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Newspaper
Bath Independent
Location
Bath, Maine, United States of America
Date
Jun 06, 1940
Page
4
Maine's Typical Family Mr and Mrs Harold E Armes and two sons Harold A and Richard J return from New York World's Fair with Dream House stay and sightseeing in New York City. Many local residents attend weddings visits and dinners as summer plans begin.
Mrs Madalene Reed formerly of Bath now of Camden visits relatives as her son Carleton Reed suffers illness at the grandparents home Mr and Mrs Frank J Thurston 6 Fishers court Edward G Morin from Elizabeth New Jersey visits his father Dr Harry F Morin on Washington Street during a short stay in town
Mr and Mrs George W Tobey return Saturday to Western avenue home after spending a week with their son Hiram Tobey and Mrs Tobey in Wakefield Massachusetts.
Maurice Owen came back Sunday to the Bentley School of Accounting in Boston after spending the weekend with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Owen of Oak Street Oak. Guests included Kenneth Orr of Darien Conn and Mrs. Orr who visited Mrs. Arthur E. Russell in Medford Mass. Also visiting were Mr. and Mrs. Ray E. Howe of Court Street with Memorial Day guests Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fields Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Salminin and daughter from Rockland.
Mr Loyall F Sewall Mrs Loyall F Sewall and two children Loyall Jr and Camilla arrive from New York City to open their Summer home at Small Point Beach for the season.
Miss E. Winifred Aderton, private secretary to Breckenridge Long, goes back to Washington, D. C., Sunday night after making preparations for repairs and alterations to her cottage at Five Islands.
Miss Frances Osborn comes home after completing her sophomore year at Syracuse University to spend the summer with her parents at 44 Pearl Street. Mrs Winnie Mudge leaves Friday for Lexington Massachusetts to visit her daughter Mrs Eunice Stewart and granddaughter Dorothy Ham. Mrs Stewart spent holidays in Bath with her mother.
Charles L. Turner of Braintree Massachusetts, Bath native and Portland-South Portland bridge supervisor, stayed at the Sedgwick during a holiday visit, planning to join family in Portland. Various Bath residents and friends noted in routine social items including home purchases, births, and local gatherings.
Dr and Mrs Frederick Bradeen of Essex Connecticut stayed overnight Tuesday of last week with their aunt Mrs Frederick H Kimball on High Street en route to Roach River for a few days fishing. Richard Matthews Hallet of Boothbay Harbor visited Bath Friday afternoon after returning from Lewiston where he spoke at the Rotary luncheon to a strong reception.
Mrs Frank Perkins returned to her home at 972 High street on Wednesday last week after traveling to Belmont to attend the death of Miss Mary Blight's brother, a friend of the family.
Mrs Florence Manier of Hudson Massachusetts was the weekend guest of her mother Mrs James Dunton at Court.
Miss Eleanor Thebeau attends Commencement week in White Plains New York as Dorothy Ruth Thebeau of Bath graduates Friday afternoon at 3 30 on the College of Good Counsel campus. The Most Reverend Francis J Spellman will confer the degrees.
Mr and Mrs Benjamin Welch and son Benjamin of the Bronx New York returned Sunday after a brief stay with Mr and Mrs Harold Walker on Highland Street. Their daughter Barbara remained for a month with the Walkers. Dr and Mrs Paul Tuttle and son Richard of South Portland spent the weekend at their cottage in Quaker Point. Mr and Mrs James Green returned to Waterbury Connecticut after visiting his father on 18 Summer Street Court.
Miss Mary C. O'Brien of the Federal Power Commission in Washington returns to the National Capital after a weekend with her mother Mrs. Lillian Lemont and her brother Joseph O'Brien at 22 Lincoln Street.
Miss Violetta L Berry and Dr Jack Spencer wed Saturday at St Luke Cathedral Portland with Bishop Benjamin Brewster officiating. Bridesmaids wore emerald green marquisette and bouquets featured purple iris while the couple’s families and Bath and Falmouth kin attended gatherings in related notices.
Mrs Kowalker and her sister in law Miss Pauline Kowalker of Boston plan a visit after a brief stop with Mr and Mrs Just Wold in Court Street Worcester Mass Mrs Agnes MacGreggor of Worcester Mass departs for Portland to visit relatives Miss Edith E Estabrooks previously with Senter s Inc moves to the New England Tel and Tel Co office
Miss Doris Perkins and Mrs H D Perkins leave for Portland for a two week vacation. Several locals including Mrs Arch Hamilton and Miss Pauline Kingsbury travel to Lexington and Boston. Various families attend graduations, weddings, and visits across Bath Maine with relatives in Quincy Lowell Kalamazoo and Whitefield.
Mrs Ralph Dunton of Portland resumes Summer at Robinhood after a short visit with her daughter Mrs Edward St Martin on Upper Washington Street. Mr and Mrs John Greene Jr return from a Shackford cottage honeymoon stay at Birch Point to pass the Summer. Miss Ruth Jordan of West Roxbury Mass and Miss Annie Belle Cutting of Salem Mass return after visiting Miss Jordan’s aunt Mrs Alfie Jacobs 40 York Street.
Washington announces four cargo carrier contracts for the Bath Iron Works and a Kennebec River channel improvement to 27 feet depth and 175 yards width. The plan aligns with potential larger wartime craft, including light cruisers, and raises at the Bath plant.
Rumors swirl over reactivating the Texas yard at Bath amid talks of a naval repair base for damaged ships. President Newell of Iron Works suggested a reopening in national emergency, with Lieut. Com. Herbert K. Stubbs endorsing river channel improvements and a potential refuge and repair site for damaged vessels in the North Atlantic operations scenario.
The article notes discussion of Bath Iron Works as a potential refuge and repair base for damaged ships if North Atlantic naval operations expand. It cites Lt. Com. Stubbs and Prime Minister Churchill implications, and mentions navy maps of Bath. It cautions the plant would need protection and potential expansion if a base were established.
The article notes a broad national trend toward vast speculative spending as the nation prepares for possible naval base developments. It hints at a writer’s impression that a naval base may be established, reflecting high interest and strategic debates.
Bath Iron Works increases wages effective July 1 1940. Workers earning 5 to 76 cents per hour receive 4 cents more, those paid 82 to 94 cents gain 6 cents, and all remaining yard and office employees receive corresponding raises.
The increase of 4 to 6 cenits per hour per man raises overall pay by a fraction over 6 percent. With 2,630 employees on the payroll and about $30 weekly average pay, the rise amounts to nearly $5,000 per week or about a quarter million dollars annually in round figures.
The ground floor of the three story brick building at the northwest corner of the plant is busy as fingerprinting and photography of all employees begins. Subcontractors included, nearly 3000 people will be processed under direction of Capt. Leon P. Shepard with State Police and Iron Works staff aiding in prints, clerical work, and messengering.
Chief Healy assigns Capt. Shepard to oversee a shipbuilding firm prints initiative with four to five weeks on site work and three months for final classification. Prints for each employee are captured in three sets, with clock numbers used in photos, while records are distributed among the plant, Augusta staff, and the FBI in Washington.
Each employee will have a record showing prints and picture plus name, address, age, nationality, complexion, eye and hair color, height, and any marks. A card bearing their name and right thumb print will be issued for on person identification in case of an accident, with their photograph on the back.
Capt. Shepard, stationed in this city, joined the State Police 15 years ago to establish a Maine Bureau of Identification. The bureau now houses 42,000 criminal prints, up from 4,000 before the 1937 law requiring police fingerprinting.
Capt Shepard, a ballistic expert based in Bath for seven years since graduating from Richmond High, is noted for solving many puzzling Maine deaths over the past 15 years through his specialized identification work.
Frankie Simpson of East Brunswick, a plant rigger with 1800 flight hours, operates a flying school near New Meadows Lake. He has 14 students including six solo pilots and nine Iron Works employees, with a dozen Bath residents and other prospects ready to enroll within a week or ten days as aviation interest grows nationwide.
A writer toured Frankie's scene of operations Tuesday evening, noting the local focus on Mr. Simpson's school and describing an evening of revy.
The article recalls training flights with Piper Cub seaplanes arriving Sunday. A 65 horsepower two passenger trainer seaplane and a secondary 40 horsepower two passenger craft are used. The writer describes aloft lessons with Frankie explaining the simple three-movement controls and basic steering from behind the pilot.
The narrator recalls a tense moment as they skim Casco Bay near Sebasco when Mr. Stimpson folds his manuscript and grants control, the scene unfolding with abrupt calm and implied threat.
The writer describes a 25 minute flight from Sebasco to Bath and back, tracing the Sasanoa to Five Islands and Brunswick. Frankie explains sharp curves and reversing direction with strong rudder and stick, noting the thrill and danger of upside down maneuvers.
Frankie explains seaplane safety over water as he trains a class of eight soloists and several eight hour course students. The group includes Leon White of West Bath, Merton Alexander of Brunswick, Lawrence Bailey of Brunswick, Henry Donnell of Bath, Stephen Etnier of Long Island awaiting a new seaplane, and an unnamed Iron Works employee. Additional students are Sewall Prescott of Bath, Charles Ghase of Wisccasset, Clarence Bailey of Bath, Roland Hall of Brunswick, Francis Fortier, Fred Donnell of Bath, and Fred Cole of Bath.
Chick Taylor of the welding department, a parachute jumper of note, will assist Mr. Simpson in a Sunday event at four o'clock. Taylor is scheduled to leap from a Cub sport seaplane into the field behind Rock Hill Inn, believed to be the first seaplane parachute jump. He will be heaped from one pontoon.
Mr. Simpson runs Airways Inc of Waterville with W H Marden as president. The planes are top training quality and Airways operates several schools in Northern New England. A plan to cooperate with the government on pilot training is under way with Bowdoin College students using New Meadows Lake as a base and Mr Simpson as instructor.
The article traces Frankie Turgeon’s aviation career starting when he towed a downed plane ashore in 1028 near Merrymeeting Bay after Lieut. William Turgeon’s forced landing. He earned pilot license No 20866 in 1929 with Curtis Flying Service Scarboro and worked for Maddox Flying in Cleveland before flying for Aero Trades from Roosevelt Field. He flew hundreds of passenger trips over New York City as the Empire State Building rose and business boomed.
In July 1932 Frankie returned to East Brunswick and built the Powers' Airport across the Bath Brunswick highway. He also founded the Brunswick Airport, establishing aviation sites in the area.
Bath residents recount the exploits of a young rigger from the Iron Works who has logged more than 1800 hours aloft and carried over 5 000 passengers without a single injury.
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