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Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Mar 09, 1955
Page
1
London AP reports Princess Margaret plans to marry RAF Group Captain Peter Townsend this fall. The princess would renounce succession rights to wed a divorced man, challenging church norms, while Buckingham Palace stays silent amid corroborating but unconfirmed details.
Construction begins on a 1.07 million dollar dormitory named McAuley Hall at Mt. Mercy junior college in Cedar Rapids. The facility will house 100 students and include a gym auditorium five classrooms cafeteria and rooftop recreation area. The project aims to support enrollment growth and a possible shift to a four year program, with full accreditation years away. Excavation started last week by R W Rinderknecht Co. and the building was designed by Brown and Healey.
Group Captain Peter Townsend disappeared for hours Tuesday night amid speculation he met the Duke of Edinburgh in France to discuss alleged romance with Princess Margaret. He later returned to his apartment at 10 30 a m Wednesday without explaining his whereabouts.
A federal grand jury indicted 23 defendants on fraud charges tied to Federal Housing Administration home improvement loans. FBI said about 75 loans totaling roughly 150000 dollars were affected. Defendants include small contractors and salesmen accused of fraudulent applications. Victims testified about lost life savings and unfinished or shoddy projects.
The mercury rose toward a daily record with 2:30 PM reading at 62 degrees, just one notch below the 63 degree mark set in 1930. Weather forecasters predicted continued mild weather into Thursday and Friday with a chance of showers in the southeast.
Bertha Robbins reports theft of $19 worth of lingerie from multiple rooms on B avenue NE. Items taken between 6 30 and 8 p m Monday, marking the fourth house prowled by the panty burglar from Saturday to Monday.
A major blaze at the 98 year old Sloss mansion in San Rafael, California, left seven bodies recovered and one missing. Fourteen residents escaped, with two aided down ladders as flames ripped through the rambling mid Victorian structure converted to a rooming house. Seven others were hospitalized with burns or injuries.
Link-Belt Speeder Corp and Local 299 of the UAW CIO tripled their Red Cross quota, with Link-Belt at a $500 goal, total contributions $1,509. Linn County campaign raised $19,529 toward $67,155 while rural mail campaign reached $974. First campaign audit set for Thursday night by Cedar Rapids NA Cost Accountants volunteers.
Cedar Rapids officials announce improvements to the apartment house wiring program. City engineers and housing inspectors plan streamlined inspections and updated safety standards to reduce electrical hazards. Local landlords welcome stricter compliance and safer living conditions.
Safety Commissioner E A Prochaska proposes an immediate program to bring wiring in 89 east side apartment buildings up to code after Fire Chief Jesse Hunter flagged extensive substandard work. Two city electricians will be hired to relieve inspector Harry Martin who will now oversee the apartment project and start with 12 dangerous buildings. West side inspectors already at work, with a spring follow up.
Special to The Gazette Ames Iowa Highway Commission awarded a six foot widening contract on highway 150 from Cedar Rapids to Center Point to Hallett Construction Company Crosby Minnesota for a low bid of 246,927.51. The project adds three feet each side over 16 109 miles increasing pavement from 18 to 24 feet with 10 inch Portland cement slabs. Previous widening extended north to Independence. The commission announced bids on 77 projects totaling 3,174,773.84 with Norris Construction Company Otumwa winning 174,059.26 for five miles of asphalt paving on Highway 220 from 6 to Middle Amana and four Johnson county base and surface treatments to Gene McClain Allerton totaling 51,331.53 to 70,479.44. Other bids include Oliphant Engineering Toddville for a 80 foot span on a local road 19,523.51 and Linn county concrete box culvert extension near the junction of Highway 218 1,879.16. Delaware county road B R Wilson Guttenberg 10,302.84 and local road work 8,82.
A bus carrying passengers burst into flames 40 miles east of Seoul on Tuesday killing 21 people and wounding 20. Authorities investigate the cause as rescue teams search the scene and coordinate medical evacuations.
The House Armed Services Committee approved 34 to 0 a 1.3 billion dollar naval ship program including a fifth super aircraft carrier and three more submarines. Admiral Radford endorsed greater emphasis on airpower as Joint Chiefs of Staff chair. The panel named the vessel the Congress, rejecting namesake honors for Vinson.
The Gazette seeks reader input to pick Iowa s license plate slogan. Among rival states slogans range from Land of Opportunity to Wheat State with many using pictures. A $100 savings bond prize will go to the winner. ballots are on page 13.
Winthrop H. Smith head of Merrill Lynch testified before the senate banking committee that he very much doubts the inquiry influenced Tuesday's three billion dollar stock market fall. He cited investor confidence and favorable government policies as factors, while Henry G. Riter III echoed a positive view of business conditions after meeting with President Eisenhower.
Cedar Rapids residents using gas face an average 4.5 percent rise under a proposed Iowa Illinois Gas and Electric Company ordinance to repeal 1949 rate rules. The plan would add 34 cents per 100 cubic feet in residential commercial and industrial classes with variations by usage and early payment discounts. The council meeting Thursday will decide on the measure after earlier rejection of a rate fluctuation amendment.
The senate judiciary committee voted 10 to 4 to approve the nomination of John Marshall Harlan of New York to the Supreme Court with one present vote. Support came from five Democrats and five Republicans led by Chairman Kolgroe as final action looked possible later in the week. Harlan, 55, a U S circuit court judge, has faced questions over his Atlantic Union and UN ties and pledged to resign from those affiliations.
Greenup Kentucky Boston Myers 35 a flood worker drowned Tuesday in six feet of water. He wore a diving outfit with lead shoes and no helmet when he fell from a boat while aiding evacuees.
National Oats and Quaker Oats label Mo C 205 oats as undesirable for oatmeal milling. Richard R. Proctor of National Oats cites small berry size and poor groat extraction as the main problems. He notes the circular was issued February 9 and argues early notice benefits producers.
Capt. Charles T. Hudson of Gulfport Mississippi flew a Republic F 84F Thunderstreak from Los Angeles to New York in an unofficial 3 hours 49 minutes 53 seconds breaking the previous record of 4 hours 6 minutes 16 seconds set January 2 1954.
Linda Stanley five year old died of strangulation in Tempe Arizona apparently while trying to imitate lynchings seen on cowboy television shows. She was found in her grandmother's yard with a cord tied to a milk can. Sheriff captain said she likely wrapped the cord around her neck climbed onto the can and jumped or fell causing the tightening. An aunt said Linda was trying to copy the cowboys on television.
A Denver AP item presents a man over 65 who visits a tax consultant seeking help with income tax. The elder insists pension and government exemptions are not his business, while the consultant hints at eligibility if he reveals his age.
New York AP reports wholesale food prices measured by Dun and Bradstreet fell to $6.55 this week the lowest since November 24 1953. The index is down 9.7 percent from a year ago and down from $6.63 the prior week. A year ago it stood at $7.25.
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