19 Dec 1955
Page 1
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Newspaper
Grafton Sentinel
Location
Grafton, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Dec 19, 1955
Page
1
Reported deadly blazes in Springfield Ohio and Vermilades City Florida claim multiple lives including a woman, five children, and three young kids, with others injured. Separate incidents recount a Texas migratory worker’s death and international updates from London and Hong Kong.
Mail and express service in Grafton runs current with trains and planes. Full Sunday crews including city carriers, extra downtown staff, two trucks, and six extra carriers assure rapid handling. Windows stay open until 6 pm Friday to manage heavy express packages for service men students and overseas aid groups.
Rep Robert H Mollohan of Fairmont and former State Tax Commissioner Milton Ferguson lead the field for the upcoming primary with Joe Burdett already in the race. Mollohan has backing from Sen Mathew M Neely and labor leaders as Ferguson expected to join after January.
A Navy jet plane warming up at Lincoln Air Force Base ran wild at 90 miles an hour crashing into a hanger and four other planes. Three men died: Lt. JG Vernon R Chapman Jr aged 25 of Grand Island Nebraska and Air Controlmen Kenneth Cecil Newman aged 24 and Hubert Lee Tracy aged 29 of Lincoln. Newman and Tracy were inside the hanger and perished.
At 7:30 p m Sunday the First Church of Christ screened a 22 minute film titled Chair of Bethlehem set in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Pastor Rev Ralph E Busnette stated the film’s three aims to illuminate Jesus birth background, encourage study of a famed Christian love story, and awaken faith. The pastor also preached a morning sermon on Getting Ready for Christmas.
Earl Bailey an automobile mechanic shot and killed himself in a tavern in Bluefield West Virginia. Bailey had been despondent over personal affairs and died after a late Saturday incident.
St Augustine grade and high school students present their annual Christmas program Wednesday evening. First and second graders pantomime Frisky the Sandman finding his dreamland sack. The Cobbler’s Christmas Story features third to fifth graders with Santa and elves. High school and middle school students perform A Christmas Pageant in song with a Nativity tableau led by Charles Bishop.
Mrs. Whit Brady at Montgomery Memorial Hospital named her newborns, a girl and two boys. A nurse suggested playful options Hurry Wait Stop, reflecting the moment’s excitement.
President Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles held talks on atomic energy and the NATO Paris council meeting. The session included Lewis L. Strauss and Brig. Gen. Nevins with plans for a National Security Council agenda. Eisenhower to meet Dillon Anderson then depart for Augusta for rest before Christmas.
Defense manpower officials say draft calls will stay under 10,000 men per month for the next six months the lowest level since the Korean war. The Defense Department plans monthly calls between 6,000 and 10,000 for the first half of 1956. Crew average was about 10,000 monthly through most of 1955.
Gen Alfred M Gruenther announced the activation of the Fifth Tactical Air Force in north Italy for January 1. The North Atlantic Council had approved its establishment in a session that strengthened Western defenses in the renewed Cold War with Russia.
A mass of very cold air moved into West Virginia as the Weather Bureau warned temperatures could drop to 5 degrees below zero tonight. Snow flurries fell in spots, with highs near 41 Sunday and lows around 18 Saturday night. The winter storm caused accidents and injuries across southern counties, including a serious back fracture for Eugene A. Carter, president of the state Federation of Labor, amid widespread icy conditions.
Fairmont city officials allege that some key members of West Virginia University’s 1955 football and 1956-65 basketball teams frequented Fairmont night spots around the clock. City Finance Director J Patrick Beacom vowed warrants against operators after observing busy Merchan t Street venues, though no student names were released.
German nationalists claimed a landslide victory in Saar State elections for the 60 seat Landtag. Parties previously banned surged after a referendum this October, renewing Berlin’s push to reclaim Saarland from French control and restore the coal steel region to Germany.
President Eisenhower declared Christmas 1955 brighter than recent years as lights lit worldwide from Gettysburg to naval ships and embassies. He delivered a Yuletide message urging better world understanding and enduring peace, broadcast by radio and TV with VOA translating in 38 languages.
Bethlehem Town is under a dusk to dawn curfew as Jordan announces the measure. The Jordan radio reported the action during Christmas week amid broader unrest in the region, including riots in Amman and pledges of action by Egypt and Syria against Israel.
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