The Taylor Daily Press (Taylor, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 184, Ed. 1 Friday, July 21, 1961 Page: 1 of 10
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Taylor Daily Press and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Taylor Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Shop at Home
Every Day
And Save
Volume 43, Number 184
Wfy t ®aplot ©atlp Press
Full Leased Wire Report of The Associated Press—World’s Greatest News Service
Partly Cloudy
Partly cloudy skies with temperature range about the
same Friday and Saturday. Some scattered showers’,
forming in the area Saturday.
Today’s Range: 75-94. Tomorrow’s Range: 74-94.
Yesterday’s High: 92. Rainfall: 0.
Sunrise: 5:43 a.m. Sunset: 7:31 p.m.
Moonset Saturday: 2:28 p.m. Moonset: 1:01 a.m.
Lake Levels: Travis 680.86.’ Buchanan 1019.17’.
U.S. Weather Bureau Forecast
for Taylor and Williamson County
Six Pages
TAYLOR, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1961
UP) — Associated Press
Price Five Cents
FLASH FLOODS HIT CHARLESTON—An upset bathtub appears to be the
only thing left after more than a dozen homes in Charleston, W. Va., were de-
molished by a flash flood following a devastating cloudburst. Twelve persons
were drowned, some of them trapped in their bedrooms, by 15-foot high waves.
At least four others are missing. —nea Telephoto
Army Denies Additional
Requests for Draftees
Fiery Tunnel
Swallows
Apartment
SAN RAFAEL, Calif, UP) -- A
burning railroad tunnel collapsed
Thursday night, swallowng an
apartment house. A fireman
plunged to flaming death.
The fire broke out late Thurs-
day midway in the 2,000-foot
Northwestern Pacific freight tun-
nel through Puerto Suello Hill in
north San Rafael, 20 miles north
of San Francisco.
Police believe the timber shor-
ings may have been deliberately
set aflame by juveniles.
Thousands gathered to watch
scores of firemen battle the wind-
whipped blaze. Flames shot out
100 feet.
Fireman Fred Kinsler, 44, had
parked /his auxiliary fire truck
over the tunnel 300 yards from
the- northern tunnel exit when
heat caused1 Lincoln .Avenue to
crack and cave in. Kinsler and'
his truck plummeted 40 feet into
the floor of the burning tunnel.
Minutes later an apartment
house bordering the gaping hole
was consumed by flames licking
up from the cave-in. The 12-unit
building toppled into the cavern.
It had been evacuated before it
caught fire.
“This is a complete night-
mare,” said a fireman.
Traffic on adjacent U. S. High-
way 101 was backed up for miles.
Police ears with loudspeakers
tried to disperse spectators.
“Leave the area, leave the area,
it is unsafe.” the loudspeakers
warned.
A water main broke and flood-
ed ia portion of the fire at the
cave-in. But hydrants became
useless and firemen had to pump
water from nearby swimming
pools.
The cave-in was about 100
feet long and 50 feet wide. Fire-
men hampered by spectators and
the loss of water, could do little
more than guard the northern
and southern entrances of the
tunnel and wet down, tinder dry
hillsides around the -blaze.
A Northwestern Pacific em-
ploye, Frank Gladwin, discover-
ed the blaze on a routine inspec-
tion tour. He found three small
fires at the south end -and -the
large one -at the opposite end.
He said timers were -soaked with
creosote, and rags and sticks bad
been used to start the blaze.
Early estimates put the proper-
ty damage in excess of $100,000.
ZAPATA, Tex. UP) — A grand
jury investigation continued today
in the closing of the Bank -of Za-
pata which left residents and'
merchants of this South Texas
town struggling to carry o-n busi-
ness with what money they had
in their pockets and! tills.
The closed institution is one of
the few privately owned banks in
the nation.
It has been shut since Tuesday.
A card on the door -stated it was
closed for -an audit. No one in
the town could offer a reason for
-the closing.
Sheriff C. M. *Hein said the
bank' president, Manuel Medina,
his wife, a son, 23, and a daugh-
ter, 18, could not be located.
Disk Judge James K-azen- placed
the bank in receivership and
named George Byfield of Laredo
receiver.
Two bank employes appeared
WASHINGTON UP) — Although
several states reported they were
increasing their pools of avail-
able draftees, the Army said to-
day it has made no new request
for drafting additional men.
Selective Service officials in
Washington said the increases in
pools of -available draft men were
tied to the already announced
8,000-man August call, 2,000 more
than called for July.
Indications in the capital were
that the administration planned to
rely primarily on trained national
guardsmen and reservists in -any
defense manpower buildup. Lar-
ger draft quotas would be used
only as a possible long-range sup-
port measure.
White House press secretary
Pierre Salinger declined comment
on reports Kennedy will declare
at ie-ast a partial national emer-
gency and call up reserves and
National Guardsmen. He said he
would not comment jn advance
StateStepsUp
Induction for
Armed Forces
DALLAS (ff) — Induction of
Texas men into the armed serv-
ices is being stepped up.
Maj. Boyd Sinclair, chief of the
administrative division of the se-
lective service in Texas, said
Texas draft boards will cal up
3,655 men for pre-induction physi-
cals . next month, five times the
number previously announced for
August.
He said, however, the number
to be drafted in August wil re-
main at 345.
Sinclair said state selective -ser-
vice officers have been authorized
to induct -all those who qualified
for -the draft in July who wish to
volunteer. In the past volunteers
were only accepted to fill quotas.
Meanwhile, marine recruiters in
Dallas were authorized a 35 per
cent increase in their quota.
‘Thi-s increase in manpower falls
directly in line with President
Kennedy’s program to strength-
en national defense and raise -the
marine corps to full strength,”
said Maj. Russell Silve-rthorn, Ma-
rine recruiting officer.
The 35 per cent increase was
authorized for at least three
months.
before the grand jury, Thursday.
Subpoenas also were issued for
two Corpus Christi lawyers and
one from Laredo and for Sanies
Medina, county judge who resign-
ed Thursday.
Di-st. Atty. Oscar Laurel asked
Kazen to have a grand jury inves-
tigate. He -said county and
school funds were on deposit with
the bank.
The bank was established in
1912. Initial capital was $12,500.
There was no information as to
the size of its present capital,
deposits or number of depositors.
The State Banking Commission
in Austin declined comment. One
source said there is no law giving
the state supervision of a private
bank.
Zapata is a transplanted town
on the shores of Falcon Lake.
Its original -site is under the res-
ervoir.
of Kennedy’s planned report to
the American people by radio
and television -next Tuesday eve-
ning.
Some state Selective Service di-
rectors ’said they were acting on
orders from Washington in, build-
in up the available supply of
men eligible for induction into the
armed forces.
A Selective Service official here
pointed out that some increases
had been expected—there were no
draft calls for May and June
with 14,000 men, to be drafted in
July and August.
“I think perhaps some -state di-
rectors may have sent out calls
for more men in anticipation of
further increases,” he said. “But
there have been no increases
since the call of 8,000 was an-
nounced for August.”
Selective Service officials -said
the state calls had no connection
with the Berlin crisis.
Among the -states reporting in-
creases in their “ready pool”
were Massachusetts, Indiana,
Ohio, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas,
Georgia, Rhode Island, Illinois,
Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and
Maryland.
In Massachusetts, State Select-
ive Service Director Frederick L.
Nyham said the number of men
in the pool for the state was be-
ing increased from 1,200 to 2,100.
He said the’ national pool of
draft-ready men was being dou-
bled from 50,000 to 100,000.
Informed of the statement on
the national pool, the Selective
Service official here said, “I’m
sure that is not true.”
The possibility that the draft
will be increased exists.
For one thing, it has -been oper-
ating at relatively -low levels
since the -beinning of the year.
When the increased draff call for
August was announced, a Defense
Department spokesman said the
purpose was to help bring -the
Army up to its authorized -power
of 870,000 from its present 85,6000.
The Washington Post said Ken-
nedy has -decided to extend the
(See ARMY, Page 6)
JFK Reported
Ready to Hold
6 Guard Units.
NEW YORK UP) — President
Kennedy was reported ready to-
day to ask Congress to freeze six
National Guard divisions on ac-
tive duty indefinitely because of
the Berlin crisis.
Warren Rogers Jr., in a Wash-
ington dispatch to the New York
Herald Tribune, also wrote that
the President is prepared to ask
Congress to increase the Army’s
manpower limit to 975,000, from
the present 875,000.
The six National Guard divis-
ions now on their annual two
week’s training are:
26 Infantry Massachusetts,
training at Camp Drum, N.Y.,
July 22—Aug. 5.
28th Infantry Pennsylvania:
Camp A. P. Hill, Bowling Green,
Va., July 15-29.
30th Armored Tennessee: Ft.
Stewart, Ga., July 16-30.
36th Infantry Texas: Ft. Hood,
Tex., July 16-29.
35th Infantry Kansas - Missou-
ri: Camp Ripley, Minn., July
23-Aug. 6.
38th Infantry Indiana: Camp
Grayling, Mich., July 23-Aug. 6.
Guard division may be frozen if
Ihe President or Congress de-
clares a national emergency or if
Congress passes a joint resolu-
tion extending indefinitely all of-
ficer appointments and enlistment
terms.
Short of Cash
Grand Jury Investigates
Closing of Private Bank
Space Flight Successful
As Pilot Swims Clear
Loss of Capsule
No Bar to Progress
GAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (A3)—Astronaut Virgil I.
Grissom survived a 5,280-mile-an-hour journey in space
today, then made a dramatic swim for his life as his
capsule plummeted to the bottom of the Atlantic
Ocean.
Loss of the $2-million space craft and its equip-
ment will not delay the Project Mercury program,
House Gives
Tentaive OK
To Sales Tax
AUSTIN UPi - Third time was
the charm today for House mem-
bers as they broke through the
tax bill barrier with the 71-70
tentative approval of a 2 per cent
retail sales tax.
It took Senator James Tur-
man’s vote to break a tie and
hand approval to the1 so-called
compromise measure.
Final action on the bill is ex-
pected in a Saturday session.
After the tax bill vote, the
House turned to final considera-
tion of the- $380 million general
appropriations bill which was ten-
tatively approved last week.
The spending bill was finally
approved and sent to the Senate
by an 85-55 vote.
The Senate polished off its rou-
tine business in just seven min-
utes and adjourned until 10:30
a.m. Monday.
This was the third day in a row
that representatives butted heads
over the tax issue.
The measure given the1 favor-
able vote was a revised edition
of a so-called compromise tax pro-
gram turned down by represen-
tatives in a marathon 12% hour
session Wednesday and early yes-
terday morning.
A straight general retail sales
tax was defeated yesterday.
The1 crucial vote came today
on an amendment by Rep. Charles
Sandahl, Austin. The amendment
carries revenue raising provis-
ions for only $328 million, com-
pared to estimates of a need of
about $360 million.
After adoption of the Sandahi
amendment, the House turned to
the final stages of action on the
entire' bill (HB20).
The tax package was given a
tentative final approval of 71-70
with Speaker James Turman vot-
ing to break a tie. However, the
vote was so close1 that a member-
by-member voice tally was taken
to verify the vote shown by the
voting machine.
Without attempting to take a fi-
nal and last vote on the tax bill,
the speaker then laid out the gen-
eral appropriations bill (SB1)
which has already received tenta-
tive approval.
The Senate returned for an un-
usual Friday session today, ap-
parently hoping the' House will
send over either a tax bill or a
House version of the general ap-
propriations bill which the Senate
passed last week.
--o--
2 Hubcaps Stolen
From Parked Auto
Jim Sinnigson, Route 3, Taylof
reported to Taylor police that
someone stole four chrome hub-
caps from his car sometime
Thursday night.
The 1957 Plymouth was parked
in the 100 block of East Third
Street, police said.
Ruling Delays
Grain Checks
GEORGETOWN—A new rul-
ing by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture specifies that farm-
ers participating in the emer-
gency feed-grain program will
not receive their balance of pay-
ments until after the first day
of September, even though
measuring crews will finish up
their work right away.
The previous plan was to pay
the estimated $1.2 million as
scon as grain acreages and di-
verted acres were measured.
“We’ll try to be in shape to
pay off rapidly after Sept. 1,”
A. L. McFadden. manager of
the County ASC, said today.
He said he did not know why
the new ruling was made.
Season s First
Gale Churns
Caribbean Sea
SAN JUAN, Uuerto Rico UP) —
Rumbling across the Caribbean
at 23 miles per hour, Hurricane
Anna, with winds estimated ait 80
m.p.h. was pointed today at Cen-
tral America.
The season’s first hurricane
was running almost parallel to
and a little south of the course
taken last year by Hurricane
Abbey, which blew across the
Caribbean last year and broke up
in the mountains of British Hon-
duras.
The Weather Bureau at 4 a.m.
(CST) today located Anna near
latitude 13.5 north and longitude
70.9 west, or about 175 statute
miles northwest of Curacao,
N.W.I.
Forecasters said' the hurricane
was expected to continue moving
between west and west northwest,
reducing speed to 21 m.p.h., for
the next 12 hours with slowly in-
creasing size and intensity.
Anna’s peak winds extend over
a small area near the center and
gale winds extend 100 miles north
of the center, 50 miles south of
the center. Lowest barometric
pressure logged is 29.29 inches.
The hurricane early today was
more than 1,300 miles southeast
of Miami.
which is aimed at placing a man
in orbit a few months from now
and on the moon later, an official
said.
Films of Grissom and bis con-
trol panel went down with the cap-
sule, but Robert C. Gilruth, Proj-
ect Mercury director, said most
of the information desired was re-
ceived through telemetry. Ear-
lier, a. space agency information
officer had indicated to news-
men, that loss of the space craft
might delay the program.
Gilruth said it has not been
determined whether this would be
the last su'borbitcd flight. It had
been suggested that there might
be two more before the attempt
is made to fire-a man into orbit.
The capsule sank 4n 2,800 fath-
ems (16-800 feet) of water. Offi-
cials said no effort would be
made to recover it.
Grissom blew his escape hatch
and left the sinking capsule in
the manner all astronauts had
been taught in their rigorous
training.
After swimming about 70 feet,
Grissom was picked up by a heli-
copter two minutes 'after his es-
cape from the capsule. Attempts
to recover the spacecraft fail-
ed as it plummeted to the bottom.
“Give me something to blow my
nose. My head is full of sea wa-
ter,” America’s No. 2 space man
said when he was deposited on
the deck of the aircraft carrier
Randolph. Otherwise, he was re-
ported in good condition.
Grissom rode 118 miles high on
the nose of a Redstone rocket and
303 miles down the Atlantic mis-
sile range. And" he looked down on
a view so fascinating he forgot
momentarily that he had chores
to perform during the 15-minute
journey.
President Kennedy watched on
television with millions of other
Americans as Grissom followed
the space trail blazed May 5 by
astronaut Alan B. Shepard' Jr.
Then he expressed “great pleas-
ure and satisfaction” in a tele-
phone call to Grissom on the
Randolph.
The 35-year-old Air Force cap-
tain had flown higher (two miles),
farther (one mile) and faster (by
180 miles) that Shepard.
His petite wife, Betty, who also
sat glued to a tv screen at New-
pent News, Va., disclosed also
that he “achieved a first.”
She and their sons, Scott, 11,
and Mark, 7, “talked by tele-
phone to Gus as he lay flat on
his back in the capsule before it
(See SPACE, Page 6)
BASEBALL QUEENS—Taylor’s three- baseball queens pose for a picture
Thursday night as they are revealed to the crowd at the Little League All-Star
tournament. Stancie Sherley, left, representing the Lions, is “Miss Little
League.” Becky Kennedy, center, representing the Packers, is “Miss Junior
League.” And Diane Buenger, representing the Steers, is “Miss Pee Wee
League.” Harry Zeplin, Little League president, said the penny-a-vote contest
brought in $320 which will be used to help pay for the new bleachers.
—Taylor Press Staff Photo
Manshoot in Brief
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. UP) —
Facts and figures on today’s sec-
ond U.S. man-in-space shot.
May 5 shot figures in parenthe-
ses:
Astronaut—-Virgil I. (Gus) Gris-
som, 35, Air Force captain and
hero of the Korean War. (Navy
Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard Jr., 37).
Spacecraft — Mercury capsule
weighing 4,040 pounds and named
by astronauts the “Liberty Bell
7.” (4,040 pounds, named Free-
dom 7).
Time of launch — 6:20 a.m.
CST. (8:34 a.m., May 5).
Altitude of flight—118 miles.
(116 miles).
Distance—303 miles. (302 miles)
Time of flight—16 minutes (15
minutes).
Top speed of spacecraft—5,310
miles an hour. (5,100 m.p.h.)
Period of weightlessness—5 min-
utes Approximate. (Same)
Booster rocket—Army Redstone
with 78,000 pounds of thrust.
(Same)
Recovery—By helicopter from
aircraft carrier, USS Randolph.
(USS Champlain)
Destination of astronaut—Hospi-
tal at Grand Bahama Island for
extensive examinations, then re-
turns to Cape Canaveral in about
48 hours. (Same, except Shepard
went to Washington for a hero’s
welcome.)
Previous space flights—orbit of
the earth April 12 by Russia’s
Yuri Gagarin; 116-mile high- flight
May 5 by U.S. astronaut Alan B.
Shepard Jr., virtually a duplicate
of today’s flight.
RuskMeetsWithWestEnvoys
To Discuss Buildup for Berlin
WASHINGTON UP)
of State Dean Rusk called in the
ambassadors of Britain, France
and Germany today to open ur-
gent Allied conversations on pro-
posals by the Kennedy adminis-
tration for military preparations
to meet expected Soviet pressures
against West Berlin.
Secretary military strength in Europe by
the addition of 'several divisions
to the Western European defense
force. This would mean, some of-
ficials indicate, an increase to
the long-planned goal of 30 divi-
sions from the present strength
of 22 divisions.
The immediate purpose of the
The United States, it is under-
stood, intends to seek a fast
buildup of conventional NATO
conference with Rusk was to
give the ambassadors detailed
reports on decisions on U.S. policy
Tunis Battle
Eases After
French Thrust
TUNIS UP)— Fighting died down
in the streets of Bizerte today
after a new French drive pushed
Tunisian forces back from the
naval base, but President Habib
Bourguiba called for foreign vol-
unteers to step up his undeclared
war against France and ordered
seizure of a French oil pipeline
in southern Tunisia.
Scores more casualties were re-
ported in the French paratroop
and tank trust to enlarge the
perimeter around the Bizerte base
and keep Tunisian troops and
civilian militia at distance from
the French installations they have
been besieging for three days.
In an emotional radio speech,
Bourguiba called on his people
to mobilize for war and’ told his
troops to “fight to the death.”
He ordered his Nee-Destour Par-
ty network or organize strong
points for guerrilla tactics, if that
should become necessary.
With the war mushrooming be-
yond a limited objective of forc-
ing the French from Bizerte, the
seaport city was reported quiet
at midday. The center of town
was held by the Tunisians, and
travelers from Bizerte reported
there was sporadic rifle and ma-
chinegun fire just before noon
but it died down quickly.
The Tunisian radio still spoke
of “street fighting” and a “rag-
ing battle” at Bizerte. But all
travelers returning from the city-
agreed fighting had ebbed after
the French trust.
made by President Kennedy at
a National Security Council meet-
ing late Wednesday.
Saturday Secretary of Defense
Robert S’. McNamara, Gen. Ly-
man L. Lemnitzer, chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and
other high defense officials will
fly to Europe for conferences
with Allied’ leaders in Paris and
London.
Early next week, probably on
Monday, the permanent council
of the North Atlantic Treaty Or-
ganization at Paris will get a re-
port on U.S. plans and proposals
from U.S. Ambassador Thomas
Finletter, who is also flying to
Paris this weekend. He is Ameri-
can representative on the NATO
Council.
Next Thursday Assistant Secre-
tary of State Foy D. Kohler will
take a task force to Paris to
meet with Britain, French and
West German planners and make
preparations for a Western for-
eign ministers conference in the
French capital beginning Aug. 5.
Pravda said today the So-
viet Union wants to settle the
problems of Germany and Berlin
at the negotiating table “and the
sooner Western politicians agree
to this, the sooner will the black
war clouds disappear from the
horizon.”
A Pravda article bylined’ Ob-
server and broadcast by Moscow
radio said: “From beyond the
ocean we can hear the mass
beating of war drums in Ameri-
can newspapers. A number ot
leading statesmen and politicians
senators and representatives,
have taken to the warpath.”
Pravda is the official organ of
the Soviet Communist party. Ar-
ticles in it signed Observer are
usually taken to represent the
official line.
Producer Named
Judy Schier to Reign
Over Rodeo Aug. 24-26
Rodeo Association directors
Thursday night elected Miss Judy
Schier as their 1961 rodeo queen.
Miss Schier, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. A. O. “Pete” Schier,
will reign over this year’s rodeo
Aug. 24-26 to be staged at the
airport arena. She is a student
at Arlington State College this
summer.
The producers committee offi-
cially announced that this year’s
three-day show would be produ-
ced by Bill Hogg’s Kow Bell
Ranch Rodeo of Mansfield, Texas.
Dan Coates of Fort Worth will be
the announcer.
President Van Zimmerhanzel re-
ported that the Rodeo Association
received $167.12 as its share of
proceeds from the July Fourth
celebration jointly sponsored by
the association and the American
Legion.
He also reported sthat all ne-
cessary repairs to the arena
have been completed, except for
a c-oat of paint at the south end
near the entrance. . This work
will be done in the next few days.
The parade committee reported
that the Fort Hood’ Band, an or-
ganization of about 50 members,
would highlight the parade sche-
dule on Main Street at 4 p.m.
Aug. 24.
Directors voted to invite a bus
load of orphans from the Baptist
Childrens Home in Round Rock
and a bus load of veterans from
McCloskey Hospital in Temple as
rodeo gue'sts for the Friday -night
performance.
Admission to this .year’s rodeo
will be $1.50 for general admis-
sion, 75 cents for children, and
$2 for reserved seats.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Taylor Daily Press (Taylor, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 184, Ed. 1 Friday, July 21, 1961, newspaper, July 21, 1961; Taylor, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth799796/m1/1/?q=%221961-07%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Taylor Public Library.