Local News Highlights From Decatur and Nearby
Weather outlook says partly cloudy and mild with pockets of rain along the north and extreme west coast, brisk east to southeast winds. Local officials and residents attend events in Birmingham and Huntsville, including the Alabama Auburn game and a church committee meeting in Atlanta. Senator Sparkman visits Decatur for Rotary and vocational rehab talks after overseas trip. Mrs. Patterson travels to Birmingham to join her daughter Patsy Patterson at the University of Alabama. See DIARY On Page 32.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
W. W. Glass
Atlanta
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U. S
Synod of Alabama
John Sparkman
Decatur
Rotary Club
Europe
Sparkman
Senator Sparkman
North Alabama
S. E. Patterson
Birmingham
Patsy — Patterson
The
University of Alabama
Little Girl Has Good Chance to Save Her Sight
In Phenix City Alabama 19 month old Sylvia Ruth English may keep vision in her right eye after doctors say urgent treatment can save it. Her left eye is already lost to a tumor. Sheriff Ralph Mathews reports a fund is started to cover expenses and has declined offers to transplant another eye.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Phenix City
Ala
Sylvia Ruth English
Russell County
Ralph Mathews
Atlanta
Sylvia
S. T. English
Tumnor
Mathews
Langs Retrial and Bank Robbery Cases Head Morgan Court
Morgan circuit court schedules four high profile trials over two weeks led by Fontaine King Earl Fowler Lester Tune and Dee Sheffield tied to a 14000 Falkville bank robbery and a February shooting death of Ny lon Dickson. Lang faces a second trial in the 1948 Christine Haynie mountain strangling after a supreme court remand. Jurors will decide on indictments and grand jury issues tied to Timberlake the Decatur bank official who oversaw the grand jury.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Morgan Criminal
Newton B. Powell
Morgan Circuit Court
Fontaine H. King
Earl Fowler
Lester A. Tune
Falkville State National Bank
Dee V. Sheffield
Decatureo
Claude
James Lester Lang
Lacon Mountain
Christine Haynie
State Supreme Court
Morgan County
Lang
Terrell Clark
Willie Ed Spraggins
Clark
Watkins-Perry Grill
Spraggins
Nylon” Dickson
Sheffield’s
King
Fowler
LeRoy McEntire
Russell W. Lynne
Charles Timberlake
State National Bank of Decatur
Powell
Timberlake
Dickson
Huntsville
West Vine Street
C. B. Humphrey
Sheffield
Gas contract terms agreed for Decatur and partners
A day-long session produced general terms for Decatur and the Alabama Tennessee Natural Gas company. A consumer survey will be needed to determine the gas amount Decatur can contract for, with engineers outlining a tentative system layout before negotiations begin. The plan foresees surveying all residences and businesses, then mapping demand to fix contract quantity and financing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Decatur
Alabama- Tennessee Natural Gas Company
North Alabama
Wholesale Gas Distributing Company
John Caddell
Municipal Utilities Board
Florence
Huntsville
Sheffield
Tuscumbia
Goodwin Engineers Inc
Birmingham
Tri-Cities
Alabama-Tennessee Gas Company
Insurance Man Ira Balch Die in Auto Crash
Ira Lee Balch 39 district manager for Mutual Savings Life Insurance Co. died instantly in an automobile accident near Gadsden after the car overturned and he was thrown from it. Balch lived in Gadsden and is survived by a widow and a 10 year old son. Burial will be in Huntsville.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ira Lee Balch
Mutual Savings Life Insurance Co
Balch
Gadsden
Melvin Hutson
Mutual
Trenton
M Huntsville
Mutual Co
Huntsville
Decatur
Hutson
Two Uniformed Men Steal Jeep From Recruiting Station
In Anniston Alabama two men in Army uniforms entered a local garage claiming to be from the recruiting store and drove off with the station jeep that had been sent for repairs. Police have not located the vehicle.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Anniston
Ala
Army
Air Force
Lhe
Nationalists In Third Camp Near Chengtu
The Red shadow neared Chengtu as the nationalist government set up its third provisional capital in less than a year. Communists cut the routes to Kumming and Chungking, while Chiang Kai-Shek seized control of remaining civil aviation and directed defense efforts. Li Tsung Jen awaits a U S trip.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Associated Press
Red
Chengtu
Chungking
Kumming
Chiang Kai
Huntsville Is Baseball Key in Dixie League Plan
Huntsville could lead a six town move to form a class C Dixie League for baseball with Rome and Florence also weighing in. Meetings planned as Rhett Woody travels to Gadsden to report back, with Decatur Morgan County and local citizens ready to fund a team and park operation, aiming for a 140 game season and a $50,000 gate goal.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Reet
Huntsville
Decatur
Morgan County
American Legion
Gadsden
Anniston
North Alabama
Rome
Geora
Florence
Rhett Woody
Legion
FHA May Need Sixty Days To Impose Ban
Government housing officials said it will take sixty days or more to print and distribute documents for a new rule banning written racial or religious covenants in federally aided housing. The rule, announced with President Truman backing, covers FHA financing guarantees GI loans and slum redevelopment. Not retroactive, it applies only to covenants recorded after the key date and will affect few dwellings. FHA Commissioner Franklin D. Richards said it will be exceptional for properties to miss federal mortgage aid. See FHA on Page 2.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Philip B. Perlman
Truman
Perlman
Congress
Franklin D. Richards
Federal Housing Administration
FHA
Coal Operators Slash Truman
The National Coal Association accused the Truman administration of political maneuvering in John L. Lewis's wage talks with the soft coal industry. Executive VP John D. Battle faulted Presidential Assistant John R. Steelman, currently with the president at Key West, Fla., saying Steelman aims to influence the negotiations and mislead the public about a near agreement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
National Coal Association Today
Truman
John L. Lewis
John D. Battle
John Steelman
Steelman
Battle
Lewis
Three Die in Oklahoma U Dorm Fire Tragedy
A wooden dormitory at the University of Oklahoma in Norman burned in less than ten minutes killing three students. Twenty one injured, two critically, and three others still missing as firemen and university staff search the ruins. Identified victims include Sammy J. Larue of Clinton Oklahoma and Maurice Ahearn of Killingworth Connecticut.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Norman
Okla
University of Oklahoma
Sammy J. Larue
Sam J. Larue
Clinton
Maurice Ahearn
Killingsworth
Conn
George L. Cross
University
L. J. Hughes
Claude Summers
Summers
Oklahoma City
Naval Air Technical Training Center
David M. Clary
Buckner
Ark
John H. Sorensen
Brooklyn
N. Y
Bomb hits laborer home in Chapman Alabama
In Chapman Alabama a dynamite bomb exploded at the home of Manuel Graham a negro day laborer during a strike at a local saw mill. Graham and his wife escaped injury though windows were shattered. The blast is believed to have been from a passing car while the CIO International Woodworkers of America has led a near two month strike with part of the planer mill operating.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chapman
Ala
P— County
Manuel Graham
Howard Olive
Olive
Graham
W. T. Smith Lumber Co
CIO International Woodworkers of America
Planer
Value Of Decatur Manufacturing Jumps Eight Years
Decatur's manufactured goods value rose from 3.67 million in 1939 to 14.77 million in 1947, a gain of about 11.1 million. Employment climbed from 2,348 to 3,964. payrolls rose from 2.07 million to 9.03 million as 27 to 40 establishments operated.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Decatur
C. Parker Persons
U. S. Department of Commerce
Atlanta
Census Bureau
Persons
Commerce Department
United States
Department of Commerce
Mobile
Alabama
Decatur Community Chest Reaches 829400 Goal
The Decatur Community Chest closed at 829400 with 13 cents to spare after weeks of drive led by Leroy McEntire Jr. The four civic clubs joined in to push the final thousand dollars and the cash budget was completed aside from 1400 pledged.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Decatur Community Chest
Leroy McEntire Jr
Decatur
Community Chest
McEntire
Pay Increase At Wolverine Decatur Plant
Wolverine tube division Decatur plant raises hourly pay by 10 cents starting Monday December 5 benefiting 498 employees. The rise accompanies a production bonus plan begun in October and a forthcoming suggestion program with minimum cash awards of 5 dollars. Plant manager D W Blend cites productivity gains and equitable profit sharing as reasons for the higher wages and looks for continued strong output and future recognition in Alabama.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wolverine Tube Division
Decatur
D. W. Blend
Blend
Decatur Plant
Wolverine
Detroit
Alabama
Murder Charge Laid to Youths in Alabama Robbery Killing
Two Birmingham youths, William Reed McDonald and James Floyd Ley, 20 and 19, were charged with murder and robbery in the holdup and shooting of 53 year old herb doctor and rest home operator Andrew M. Price near Jemison. Price was robbed of 500 dollars, then shot after a three mile auto chase. McDonald was captured after air spot. a large posse and bloodhounds aided the search near Pelham. A 10 year old boy was struck during the incident but not injured.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Clanton
Ala
Birmingham
Andrew M. Price
Chilton County
J. A. Nivens
William Reed
McDonald
James Floyd Lawley
Pelham
Lachey
Florida student Slay arrested in Indiana kidnap case
Thomas Franklin Slay, 22, a Florida State College student, was captured in Limestone County after waiving extradition to Indiana over the disappearance of Mary Ellen Harmon, 16. He demanded a jury trial on a hit and run charge and said he would return to Indiana. No trace of Mary Ellen Harmon had been found by Evansville police.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Thomas Franklin Slay
Florida State College
Evansville
Ind
Slay
Indiana
Mary Ellen Harmon
Limestone County
Rosenall
George Hansch
Marvin Huff
Evans‘ville
Athens
Limestone Sheriff's Office
Limestone
Miss Harmon
Nashville
Tenn
Florida
Jeff Harmon
Griffin
Tallahassee
Four Injured In Tanner Road Crash In Alabama
Four persons were seriously injured in a Tanner Alabama traffic crash at about 9:20 P M Observers said all victims suffered head face and arm lacerations with possible internal injuries and broken bones Injured were Snookes McClemore Buzzie Buzzette Vernon Buford and Sonny Cole They were taken to Powers hospital Athens for treatment Vehicles were a 1940 Chevrolet tied to the Negroes and a 1936 Chevrolet pickup driven by white men State Patrolmen Carl Edgemon and Ted Beasley investigated the crash.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Highway Patrol
Carl Edgemon
Ted Beasley
Two Children Die in Selma Fire
In Selma Alabama two young children Betty Lee Smitherman two months old and James Smitherman two died in a duplex fire that heavily damaged one side of the building. Coroner Bernard Reynolds confirmed the blaze claimed the lives of the youngsters as their parents Sam and Cirgie Lee Smitherman awaited word on investigation and cause.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Selma
Ala
Betty Lee Smitherman
James Smitherman
Sam and
Cirgie Lee Smitherman
Bernard Reynolds
Also Mentioned on This Page
Dee S
Irina
Betty Carl ‘Hendon
Future Teachers Association
Phillips High School
E. C. Powell
Billy Kimbrough
Edgar Ross Quillen
Morgan
Quillen
Noble Russell
W. M. Lamon
Trinity 1
Joe Calvin
Jimmy Bloodworth
Auburn
Kenneth E. Thomas
Hugh L. Davidson
Lawson Davidson
Edwin W. Davidson
Mary Keenan
Chester L. Sartor
John Wilkes
R. E. Rogers
H. H. Hunter
E. T. Branum
Ben Bloodworth Jr
A. W. Lee
Falkville 2
Ed L. Brown
Vinemont 2
Francis LeMay
Town Creek
By Ken Reynolds
Judoce Powell
Utilities Board
England
Phoebe Low
Omaha
Neb
Oklahoma
House of
Mary Delmore
Tanner
Samoa
Ist Authes
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