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Newspaper
Raleigh Register
Location
Beckley, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Mar 31, 1954
Page
1
In Indochina the Dien Bien Phu garrison repelled multiple Vietminh assaults as French forces, supported by heavy air strikes, maintained positions around the fortress. Vietminh losses were reported heavy after a six attack push and artillery bombardment.
The Lillybrook Coal Co. and Amigo Smokeless Coal Co. halted operations at Affinity Lillybrook Killarney and Amigo mines, leaving 1,200 miners unemployed as market demand collapses. Layland and Jonben closures affect 400 and 190 workers respectively, with the depressed coal market cited as the cause.
A C119 Flying Boxcar crashed near Pope Air Force Base Fort Bragg killing seven and wounding ten. The aircraft, with one engine ablaze, slammed into bachelor officers quarters and a mess hall, igniting flames that spread through spilled fuel. Five on the plane died including pilot 1st Lt Albert W Parks. Two in the mess hall also perished.
A south region may see rain mixing with snow while the north portion expects occasional snow tonight and Thursday. Little temperature change expected with lows around the mid 20s to mid 30s. Reports show yesterday highs in Beckley Oak Hill and Glade Creek with varied lows and minor precipitation.
West Virginia highway expansion costs are estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars with a timeline of 15 to 20 years. C E Fritts of the Automotive Safety Foundation told a legislative committee that a full state needs report would be delivered in three months. John D Corcoran addressed questions on the PAS study of the State Road Commission, while R Lucien Maddex reported on graft investigations.
The United States Britain and France reached a compromise to ease restrictions on strategic goods to the Soviet bloc in Europe while tightening controls on items with war potential. The agreement, announced by Harold E. Stassen and officials from the UK and France after a two day conference, preserves strict limits with Red China and North Korea.
Aircraft shares dominated opening trading with gains of 1 to 5 points as Boeing rose about 1 percent after an earlier 43-8 advance and moved on a 2000 share block. Douglas and United Aircraft showed exceptional strength while Republic Aviation Curtiss-Wright and North American rose more modestly amid broad gains in steels motors rubbers and chemicals. Major gainers included American Telephone Texas Company Paramount 20th Century Fox Kennecott Copper and General Electric.
Charleston report notes a 14th Saturday before the election as filing deadline per an attorney general opinion for Cabell County prosecutor Russell L. Daugherty. The ruling cites 1951 statutes with 14th and 5th Saturday deadlines and says the 14th Saturday provision is temporary until repealed, after which the earlier rule would prevail.
A Los Angeles Times analysis reports advance estimates of a forthcoming forty megaton hydrogen bomb in the Pacific test series. It notes the weapon could destroy about a thousand square miles, yet its destructive radius grows slowly beyond around fifty megatons due to the limit of blow-out, with past miscalculations by scientists and Eisenhower acknowledging surprise at test results.
The 17th annual Mountaineer Boys State sponsored by the American Legion will run June 6 to 12 at the State 4-H Camp in Jackson's Mill. More than 325 boys from West Virginia high schools are expected to attend with quotas assigned to local posts. April 24 is the deadline for quota acceptance and enrollment fees. Chief counsellor W. R. Fugitt of Beckley notes the enrollment fee remains 30 dollars per boy.
A missing witness delayed the State in the Earl Long case after the Prosecuting Attorney learned Marcell Terry left for Virginia for a funeral. Other trials postponed due to missing insurance policy and various pleas of no contest included Alfred Lawson and Donald Cozart, with sentencing set for June 16 and April 9 respectively. Open cases on today’s docket include Eugene Maynor and James True among others.
The Flying Eagle Band of Glenn Sallack leaves Woodrow Wilson High School at 2 30 p m for Washington D C to join the Cherry Blossom Festival.127 students from the sophomore through senior classes travel with chaperones Mrs Roy Millican and Miss Catherine Minton. They will overnight in Natural Bridge Virginia and return around 11 p m Sunday after several Washington appearances.
Civil defense chief Val Peterson announced the federal release of a 24 minute censored film titled Operation Ivy about the 1952 hydrogen blast. The film will be shown after 6 pm EST on April 7 with White House approval and NSC backing. The historic test took place at the Marshall Islands proving grounds in the mid Pacific.
Chicago report from the National Safety Council states that February traffic deaths totaled 2,470, the lowest in three years and 2 percent below February 1953. For the first two months of the year, deaths reached 5,370, down 1 percent from the previous year.
Houston Texas Secretary of Commerce Sinclair Weeks said the American people would prefer a 10 percent drop in business to having their boys killed in Korea. He recalled last year noting the spend to shoot off gunpowder in Korea and argued the economic drop from peace is like fighting a war without combat.
Rep Bailey warns President Eisenhower's tariff reduction plan would devastate West Virginia basics including coal independent oil pottery glassware and clothespin manufacturing If enacted the policy would also broaden Japan’s access through reciprocal trade talks and could trigger large job losses already exceeding 50 000 in the state Bailey urged Congress to oppose further tariff reductions citing potential destruction of scores of American industries.
Amere Gas Utilities Co announces it has enough gas for all customers in Beckley and vicinity. President John W Partridge notes no West Virginia restrictions since July 1953 and expects gas for new industry and domestic use. The move follows improved Columbia gas supplies after shortages last fall affecting Beckley Manufacturing Co.
A 12 man jury discharged at 11 35 am by Judge Harry L McCreery after reporting they were hopelessly deadlocked in the illegal sale of tax paid liquor case against Mrs Hazel Roark The jury deliberated about 45 minutes Tuesday evening and again started at 9 am today The State named Shirley Spencer as its chief witness who testified purchasing a pint of liquor last June 26 from Roark at The Canteen in Shady Spring Roark claimed she was fishing at the time of the alleged purchase She remains on bond of 500 until the next term and her husband Lawrence is bondsman.
Rosarito Beach Baja California Mexico reports Gene Tierney plans marriage to Aly Khan within six months in France. Tierney notes a shift from friendship to engagement while Aly Khan keeps personal matters private. Tierney mentions a large diamond ring and a past proposal "somewhere in Europe."
West Virginia builders reached new contracts with the Contractors' Labor Council and AFL unions. Teamsters and Laborers kept wages but gained adjustments to inequities. Operating Engineers won a 12 1/2 cent hourly increase. Contracts with craft unions were not negotiated, but leaders expect extensions and no statewide work stoppage as many agreements expire at midnight.
Eisenhower ready to sign a bill to cap sales taxes at a billion dollars annually starting tomorrow after House and Senate approvals. Housing clashes over public housing blocks with Eisenhower’s 140,000 unit plan. Taft-Hartley revision advances with GOP majority, Democrats oppose. Senate plans early action on a constitutional amendment to bar presidents from running for office, while tallying uncertain fate in the House. Hawaii Alaska statehood votes loom as debate tightens, with confidant votes and House fate uncertain.
J B Heller aged 69 longtime Lewis Furniture Co Beckley manager died 6 50 am at Beckley Hospital after stroke near Elks Club He resided 113 Church St survived by wife Sadie daughter Mrs Irving Rubin and son Charles Heller Funeral noon Thursday Temple Beth El Rabbi A I Schmedling officiating Burial Bluefield Cemetery Body to Keyser Funeral Home Pallbearers named Pickus Harvit Silverburg Wein Fink Abrams Lewin Pickus
Washington reports Warren 64, longtime comptroller general and GAO watchdog over federal spending, retires due to disability after 13 1/2 years of a 15 year term. He will receive a full life salary of 17 500 dollars. Rep W Sterling Cole and others urge Eisenhower to name Cole as successor.
President Eisenhower said the federal government would act if needed to resolve the New York waterfront strike. In Chicago, two West Virginians were found suffocated in a West Side rooming house, Roby Dillon 21 and Junior York 19 of Kirk, Virginia, reportedly from a gas heater exhausting oxygen.
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