29 Dec 1956
Page 1
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 13 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Grafton Sentinel
Location
Grafton, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Dec 29, 1956
Page
1
A forecast notes cloudy windy and much colder today with snow or flurries and highs 30 to 35. Snow continues tonight with colder temps, Sunday remaining cloudy. The 24 hour high 45 and low 30 are listed. Tygart Dam reports 26 at 7 am and 23.1 inches of snow, while Blueville report is unavailable.
Grafton and surrounding residents brace for New Year celebrations after Christmas. Courthouse and City Hall staff remain on duty Monday, post office operates with holiday staffing. The Sentinel will skip New Year’s Day but resume Wednesday. Community clubs plan dances and watch night services as police urge caution and fire officials report recent fatal incidents.
Malibu reports a youth in a yellow convertible suspected of starting a string of brush fires since Christmas in drought stricken Southern California. A Palos Verdes Estates blaze burned 1500 acres before dawn as 12 engine companies fought the flames. Authorities found oil cans and rags at the scene and a jacketed youth fled, while other fires in Malibu remained out of control. Firefighters fought high temperatures and low humidity, with at least 65 homes destroyed and more than 60 million dollars in damage to property and watershed.
Snow and cold sweep the Grafton area as December ends. One inch fell at Tygart Dam while temperatures hovered around freezing and roads turned hazardous. Snow flurries to continue tonight and through Sunday, with 1 to 4 inches more expected in many counties. Chains advised for mountain travel.
In Wildwood New Jersey the Beare family faced a second Christmas car theft after their vehicle was stolen from outside their home on Christmas morning. A prior theft occurred in 1948, suggesting a recurring criminal act during the holiday season.
United Press reports a wave of fires and blasts nationwide on the eve of the New Year, killing 11 and damaging seven industrial plant buildings. In Ironwood Michigan a two story home fire killed six in one family, including Ina Heilig and four children. Other victims died in West Virginia and Illinois incidents as authorities described a deadly holiday cascade.
In Champaign Illinois Prof Eric Wener of the Hebrew Union and Jewish Institute says Dead Sea scrolls reveal links between Roman Catholic liturgy chants and ancient Hebrew music. He cites a Hymn of Thanksgiving scroll showing antiphon forms and a discipline manual of hymns matching today’s Catholic mass. The finds challenge the German theory on pre Christian religious links.
The National Safety Council predicts 490 traffic deaths for the four day New Year period starting Friday night. Early reports show 34 fatalities within 12 hours. Pennsylvania leads with six deaths, Texas with four as officials warn against speed on clear highways. President Eisenhower urged caution urging respect for life and safety of neighbors. Weather is generally fair with rain in the Great Lakes region and the East while the West remains dry and mild. Charles Francis Coe, 66, noted crime writer and former boxer known as Locker, dies in Palm Beach Florida after a long illness.
United Press reports defiant Hungarian miners dealt a heavy blow to the Janos Radar regime as strikes paralyzed mines from Pecs to Komlo. Production plummeted across central and northeast Hungary, with thousands on a “holiday” from Pecs and more than 1,000 at Pecs mines. Rail and power shortages linger as Moscow reportedly still has nine to eleven divisions in Hungary.
Washington drafts a package plan to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East through large scale economic and military aid. The plan may seek standby authority from Congress to use American forces if needed, with a review meeting set for next week among leaders and Dulles. Dag Hammarskjold will meet with Dulles to discuss the Middle East situation as the new Congress weighs authority requests.
Salvage teams begin work at the Suez Canal amid delays and confusion as authorities assign Lt. Gen. Wheeler to lead the United Nations clearance effort. Some reports claim work would begin today, but no official confirmation was issued.
Gov Elect Cecil H. Underwood met with three state Republican leaders in Sistersville to discuss policy for the upcoming legislative session convening January 9. Attending were Sen. John Gaffigan Marshall County Del George Seibert Ohio County and state chairman John D Hobblell Jr Seibert and Carrigan chosen as minority leaders in their chambers. The group planned to align on the lower legislative program Underwood will present after his January 14 inauguration.
British weather broadcast canceled Friday due to rain dampness halting a signal line. Subway train carrying government forecaster Jack Armstrong was stranded en route to the studio.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.