seen a lot of traffic. For example:
September 2, 1897, St Lukes Hospital opened its doors in a two story building at Sprague and Madison. Over the next year, it cared for an average of 11 patients a day at a cost of $1.24 daily. The hospital moved to Summit Blvd. in 1904 and to S711 Cowley in 1969.
1909 saw the completion of a new three story brick building on the south side of Sprague between Monroe and Madison known as the Royal Hotel.
June 28, 1920 Ground breaking ceremonies on new labor temple for the Carpenter’s Union were held on Madison between Riverside and Sprague.
July 16, 1934 Hull-Rodell Motors moved into new quarters at the northwest corner of Sprague and Madison with a complete line of De Soto and Plymouth cars. The company has Inland Empire distributorship rights for both cars.
Here is a link to the Chronicle for that day. It has a nice photo of Paul Hull, owner, and the new streamlined 1934 Desoto Airflow in front of their new home.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19340716&printsec=frontpage
***this link doesn’t work. Needs the real photo imbed to contrast with current
So, you can see, it was like a storefront, but there was no glass. This was the bland NW corner where my bundles were tossed.
Looking around, on the southwest corner of Sprague and Madison there was a three story brick parking garage equipped with an elevator to raise cars to the upper floors. This building was capable of storing about 300 autos and it seems like it was used mostly for long term storage. I remember tarp covered cars parked in here. The Army Transport Terminal was located here during the 40s, before that it was the Motor Transport Company.
On the southeast corner was a parking lot bounded by posts and chain. It was for the Fox Theater and adjoining businesses.
***current photo
On the northeast corner of Sprague and Madison was Callahan’s Café. They had pretty good food, and terrific fountain cokes, cherry and/or chocolate being my favorites, and pinball. Pinball was still pretty rare in Spokane, having been illegal too long before.
Dec 21, 1949 Spokane pinball ban is effective at midnight tonight. Machines must be unplugged and the coin slots taped while they wait to be moved out of business establishments, said Commissioner Carl D. Canwell.
During my time there, Callihan’s upgraded to a brand new “Balls a Poppin” pinball by Bally.
This was very advanced pinball for the time. It was the first to release multiple balls at one time as a reward. It was also very noisy and prone to breakage. I love this model; it had a wide body and the old fashion lightbox scoring style on the backglass. I actually had one for a while, but had trouble keeping it running. I will come up with a better photo later.
Of course, with the old style pinballs, that actually had 5 balls, it was possible to push all five balls up and shoot them at the same time. It was an extravagant game player style usually only seen when alcohol was involved. Not for us, we savored every shot.
The waitresses and or the manager at Calihan’s didn’t like the pinball or kids hanging around after the Cokes were finished. We didn’t even know about tipping.
Next stop was the Sportsman’s Billiards. They refused to subscribe, preferring to pay cash, a dime every day. A big gruff guy with gravelly voice, looked like he might have been a professional fighter, ran book on the blackboard, answering the pay phone. I remember him explaining to me how it was in my best interest to get cash every day. I used to hang around waiting for my papers until they would toss me out. They had bingo machines. “For Amusement Only!” These machines made a fascinating clicking noise as they idled. They were actually quite sophisticated analog computers.
This one is in my living room.
I got tossed one time for pushing a button on an unattended machine one day, and a pool player making a scene and the operator paid him off with rolls of nickels, but gave him a bunch of advice along with it. Bingo machines were a mature version of pinball. More complicated, more expensive. if you don’t know about bingo machines here is a link that can explain everything, “For Amusement Only”.
Guy Mitchell’s “Singing the Blues” was very popular on their jukebox.
***singing the blues link?
Jan 7, 1931 Edward A. Weiber and Harry Psaltis have taken a three year lease on the storeroom in the Stanford Hotel Building Sprague and Madison and will open a cigar store and pool room following remodeling. The building is owned by the Inland Finance company Rental on the room is $5100 for the three year period, according to AW Johnston, president of the company.
Above the pool hall was the Stanford Hotel, W1028 Sprague. It was a straight up stairs with no landing.
***current photo use back entrance of Montvale
There was always a bunch of old people hanging out in the second floor lobby smoking and watching the black and white TV. I remember playing with a white kitten that scratched the hell out of me and still I played with it.
One of my customers here claimed to be writing “humor in uniform” and “my favorite character”, etc blurbs for Readers Digest. He had a typewriter. That was pretty unusual in this neighborhood. He showed me several articles that he claimed to have written. I was dubious, thinking that maybe he had just copied them from old magazines. Then again, he did have that typewriter.
April 25, 1910 construction was started on the construction of a four story building, the Stanford Hotel on the second lot east of the northeast corner of Sprague and Madison for C. H. Jones of Jones and Dillingham that will represent an investment of $95,000.
These next two items came during my time on the route.
Dec 14, 1956, A man police said was caught pouring gasoline on the hall floors of the Stanford Hotel was being held today for questioning. Irvin C. Rovinson, hotel clerk, said two occupants of the top floor of the building saw the prisoner shaking gasoline over the floors from a quart beer bottle. One asked what the suspect was doing and quoted the man as saying, “I’m going to burn up the place.”
I always wondered why they mopped the hallways that one time. That WAS unusual.
Dec 26, 1956 Sanford Hotel resident, Harold Albert Ebling Jr., 19 was arrested by police and admitted six recent burglaries and a car theft, all in the downtown area.
The next place was the Bell Hotel, W1026 Sprague. The stairs were not so steep and there was a landing half way up. There was a kid living here for a while, related to manager, we hung out for a while. He showed me fun games with the trash chute in back that ran all the way down to the ground, unchecked. It was awesome the stuff you could toss down there and the racket it would make on the way down. This made the laundry chute at Summit look like child’s play.
It was an especially satisfying place to dispose of the wires and wrappers from my newspaper bundles. There was a fine if they were found on your corner. Being only a block away from the Chronicle, I couldn’t even leave the wrapper from one bundle with the other bundles on the corner without somebody from the paper picking it up and a fine showing up in my mail. There must have been a bounty.
The manager and residents of the Bell and the other hotels didn’t appreciate tossing this refuse down their chutes, either, for several reasons. One was the noise; the other was the tendency of the wires to clog the chute.
The Bell Hotel had a lot of history, some of it made the news..
August 16, 1933, the Spokane Daily Chronicle
PUT HONEY BOY IN CITY BASTILE
Gordon (Honey Boy) Edwards, 21, boxer, who escaped amid a fusillade of shots from the guns of police officers Sunday night was lodged in the city jail Tuesday on a third degree assault charge. He was arrested on a warrant which charges he assaulted his wife and Florence Baker, landlady of the Bell Hotel. Detectives Sexsmith and Albright first attempted to serve the warrant Sunday, but Edwards leaped from a hotel window and ran west on Riverside, finally disappearing down the embankment into Peaceful Valley. He was arrested at the Commercial Hotel, W1115 First, by Detectives Akers and Ralatin. Waldemer Herrick, 40, who police claim has been giving Edwards shelter during the time police have been searching for him, was given a 60 day suspended jail sentence for vagrancy in police court today.
***Name needed East of the Bell Hotel was a tavern or bar. I remember winos sitting in the booth shitting their pants with apple wine. The smell of the place coming out the open door was awful. The bar was next to the alley. December 14, 1931 article indicated the Good Fellows’ Headquarters at W1024 Sprague, that wasn’t it for sure.
Across the street was the Darby Hotel, W1021 1/2 Sprague. The Darby went all the way through the block and also had an entrance at 1022 1/2 First Avenue. The front desk was on the second floor, in the middle. There were stairs down to both Sprague and First Avenue entrances.
There was a popular watering hole next to the Darby, on the Sprague Ave side, that I don’t have the name for yet. Some of these nicer drinking establishments, I would stick my head in and ask if anyone needed a paper, especially on days when I had extras.
Back across Sprague, (I was one of Spokane’s many jaywalkers) was the Albany Hotel at W1020 1/2 Sprague. This hotel was previously the State Hotel in 1941. This was above the Star Leather Company.
Star Leather Co W1018 Sprague MA 4-6910. They sold boots, saddles and tack. I purchased a nice leather holster for my newspaper punch here.
The Fox Theater was across the street. The Guertin & Ross music Co. was in the storefront at the corner, W. 908 Sprague. There was little chance of selling a paper here; the retail sales folks tightly controlled these corners. West of the theater entrance there were several small business offices, like the Cascade Industrial Loan Company at W1013 Sprague and the Lee Frame Shop, W1021 Sprague.
July 31, 1957 Spokane Daily
Chronicle
NEW ELVIS MOVIE DRAWS FULL HOUSE; WINDOW IS BROKEN
What police described as the biggest box office line-up of youngsters in their experience developed today for the opening of the Elvis Presley movie, “Loving You,” at the Fox Theater. Part of the big turnout was attributed to a special on-stage show in connection with the picture. At show time there were no injuries, but pressure of the crowd of young people near the Fox entrance broke out a display window of the Wurlitzer Organ Company at the corner of Sprague and Monroe. With every one of the more than 2600 seats in the Fox filled, the fire department sent a detail to add to the five police already on duty there. The line started to form at 9 a.m. and two hours later extended more than three blocks around the Fox. Much of the crowd was made up of children under 12 taking advantage of a bargain admission price. The rest were teen0agers, with a preponderance of girls, and almost no adults. Inside, the big crowd of young people was noisy but not disorderly.
August 31, 1957 Elvis performs in Spokane. Here is a link to the Chronicle pictures and article reviewing the event.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19570831&printsec=frontpage
Dec 21, 1957 Spokane Daily Chronicle
ARMY SENDS FOR ELVIS
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 21. UP- Elvis will report January 20(1958) for induction into the army—unless Hollywood manages to have it put off eight weeks. Draft board “greetings” for the 22 year-old rock ‘n’ roll idol arrived yesterday. He accepted with far more calm than his manager or Paramount Pictures. “I’m kinda proud of it.” He said with a cheerful wink. “It’s a duty I’ve got to fill and I’m going to do it. Daddy’s already told me to be a good soldier or bust.” There was nothing cheerful at Paramount. In Hollywood, studio head Y. Frank Freeman said if Presley can’t show up as scheduled January 13 (1958) the studio will loose $300,000 already sunk in preparing to film “King Creole.” And there was nothing cheerful about the situation to Presley’s manager, Tom Parker of Nashville, Tenn., who can’t help but think of the drop in income. Parker said the draft notice would cost Presley $500,000 in gross income immediately. Beyond that, he said, it would be difficult to estimate. Parker said the income tax loss to the government next year, with Presley in uniform would amount to at least $500,000, not to mention the cost of his upkeep.
On page 2 of this same Chronicle issue with the Elvis article, is a report on the first production 707 leaving the Boeing plant at Renton. They mistake it for a Stratoliner, which came off the line back in the thirties. It’s that “coastie” thing at work again. Both articles have pictures. Check it out.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19571221&printsec=frontpage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_707
Kitty corner, across Sprague and Monroe from the Fox Theater were the newspaper buildings, back to back. The Spokesman Review building red brick, with a pointed tower, faced Riverside. The pristine white Chronicle building, the main entrance was on Sprague Avenue.
***current photos
I remember the strong odors of paper and ink were as familiar as lilac, as I pushed through the heavy doors into the Chronicle building. Past the doors you were on a fancy glassed in catwalk above the pressroom, and you could feel the rumble of the presses.
From this catwalk you could watch huge rolls of newsprint being delivered to a trap door in the sidewalk on Sprague Avenue. It made a thunderous roar when these massive rolls went down the chute from the truck into the basement, where they were caught on a mini railroad for positioning.
Through the windows on the west side of the brass trimmed catwalk were the high-speed black and white presses. Installed while I watched, in 1956, the nine-unit Gos Headliner could really move the newsprint, up to 52,500 papers, of 72 pages each, per hour in a straight run. Of course getting a straight run that long would be a minor miracle. Everything would be going fine, when the paper would tear, there would be a shouted oath and the bell would ring as the presses shut down.
We watched the pressmen working below us on the catwalk. Each wore a distinctive hat of folded newsprint. The folding of newspapers was an art. There were the different pressmen hats and the many techniques used by newsboys to achieve the perfect trajectory with the newspaper. While this was of little use to me in the land of walk up hotels, it was something all newsboys just had to learn. I remember the square, the casual oblong, the roll, and the tomahawk.
When the pressroom crew had the presses loaded, a bell would ring, and the presses would begin to turn very slowly. When the operators determined that everything was right, the bell would ring again, and then came the big hum, and the speed would increase until the moving newsprint was a blur coming over the rollers.
On the other side of the enclosed catwalk, the color machines were visible, slower, but fascinating to watch, as the different colors were added to make the complete image.
I had a souvenir linotype slug from the Chronicle that had the Lord’s Prayer inscribed on it. It took a good magnifying glass to read it. The linotype operators could really do some industrial strength typing.
After the pages were cut and folded, the finished newspapers, sections inserted, came streaming down the belt, just like in the movies.
Also fun to watch was the line that put the bundles together, each with the precise amount of papers and the “mail” for that route in place just so before it went to a machine that swept the wire around, compressed the bundle and tied the wire in a flash. The baling machine itself was fascinating to watch. One slip by the operator would have been huge.
Along the Monroe side of the Review building was a row of bays where the orange metro vans would back up to the loading dock with a conveyor belt that carried the completed bundles.
The circulation department was in the Review building on the second floor. A row of cashier windows was manned on Saturday mornings to take payments from newsboys from all over the city. Saturdays, the place was a madhouse. The Chronicle had about 400 “carrier-salesmen”, and the Review probably more. It didn’t take long to learn that you should have your change rolled and the proper amount of cash ready before you got there.
***current photo
On Riverside, the Review had a revolving door. You don’t see revolving doors much anymore. This must have for spinning the staff returning from the premises next door. The Chieftain tavern was the hangout for newspaper staff and was much higher class place than most of the dives on Route 1104. I got in here a couple of times with my Route Manager, Ron Hull. He drove a green Olds 88, and spent a lot of time in it chasing newsboys, trying to get them organized.
At night the Spokesman Review tower was lit with synchronized bands of light, vertical and horizontal, very high tech and visible all over town.
The Georgia Hotel, W916 1/2 Sprague was next to the Chronicle. It burned during the time I was working there. They fixed it up, painted the hallway with spackle paint and started getting the old stink back to cover the smoke and paint smell.
***It must have burned down again, it is some kind of garden now, current photo
Can’t say that I remember the Fountain Tavern at W925 Sprague, but found evidence it was there. Was it on the corner? Perhaps it was taken over in the expansion of the Moose Club.
***currnt photo, now it’s the knitting barn
Across the street from the Chronicle building on Sprague was the Moose Lodge, at W921 Sprague This place was pretty fancy, with dark blue windows. I could never sell them any papers, but not for lack of trying. This building was destroyed by fire April 27, 1964.
Next door to the Moose was the Heidelberg Tavern at W919 Sprague. I remember the bartender here coming out to pull parking tickets off his car and those of his customers.
June 12, 1955, Heidelberg Tavern W919 Sprague liquor license suspended two weeks, for serving a minor.
Dec 5, 1955 Burglary report. The Heidelberg Tavern, W919 Sprague, was entered through a trap door into a restroom. Missing were $9 in change from a cigar box, $1.50 from the cash register and an undetermined amount of money from a bowling game machine. A door at the Red Cross quarters, W1022 Sprague was forced by burglars. Nothing apparently was taken. About 20 pennies was all that was reported taken in a burglary at the Top Notch Café, N825 Monroe.
Hop’s Carmel Crisp Shop, W917 Sprague, was next to the Heidelberg, on the south side of the street. This was the shop that made salt water taffy and caramel corn. They had the taffy machine in the window that stretched the taffy over and over. It smelled so good all down the street.
***Name needed W915 or therebouts Sprague. Search for name by address is tough, it was probably ½ something. Next was the Pierce Hotel. I still need to confirm the address.
The Pierce Hotel was next on the south side of Sprague. This was the hotel where the manager kept trying to molest me. He put out racy magazines(they always had a black bar across the tits in those days) to get me to hang around. He repeatedly tried to get nasty. One time he thought he had me trapped in the corridor, but I got away by going down the fire escape in back. It was one of those weight activated mechanisms that lowered to the ground. I almost didn’t have enough weight to make it work. Besides the racket it made, it set off an alarm and made a hell of a racket. He had to run back to the office and try to explain that. Later on, his wife caught him with his dick out and put an end to that shit. HE was afraid of ME after that.
***current photo
Continuing on route 1104 was the State Theater, W901 Sprague Ave. The building also housed Nissen’s “Palace of Flowers”, and a photo studio. This was on the southeast corner of Sprague and Lincoln, route 1104 turned the corner, heading south on Lincoln.
***Name S000 block of Lincoln; State Hotel?
Hotel on Lincoln, between Sprague and First, my recollection is that it was above part of the State Theater. what was the name? Bad customers on 2nd floor, wouldn’t pay, heard them having sex, but they wouldn’t answer the door. “Why are you so interested in sex all of a sudden, Honey?” I wouldn’t let up with the hammering on the door.
The Congress hotel used to be the YWCA and was on the northwest corner of First
and Lincoln. The storefront housed a watch maker. Possibly they repaired
violins and other instruments too. There was a walkdown entrance.
On the southeast corner of First and Lincoln was the YMCA. They used to make a good hot dog at the snack bar, and it was a place where nobody would yell at a kid for hanging out. It was an old building and they were talking about moving even then.
***this is all wrong. It was Sharon Riley that got the straight A’s and the Corvette. I talked to Gerry Featherly in Spokane. It was Sharon Riley’s mother that managed the Lincoln Hotel. Move the Nat Park segment to Lidstone’s route.
Opposite the YMCA on Lincoln was the Lincoln Hotel, S112 Lincoln. It might have been owned by the Nat Park people, some of the family lived there. The name was Vogel.
In 1909 Charles I.D. Looff built a beautiful carousel with 54 horses and gave it to his daughter, Emma, as a wedding present, when she married Louis Vogel. The ride was installed at Natatorium Park.
Louis Vogel purchased Nat Park in 1929. Lloyd Vogel, his son, was operating the Nat Park in the 50s, having worked for his father there for many years. Louis passed away in 1952 at the age of 73.
The Vogel home was inside the park. Actually, there were two homes. The most visible was near the main entrance, but another was closer to the river. Lloyd’s daughter, Gerry Featherly, was in my class at North Central and received a new yellow Corvette convertible for her sixteenth birthday. Way out of my league.
March 31, 1956 Nat Park to open tomorrow with Easter celebration. Free easter eggs and free rides. The gibbon ape that loved to throw feces at the kids was “Goldie”. “Boooooop, Booooop, Booooop.”
In 1962 Lloyd’s ex wife forced the sale of the park, because he wasn’t paying her the percentage of the take specified in the divorce. The El Katif Shrine eventually purchased Nat Park.
May 17, 1963 Lloyd fell while working on the highest part of the roller coaster, breaking several two by four supports on the way down. He dragged himself more than two blocks to his home and called police for help.
1964 Lloyd went to New York City to do the fireworks for the World’s Fair. Lloyd was 58 when he died in October 1965 in Queens, N.Y. in a fall from a building.
1967 Nat Park is sold to new owners, C. W. “Bill” Oliver and Jack Eyerly of Eugene, who declared their intentions to renovate and refurbish the park add new rides and bring back the splendor of the old days. This was to be it’s last season.
1968 Natatorium Park was closed, sold to developers, and converted into a trailer park.
November 21, 1983, 18 years after Lloyds death, his ashes turn up at Smith Funeral Home. Turns out they had a store room full of urns that they had “forgotten” to place in their final resting places. Gerry Featherly, now Sperling, Lloyd’s only living relative was contacted and she personally made sure that his ashes were placed in the crypt at Fairmont where they were supposed to have been all those years. Gerry was a High School principle at the time.
Floyd was an instructor pilot for the army. He had a bad year in 1940. He was Involved in a crash that killed a pedestrian at Monroe and Mallon and was tried and acquitted for negligent homicide. Later, he got into trouble with Employment Security about whether his employees were seasonal or not. He complained that the taxes had been raised and raised, that the bus lines had taken away his direct run and a number of other problems. The city had built competing free pools and baseball fields. With city government viewing the park as competition, the deck had been stacked against Nat Park from the beginning. He was a good guy.
We lived on Summit Boulevard, right above the park. When we first heard the Jack Rabbit chain fire up in the spring, we would rush down the trail in front of our house into the park, sometimes Lloyd would give us free rides while they were testing the coaster. If you don’t do any other link on this page, do this one, ride the Jack Rabbit. The only thing missing in this simulation is the crash and jerk as the car caught the chain going up the big hill.
http://natpark.org/VirtualJackRabbit.html
***8mm home movie footage via utube?
The Towne Centre Hotel/Motel, W901 First was on the SW corner of First and Lincoln. They called it a Motel because they had a little bit of parking; you still had to walkup the stairs to the lobby in the old hotel.
Next, Route 1104 passed the Press Club at W909 First. This was a private club, there was never anything going on when I came around. Occasionally I could hear rehearsing. They would never sign up for a paper, but I sold a few loose ones from time to time. One of the few remaining, establishments still going on Route 1104, the Press Club is now Dempsey’s. I’ll have to stop in for a cold one.
Next stop was the Henry apartments at W927 ½ First. The Henry was renowned for the boiling cabbage odor that never left the place. The hallways were lighted with the dimmest bulbs available. It spanned two buildings, and there was a slight level difference between. Right by that bit of stairs, there was a stinky old lady that tried to corner me all the time. She had some kind of ointment, whew. I soon learned never to let them get between you and the door, no matter how nice they were. One time in the Henry, three sailors pushed me into a bedroom with the teenage daughter of the woman they were trying to get to “put out” in the kitchen. She was more scared than I was.
This article was in one of those papers I delivered, April 18, 1957. It is a page 1 article with photo
WATER CASCADES ON BUSY CORNER
Man-made rain sprinkled over the Monroe and First intersection just after 11 a.m. today when a geyser of water spouted 45 feet into the air from a broken city water main valve. The uncharted valve, about 40 inches below the surface of First, was hit by a power shovel bucket. Water sprayed over a wide area, soaking the street as well as the fronts and roofs of buildings on the southeast corner. Some water leaked through the skylight of the Henry apartments W927 ½ First, but no damage resulted. The West End Drug Store and an adjacent café had a free window washing, but no water got inside. Shovel Operator Charles Kimerly, employed by Contractor C.C. Weipert, dropped the shovel’s bucket over the geyser until the flow was shut off by a city water department crew. A 40-inch deep ditch, extending to the center of First, rapidly filled with water and had to be pumped out to prevent weakening the pavement.
James Keith, forman for the AAA construction company, said the old water valve was not shown on blue prints. The shovel was digging a trench for a new two-inch water line to serve the Sandifur office building under construction at Monroe and First. Keith said thery were down 40 inches when the tap was hit. City charts show the main to be 5 feet below street level. “Earlier this week we struck a steam line that was 30 feet from where it was charted.” Keith said.“We also hit a live gas main that wasn’t shown at all.” The gas line had been capped under the old service station.
On page two of this same edition was this article. I had no idea how this was going to change my life.
AIR FORCE TO CURB PRODUCTION OF B-52
Washington, April 18. (UP) The air force announced today that production of the B-52 strategic jet bomber will be leveled off at “substantially the present rate of 15 per month” instead of going up to 20 a month, as proposed last year. The B-52 is the backbone of this country’s long-range atomic striking force. The announcement said the change in plans did not affect the total number of 603 planes projected for the B-52 fleet. It will extend the production period by about six months, the air force said. This will mean that the B-52 production program would be due for completion in the latter part of 1959.
Senator Jackson (D-Wash.) said Secretary of the Air Force Quarles wrote him that one reason for the decision to level off production was the progress made on the B-58. The Convair B-58 is in the medium bomber class, but Secretary of Defense Wilson said recently that some people think of it as a possible successor to the heavy B-52. “While the B-58 flight tests have not been completed.” Quarles wrote Jackson, “results to date have been favorable to the continuation of the B-58 program.”
The new production schedule, the air force said, will make possible delivery of a “substantially greater proportion of a model-improved version of the B-52 which will have much better performance than the current model.” This presumably means the improved models have a greater range than the 6000 miles, without refueling, of the first models of the bomber. It also could mean some increase in speed and operating altitude.
Fairchild air force base officials said the over-all B-52 production change will not bring about a change in deliveries of the new bomber to Fairchild. Col. Clarence A. Neely, 92 bomb wing commander, reported he has received no word of changes. The base still has only one bomber, with the big deliveries of B-52 aircraft scheduled for May.
***here is a candidate for a current photo
Carr Electric was along here and is still going.
Up Monroe, on the west side, was the Montvale Apartments. This place had a large open center space with rooms around. The doors had glass transoms above. One customer here insisted that I should toss his paper over his transom when he wasn’t home. I remember the sound of breaking glass after tossing the folded paper over the transom. It sounded like it must have cleared off the table. They never said anything about it. The Montvale is still there and looks real nice from the outside.
On the SW corner of first and Monroe was Kilmer and Sons, a large hardware Store. I remember buying a sander in here. This store had been there a long time, I found a 1914 reference.
The Odd Fellows Temple was at W1017 First. The fraternal organizations were a tough sell.
The New Madison, next door, was probably the nicest building on Route 1104 and I had nearly fifty customers here. The building even had an elevator. I would ride the elevator to the fifth floor and then work my way down using the stairs, making a circle on each floor sliding newspapers under my customer’s doors.
Ella Bangs in 501 at the New Madison was one of my favorite customers, right from the beginning. She looked like a nice old lady, but don’t be fooled, she worked for the Spokane Police Department as a detective, and was sharp as a tack.
Out the back windows of the New Madison I remember watching factory workers spot box cars by hand on the elevated NP railroad tracks just behind. How often to you see folks moving rail cars around by hand these days?
March 21, 1906 Frank P. Hogan is having plans drawn for a five story brick building to be erected at the southeast corner of First and Madison. The entire fifth floor will be used by the Blair Business College and arrangements have been perfected for fitting up the fifth floor according to the desires of the college. The first floor of the block will be used as a carriage repository, while the next three floors will be occupied by a hotel.
March 5, 1908 Madison Hotel hosted J. M. Acheson Company showroom on ground floor.
July 1, 1931 The Atlantic Hotel with 212 Rooms, was converted into the New Madison Apartments 125 light housekeeping apartments.
July 10, 1943 The New Madison Hotel, First and Madison, will be remodeled by the government to provide 106 apartments for war workers, Ray W. Beil, manager of the Spokane War Housing center, said today. The apartments will be ready for occupancy in December. Rents will be $38 to $60 per month, including utilities.
August 6, 1946 Dr. R. A. Hann was murdered by Delbert “Frenchy” Visger in apartment 317.
August 13, 1946 sold for $200,000.
June 28, 1947 Frenchy’s trial begins.
Jan 24, 1952 Fire at New Madison started in the basement under the Coleman Coffee Shop. All of the tenants were taken across Madison to the Earle Hotel.
2007 Tenants evicted for yet another remodeling. The new new Madison will become 65 units.
As I became more proficient on route 1104, I delivered the New Madison and Otis first. They were the best customers. I rarely got stiffed here, and they tipped the best. They liked that they could have the Final Fireside at their door before the Red Streak hit the stands. It might have been for the scores, or race results. Word got out and my circulation numbers kept going up.
The Otis Hotel was the last stop in the route book for route 1104. They also had an elevator, an Otis elevator. I used the same technique of riding the elevator just once to the top, making a circle on each floor, coming down on the stairs. There were some horny buggers lived here too. The trick was never let them get between you and the door.
January 19, 1952 Earl Hotel S110 Madison advertised price $6 per week.
February 3, 1953 holdup at the Earle Hotel.
December 1, 1959 from the Spokane Daily Chronicle;
KELLOG MAN HELD IN CASE
Accused of altering a $10 reserve note to a $20 bill. Norman E. Prue, 34, Kellogg, was arrested last night at a downtown Spokane Theater. Detective M.A. Clinton said in a report Prue admitted altering the $10 bill and raising it to $20. Clinton reported Prue gave the altered bill to the cashier at the State Theater and was given $18.75 in change. The alteration soon was noted and police were called to the theater and Prue was pointed out.
Clinton reported Prue took him and Secret Service Agent Norm Sheridan to his room in the Otis Hotel where they found ink, carbon paper and other materials usted to alter the bill. Police turned Prue over to United States Marshal Darrell Holmes. Prue was held in the county jail in lieu of $1000 bond, set at a preliminary hearing today before United States Commissioner Victor J. Felice.
At the Otis, I received permission to put a few papers on the end of the check in desk at the Otis. On top of the stack I put a cigar box that I had cut a slot in the top, painted white with a red ten cents sign. So, each night, I put my extras on the counter, the desk clerk got to read the latest paper for free, and I picked up a few bucks. This was big time newsboy dealing and frowned upon by the retail department. I had to fight off some flack.
The Earle Grill and Lounge was next door and connected to the Otis Hotel. While trying to sell a subscription to a drunk in here one evening I first saw the routine that I recognized when Bill Cosby made it famous. “Wuz dat chew sport? En the heber sober saben”, etc, etc.
While selling subscriptions, these drunks could get you cornered, and I had to listen how he had everything, home, wife, kids, and car; lost it all because of booze and bad wimmen. It had a good effect on me, there were a lot of these guys around that had ruined their lives with bad habits. I try and make sure that doesn’t happen to me. So far so good.
Looking west on First at Madison Street
Historical Spokane photos compliments of the Hillyard Yacht Club at Hillyardbay.com. Thanks and a tip of the hat!
Here is a Google maps street view link that shows the New Madison renovation. Spin the view around to the right to see the modern version of same view in the photograph. First and Madison, Spokane WA (2008?)
The bus depot was a bustling, modern facility, with a large pull through bay. Busses entered off Sprague and pulled out onto First Avenue. Greyhound offered seven departures to Seattle daily. A Vistacruiser is seen departing the depot in this morning scene.
The game room at the bus depot had quite a few pinballs. That was the main attraction there for me. The only bus I remember taking here was the charter fleet of greyhounds that took the load of us paperboys on the annual trip to Seattle. For 1000 points the newspaper would ship you off to Seattle for three days.
The “Paper” ran contests for newsboys. Points were awarded for signing up new customers. These points could be saved up to redeem merchandise or take a trip. I racked up enough points to pick up one of those new transistor radios. Such an improvement over tubes, It was a GE four transistor model. I also took the field trip to Seattle, which was a lot of points.
If you could convince a new subscriber to sign up for 13 weeks, you received 50 points. Myself, I used to sign up drunks by offering them a week free. After the free week, if they wouldn’t pay for the second week, I just forgot about it and sold the paper elsewhere without bothering to notify the “paper” of the cancellation. I don’t know how the suburban paperboys managed to get their points.
There was also a trip to Disneyland that was 3200 points, I never came close. Disneyland was new and Walt was still alive. It would have been a good time to go.
But, at only 1000 points, I was told that the trip to Seattle was a do not miss by many of my newsboy friends. So early in the morning I reported to the Bus Depot, and was assigned to one of the of six chartered Greyhound busses for the trip to Seattle.
It was surprising how many kids puked. There was one adult assigned to each bus for the purposes of keeping order. It wasn’t near enough. The kids were yelling and cheering and encouraging the drivers to race. Whenever one bus managed to pass another there was much jeering and flipping of fingers to the kids in the other bus. It was a memorable trip.
In Seattle, they put us up at the Frye Hotel, two to a room. My roomie and I had never been out of town on our own before. With all those other kids to corrupt us, we raised an incredible amount of hell in the Hotel and the restaurant next door, where there was a cigarette machine they tried to keep us away from.
The next day we visited the waterfront, including Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, where I purchased a foot long cigarette holder because it was cool? Saw the mummy, played grab ass with a lot of kids. The shop is still there and on-line too.
http://www.yeoldecuriosityshop.com/
http://www.theseattletraveler.com/2006/11/meet-your-mummy-at-ye-olde-curiosity-shop/
We rode the Black Ball Ferry to Bremerton. This was before state government decided they could do a better job of running the ferries. Now Governor Gregoire wants to sell them back to Black Ball. Elliott Bay was an awful lot of water for an inland kid. It seemed like the ocean to me. The cigarette machines on the ferry were unsupervised and we went crazy. It was a long boring ride for us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_State_Ferries
http://www.king5.com/news/business/Governor-explore-privatization-of-state-ferries-97116299.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puget_Sound_Navigation_Company
At Bremerton we were provided with a tour of the “Mighty Mo”, the USS Missouri, where the Japanese surrendered, marking the end of WW II. Another treat was the opportunity to eat in the Navy mess. It was great, both the tour and the chow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Missouri_%28BB-63%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puget_Sound_Naval_Shipyard_and_Intermediate_Maintenance_Facility
The trip back on the ferry was less frantic. Back in Seattle we had a little free time and were then herded to the Cinerama. Cinerama at that time used three projectors on a curved screen and although you could faintly see where the sections came together, the effect was tremendous. The film was “Cinerama Holiday” and the rollercoaster scenes had the kids going real good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinerama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Cinerama
http://calzephyr.railfan.net/cinerama.html
The next day was the Seattle Zoo, not such an exciting deal, but that night we were bussed to Playland. I was an old hand at amusement parks, having lived right above Natatorium Park but Playland had different stuff. It was great. And with all these bus loads of kids descending on the place at once it was kind of like Tilicum in Spokane, but with the cover of darkness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_Lake,_Seattle
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=3562
Here are a few things that I remember being different from Nat; The fun house was sort of a castle. Inside, it was dark, and there were sections were you were walking on different stuff like cushions. There were barred second story windows where you could look out on the midway.
During a shower, the inside carpet golf attraction was pretty cool. Balls hit into a hole or corner might go out of sight, into a pipe and come shooting out in a totally unexpected place. Not knowing the course made it a lot of laughs, more fun than normal putt putt.
The “Dipper” roller coaster had a section with a lot of small bounces, my brand new pack of cigarettes came flying out of my pocket. Reaching down for them I smashed my face on the grab bar. Since I was somewhat of an expert on the “Jack Rabbit”, Nat Park roller coaster in Spokane, this one fooled me, and it hurt.
Playland had a very popular splash boat ride, called the “Chute the Chutes”. There were always long lines for this ride, having better things to do than stand in line, I never did get to try it.
There had been a “Chute the Chutes” at Nat Park, but that was before my time. It had been replaced by a driving ride with electric cars by the time I arrived on the scene.
At Playland, the one adult per bus supervision ratio was spread very thin. It was no use, there couldn’t have been enough supervision to control this many kids getting their first taste of freedom and overdose of nicotine. Under cover of darkness, we pretty much terrorized the place. There was a visible sign of relief when we were rounded up and put back on those busses.
Back at the Frye Hotel, water balloons had been discovered, and the elevators were suffering some serious newsboy induced problems. The adult supervision was having a “meeting” elsewhere. The Frye was a seven story building, but even from the fifth floor a water balloon was moving pretty good when it hit the sidewalk. Hotel management was threatening to call the cops.
On the bus ride back to Spokane, there was a lot more illness than on the way over. Our supervision in particular was not feeling well at all. They had enjoyed their own party while we wrecked the Hotel. Some drawings of the “Little Wonder Fucking Machine” that were circulating on the bus was the first porn I had ever seen. There were milk shake cups filled with puke circulating on the bus. I was very glad to get off that bus by the time we got back to Spokane.
In Spokane, the “Paper” had little unmarked sheds scattered around the city in which newsboy meetings were held, morale was boosted, free goodies dispensed and orders handed down. Awards were handed out for getting the most new sign-ups or the fewest complaints, or the coolest hat, whatever the route manager could think up.
We would find the notice of a meeting in our “mail”. They were always scheduled rather late, so that all routes could be delivered first. The route manager, Ron Hull in my case, conducted the meetings.
He gave away some pretty cool prizes. There were lots of tools and toys and candy. Not just single candy bars, but whole boxes of candy bars. A whole box of Almond Hersheys was a good prize. Or a case of Can-O-Pop, they had just started selling pop in cans. You needed a church key to open them.
By the time I was a seasoned newsboy, I would get out of school, ride my bike downtown and have a large chocolate coke at Callihan’s, while waiting for my papers. Afterward I finished my route, I would stop at the Four Freedoms Café, N114 Jefferson.
The Four Freedoms was a great cafe across First from the Bus Depot. They did a very good T-bone steak, and the waitresses there took good care of me. Then I would play a little pinball on the single tic tac toe pinball at the café. It was easy to win on, they paid off with candy bars because I was a kid. Then I would go across the street to the game room at the Bus Depot for some more pinball, and pedal home in time for supper.
I left my paperboy equipment in a locker at the Bus Depot rather than drag it home and to school and back to the route. Over the weekends the station manager confiscated my stuff a few times, until we came to an agreement where I would use a certain locker.
After a year or so I had the opportunity to take over another route, number 1102. Route 1102 went west to Cedar Street and east to Riverside.
General area of route 1102 in yellow.
Driving around this area in Google Maps, shows that the hotel survival rate in this area has been better. The Buena Vista Apartments, across from the Main Library still looks prosperous, as does the San Marco at 1229 Riverside.
***link
The Crest Hotel at 1224 W. Riverside, perched on the hillside was an interesting place, you can see from the photo. In 1956 The Elks were offered an option to purchase 10 lots west of their temple, extending from Smith funeral home to the Crest Hotel for 125000. They didn’t bite.
The Crest Hotel is the red brick structure in the right foreground.
Some of the adjacent structures had already been taken down the time this photograph was taken. The Crest was extremely rickety! Entering from street level on Riverside, you could go both up and down. The fire escape, down the back of the building was a very scary adventure. I took a few kids out there to scare the hell out of them.
The Crest had many, many stairs. We shook up the desk clerk one Saturday when we showed up armed with movie camera and the intention to photograph. They really didn’t believe we wouldn’t take photos of the deficiencies, a much better story than the Spokane Falls. We should have just smuggled the camera equipment in a newspaper bag.
***8mm footage via utube?
Route 1102 went down Riverside past the Masonic Lodge, and Spokane Club. Our Lady of Lourdes is across the street. While not a good newspaper sales area, it is high class real estate and pretty much unchanged today.
My buddy Lidstone and sometimes my brother, would go around the route with me on occasion. On Saturdays I would have company when I went downtown early to “pay my bill” at the circulation department. That gave us plenty of time to hang out downtown before the papers were delivered. There were lots of things for kids to do downtown.
Some of the places we liked to visit were:
The Fun and Fancy Novelty Company, W828 Sprague. It was a magic and joke shop on Sprague I think. In one of their front windows” they had about 100 of those light activated spinners in a globe with spotlights shining on them to make them twirl like crazy.
***photo
East of the Fun and Fancy was The Town Topper, and then a shop that sold all kinds of badges and cool stuff. PM Jacoys was further down the street at Sprague and Washington. They had a lunch counter, pinball machines magazines and all kinds of tobacco.
The John W. Graham Store, “If it’s made of paper, we have it”, was another good place for toys games, and models. It was a big place, 701-711 W. Sprague, 708-716 First. At Christmas time they went all out.
McCoy’s Hobby Shop was on the west side of Lincoln, between Riverside and Sprague. They had some huge model engines that I thought were very cool. Instead I bought 049 engines and supplies to power a plastic hydro that was one of my Chronicle prizes, and various other things we cooked up. Remember the sore finger from starting those little devils? You hooked up a dry cell to the glow plug, primed it with a eyedropper of fuel and flipped the propeller. They could start either forward or backward.
Thimble Drome 049 engine and Water Wizard hydros
Here is a link to a very interesting article about the inventor; Leroy Cox and his company.
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/cox.htm
Another cool thing they sold was a crystal radio shaped like rocket ship.
No Tubes, No Batteries, No Transistors…
This great little radio had an earbud and a wire you connected to a ground. No batteries. Move the rod in the tip up and down to tune the AM band. By this time I was attending North Central High School. That radio worked like a champ when clipped to the old fashioned hot water radiators in the classrooms. I remember listening to the World Series and kids kept bugging me for the score.
I don’t recall ever eating in the cafeteria at North Central, there were two burger joints, across the street from the school. It was the “Wigwam” and the “Hi-Fi”, where lots of kids went for lunch. The “Wigwam” was across from the southwest corner of the school. It was the nicer of the two, the “Hi-Fi” at the northwest, was stag. It was a Mom and Pop place with a jukebox, baseball machine, shooting gallery machine, and maybe even a pinball to put our change in while we ate those hamburgers, smoked and jostled each other around.
***I’ve seen a photo somewhere candidate for current photo
The Post Office; a massive building, inside the floors were marble. The place was always busy, with lines at many service windows in front and trucks loading and unloading in back.
The Payless Drug Store, “Serve yourself and Save,” at Main and Post, had a rounded front made of concrete and glass bricks. The photo section was on main floor just to the left of the main door. I bought film, chemicals and equipment here for the good prices. Toys were downstairs.
There was a mechanical pigeon hole parking lot next door with unsupervised escalator. The Woolworth Store was on the other(west) side of the parking structure. Visible in the background is the Reddy Kilowatt sign of the Washington Water Power Company. Reddy ran across the top of the sign at night.
The Washington Market was south and east across Main street. My grandfather stopped there many evenings on the way home from work. He liked the red snapper, taking the bus from Summit Blvd downtown to the Old National Bank every day for many years. I took the city bus to get to school and to my paper route and home, unless it was bicycle weather.
Spokane City Lines
Spokane had a very good, privately owned bus system. We took it for granted. The fare was ten cents, but kids could buy tokens at school that cut the price in half. After school, I would use a token to get downtown, get a transfer, and use that to get home after my route. The busses were well worn and kind of stinky, but that was a pretty good deal for a nickel.
Before the busses, Spokane had a trolly system; there were still places where trolly tracks were visible. We played around remnants of the system at Nat Park, and walked the dilapidated footbridge across the river to Fort George Wright. The river was highly polluted with raw sewage at that time. Now, the river is clean, Monkey Wards is City Hall. City Hall is the Olive Garden. The busses don’t even run on Sunday.
My friend, Calvin Lidstone, did eventually get a paper route. It was out in the neighborhood and included Nat Park and the little community underneath the Great Northern trestle. Was it called Evergreen?
This photo doesn’t fit the time frame. I have better shot with steam that will turn up eventually in my scanning project.
There were just a few houses down here and it was a long walk down, coming back up there was a long, long flight of stairs that came out at the intersection of Boone and Summit, at the top of the hill where the neon arrow pointed downhill towards Nat. It was a hell of a climb. Way too far between customers for me.
The Cowles family owned both the Spokesman Review and the Chronicle when I worked there, and from long before that. They still do, and likely always will. The “paper” pretty much had a lock on the news in Spokane, and there were folks that complained that there were no alternatives.
While times change, some things stay the same. This web site at this link is devoted to bringing some daylight to Spokane.
http://www.girlfromhotsprings.com/news-deathtrap.html
The “Fancher report” is available at that site, a 327 page report completed in the early 70’s on the effect of the power of Cowles family on the development of Spokane. While a Cowles had been running the papers since the turn of the century, the paper notes corruption mostly beginning in 1958 and the creation of “Spokane United”. Subsequently, in 1960 the form of city government was changed and the fun began.
After reading the document, I feel like the author made his point over and over until I began to doubt that he had a point. I’m glad they didn’t build the city hall in the middle of Riverside, but I can see that kind of manipulation by wealthy political folks in the development of any other city and town. My opinion is that there was appropriate push back and that democracy worked.
The worst thing that happened was the change in city government form, so that the decision makers are sheltered from unpopular decisions, having the city manager to use as a whipping boy. This was another democracy in action lesson that was happening all over the country. I’ve lost score, but the voting taxpayers lost another round.
I do know that back in the day, the “paper” was good to its employees. They treated their newsboy like businessmen. During the holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas all employees received a free ham or turkey as a “gift”. We especially liked it because they paid us hourly wages to deliver these treats.
The “paper” sponsored “Tilakums”, a festival at Nat Park every spring, and that was something we really looked forward to. The Chronicle printed tickets with a mix of different rides, swapping them with other kids for the rides you wanted was half the fun. I would give you two on the octopus for one on the bumper cars, any day.
On Monday, November 4, 1957 the Spokane Daily Chronicle raised the price to ten cents. I soon discovered that this was serious blow to my revenue stream, because folks still paid a dime. To make things even worse, Hop’s Carmel Crisp shop was replaced by the Wing Wo Chinese Herb Co. This would be the beginning of the end for me and the newspaper business.
Coming down the First Avenue stairs at the Darby one evening, I saw my first Edsel. There had been a big buildup in the media. I rushed down the stairs and out onto the street to get a good look.
http://www.beautifullife.info/advertisment/retro-car-ads/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel
Seriously, which one would you buy? Airmen prefer the Ford, and obviously women prefer the airmen. Folks said that the Edsel looked like a Ford sucking on a lemon.
Jay walking downtown was a little more exciting with slush on the streets. As the Thanksgiving sales gave way to Christmas sales, it would be completely dark by the time I finished the route every day. The Christmas lighting and downtown crowds made it an exciting season.
Especially since the launch of Sputnik, the paper had been loaded with propaganda boasting of our military and space prowess. There was more military news in the Chronicle than the Stars and Stripes. I’ve picked some snippets of Chronicle articles from the period from December 13, 1957 to December 25, 1957 to try and give a flavor of the times and the season.
December 13, 1957, Friday, 26 pages, 2 sections, Spokane Daily Chronicle
AIR FORCE SEEKING CAUSE OF BOMBER CRASH
What caused the tragic crash of a B-52 jet bomber a mile and a half southwest of Fairchild air force base just after 4 p. m. yesterday? An air force investigation team was scheduled to begin a full-scale study today in an effort to find an answer to that question. Meanwhile, memorial services were scheduled for 10 a. m. tomorrow in hangar 2020 at Fairchild for the eight men, including the 92d wing commander, who died in the flaming crash just after take-off.
See full page of pictures, page 14; other stories of tragic B-52 crash, page 15.
Formations of B-52s and of F-102 fighters from near-by Geiger air force base will fly over the base during the services.
Through the night firemen worked to put out scattered fires at the crash scene and hospital personnel helped establish identity of the crash victims.
The official list of those killed was as follows:
Col Clarence A. Neely, 42, Sioux City, Iowa.
Maj. Ralph R. Alworth, 38, Oilton, Okla.
Capt. Thomas N. Peebles, 34, Carson, VA.
Capt. Herbert H. Spiller, 32, pilot, from Lowell, Ark.
Capt Douglas F. Schwartz, 36, radar observer, from Minneapolis.
Capt. Douglas E. Gray, 33, navigator, from Guthrie, Ky.
First Lt. James D. Mann, 34, electronics counter measures operator, from Butte, Mont., and Mountain View, Calif.
First Lt. Jack J. Vainisi, 26, navigator, from Oak Hill Ill.
The only survivor was T/Sgt. Gene I. Grave, 25, Augusta, Kan.
Colonel Neely, 92 bomb wing commander, ws flying the jet, a 327th bomb squadron plane of which Captain Peebles usually was Aircraft commander. Major Alworth, was squadron staff observer.
An air force investigation team was to arrive at Fairchild today to conduct an official investigation to seek the cause of the accident. Wreckage is being left where it fell to facilitate the probe, Fairchild officials reported. As base officials awaited the investigation, unofficial reports blamed the accident on locked control equipment, probably trim tabs, wing devices used to help stabilize the plane in flight.
Reports indicated the giant jet climbed steeply after take-off, veered right, crashed and burned. It was an ironic death for the crew members; air force planes fly by Greenwich time, and the accident happened at 0002 (two minutes after midnight) Friday the 13th.
The stilled scene today showed the wreckage had been widely scattered. The last of the main fire was brought under control about 6 last night and the last body was removed at 6:35.
The bomber holds three tank cars of fuel and was believed to have had a heavy load for the flight. The B-52 has a wingspan of 185 feet, length of 156 feet and height of 48 feet. It has eight jets and can fly more than 650 miles per hour. The B-52s have a range of 6000 miles without aerial refueling and are designed to carry nuclear weapons.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19571213&printsec=frontpage
December 17, 1957 First Atlas Launch from Cape Canaveral, limited range test of several hundred miles.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19571217&printsec=frontpage
December 18, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
HEARING DELAYED ON PINBALL CHARGE
Hearing for Blane E. Turnbow, 60, N4509 Hartley, arrested last night on charges he allowed a 15 year old boy to play a pinball machine, was continued until December, 31, today in police court. Police said Turnbow, who operates a pool hall at W506 ½ Sprague, also is charged with paying the boy off on pinball wins. The machine was confiscated. Still pending in police court are a number of cases in which police charge under the counter payoff were made on pinball machines.
December 18, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle editorial page
FILL HER UP, MISTER?
Plane-watchers of the Inland Empire—and there breathe few men with souls so dead that they won’t glance up at a jet bomber—marvel at the military mammoths criss-crossing our skies. At the same time it’s a natural reaction to feel happy not to be footing the service station bill for those roaring jets.
Actually, of course, the entire legion of plane-watchers is footing that fuel bill. And Gen. Curtis LeMay of the air force reports that the bills should have run still higher, for the safety of the nation. He testified yesterday that a lack of funds for fuel grounded planes of the strategic air command for five weeks last summer. The particular reference was to B-47s.
He did not say America’s intercontinental bombers couldn’t have been air-borne instantly in an emergency. He did assert that if war broke out now, the United State s would have to rely almost wholly on its strategic air force in the first stages of such a carnage.
There may be a rebuttal to the general’s no-cash report. But on the face of this word from the vice chief of staff, there’s something ludicrous about the picture of any of the nation’s mighty planes sitting idle because the tanks are dry.
December 19, 1957, the Thursday before Christmas, the Chronicle was 44 pages, 3 sections. There were three bundles for each route. I had been worried it would be more, but the recession was starting to pinch, advertising was off. The biggest article on the front page was “SAC Speeding New Missile Program”. Looking at these newspapers I delivered, I realize that the military was on the front page every day. It was usually the air force making news, because, after all, this IS Spokane.
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, buried on page 15;
THREE OFFICERS DIE IN PLANE CRASH
Palomar Mountain, Califl, Dec 19 UP—A fiery bomber crash in fog about a quarter mile from the 200-inch telescope has left three air force officers dead.
The six-engine B-47 Stratojet plowed into this 6000-foot peak yesterday while returning to March air force base, 50 miles to the north, from a training flight. Flames shot 100 feet high and live ammunition went off, an observatory official said. Flying debris nicked the dome of a smaller telescope, the 48-inch Schmidt.
The victims all lived at Riverside. The air force gave their names and home towns as: Maj. Tim Esmond, Austin, Texas, the plane’s commander, of 15th air force headquarters, March AFB; Col. Frank W. Ellis, Covington, Ky., the pilot, 15th air force director of operations, and Capt. Frank Harradine, Alameda, Calif., flight surgeon, stationed with the 22nd tactical hospital, March AFB.
***It will be interesting to find out some more about this crash. Notice the crew, it was a joy ride.
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
FAMILY IS PAID FOR BABIES’ LOSS
San Francisco, Dec. 19, UP—An air force family which lost 11 month-old triplets in an Alaskan plane crash, has settled their $800,000 suit against the United States government for $187,000. Attorneys for T/Sgt. William J. Fimple, 29; his wife, Ethel, 24, and their two sons, William Jr., 6, and Tim, 5, reached the compromise yesterday with United States Attorney James S. Higgins. All suffered burns.
The pilot of a jet and 14 people were killed when the plane crashed into living quarters at Eielson air force base, Alaska, in November 1955.
AIR FORCE SEEN NEAR DECISION ON CHEMICAL BOMBER CONTRACT
Washington, Dec., 19, (UP)—The air force may be nearing a decision on the award of a contract to develop a new bomber capable of flying three times the speed of sound, it was reported today.
The plane is the WS-110A or so-called “chemical” bomber—a manned aircraft which could span continents at 2200 mil-an-hour at altitudes approaching 100,000 feet. It is only in the design stage now. Eventually, however, it is tagged as the successor of the B-52 when that long-range bomber becomes obsolete.
Air force officials steer clear of everything but fleeting references to the WS-110A. It is known however that the multi-million-dollar contract to develop it probably will go either to Boeing Airplane company or North American Aviation, Inc.
An evaluation team from the Pentagon is reported to have visited the plants and inspected preliminary designs of both firms. Top-level action on the recommendation of this board may be forthcoming shortly.
The chemical bomber gets its name from the fact that it is expected to be equipped with a new engine using so-called “exotic” chemicals as fuel—boron, for example.
The General Electric company is understood to have been conducting research on this engine. There may be some opposition in congress to spending the large sums required to develop the WS-110A. Senator Styles Bridges (R-N.H.) a member of the senate preparedness subcommittee which heard a reference to the plane this week, expressed opposition to devoting money to such a project. Bridges, who also is on the senate appropriations committee, called for an increase in B-52 production instead. By the time the chemical bomber is ready, he said, the United States should have long rang missiles in operation that would make the WS-110A unnecessary.
But the air force, which contends the need for manned aircraft will exist far in the future believes a bomber like the WS-119A should be built despite missile developments.
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 34.
FOREIGN AID BILL LACKS FUNDS FOR ARMING NATO WITH ROCKETS
Washington, Dec. 19, (UP)==Officials said today no money for arming west Europe with intermediate range rockets is budged in the $3,940,000,000 foreign aid bill being readied for congress. They said several hundred million dollars may have to be added to the request to pay for the 1500 mile range Jupiter and Thor missiles—if the European nations decide they want them.
(It is a long article, but the short version is that the NATO conference in Paris accepted the principle that NATO as a whole should have the weapons. Britain, Turkey and the Netherlands would accept when the missiles are ready for delivery late next year. So, will congress fund this, or do we have to take it out of the foreign aid budget?)
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
Thumbnail Sketch
SPACE PROGRAM IS REVIEWED IN BRIEF
Washington, Dec 19, (UP)—Here is a thumbnail sketch of major United States missile and satellite programs.
MISSILES
Atlas—Surface to surface intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Range 5000 miles. Two unsuccessful firings,. One limited range firing yesterday officially proclaimed for success. Target date for operation, 1959.
Titan—Surface to surface ICBM of more advanced design than Atlas. Range 5000 miles. In earlier stages of development; about one year behind Atlas. Propulsion system now being tested near Denver.
Snark—Surface-to-surface guided missile. Range 5000 miles. About 50 have teen test-fired; last two went full 5000 miles and landed in target area. Operational in 1958.
Thor—Air force surface-to surface intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) Range 1500 miles. At least five successful test firings. Ordered into production.
Jupiter—Army surface-to-surface IRBM. Range 1400 miles. At least three successful and one partly successful test firings reported. Ordered into production.
Polaris—Navy IRBM designed for firing from submerged submarine. Range 1500 miles. Behind Thor and Jupiter, but navy hopeful of early operational date.
SATELLITES
Vanguard—Navy managed scientific program. Three test-firings succeeded. Forth, with tiny test satellite failed last month. Another test satellite firing due soon.
Jupiter-C—Army satellite program. Army authorized last month to sue its Jupiter-C rocket to launch a satellite. Hopes to launch one in the first three months of 1958.
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
U.S. PROGRESS ON LONG-RANGE ROCKET LAUDED
Washington, Dec 19, (UP)—The United States is reportedly well along in building a second design of air force intercontinental ballistic missile. (Blah, blah, blah… you get the idea, another long article.)
HURTLING PLANE RUNS MAN DOWN
Albany, Ga., Dec 19. (UP)—The flaming wreckage of a skidding supersonic jet plane cut down a terror-stricken couple as the fled its path yesterday. Air force M/Sgt. Lemuel A. Mitchell, 46, Baltimore, Md., was killed along with the pilot when he and his wife panicked as the plane hurtled toward their car parked at Turner air force base.
Mrs. Frances b. Mitchell was in extremely critical condition at the base hospital. Earlier the hospital had reported her dead on arrival.
The couple’s 11-year-old son, Jimmy, miraculously escaped injury. He broke from his parents and ran in the opposite direction. He was found later huddled under a building suffering from fright and shock.
First Lt. Donald F. Egen, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was killed when the swept-wing F-100 went out of control at an altitude of 100 feet on takeoff. It crashed into the ground and its fuel tanks exploded on impact.
December 19, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
JAPANESE PLANES TO GET MISSILES
Tokyo, Dec. 19. (UP)—The United States is going to equip Japan’s fledgling postwar air force with the “sidewinder” missile, an air-to-air rocket which homes itself on an enemy plane.
The decision to send the side-winder to equip Japanese planes was announced today by the United States-Japan security committee after its fourth session, lasting five hours.
The sidewinder will be the first missile delivered to the Japanese.
No information was given on when the first delivery would be made.
TURNING LIGHT SEEN AT AIR BASE TOWER
An airman in the Fairchild air force base tower reported seeing a “rotating red light” in the air shortly after midnight, the state patrol reported. The airman, identified as “airman 2/c Leonard J. Bennett.” Sighted the light at 12:51 a. m. Patrol Donn Olson was sent to investigate and the civil aeronautics administration was called. No solution was found, although officers said the light appeared to be similar to those used on commercial aircraft. Bennett said the light was 60-70 feet off the ground when he saw it for only a few seconds,” the patrol reported.
December 20, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
Stabilizer misfunctions—
ELECTRIC MOTOR FAILURE BLAMED FOR B-52 CRASH
Faulty operation of the horizontal stabilizer on the tail caused the crash of a Fairchild air force base B-52 December 12.
This information was added today to an accident investigation report issued yesterday by Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara, director of flight safety for the air force.
Faulty wiring in an electric motor brought about the condition that caused the B-52 to crash, killing eight men including Col. Clarence Neely, 92d bomb wing commander. “This is a unique occurrence and does not affect the combat capability of the strategic air command fleet,” General Caldara said. The condition is not related to other B-52 crashes and has produced valuable information that has led to the rewiring of at least one B-52 at Fairchild, the general said. Other B-52 bases have been notified and are checking their ships, the report said. The wiring fault could have occurred at tny time from the manufacture to the actual flight, the report indicated.
The B-52 took off and just west of the base went abruptly into a steep climb, then crashed, eyewitnesses reported. A horizontal stabilizer controls the up-and-down movement of an airplane.
General Caldara and other members of the crash investigation were scheduled to leave Fairchild today.
December 21, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle editorial.
WRECKAGE TELLS VITAL STORY
New techniques blended with old-fashioned persistence in digging out the causes of airplane crashes herald a steady advance in flight safety.
What might seem to the saddened or the cynic a case of locking the barn after the horse has been stolen is anything but that. The crashed plane cannot be recreated; the lives lost are lost beyond return. But other lives and planes will be saved.
Swift work by air force and industry investigators put a firm finger on the cause of Fairchild’s B-52 disaster in just five days. A horizontal stabilizer on the tail had failed to do its job of controlling altitude because wiring in an electric motor was faulty.
As quickly as the fault was spotted the word went to every B-52 base, and to the Boeing company which makes the huge bombers. Every B-52 is being checked against a similar failure.
Any automobile driver aware of the number of things that can go wrong with the simplest car on the road can stir at least a faint comprehension of the miracle it would for an eight-engined, $8,000,000 fantastically intricate aircraft to be perfect. It’s miracle enough that more newly designed planes don’t fly into trouble.
The crash investigators have done a vital service. The eight men who died in the December 12 crash here have left a legacy of life for others in the nation’s service.
December 21, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, Saturday, xx pages compare to Thursday
SHOPPERS FLOOD DOWNTOWN AREA
Crowds thronged downtown Spokane today in what well may be the heaviest shopping day of the 1957 holiday season.
Despite heavy rain and snow falls, the shoppers came in droves, and caused heavy traffic jams, police reported.
Lt. Edward Lamphier said the traffic jam was confined to the principal retail area. On streets in the outlying portion of the congested district traffic was moving without difficulty.
Police reported it was taking motorists nearly a half-hour to circle the block in which the city hall is located. One of the major problems resulted from motorists stopping in the intersections with the result traffic couldn’t get through on the cross streets. The traffic division called men in from their days off to help work the traffic. Police with whistles were manning about 19 intersections to help break up traffic bottlenecks.
Police said they expected similar crowds downtown on Monday and Tuesday, as schools will not be in session.
December 22, 1957, Chronicle kids got the day off on Sunday. Neener, neener, neener to the Review kids. Besides having to get up in the wee hours, they had a huge paper on Sunday.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, Monday. Twenty pages, light, two sections.
SPUTNIK BELIEVED YEAR’S BIG STORY
New York, Dec 23, (UP)—The launching of the Russian Sputniks, marking the opening of the space age, was voted the biggest news story of 1957 by United Press editors.
They took into account that the impact of the Sputniks on newspaper readers extended far beyond the field of science. The current reappraisal of the United States’ defense policy, for instance, can be traced largely to the Soviet triumph in putting artificial moons into space.
The 10 biggest:
1. Sputniks.
2. The integration of Little Rock Central high school with special emphasis on the fact that federal troops were sent in to bring it about.
3. President Eisenhower’s stroke and the resulting controversy about what should be done in the event of presidential disability.
4. The senate rackets investigation and the subsequent controversy inside the ranks of organized labor.
5. The rise of Khrushchev to the pinnacle of Soviet power and the downgrading of Russia’s greatest military hero, Marshal Zhukov.
6. The continuing turmoil in the Mideast with the constant threat that it will produce a major war.
7. The rescue of Benny Hooper from a Long Island well. The editors noted that this was one of the outstanding human interest stories of recent years.
8. The triumph of the Milwaukee Braves in the world series and the realignment of the Nation league to include Los Angeles and San Francisco.
9. Hurricane Audrey.
10. The international controversy over the Girard trial in Japan.
Other stories that received strong support were: The Paris NATO meeting; the stock market’s fluctuations; the end of the southwestern drought; Queen Elizabeth’s American visit; the Asian flu epidemic, and earthquakes in Mexico and San Francisco.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 1.
OFFICERS READY TO GREET OVERLY SPIRITED DRIVERS
Spokane-area law officers were marshaling their forces today to cope with an expected onslaught of drivers with a little too much Christmas cheer.
Heavy traffic is expected in the area Christmas eve and state police, the sheriff’s office and city police planned today to have all available men and vehicles on duty.
The patrol, sheriff’s deputies, city policemen and air police will be cooperating in “floating” road blocks on city arteries.
Police Chief Ralph E. Johnson said “everybody on the force and some auxiliaries” will be used to control traffic, looking for drinking drivers. “We want to stop them, not to fill the city jail, but to see that everyone has a safe holiday.”
Sheriff William J. Reilly said as many of his men as possible will be on the lookout for drinkers both Christmas and New Year’s eves. “We want them to have a good time but we don’t want them drinking while driving,” he said.
State Patrol Lt. A. K. Ekern said all days off have been celled for area patrolmen. He said the “floating” road checks will be made mostly at points just outside the city limits, with outbound drivers watched closely for signs of drinking.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 1.
NEW ATOMIC SUB JOINS THE NAVY
Groton, Conn., Dec 23 (UP)—The U. S. S. Skate joined the navy’s growing nuclear fleet doday as the world’s first hunt-and-kill type atomic submarine. The Skate, a smaller but deadlier than the Nautilus and Seawolf, was delivered to the navy at commissioning ceremonies in the builder’s yards. Like her two predecessors, the Skate was built by the electric boat division of General Dynamics corporation.
The navy’s new addition is the third atomic submarine to join the fleet and the second commissioned this year. The Seawolf was commissioned last March and the Nautilus in 1954. The navy now has authorized a total of 19 nuclear submarines.
The Skate is 267 feet long and displaces 2190 tons. Like the Nautilus and Seawolf, it can circle the globe entirely submerged and travel at least 60,000 nautical miles without a change of atomic fuel.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 1.
CONTRACT SIGNED FOR BIG BOMBER OF NEW DESIGN
Washington, Dec 23, (UP)—The air force placed an order today for a jet bomber which “will be capable of speeds in excess of 2000 miles an hour for long distances at ceilings of over 70,000 feet.”
It announced the contract went to North American Aviation Inc. One of more prototype (primary model) planes will be produced before quantity production is decided upon.
While many details were kept secret, it was understood the plane will use an advanced type of fuel producing more thrust than that used in conventional jets. Costs were not announced.
There was speculation that the plane would be powered by something approaching a true rocket engine.
Known up to now as the WS110A, the plane is intended as a long range development from the B-52 family of bombers, the spokesman said. The B-52, a mainstay of the air force is reported to have a speed of about 700 miles an hour.
BOEING DISAPPOINTED
Seattle, Dec 23, (UP)—News that the air force has given North American Aviation of Los Angeles the contract to build supersonic bombers came as a shock today to officials of the Boeing Airplane company, which had sought the job.
William M. Allen, Boeing president, issued the following statement:
“Naturally, we are deeply disappointed that our proposal did not win. We put forth our very best efforts. We feel that we submitted an excellent design and tht we are in the position to do an outstanding job for the air force.
“However, the decision was otherwise. We congratulate North American. We will continue to give our utmost effort to those programs which we have under contract and will aggressively pursue other projects which we are seaking to develop for the future.”
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 1.
SINATRA BUYS STATION KNEW
Frank Sinatra, motion picture and television singer and actor, has purchased a controlling interest in Spokane radio station KNEW.
The Mount Rainier Radio and Television Broadcasting corporation, operator of radio stations KJR in Seattle, KXL in Portland and KNEW, announced in Seattle it had sold control of the company’s holdings in the three stations to Sinatra, the Associated Press reported. The company did not disclose the purchase price, but Sinatra’s Hollywood office said it was $2,000,000. The crooner cannot assume control until the federal communications commission approves the deal.
The transaction, the announcement said, will be in the name of the Essex Productions, Inc., owned by Sinatra.
Lester M. Smith, Portland general manager of the radio stations for the Mount Ranier company will continue in that capacity, the AP said.
If the sale is approved by the FCC, it will mark the second time within a year that KNEW has changed hands. Last January, Inland Empire Broadcasting company sold the station to Mount Rainier. At the station, William C. Rhodes, manager, said today the transaction did not indicate any change of personnel.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 2.
SPOKANE FLIER JUMPS SAFELY
Two United States air force officers, one of them a Spokane man, parachuted safely from their T-33 jet trainer yesterday when the plane ran low on fuel in a dense fog, the Associated Press reported from Kochi, Japan.
The two were identified as Capt Ray Roestel, 36, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Roestel, N3918 Lincoln, and Lt. Roland Ballow, 27, Birmingham, Ala. Captain Roestel is a graduate of Rogers high school and Whitworth college. He was a member of the faculty at Rogers when recalled to active duty in February, 1956.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 2.
FAIRCHILD AIRMEN HAVE 4 DAYS OFF OVER CHRISTMAS
Officers and airmen of Fairchild air force base were off today during a four-day Christmas holiday. Only emergency standby crews were on duty.
At Geiger air force base, personnel worked today but will have tomorrow and Christmas off, with the exception of skeleton crews.
Some flying schedules will continue tomorrow and Christmas at both bases, officials reported.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, page 2.
MOTORISTS URGED TO CARRY CHAINS
Motorists planning trips through the region’s mountains were cautioned today by the Inland Automobile association that chains are required on White pass and advised on Lookout. They should be available if needed for all pass travel, the IAA said in a report.
SPURGEON IN FRANCE
Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Dec 23—A3/c Harold Spurgeon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claud H. Spurgeon of Bonners Ferry, has been assigned to the 376th troop carrier squadron, 60th troop carrier wing, at Dreux air force base in France.
SAFE CRACKERS FAIL IN 2 TRIES
Burglars tried to crack two safes in the Valley last night and failed in both tries. Sheriff’s Detective John Lund said burglars first broke into Sandy’s tavern, E9113 Sprague and tried to punch that safe. Failing, they went next door to the Welcome tavern, E9115 Sprague, and tried the safe there.
Lund said the prowlers got about $60 from a cash drawer in Sandy’s and a gallon jug of wine from the Welcome.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
FRENCH AIRLINER SMACKS BUILDING
Paris, Dec, 23, (UP)—A four engine air France plane smashed into an Orly airport administration building while maneuvering on the ground before taking off for London. The air line said no one was hurt.
The air line blamed brake trouble for the mishap. The 49 passengers were transferred to another plane and left for London after an hour delay.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
SERGEANT WINS AWARD
Second award of the Bon Marche recruiting trophy has been made to M.Sgt. Clair L. Taylor for the highest number of enlistments obtained by air force recruiters here for the month of November. The trophy was first made available for presentation for the October winner.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
TREES HAVE SECONDARY USE AFTER SANTA’S JOB IS DONE
Spokane householders can help make landings safe for commercial and military fliers with their discarded Christmas trees, Mayor Willard Taft said today. “Soon after the first of the year we will need a large quantity of trees to line the runways at Geiger field,” Taft explained. “They serve as markers when there is a snow cover. Several hundred may be needed if there is a heavy snowfall for the next two months.”
William A. Trezona, city refuse division superintendent, said there will be no extra charge for picking up Christmas trees that are left next to garbage cans. He said trucks are limited in the number they can carry along with the usual refuse but home to hall all discarded Christmas trees disposed of within 30 days.
SERGEANT HERE FOR THIRD STAY
A master sergeant who twice has served in the Inland Empire was reassigned to this area recently. He is M/Sgt. Lon T. Allen, N3818 “F”, who has been assigned as air force liaison noncommissioned officer for the ground observer corps in Spokane and Lincoln counties.
Allen was assigned to the Fourth infantry at Fort Wright in 1940 after his enlistment at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. Later he served at Fairchild air force base in 1946. He came here for his present tour from Keesler air force base, Miss. His wife is the former Dorothy M. Stott of Spokane.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
NEGRO GIRL STEWARDESS
New York, Dec 23, (UP)—Miss Ruth Taylor, 25 year-old registered nurse, has become the nation’s first Negro airline stewardess. Charles Abrahams, chairman of the state commission against discrimination said yesterday Miss Taylor was hired by Mohawk Airlines, which operates only in northern states. She will report for work January 13.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, Monday, 20 pages, 2 sections.
The front page picture shows a detective pointing his weapon at a farmer, while a uniformed sergeant holds the wife. The captions reads: COVERED. Kansas City Deputy Sheriff Alfred Shuster, left, pistol ready, covers Ray Benzoni, right, in a home from which the Benzonis are being evicted. Sheriff’s officers said Bezoni was stopped as he attempted to grab a loaded revolver from a desk drawer. In the center background, Mrs. Bezoni weeps on the shoulder of Sheriff’s Sgt. Wayne Habert. The Berzonis were evicted from their home today by a court order. The house is to be razed to make way for a new highway. The picture was taken by Roger Reynolds of the Kansas City Star. (AP wirephoto.)
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
WHITE CHRISTMAS APPEARS DOUBTFUL BUT THERE’S HOPE
The chances of a white Christmas in Spokane didn’t look too good today, despite a lively early-afternoon flurry.
The forecast of the weather station at Geiger field said more “occasional snow showers” are likely.
War Dead Honored--
STREETS WILL BEAR NAMES OF AVIATORS
Streets of the new air force housing project to be built next year in the Marshall area will be named after Spokane area pilots killed in combat action. Col. Phillip C. Loofbourrow, base commander of Geiger air force base, made this announcement today and asked that area residents help compile a list of names for 10 streets. The 228-unit housing project is for both officer and enlisted personnel from Geiger.
A partial list of names has been compiled but it will be some time before the records of the deceased pilots can be checked, Colonel Loofbourrow reported. Information regarding possible names for the streets should be sent or telephoned to Colonel Loofbourrow or the Geiger information services office.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
Plane Damaged--
PILOTS SEEK TO END THEFTS
Plane owners and operators at Felts field today discussed the possibility of chaining down the tails of planes to the concrete apron to deter further thefts. Milton D. Cox, E945 Fortieth, whose four-seater plane was stolen and damaged Saturday night for the second time, said he believed such a plan would slow down the thieves but wouldn’t necessarily stop them. “I had the doors locked on my plane, but they broke out a window on the pilot’s side,” he said. “If they’ll do that I imagine they’d find ways to break or disconnect a chain.”
Whoever stole Cox’s plane damaged it in landing when they ran it into other planes in the parking area. Cox estimated the damage to propellor, nose and shaft at approximately $800, partly covered by insurance.
He said the thieves used up about 16 gallons of gas and another 12 gallons drained out when the plane nosed over on landing. The plane, which Cox uses as a pleasure craft, was stolen the first time a few weeks ago. Police are investigating.
LIBRARY TO CLOSE DURING AFTERNOON
Spokane Public library employees will have a chance to get in some last-minute Christmas shopping tomorrow afternoon.
The main downtown library will close at 12:30 and all branches also will be closed for the day. Mrs. Gladys S. Puckett, chief librarian, said today.
She added the same schedule will be in effect on Tuesday of next week—New Year’s eve.
WOMAN IS KILLED ON SYRIA BORDER
Damascus, Syria, Dec. 23, (UP)—A Syrian army spokesman said today a Syrian woman was killed and three other persons were injured when a Turkish mine exploded in the Izaz area of northern Syria yesterday.
CHRISTMAS QUIETS MISSILE TEST ZONE
Cape Canaveral, Fla., Dec 23 (UP)—Christmas holiday quiet blanketed the missile test center today.
Less activity was visible on the cape than in many weeks. Beach side motels and restaurants jammed to capacity only last week, were empty of all but a few tourists. Their regular customers—employees of the manufacturing firms and other contractors involved in work at the test center—had gone elsewhere to celebrate Christmas.
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
Celebrate NEW YEAR’S EVE in the MATADOR…
Plan to welcome in the New Year with all the gaiety and fun of the Festive Matador. There will be dancing and entertainment, noisemakers and favors, and of course the traditional fine food of the Matador.
For New Year’s Reservations Call MA-4-2121
The DAVENPORT Hotel
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SS Leilani
Join the fun…on an exciting first voyage…the first passenger cruise to Hawaii from Seattle since before World War II. S.S. Leilani…”the new personality ship of the Pacific”…sailing from Seattle, January 17, to HAWAII. See your travel agent right away for reservations…or call ELliot 5320, Seattle.
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108 YEARS OLD
It was her “happiest birthday,” said Mrs. Julia Andate of Fresno, Calif., as she celebrated her 108th birthday. The Fresno Bee wrote a story that she expected to be alone on her birthday. She received hundreds of cards and letters—including one from President Eisenhower. She also received six cakes, candy and scores of gifts. (AP wirephoto.)
Pity the Postman
ANNUAL SYMPATHY IS EXTENDED
By LOUIS CASSELS
Washington, Dec. 23, (UP)—It just would be Christmas unless some reporter write a “pity the poor postman piece.” (Mr. Cassels did, and it is quite lengthy.)
Nobody ever did the poor newsboy article, I wish I could give Mr. Cassels a jog, after all, he is a newsman. Those thick newspapers with all that advertising. All those stairs. Pity the poor newsboy. You can view this entire newspaper at:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19571223&printsec=frontpage
December 23, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
FLYERS HAVE GOOD MARGIN AT WIHL’S HALFWAY MARK
YULE CARDS, TREE LIGHTS HIT NEW HEIGHTS
Don’t forget the funnies, Pogo, especially. “Deck the Halls with Boston Charlie”.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle, Tuesday, 16 pages.
TAX LEVY HERE HIGHEST SINCE 1949
WHITE YULE? MAYBE, SAYS WEATHER MAN
Two and a half inches of snow before noon today still didn’t make a white Christmas certain for Spokane.
WORLD LIFTS YULE PRAYER
By the Associated Press
On the first Christmas eve after Soviet stars appeared in the sky, people of many lands today prayed for peace on earth through an end to the continuing cold war.
As he lit the national community Christmas tree, President Eisenhower asked Americans last night for sweat and toil, courage, patience and self-sacrifice to promote peace and good will among nations.
Clear evidence of Soviet integrity and sincerity would be the best Christmas present the world could receive, the President said later in a report to the nation.
FIGHTING GOES ON
The holiday season found undeclared wars going on sporadically in Algeria and Ifni, in North Africa, and civil unrest in Cuba and Cyprus. Many people awaited Christmas in bleak refugee camps: Hungarians in Austria, East Germans in West Berlin, Palestine Arabs in Gaza, Chinese in Hong Kong, Dutch from Indonesia in Singapore. (The article continues.)
AIR FORCE SIGHTS MYSTERIOUS OBJECT
Washington, Dec 24. (UP)—The defense department, with its face straight but its tongue in its cheek, today for the first time acknowledged sightings of a flying object that could not be conventionally explained.
A Pentagon statement said the object had been sighted in the skies from widely separated parts of the country and various descriptions had been given:
“A train-like object with flickering lights.”
“Shadowy figures in the sky, in precision formation; from the front figure a red light gleamed mistily.”
“An unusual type caravell piloted by a strangely suited individual, leaving the sound of robust laughter in its wake.”
POOCH POSTED
Philadelphia, Dec 24. (UP)—Whimpers came from a south Philadelphia mailbox yesterday as residents tossed in last-minute Christmas cards, and a hurriedly summoned postal carrier found a tiny puppy inside.
The little dog, about two weeks old, was in a shopping bag and nearly suffocated, said Samuel Parisi, postal superintendent. “I’m giving myself a Christmas present,” Parisi said and took the puppy home with him.
HOFFA WIRETAP RETRIAL IS SET
11 CHILDREN VICTIMS OF 2 CANADA FIRES
IKE LEAVES THE DOOR TO PEACE TALKS OPEN; NEXT DIPLOMATIC MOVE IS UP TO RUSSIA
GRANDMOTHER TOLD TO LEAVE ARIZONA
Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. 24. (UP)—Mrs. Harriet Hurley, the pistol-packing grandmother from Anderson, Ind., was on her way back to her home today under court orders to stay away from Phoenix. Mrs. Hurley yesterday was placed on 10 years probation for assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting last March 31 of her former boy friend and his wife.
Superior Court Judge Alex B. Baker ordered the 68-year-old woman to leave the city on the first available plane and never to return. He instructed her never to contact Jacob Metzing, her 69-year=old former sweetheart, or his wife, Noma, 58.
She was ordered to make a settlement with the couple for hospital and medical expenses.
FOUR SURVIVE PLANE CRASH; SEA SEARCHED
Honolulu, Dec. 24. (UP)—A four-engine navy radar plane with 23 men aboard exploded and plunged into the sea last night. At daybreak four survivors and the bodies of two men had been recovered. (article continues.)
A pilot of the navy Super Constellation that plunged into the sea last night said today the big plane exploded. He said he believed there were survivors in the area. Twenty-three men were aboard.
The crash boat crew said they heard cries for help and picked up the four men from among the debris floating in the area.
Seas were heavy, with waves at times topping 14 feet.
An armada of surface craft and rescue planes sped to the area and shortly after midnight picked up four survivors and two bodies
The $7,500,000 radar crammed plane made its last check report at 3:50 p. m. It was 100 miles northeast of its base at Barbers Point naval air station at Oahu.
A short time later radar screens picked it up only 25 miles north of the island, apparently circling for a landing at Barbers Point. Suddenly it dropped off the screen.
This disaster was the first for the early warning wings of planes in about two years of operation here. It was also the worst military plane accident in this area since a military air transport plane crashed into an Oahu mountain in March 1955, killing 66 persons.
The most recent plane disaster in the Pacific involved a Pan American Stratocruiser early last month. All 44 aboard were killed when it crashed in the Pacific midway between Hawaii and the west coast November 8. A vast sea and air search got underway as soon as that plane was reported overdue but it was a week later before bodies and floating wreckage were found.
TRUMANS SPENDING YULE IN NEW YORK
New York, Dec 24. (UP)—Former President Harry S. Truman and Mrs. Truman arrived yesterday to spend Christmas with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. E. Clifton Daniel. The Trumans came here by train from their home in Independence , Mo. Their arms were filled with Christmas gifts for the Daniels and the latter’s infant son, Clifton Truman Daniel.
JURY IRREGULARITY AFFIDAVITS FILED FOR BECK AND SON
Seattle, Dec 24. (UP)—Affidavits alleging juror irregularities were filed yesterday in supoort of motions for new trials for Dave Beck, and his son Dave Jr., both convicted of grand larceny. (article continues…)
JET FUEL PACT O.K’d
Jet fuel for Fairchild, Larson and Geiger air force bases will be furnished by Carter Oil company’s Billings, Mont., refinery for the six months ending March 32, 1958, the company reported today. Carter is to furnish 12,400,000 gallons of jet airplane fuel by pipeline under government contract.
STAR OUTSHINES SPUTNIK IN WINNING LIGHT DISPLAY
(Large photo of home Christmas display, with no snow; caption reads:)
Fast becoming an important part of Spokane’s yule tradition is the annual Christmas home lighting contest. The winner again this year is the elaborate and colorful display at the home of S. Luther Essick at W919 Nebraska. Chimney sign says: “Above the Sputnik There is a Star.” Many cars drive by nightly.
CD SIRENS QUIETED FOR TWO HOLIDAYS
Spokane’s civil defense sirens will be silent on both Christmas and New Year’s day, Safety Commission Carl. D. Canwell said today. The warning sirens usually are tested at 11 a. m. every Wednesday.
“We have decided that during the holiday season the citizens of Spokane would rather not be reminded of the fact that there still are those in the world who do not subscribe to the theory of peace and good will among men,” he said.
“At the same time, we urge our citizens to be ever alert and ready should the alarm sound for something other than a weekly equipment test.”
CHECK ON DRIVERS TO CONTINUE LATE
Roving crews of law enforcement officers were to set up road check stations in several parts of the city starting early this afternoon in an effort to curb drinking drivers.
The city traffic division, state patrol, sheriff’s office, air police and volunteer civil defense auxiliary policemen will man the check points. Officials said today the check points will be maintained as long as there appears to be a need for them, even if traffic continues heavy after midnight. There will be five crews. Each will move from place to place during the evening, according to the traffic flow.
During the early evening blocks close to the downtown business district will check on persons who may have had too much to drink at office parties, police officials said. Later in the evening the check points will be moved nearer the city limits as house parties get under way.
An effort will made to keep traffic moving to prevent serious congestion. Drivers will be expected to move slowly through single lanes, established by special signs and cones set out on the streets. As the cars go by the officers, police will observe the drivers and pass out safety literature.
Similar check points will be established on New Year’s eve both inside and outside the city, particularly on major highways.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle editorial.
WEST EXERCISES VOICE
The gamble of President Eisenhower’s trip to Paris succeeded to this extent: He made the wearing journey without faltering in his comeback toward full physical strength.
But, whether the gamble pays off is still a question. As columnist David Lawrence puts it elsewhere on this page, the NATO conference accomplished nothing that a meeting of foreign ministers couldn’t have handled. The value of the conference above that level lay in the world sentiment it might sway.
That analysis, though it still leaves a shudder over the heath setback to which the President was exposed by the heavy-duty trip, is encouraging in one way. It indicates a growing recognition by the west that it must fight propaganda in kind.
It shows a growing belief that if the Soviets can sway mass opinion with words, then we must learn to do the same thing, and do it better, even though handicapped by dealing in truth.
The World Today--
LEADERS HOLD LITTLE HOPE FOR DISARMAMENT PARLEY
Washington Merry-Go-Round—
IVAN KINCHELOE TABBED AS FIRST U.S. SPACE PILOT
While Drew Pearson is on a tour of North Africa, columns here are being written by his associate.
By JACK ANDERSON
Washington, Dec. 24—The air force has already picked the space pilot who will make the first daring flight into outer space, and American Columbus whose first name ironically is Ivan.
He is Capt. Ivan Kincheloe, now training at Edwards air base, Calif., for his great adventure as America’s first space explorer.
He will soar into space in stages—first 100 miles, then 400 miles. Finally, he will swing his X-15 rocket plane into an orbit around the earth, making it the first manned satellite. The air force timetable calls for this feat in the breathtaking short space of three years, provided congress will foot the modest bill (estimated at less than $500,000).
Kincheloe’s glory will be shared with a civilian test pilot, Scott Crossfield, who will put the X-15 through its paces for North American Aviation before it is delivered to the air force. Crossfield’s flight tests should be more limited however, than those the air force is planning for Captain Kincheloe.
The amazing X-15 should be ready for its first limited flight test by the end of 1958. Kincheloe’s first goal will be to take it out of the earth’s atmosphere to an anticipated altitude of more than 100 miles.
In the next test series, he will use the boosters from the abandoned Navajo missile to shoot another 300 miles into space.
From these staggering heights, he will practice reentering the earth’s atmosphere
Third Booster Planned
Sometime in 1961, North American wants to add a third booster to the X-15, which will make it, in effect, a manned, three-stage rocket. Using the third booster, Kincheloe hopes to throw the rocket plane into an orbit and start chasing Sputniks around the earth at a speed over 12,000 miles per hour.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iven_Carl_Kincheloe,_Jr.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle.
Roving Reporter--
FEDERAL SCIENCE ACADEMY SEEN AS LOGICAL ADDITION
By ROBERT C. RUARK
The engineers with hairy ears seem to have galloped into the glamour department these days, displacing movies stars, bullfighters and jet pilots as the shining knights of the movement.
This would be due to a certain amount of science fiction, which the Russians have been writing for us to read, using such simple words as Sputnik.
There was a time, when I was a callow youth, when majoring in textiles or engineering put you down the social scale and you generally went to the state’s sort of trade school to learn how to mix a fiber or triangulate a piece of land. Engineers never had any fun. Because they were always stuck off on a job playing tic-tac-toe with a slide rule.
Slide Rule’s in Style
The government is now beating the bushes for recruits to learn the physics business. The age of the slide rule is here, and anybody who can’t figure ballistics and outer space is kind of old-fashioned.
So I think we need a new, tax paid academy so poor old MIT can take a breather. We have an air force academy, a naval academy and a West Point for the soldiers, so is there anything really wrong with shoving up a sterile structure and calling it the United States scientific school? That microscope seems more important these days than a slick technique with a bar or a hand grenade.
You would run it along these lines: Highdomed candidates would be admitted after competitive examinations.
The government grabs the tab. When the egg-head graduates, he is allowed to go into any private enterprise he wants to, or stay in government service. The only marker he’ll have to sign is a guarantee that he won’t take up ballet or interior decorating after he gets his plastic sheepskin. He must work in some field of science or research.
He’d Bill Industry
Now here’s where we get real crafty. We are assuming that the government has picked up the check for an individual who will go to work for private industry. So let the hiring company pay a good chunk of the educational cost, prorated on how many wise guys they hire.
They burn up a lot of loot now, trying to find serious young fellows with a passion for atom-stirring, and they’d get their bait back early if they had a steady supply of sharp-headed scientists ripening every June.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle.
THEATER ROBBED BY HOLDUP MAN
A gun-wielding holdup man robbed the Ritz theater cashier of $200 last night after pretending to be looking for his children in the Main avenue movie house.
Police said Mrs. Merlin Toland, N1320 Hollis, surrendered box office receipts after the man showed a gun, handed her a bag and demanded the money.
Mrs. Toland told officers the man said he wanted to get his children who were inside or “around here some place.”
She started for a closet to get some packages and he walked into the lobby. It was there that he forced her back to the cashier’s cage at gun point.
She described the robber as a 35-year-old Negro, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. She told police he had a small moustache and wore a brown hat and coat.
(The Ritz advertisement in today’s Chronicle, highlighted “50c ‘til 5”. Today’s’ features; “Reform School Girls”, “Rock Around the World”, and “Halliday Brand Western”.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle.
LIGHTS WILL MAKE FALLS BRIGHT YULE DECORATION
One of the downtown area’s most spectacular Christmas displays tonight and tomorrow night will be the Spokane River falls. Washington Water Power company will light the falls, over which 4460 cubic feet of water are flowing every second, with 62 floodlamps of 1000 watts each. The falls will be lighted from dusk to midnight both nights.
Also, as part of the downtown Christmas observance will be the lack of neon signs. Most businesses will turn off their advertising signs at 6 p.m. tonight and tomorrow night and the downtown area’s white lighted Christmas trees and streetlights will be the only illumination.
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle.
MEEHAN’S A FELLOW WITH LOTS OF SAND
Public Works Commissioner Arthur R. Meehan has been on the receiving end of some pretty pointed remarks lately about savings the city has made because of the lack of snow this month.
News men covering the city hall have “ridden” Meehan bout the amount of street sand he has accumulated. (Last winter the street division ran short of sans.)
It all has been in fun, so today, Meehan turned the tables on his “adversaries.” He presented city hall news men with tiny bags of sand on which was printed this message: “Merry Christmas. Mild winter so I have saved you some sane. Arthur R. Meehan.”
GROG CHARGES COSTLY
Three youths forfeited $50 bonds each in justice court yesterday on charges of being minors in possession of liquor.
Forfeiting bonds in Justice of the Peace James Ben McInturff’s court were Michael S. Park, N2421 Havana; Robert E. Driggs, E3005 Francis, and Raymond A. Driggs, E18230 Francis.
DISPLAY FEATURES NUN’S ARTISTRY
The colorful galloping reindeer on the roof and the beautiful angles and Holy Family figures in the nativity scene in one Christmas home lighting contest entry are a bit different.
They were hand painted by a Catholic num badly handicapped by arthritis and in a hospital bed for the last 10 years.
Sister Agnes Delphine, stationed at Sacred Heart hospital before she was stricken did not know she had a talent for art. (article continues)
A SMOKE AT 106—
Mrs. Raney Gevedon of Grassy Creek, Ky., known as Aunt Jeston to her family and friends, observes her 106th birthday with a smoke from her clay pipe. Having four pipe loads daily is the only “bad habit” the hearty Virginia native says she has. Bedfast since she broke her hip six hears ago, she spent the birthday quietly. (AP wirephoto.)
‘ROUND THE NORTHWEST
Constitutionality of Redistricting Law Upheld
State Unemployment Levels Off at 59,367
Rosellini Issues Christmas Message
Raymond Veneer Plant Burns
Youth Killed by Brother’s Gun
December 24, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle.
RUSS GENERAL DIES
Moscow, Dec. 24. (UP)—The Soviet army newspaper Red Star today reported the “tragic death” of Lt. Gen. Nikolai Y. Prikhidko, much-decorated expert on military education. The obituary, signed by the Soviet army chief of staff, Marshal V. D. Sokolovsky, and other marshals did not specify how or when Prikhidko died.
GUS VAIL’S RITES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Pasco, Wash., Dec. 24—Gus Vails, 52, who had served in the armed forces for 24 years, died yesterday at Fairchild air force base hospital.
The Pasco man was born in Oklahoma July 30, 1905. He was a first sergeant in the air force, stationed at the Spokane base. Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Barbra Vails, Pasco; his widow, Jessie Vails, Spokane; a daughter, Bett Ann Vails, Phoenix, Ariz.; and five brothers, George Vails, Spokane; William Vails, Yakima; Thomas Vails, Los Angeles, Calif.; John Vails, Whidbey Island; and Donald Vails, Pasco.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Bruce Lee chapel, Pasco.
CUBAN DOCTORS ACCUSE BATISTA
Havana, Dec. 24. (UP)—Cuba’s medical federation has charged President Fulgencia Batista’s regime with waging a terror campaign against the nation’s doctors and gunning down physicians who treated wounded rebels.
The 6600-member federation approved a report last night declaring that “constitutional and human rights are totally unknown” as a result of Batista’s drive to smash the year-old rebellion led by Fidel Castro.
The report, adopted at the end of a two-day convention, said Batista’s troops and police killed two doctors last October after they were caught treating wounded rebels.
The convention voted economic aid for doctors and their families who had been forced to give up their regular practice and flee because of “arbitrary political persecution.”
MORSE URGES CHANGE
Washington, Dec. 24. (UP)—Senator Morse (D-Ore.) said today that the United States “will make a great mistake if we do not change our foreign policy in Asia and Africa from one of military emphasis to one of economic emphasis. The fight for freedom in Asia and Africa will be won.” He said, “not with bombs but with bread.”
OBNOXIOUS SMOG SHROUDS LONDON
London, Dec 24. (UP)—A smelly blanket of smog hit London suddenly after midday today, adding to the general holiday confusion on traffic choked streets.
Automobile drivers switched on their lights. Street lights were turned on. Shopkeepers lighted their windows.
Air ministry weather experts said the explanation was an almost complete absence of wind.
At this time of the year tons of smoke rise hourly into the London skies. With no wind, the smoke was trapped under a thick layer of cloud.
FOUR DIE IN CRASH
London, Dec. 24. (UP)—A four engine Avro York freight plane making an instrument landing in poor visibility missed the runway at Stransted airport last night and crashed in a near-by field. All four crewmen were killed. The Scottish Airlines plane was en route with cargo from Malta.
COUNTER-REVOLT TRY REPORTED BY NASSAR
Cairo, Dec. 24. (UP)—Egyptian authorities today followed up President Nassar’s charges of an “imperialist plot” to topple his regime by arresting a second cousin of former King Farouk.
Newspapers disclosed that Prince Mohammed Abdul Moneim had been taken into custody while authorities investigated the royal cousin and his wife Nasi Shah.
Nasser claimed in an anniversary celebration speech yesterday that “imperialist countries” with the help of Farouk’s friends tried to overthrow his regime a year ago. He charged that relatives of Farouk’s and other noble families dreamed of regaining their lost estates.
Abdul Monelm was a member of the three-man regency council which served as the figurehead chief of state for a time after the 1952 army revolution toppled Farouk.
DRAFT SAYS ELVIS MUST TALK FOR SELF
Memphis, Tenn., Dec 24. (UP)—If Elvis Presley wants a deferment from his draft board, then Elvis himself is going to have to ask for it.
The board received a request yesterday from Paramount studios requesting a two-month deferment for the rock ‘n’ roll singer. But a spokesman for Shelby county draft board 86 said selective service regulations call for a written request from the registrant himself.
Paramount said it had planned to start Elvis’ latest picture January 13 and cancellation would cost $350,000 in preparatory investments.
College Etiquette---
DATE QUESTIONS GET ATTENTION
By ALLEN DERR
Moscow, Idaho, Dec. 24.—College men have a fine sense of humor, a healthy interest in dating, and want to know if they can eat fried chicken in their hands, Mrs. I.N. (Louise) Carter said here today…
…The answer, she said, was yes—but with one hand and only if the hostess approves.
Ann Landers Says---
DEAR ANN: I’m a girl 16 and my mother is always yelling at me because I enjoy reading “confession” magazines.
I think these stories are wonderful and several of my girl friends read them, too. (Even some of the mothers.)
We have several big arguments over this and now I have to hide the magazines under the mattress and places like that. Don’t you think it’s a shame that a girl 16 years old can’t pick her own magazines? I say if they were so harmful they wouldn’t be for sale. The United States government wouldn’t allow it. Would you please mention this in the paper?—SPIED ON.
You wouldn’t eat garbage, would you? Well, why put it in your head? These “confession” stories are not literature, they are trash. The fact that something is for sale doesn’t make it desirable. The public library is filled with the works of literary masters. They are exciting and far more entertaining than the junk you’re wasting your time on now.
IN RENO
Charles W. Mapes Jr. presents “A Holiday Revue”, staring Marie Wilson, with the Ben Yosi Royal Guards, Nico and Jay Lawrence, at the Mapes Casino. (Advertisement)
WINNER PAYS $143.80
Coral Gables, Fla., Dec. 24. (UP)—Sneak Preview, a 3-year-old colt which had failed to win in 25 previous starts, scored his first victory yesterday at Tropical Park and paid $143.80, 49.10 and $24.20 to his backers.
LIFT, TOWS WON’T OPERATE TOMORROW
The chair lift and rope tows on Mount Spokane won’t be operated Christmas day, a representative of the Mount Spokane Chair Lift Inc., reminded skiers today.
Starting Thursday, the lift and tows will be operated daily through January 5.
There was 6 inches of new snow on the mountain this morning and it was snowing lightly at 9 o’clock. The snow was dry and the chair lift operator said skiing should have been good today. Temperature was 18 degrees on top.
AIR CRASH IN ITALY KILLS 2 AMERICANS
Brindisi, Italy, Dec. 24. (UP)—A United States air force T-33 training plane crashed against fog shrouded Mount Carmela last night, killing both American airmen aboard.
Officials at Brindisi airport said the plane struck the mountain and crashed in flames soon after taking off for Aviano air base, in central Italy.
They said the fliers, identified only as Lts. Eldred and Cone, were from an American air force base in Germany.
A search continued, meantime, for another plane of the same type reported missing yesterday over central italy of the Tyrrhenian sea. This plane left the United States air force base at Chateaurox, France and failed to arrive at Naples air base.
NEW GRIEVANCES HIT COMMUTERS
New York, Dec. 24. (UP)—Thousands of suburban commuters had trouble getting to their jobs in Manhattan today because Long Island railroad service was cut about half by trainmen reporting sick and unable to work.
The trainmen were disgruntled over work schedules for Christmas eve and New Year’s eve, but the precise nature of their grievances was not learned immediately.
December 25, 1957, Wednesday, 46 pages 3 sections. It was a heavy paper due to a lot of Merry Christmas goodwill advertising by almost every business in town. Downtown looked like a wasteland, vacant after all those crowds of the previous days. It was a bit spooky. I remember a scrap of paper blowing around in a circle in front of the Review, and nobody, absolutely nobody around.
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
TRAFFIC MISHAPS FEW IN CITY
Traffic accidents in the Spokane area ran considerably less than expected last night, authorities reported today.
State and city police and sheriff’s officers had all available men and vehicles patrolling main highways and arterials around the city in an attempt to curt an expected rash of incidents involving drinking drivers. (The article continues.)
ONE-BOY RECEPTION COMMITTEE BARELY MISSES SAINT NICK
Santa Claus had to be an early bird last night to complete his visit before he was caught in the act by some Spokane youngsters. Peter Esvelt, 8, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Esvelt, W4016 Broad avenue, climbed out of bed at 1:30 a. m. but his mother heard him stirring and sent him back.
At 5:15 a. m. he was outdoors shooting up the neighborhood with a brand new “submachine gun” and two big “six guns.” His little sister and parents were sound asleep unaware that Santa had come and gone.
Along the Freeway---
HIGHWAY’S YULE IS DEATH-FREE
Christmas eve and the first nine hours of Christmas day were “deathless’ hours on the Valley freeway, the state patrol said. As a result the Eastern Resort Owners’ association today handed a $12 check to the Salvation army under the patrol’s charity-safety program.
Donor for today will be Eastern Washington College of Education student council which has selected the Shriners’ Hospital for Crippled Children as its charity. If there are no fatal traffic accidents on the freeway to 9 a. m. tomorrow the council will donate $12 to the hospital.
1957 BABY CROP FIGURED RECORD
Washington, Dec 25. (UP)—The 1957 crop of American babies is expected to reach about 4,319,000—a seventh straight annual record. The public health service, releasing this estimate yesterday, said for the 1957 total of births is expected to top the 1956 figure by 98,000.
The health service attributed the steadily rising birth totals to increased marriages and a trend toward bigger families.
BOY LEADS PARADE OF HOLIDAY BABIES
Spokane’s first 1957 Christmas baby was born to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd A. Absalonson, N5328 Cedar. Mrs. Absalonson, the former Mary Mulvey gave birth to a 9-pound, 1-ounce boy at 1:45 a. m. in Deaconess hospital. The father is with the Great Northern Railway company. They have two other children, both girls, 10 and 6, born in April and June.
THIRST THINGS FIRST
Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 25. (UP)—A group of last-minute shoppers was determined not to anything interfere with its Christmas spirits.
Three fire trucks roared up to answer an alarm at the rear of a liquor store, but not one shopper left the line in front to see what was going on.
HOLIDAY DEATHS MOUNT RAPIDLY; CAR TOLL HEAVY
By the Associated Press
The traffic death toll of the Christmas holiday appeared running tragically heavy.
With millions on the highways and streets, the National Safety council urged everyone to show consideration for others in the true Christmas spirit. (article continues.)
FIVE DIE IN STATE
Tragedy lurked along Washington’s highways on the Christmas holiday meant only for rejoicing and giving.
By Christmas forenoon the state’s traffic death toll had reached five—one on the east side and four others in King county.
Leo Stewart, 47, of Cashmere, becaue the state’s first Chruoistmas traffic victim when his car skidded on a curve and plunged down an embankment two miles east of Cashmere last night. (The article continues.)
MAKE A GUESS
Although he’s blind at the age of 5 years because of cancer operations on both his eyes a year and a half ago, Mike Sibole, Miami, Fla., shakes a Christmas package under the tree at his home and, like thousands of other tots, is able to get a pretty fair idea of the contents. (AP wirephoto.)
IDAHOAN KILLED IN TAVERN ROW
Wallace, Idaho, Dec. 25.—James Brown, 25 was wounded fatally in a tavern shooting at Murray, Idaho, early this Christmas morning.
Deputy Harry Rude of the Shoshone county sheriff’s office said Gary R. Anspaugh, 24, of Murray, is in custody in connection with the shooting. No charges have been filed.
The deputy said Brown was shot with a .308 Winchester rifle at about 2:50 a. m. and died 20 minutes later. The shooting took place at the Courthouse tavern. One of several other persons reported in the tavern at the time notified authorities.
Rude said the shooting climaxed “an old grudge” between Brown and Anspaugh.
Sheriff’s officers and other law enforcement men placed road blocks on several roads leading out of Murray, a village located 19 miles north of Wallace.
Anspaugh was apprehended at about 4 a. m. at Pinehurst, west of Kellog, by Deputy Hank Thomas and Bill Edwards, Kellogg city police officer.
Robert J. Fanning, Shoshone county prosecutor, said he would join the sheriff’s office in investigating the case today, but that it was unlikely, because of the Christmas holiday, that a charge would be filed until tomorrow.
The body of Brown was brought to Ward’s funeral chapel here.
Deputy Rude said he understood Brown had been married, but was divorced and was living at Murray.
Anspaugh is single.
TWO’S NOT ENOUGH
Chicago, Dec. 25. (UP)—Danny Daley, 7 isn’t smiling until Santa comes through with more than just those two front teeth for Christmas.
Danny lost his store-bought upper dentures.
CHILDREN’S HOPE FOR WHITE YULE GIVEN SETBACK
The weather man today dashed the hopes of Spokane’s young fry for Christmas week snow for their new sleds. (article continues.)
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 2
MILITARY BUDGET NEARLY COMPLETE; IT’S LARGEST YET
Washington, Dec. 25. (UP)—Pentagon officials reported today they have almost finished drawing up the new military budget, which will be the largest ever drafted in peacetime history.
The federal spending budget will be presented to congress next month. It is expected to include about $40,000,000,000 for the defense department during the fiscal year. (The article continues, and so does the spending.)
PILOT PICKED FOR TEST OF EXTRA-FAST PLANE
Washington, Dec 25. (UP)—Scott Crossfield, a 36-year-old father of five, will be the first man to pilot a rocket plane which may fly more than five times the speed of sound.
The plane is the X-15, a research craft now under construction as part of this country’s program to push its frontiers beyond the limits of the atmosphere and into outer space. (The article continues.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Scott_Crossfield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-15
Three X-15s were built, flying 199 test flights, the last on 24 October 1968. The first X-15 flight was an un-powered test flight by Scott Crossfield, on 8 June 1959; he also piloted the first powered flight, on 17 September 1959.
SUCCESS NOTED IN TAX ACTIONS
Washington, Dec 25. (UP)—The justice department’s tax division reported today that fiscal 1957 was its most successful year in terms of money it collected and saved for the government in tax actions. (The article continues.)
FIREMEN FLEE
Thick black smoke billows from two burning oil barges on the Calumet Sag channel at suburban Robbins, south of Chicago, as firemen run from the scene. The fire yesterday was accompanied by a blast which shook the area. Damage was confined to the vessels. No one was hurt. (AP wirephoto.)
No Tree, No Gifts—
FAMILY THANKFUL ON CHRISTMAS IN SPITE OF CRUSHING TRAGEDY
Gorham, Me., Dec. 25. (AP)—It will be a Christmas without tree, presents and celebration for the Frank R. Morse family this year.
“It won’t seem much like Christmas,” says Morse. “Still, we thank the Lord for the three of us being together and for all the help we’ve had.” (Article continues, if you liked Queen for a Day, you’ll love this story.)
“IT IS MORE BLESSED…”
Detroit, Dec. 25. (UP)—The Christmas spirit got hold of Steven J. Ptak today.
Ptak, 43, helper on a beer truck and heretofore a thrifty type, withdrew $3000 from his $8000 saving account today.
Then he stationed himself in the Sheraton-Cadillac hotel and began handing out $10 bills to one and all.
The money didn’t go fast enough that way so Ptak began throwing $10 bill right and left.
When police arrived to quell the disturbance, Ptak had $2000 left. Police said they would release Ptak when he “calmed down.”
SOLDIERS HELP OUT
Gaza, Dec 25., (UP)—The non-christian Indian troops in the UN emergency force came up with a surprise Christmas gift today for their Christian comrades-in-arms.
They took over all the lonely patrol duties on the Arab-Israeli borders until 7 a. m. December 26 so the Brazilians, Danes, Norwegians, Colombines, Swedes and Canadians could have Christmas to themselves.
The Indians are mainly Hindus. Their commander Lt. Col. I. S. Gill, said their religion teaches “brotherliness and help to all friends, and we are happy to join in this matter in UNEF’s Christmas celebrations.”
INGRID AND ROBERTO HAVE YULE TOGETHER
Rome, Dec 25. (U)—Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini played the role of happy parents today for the sake of their children’s Christmas.
Together again for the first time since a Roman magistrate granted them a legal separation November 7, Ingrid and Rossellini appeared to enjoy the reunion.
EDITORS PICK DAVE BECK’S STORY AS STATE’S TOP NEWS OF THE YEAR
By ELMER C. VOGEL
Associated Press Staff Writer
Labor leader Dave Beck, who slugged it out with congressional committees and grand juries and heard himself adjudged a thief from his own union, was the top story of 1957 in Washington.
This was the opinion of half a hundred newsmen from Washington newspapers, radio and television stations. Only one editor thought any other story outranked beck and he gave his vote to uprisings at the Eastern State Hospital.
Second, but far behind in importance in the opinions of the newsmen, was the collective story of the 1957 legislature—a biennial front runner.
Cave-In Included
Others in the order of their selection as top stories were:
Seattle’s Ravenna Boulevard cave-in; the Eastern State Hospital disorder; kidnapping of Lee Crary, 8-year-old Lynwood youngster; the slide which blocked Snoquamie pass; the Patterson-Rudemacher boxing mach in Seattle; six killed in a Tenino dynamite explosion; eight drowned in a motorboat sinking off Whidbey island, and the Gold Cup speed-boat races.
Beck’s pudgy, balding figure became a familiar sight to millions of Americans as he appeared before the senate rackets investigation committee, traveled to and from federal and state grand jury sessions or traipsed in and out of a King county superior court room while on trial for grand larceny.
Nearly every week of every month, he broke into the news somewhere, somehow. The climax came in Seattle December 21. On that day a jury held him guilty of keeping $1900 received in the sale of a Cadillac owned by the teamsters’ union which he heads. He is appealing the decision.
Accusations Fly
The legislature acted as most legislatures do. It altered some laws, passed some new ones; it refrained from passing any significant new tax measures and both parties accused the other of being responsible for any failures. But it was news, and it kept the wires busy for 60 days.
A huge hold formed in Seattle’s Ravenna boulevard November 12 and it grew and grew until an entire neighborhood was endangered, residents were moved out of their homes in the midst of a dark and rainy night and the city’s North End sewer system went partly on the blink.
The city fought for days—and is still fighting—to get its great drainage systems into proper working order. The cost will run into several hundred thousand dollars.
Eastern State hospital at Medical Lake catapulted into the headlines October 29 when a handful of inmates forced 36 guards to surrender without a struggle. The inmates wanted a hearing of their complaints and they eventually surrendered meekly when told they would be heard.
Rock Roars Down
The economy of several areas was sharply jolted when a huge mass of rock, earth and timbers came roaring down onto Snoqualmie pass October 4 near Lake Keechelus. The road was reopened October 31 but not before a number of roadside motels, restaurants and service stations on both sides of the mountains suffered a severe economic pinch from the cutoff of business.
On September 23, Lee Crary, 8-year-old Lynwood, King county, youngster was kidnapped at play near his home. This story, too, had a happy ending, and little Lee was returned to his parents after several hectic days of search and investigation by federal and state agents.
George E. Collins, 20, and Katherine Meyers, 21, have confessed to the holding of Lee for ransom and are awaiting trial. The story might have been bigger—but newspapers and radio stations avoided mention of the kidnaping angle until the boy was safely returned to his parents
Boxer Makes News
Pete Rademacher, professionally untried Olympic heavyweight boxing champion from the Yakima valley, startled the boxing world, first, by signing to fight a championship match in Seattle with the crown-wearing Floyd Patterson and second by lasting six rounds.
Six men died in an explosion of a dynamite mixing unit at a powder plant near Tenino on January 18. Seven were injured.
Eight persons were drowned off Whidbey island in a small outboard motorboat accident on a windy July 27. Four adults and four children perished on a fishing trip.
Finally, the newsmen said, the Gold Cup speedboat races on Lake Washington August 11 was the 10th ranked event of the year.
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
AIRMEN DONATE BLOOD FOR BOY
An 8-year-old Spokane hemophiliac today had as his major Christmas present a six months’ supply of life-sustaining blood.
He was David Lanning, W1627 Seventh. His happy parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack W. Lanning, said 60 pints of blood were donated by personnel of Fairchild air force base, Geiger air force base, the 10th army AAA batallion at Fairchild and near-by Deep Creek air force station.
They said David has been kept alive by blood transfusions all his life. He has had 75 so far this ear.
The family came here from California in 1953 and much of the vital blood supplies have come from the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California.
YOUNG HILLYARD BOOSTERS LEAVE FOR ROSE BOWL
Four young members of the Hillyard Booster club left this morning in the company of city fireman and Mrs. Elmer Richardson to spend a week in southern California.
The four are winners of the club’s 1957 Rose Bowl contest and Mr. and Mrs. Richardson are their chaperones.
They will be the guests of Bing Crosby, an honorary member of the club, and will visit television and motion picture studios and may make a trip into Mexico. On New Year’s day they will attend the Rose Bown football game in Pasadena.
This is the 17th group of boys to make the trip. The Rose Bowl jaunt was omitted during World war II but resumed immediately afterward.
Each year four boys who are members of the club are chosen to make the trip on the basis of school proficiency and service to the club and the community. They are expected to return in early January.
NEW CHURCH
The new St. Mark’s Lutheran church, Twenty-fourth and Grand, looked like a Christmas card in this wintry setting before today’s rain. First services were held there last Sunday and it will be dedicated January 5. The newly installed chimes and bell, in bell tower at right, are playing Christmas carols throughout the holiday season. A small memorial chapel, for small weddings or other small services, joins the tell tower and the new sanctuary, at left, which seats more than 300 persons. The stone structure, an adaptation of modern Swedish Gothic, was designed by E. W. Molander and Associates. First unit was completed in 1951.
HILL COASTING SCHEDULE TOLD
Stanley G. Witter, city recreation superintendent, said today that when there is enough snow the coasting hills will be supervised from 3 to 9 p. m. on week days and from 1 to 9 on Saturdays and Sundays.
There are 13 supervised coasting areas, Witter said, including hills at Manito park, Sheridan from Hartson to Fifth; Ivory, Fourteenth to Tenth; Underpark, Euclid, Division west to Normandie; Nora, Normandie to Washington; Audubon park; Monroe, Seventeenth to Fourteenth; Lincoln park at Seventeenth and Crestline; Lincoln Heights at Twenty-sixth and Ray; Napa, Dalton to Fairviw; Twentieth and Ralph, and at the northeast corner of Esmeralda gold course.
The recreation department also plans to operate 11 skating areas when weather permits. Natural ponds to be supervised are at Manito, Cannon Hill and Lincoln parks.
Flooded areas will be at Underhill, Mission playground, Harmon field, Franklin park, Audubon park, Cooper school, Courtland playground and Shadle park.
YOUNGSTER SPOTS REAL BUTTERFLY
Now it’s butterflies.
Spokane residents by the dozens have reported finding flowers blooming in their yards, despite the season.
Comes now Stephen Patrick Mann, 12, with a topper. He reported he found a live butterfly in an empty building at Fort George Wright this morning. The creature was black with orange along the edges of its 1 ½ inch spread wings.
Stephen is the son of M/Sgt. and Mrs. James M. Mann, who reside at the fort.
POSTMASTER SAYS SOME SANTA NOTES SENT FOR OTHERS
Children who write letters to Santa Claus sometimes don’t ask for anything for themselves, Postmaster Joseph L. Maloney reported.
This year he received about 350 Santa Claus letters as compared with about 300 last year.
Carol wrote: “Santa: Do your reindeer really fly?
Bobbie asked Santa Claus to “give Boots some kittens.”
“I would like a garden and to go to a farm to stay,” Lynn said in her letter.
Ricky said: “I haven’t been a good boy, but I hope you won’t forget me at Christmas time.”
A youngster wrote to Santa for his kitten, Fuzzy, and his dog, Lady. The kitten asked for a ball, a little house to live in and a ball of string to play with. The dog “asked” for a dog house and a “dog dish with stripes.”
Shutterbugs Pleased---
PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS LIKE RAILROAD DOME CARS
Dome cars have become particular joy to camera enthusiasts, according to Spokane conductors whose trains traverse some of the more interesting scenic areas of the west.
Because the “penthouse view” through large picture windows makes it easier to take photographs from a moving train, some of the railroads have issued leaflets advising shutter-bugs how best to take advantage of them.
Reflections are a problem because of the curved glass surface and the photographer is advised to check the image in the viewfinder, changing camera position to eliminate reflections. The closer one is to the window surface the less will reflections be a bother.
The greenish cast of the heat resistant glass serves as a lens filter and the slightly diminished light should be compensated for by increasing lens openings about one stop.
Unless a correction filter is used there will be a green tint to the processed film or color prints.
Because of the motion of the train, maximum sharpness is best obtained by cushioning the camera in the hands, with elbows pressed against one’s sides. The camera man should avoid bracing himself on any part of the car body to eliminate vibrations.
Higher shutter speeds hold subject motion to a minimum. With fixed focus cameras, aim at distant scenes ahead or to the read to avoid blurred foregrounds.
Washington Merry-Go-Round---
AMERICAN GIs BRING JOY TO CHILDREN IN MOROCCO
Drew Pearson, during the holidays, is making a tour of our North African bases.
By DREW PEARSON
Nousaseur, Morocco, Dec 25---The American soldier’s ability to adjust himself to his surroundings continues to be the most modern miracle of an age which may send rockets to the moon.
It makes no difference that the American GI is thousands of miles from home or that he’s surrounded by a Moslem population that does not pay homage to Christ’s Nativity. It’s Christmas—and, no matter where the GI is, he’s celebrating it
Decorators Compete
So, down the main street of Wheelus air base in Tripoli you’ll see each barrack competing for the best Christmas decorations as avidly and sometimes more effectively than any community back home.
Over the recreation center at Nouasseur air base you will see a silhouette of a wrecker’s truck rescuing Santa Claus.
To me Christmas doesn’t seem quite as real here in Africa as it did in Greenland last year at this time. There’s no snow, no ice. Actually, however, it was in palm studded desert country quite similar to this in Africa that Christ was born, so Christmas here should come much nearer to reproducing the physical surroundings of that day when Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem nearly 2000 years ago.
Old, New Contrasted
Donkeys similar to Joseph’s are still one of the most important carriers in Africa, and not far from here is a camel mart when another respected beast of burden is traded like old cars at home.
In contrast, great Globemasters come swooping down on the modern runways which American ingenuity has placed in the desert.
The American soldier who is maintaining and operating these weapons of war in contradiction to the hope that Christ cherished for mankind would prefer not to be doing what he is doing. He would rather be home. However, as noted above, he has an amazing ability to adjust himself to any surroundings.
And, because the American soldier, whether he reads the Bible or not, has an inherent sense of what Christmas is all about, he has gone out of his way in these distant lands to help the people of these lands.
Orphans Remembered
For some weeks the air patrol at Nouasseur has been putting the “touch” on everyone from the base commander down to finance Christmas celebration at Moroccan orphanages. For months they have been busy collecting old toys, repainting and repairing them for children in the near-by Moroccan towns. Other air units are doing the same.
I watched one Christmas party given at the Nouasseur air force hospital for 60 French and Moroccan orphans by the hospital corps.
“Riches” Received
The hospital mess hall was crowded with children too excited to eat and, with their air force escorts too busy to notice, they didn’t eat. Finally the pretense of eating was over and the children stood to receive the presents which the hospital personnel had purchased for each and every one of them. They stood bashful and timid in the presence of such unaccustomed riches and their eyes sparkled as they unwrapped those riches.
Then they went home to dream of another Christmas with kindly Americans acting as Santa Claus.
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
AUDITOR MAKES PLANS FOR THE ‘GRAND RUSH’ ON VEHICLE LICENSES
The county auditor’s office was getting lined up for what they expect will be a “grand rush” for new 1958 vehicle license plates. Auditor Frank J. Glover said he’s hired 30 extra employees to handle crowds expected when the new plates go on sale January 2.
Plates will be different than those now being used. They’ll have three letter prefixes followed by three numbers. Glover said earlier that his office has been getting strong pressure for special numbers
Applications Due
Motorists will get pre-run license applications again this year from the state license department. The applications will be mailed out beginning tomorrow and should be in the hands of most county motorists by opening day of the sale.
Motorists need present only the pre-run applications and enough money to the auditor’s office to get plates, he said.
The new plates will be on sale until February 15. Glover said after that date motorists will be charged a $3 late penalty and will be subject to arrest.
Drivers who don’t want to brave the expected courthouse lines will be able to buy plates from special agents again this year, Glover said.
Thirty-four agents in the county will handle plate sales, he said. The agents will be permitted to charge an extra 50 cent fee for handling the sale. Agents in the county follow;
Appleway Motors, E8500 Sprague; Barton Auto company, W917 Second; George Elmer Brown, N5202 Market; Brown & Holter, Cheney; Charles Bruce, W1005 Garland; Buchanan Chevrolet, W702 Third. (The article continues.)
28 MEN JAILED ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Christmas eve for 28 Spokane men included a visit to the city jail. Most of them spent the night.
Jailers said 20 men were brought in on drunk charges. Two were charged with drunk driving, and three others with negligent driving while drinking. Another was charged with driving while his license was revoked, one charged with disorderly conduct and the others were booked on more minor traffic charges.
‘ROUND THE NORTHWEST
One Dead, Two Hurt in Plane Crash
Repairs Slated for Mothball Ship
Seattle Withdraws Backing on Bridge
State Voices Warning on Mothballs
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
Roster to be Scattered---
MANY NAVY POSTS TO GET ENLISTED MEN AT GEIGER
Navy enlisted station keepers assigned to the Spokane naval air facility will be reassigned to 15 states, a list of the duty stations showed today. The navy men are leaving the area for other stations as a result of the closing of the naval air facility at Geiger field. (The article continues.)
COUNTY BUILDING CODE IS PRINTED
Spokane county’s building code will be available to the public early newt week.
C. F. Thackwell, county building inspector, said today initial printing of the code was being completed this week. The 22-page code defines in detail building standards adopted a year ago by the county commissioners.
Thackwell said publication of the code has been delayed by printing troubles and amendments. One section of the code, outlining general provisions was available to builders earlier.
‘KILLER’ FENCE FRANCE’S ABLEST ALLY IN ALGERIA
By ROBERT AHIER
Duvivier, Algeria, Dec. 25. (UP)—France is winning the military battle in Algeria largely because of 400 miles of electrified wire stretched along the Tunisian frontier.
The French army calls this force the “electric chair.” It is that deadly. One touch and it kills.
Since it was finished last October, officials estimate that it has halted by 50 per cent the number convoys bringing fresh troops and guns into Algeria. (Interesting article continues…)
Things Could be Worse—
THERE ARE REASONS TO BE JOLLY
By ROBERT J. SERLING
Washington, Dec. 25. (UP)—Has Russia Sputniked the merry out of your Merry Christmas?
The word from historians today is, cheer up. It could get worse and often has.
Remember Christmas day, 1778? (The article continues.)
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
POLICE TURNED OUT FOR FAMILY AFFAIRS
Thousands of families got together for Christmas eve observances last night in Spokane.
Most of the get-togethers were happy occasions.
Not all of them, though. Police radio operators said today a good portion of the calls received last night involved “family fights.”
PINE SHED CAFÉ SETS EXPANSION
The Pine Shed café, N1727 Division, has begun an expansion project which will add about 1500 feet to the building’s floor area within the next three months. (The article continues.)
SHIPS, PLANES SEARCH PACIFIC FOR VICTIMS OF PLANE CRASH
Honolulu, Dec. 25. (UP)—Air-sea rescue headquarters at Pearl Harbor ordered ships and planes out at dawn today on the slim chance of finding more survivors from a navy radar plane that crashed and exploded in the Pacific with 23 aboard.
Two of the survivors, Lt. (J.G.) Richard Rentschler, 22, of Lincoln, Neb., and Aviation Technician 3/c Franklin A. Henry, 22, of Kankakee, Ill., said they doubted any of the 17 men still missing survived.
The two other survivors were Cmdr. Guy Howard, 41, of Oakland, Calif., and Lt. (J.G.) Thomas Kline, 25, of East Williston, N.D.
The bodies of two other men were picked up, making a total of six men of the 23 aboard the plane accounted for.
The plane, a WV-2 Super Constellation crashed into the water about 25 miles off the northern tip of Oahu without warning Monday night.
Doctors at Tripler General hospital near Pearl Harbor, where the four survivors were taken for treatment, said all were in good condition. Howard appeared to have suffered the most. He had head injuries, bruises and a possible skull fracture. The others suffered cuts, burns and exposure.
Rentschler and Henry were the only two well enough to talk to newsmen last night. They were in wheelchairs.
They indicated there was only the “barest possibility” that three other survivors who were in the water with them could be alive. They identified the trio as Avation Electronic Technician 3/c James C. Rush of Robinson, Ill.; Air Controlman 3/c Charles D. Price of Seattle and Air Controller 3/c Robert O. Clark of Frankfort, Ind.
Men Disappeared
“We saw them soon after the crash, but they were floating too far away for us to recognize,” they said. “We last saw them disappearing into the distance beyond the tail section of the plane.”
It was on the off chance of finding these men that the rescue center at Pearl Harbor ordered a full-scale search resumed today.
Rentschler and Henry said the crash occurred suddenly after the plane commander had ordered a fire drill.
“I was standing at the navigator’s desk when the drill sounded,” Rentschler said. “It was a simulated report of smoke in the forward baggage compartment.”
Rentschler said he remained at his station. Henry, the radio operator, remarked to him that the plane was fast losing altitude—much more so than a routine drill would call for.
“Don’t worry, it’s a drill,” Rentschler said.
“We’re down to 300 feet now,” henry said. “We’re going by now.”
A few seconds later, the plane smashed into the water, with both men braced for the impact.
“All four engines were operating at the time we hit the water,” Rentschler said. “I felt whoever was at the controls at the pull up just before the impact.”
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
WHITE CHRISTMAS
To provide the yule scenes of their former home in Massachusetts, shrimp boat-owner Anthony Grace, now a resident of Tampa, Fla., had eight tons of finely crushed ice from his boat dumped on his lawn for the benefit of his daughter, Linda, 9, at right. (AP wirephoto.)
GOLD COINS ARE SCARCE; MORE COLLECTORS ACTIVE
Gold coins are getting scarcer and coin collectors thicker.
So say operators of Spokane coin shops.
A $1 gold piece is worth $10 to $12; considerably more if it bears a scarce mint date, according Mrs. Guy Johnson, owner-manager of Stamp and Coin Collectors supply, W510 Riverside. (The article continues.)
QUESTION POSED ON TOT SCHOOLS
Questions about the proposed milage levy for reestablishment of kindergartens here were raised in a letter from a Spokane insurance actuary to school drist 81’s board chairman. (The article continues.)
CAUSE OF BLAZE STILL UNSOLVED
Fire department officials are attempting to determine the cause of the Falls City building fire last week that resulted in total los of two retail stores and dentist’s and insurance offices at Post and Riverside.
Capt. James T. Bell, arson investigator, said the extensive damage that resulted is causing much difficulty in the attempt to learn the source of the fire.
“The fire was believed to have started at the rear of Savon’s shop and we are carefully inspecting that portion of the building in hope of uncovering a clew,” he said.
CITY GROG SALES TOTAL $525,550
Sales in six Spokane area stores totaled $525,550 last month, the state liquor control board reported today.
Grand total state-wide sales in November came to $6,436,754, the board disclosed in its monthly summary.
December 25, 1957, Spokane Daily Chronicle
PRESLEY SEEKS DELAY IN DRAFT
Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 24. (UP)—Entertainer Elvis Presley who made a fortune with rock ‘n’ roll asked his draft board today to keep him out of military service until he completes his fourth Hollywood movie.
The 22-year old side-burned Presley, in a letter wishing his draft board a “Merry Christmas,” asked for the military department on behalf of Paramount Studio.
Presley received his army “greetings” last week, ordering him to report for induction January 20.
Presley’s studio already had asked for a deferment saying it might lose as much as $350,000 if Presley were inducted on schedule.
Presley was scheduled to start his latest movie at New Orleans next month, about the same time he was to report to Camp Chaffee, Ark.
Milton Bowers, chairman of the draft board said earlier that no action would be taken on the studio request unless a similar deferment request came from Presley.
It was my last Christmas on Route 1104. After the price increase by the “papers”, the downtown vendors began disappearing rapidly. I wouldn’t be far behind. With the reduced profits it wouldn’t be long before it no longer seemed worthwhile to give up Priest Lake for the smaller returns. By the time summer rolled around, I was ready to quit and take my new used motor scooter to the lake for the summer. The green kids I broke in on the routes both thought I was the FIGMO guy.
The Red Streak edition was discontinued January 12, 1963. The Chronicle’s last issue was published July 31, 1992, just a few months after the death of publisher, W. H. Cowles III. Here is a link to that last issue:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=kxd3qP2_5uAC&dat=19920731&printsec=frontpage
I learned a lot from my newsboy experiences with the Chronicle. It was better preparation for life than school in a lot of ways, that’s for sure. Every kid should have the same opportunity.
