the NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
62nd Year No. 16 NOME, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1961Per Copy 15^
Cold Weather Vetei
Specialists Exercise
The 7th Special Forces of the
U. S. Army from Fort Bragg,
cold weather veterans and war
fare specialists will make a para
troop drop here Thursday morning
around ten o’clock north of the
city field, with Maj. Joseph
Thomson, commander. At the
same time similar groups of the
same organization will be drop
ping at Pt. Hope, Wales, Kotze
bue and Gambell, weather per
mitting.
Spectators are invited to view
the drop, but to stay on the Bessie
Road so they will not be injured
toy jumping men or hit by ma
terial and equipment that may
Urges Churchmen
To Oppose Legal
Gambling in Slate
ANCHORAGE CP) — Anchorage
businessman Walter Hickel today
urged a group of churchmen and
laymen opposed to legalized gamb
ling to ask their legislators where
they stand on the gambling issue.
“We should ask our elected
leaders if they are for or against
gambling,” Hickel told the group
at its weekly breakfast meeting.
“They should not hide behind the
statement: ‘It’s not our place to
say — let’s leave it to a vote of
' the people.’ ”
Hickel discussed business con
ditions in Nevada and described
them as poor. He said the gamb
ling dollar is static — it doesn’t
move and is not the productive
wealth that Alaska needs.
“We have a young state and
should not expose it to evils be
fore it reaches maturity,” Hickel
told the group.
He said in closing his talk that
he is “just plain against gambling
— I see no reason to elaborate on
that statement.”
A committeeman informed the
group that Alaska Sen. Ernest
Guening had been contacted and
had agreed to ask Sen. Estes Ke
fauver for material documenting
the impact of gambling on the
American economy.
Anchorage attorney David Pree,
a former assistant State Attorney
General, has agreed to serve as a
liaison man with Juneau. As such,
Pree will have the task of watch
ing for legislation to which the
group is opposed.
Delta Fire Department
Want Some Buffalo Steaks
JUNEAU UP) — The Delta Vol
inteer Fire Department said to
diy it has just as much right to
Aaska buffalo steaks at the Bal
tinore Gourmet Club.
Tie Baltimore group served
Al«ka buffalo steaks at its annual
fed in December, even though
thee is no season on the buffalo
her*, in the Delta Junction area.
Ii a telegram to Rep. Frank
Chaados, signed by Chief Art
Nofte, the Delta Volunteer Fire
Deprtment said:
“Sice the Baltimore Gourmet
Club can serve Alaska buffalo
steak, we of the Delta Volunteer
Fire Department would like to
have ermission to serve two buf
falos tiring our 4th of July Carni
val ail barbecue.
“We would appreciate you
doing nything you can do to ob
tain a. necessary permits to ac
quire te buffalo.”
ans and Warfare
s Starts Tomorrow
fall.
They will be assisted in this
exercise by the Alaska National
Guard, 1st Scout Battalion under
the direction of Lt. George Fos
ter who has been organizing the
scout participation for this event
as well as what follows on Satur- j
day, when the real activity takes >
place.
The ANG and the 7th Special
group will mark locations and set
up equipment for the larger force
arriving on Saturday when the
tactical problem starts with a re
inforced airborne platoon of the
187th Infantry numbering about
45 members.
| The ANG and the 7th Army
specialists will become the en
emy and the 187 th paratroopers
will jump with full battle equip
ment at the Red Hanger and will
cross country to the Satellite
Field Hanger to capture the en
emy missile site.
They will attack using rifle
fire, simulated hand grenades,
simulated artillery fire, smoke
pots, flares and other warfare
equipment.
Spectators must stay out of the
battle zone and drop zone because
of the danger of being hit by
troopers and equipment. All ob
servers are asked to stay on the
road.
Should the day be windy the
troops will land by plane and
carry on the battle on foot as
planned.
Lt. Col. Reger, Asst. Adj. Gen
eral of the ANG arrived yester
day to remain through until Mon
day and today Col. John Dalton,
Senior Army Advisor arrives from
Juneau. Other military officials
are expected also to observe the
problem.
I _
| Water Main Breaks
j Flooding Hundreds of
Homes in North St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. l/B — A huge
water main broke today and sent
tons of icy water cascading down
North St. Louis streets, flooding
hundreds of homes and overturn
ing cars.
There was no known loss of life
and police said they knew of no
persons unaccounted for.
The gushing water flooded a
12-block area, in places up to 10
feet deep. The water was shut
off 4Vi> hours after the break,
and began receding rapidly. Per
haps 25 autos were all but sub
merged.
With the temperature in the
20s, the natural gas supply was
shut off and some 300 homes were
without heat. With basements
flooded, officials ordered the gas
shut off because of the danger of
explosions.
Streets on the fringe area of
Streets on the ringer area of
the flooded sections quickly turn
ed to sheets of ice.
Water pressure failed over a
wide area. There was no water in
some sections of downtown St.
Louis, three miles away.
51% OF STATES HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATES ENTER COLLEGE
JUNEAU Ufl — The State De
partment of Education reported
that more than half of Alaska’s
1960 high school graduates con
tinued on to college.
The report said 586 of the 1,154
students graduating from high
school last year, or a total of 51
per cent, have entered college.
Bewitched Phone
In Court Building
Emits Sweet Music
By Malcolm L. Stephenson
NEW YORK UP) — A crazy,
mixed-up pay telephone in the
Criminal Courts Bldg, gives forth
with sweet music when you pick
up the receiver.
It’s better than a juke box —
you don’t have to put in a dime,
and there’s no rock ’n roll.
The bewitched phone is be
musing to some — embarrassing
to others.
And it’s bewildering to phone
company technicians. Where is
the music coming from?
If some one drops in a coin
and makes a call, the conversa
tion has a background of muted
trumpets, soft saxophones, delicate
violin notes and a gentle piano.
A prominent criminal lawyer is
a steady listener to the mysteri
ous music during court recesses.
Imagine his embarrassment
when he phoned his office and his
secretary — hearing the sweet ac
companiment for the first time—
asked: “Are you in a bar? I hear
music.”
The telephone booth is in the
Criminal Courts Bldg, press room
and it’s making it hard for re
porters to get off the hook when
they phone their offices.
When their editors hear “Stay
as Sweet as You Are” coming
over the wire, they get a bit
suspicious.
A telephone company spokes
man said he did not know the
source of the music.
"Through some induction be
neath the cable,” he said, “the
phone may be picking up some
radio music coming from bar and
grill or piped music being serv
iced to a restaurant.”
National Boy Scout
Week Opens Today
National Boy Scout Week opens
today when Rotary Club kicks off
the fund drive for the Bering Sea
District.
On Saturday evening at seven
the Bering Sea District will have
a recognition banquet and all
adults in scouting, in Nome, hus
bands or wives will be expected to
be present. At this time several
outstanding local citizens will be
recognized for their work in
socuting. Honor guest will be Ira
Hill, scout executive, who heads
the new district with headquarters
in Fairbanks and no longer is
part of the old Western District
which includeq Anchorage.
The new council operates the
camp at Lost Lake, at Fairbanks
and the Salmon Lake camp here.
Under this council there are now
as least Cub Packs in Barter
Island ,Ft. Yukon, Kultag, Shun
gnak, Kivalina, Sagoogna, Gam
bell, Unalakleet and in the mak
ing at Pt. Hope and Shishmareff.
There are 1,800 members enrolled
in the council at this time.
At the banquet Scoutmaster
Spencer Strand and his troop will
present an interesting program.
Reservations are to be made at
the North Star.
Several Boy Scout groups in
the town are competing for covet
ed certificates of achievement by
preparing window displays in
various stores this week. The ex
ecutive committee of Boy Scouts
will choose the winning display
and make the announcement and
award at the Saturday night ban
quet. Ribbons of award will also
be given the participants.
JFK's Lieutenants Drive
For Extension of
Unemployment Benefits
WASHINGTON UP> — President
Kennedy’s legislative lieutenants
are driving to put his plan for
extension of unemployment com
pensation into effect by mid- : ,
March. >
They were spurred yesterday j
by administration estimates that
in the next five weeks the num- }
ber of unemployed who have ex
hausted the benefits provided by
present law will climb far above
the present 500,000. Kennedy’s
proposal would revive weekly
benefits for such persons, up to
a maximum of 13 weeks.
The first part of the job is up
to the House Ways and Means
Committee, whose Democratic
leaders hope to send the unem
ployment legislation to the House
for action within a week after
hearings begin Feb. 15.
Only the financing arrange
ments are expected to arouse
much controversy at the hear
ings. Kennedy proposed that the
federal government advance
funds for the extra payments to
all states which choose to parti
cipate.
Then the base of the tax on
employers’ payrolls would be in
creased from $3,000 to $4,800
maximum per employe. The in
crease, according to administra
tion figures, would enable the
states to repay within five years
at the estimated $950 million cost
of the program.
Some employers’ spokesmen,
however, are expected to protest
the step-up of a tax which, un
like the Social Security levy, is
not shared by employer and em
ploye.
Castro’s Regime Keeps
Up Its Bitter Fight
Against Catholic Priests
HAVANA (jP — Fidel Castro’s
regime kept up its bitter anti
clerical campaign last night with
a charge by Defense Minister
Raul Castro that Roman Catholic
priests are active in bomb plots
against the government.
The prime minister’s younger
brother told a crowd of several
thousand roaring students one
priest was caught planting a bomb
at a municipal depot and another
was arrested trying to join in
vaders from the Dominican Re
public.
It was one of the strongest at
tacks on the clergy since the Cas
tros came to power, and once ;
more the target was Spanish-born
priests, the majority of the clergy 1
in Cuba. The Castro regime claims
they act on the orders of Spanish >
Dictator Francisco Franco.
Despite his charges, Raul left ’
the impression the Communist
dominated regime plans no im- i
mediate action against the church.
He called for patience in the face i
of “anti-national” activities by i
the priests and said the regime 1
always will insure religious free- ]
dom. <
Shortly after the rally, a bomb ]
explosion was heard in suburban ]
Miramar. It was the 10th in the <
last three nights.
WEATHER FORECAST !
Fair and cold. Low tonight -15, j
high tomorrow 0. In the last 24
hours a high of 4, low of -15. Sun- 1
rise at 8:19 a. m., sunset at 4:11 i
p. m.
Temperatures a year ago today:
High of 20, low of -7. Extremes
on this date since 1907: High of
47 in 1947, low of -42 in 1949.
New Snow Storms
Blanket Most of the
Eastern Seaboard
By The Associated Press
A mountain of snow blanketed
ilmost all the Eastern Seaboard
oday and new storms closed hun
Ireds of schools and brought traf
fic to a standstill.
Snowbound New York City
ooked forward to more snow or
*ain and freezing drizzle. Mayor
ftobert Wagner continued his ban
Dn all nonessential private auto
raffic after he made a helicopter
our of the snowbound city. The
Dan meant another day of crowd
ng on public transportation fa
cilities as hundreds of thousands
>f automobiles remained buried
along streets and parkways in
the city.
With an ice breaker showing
the way, 10 river craft started
Lip the ice-choked Hudson River
today to deliver more than 100,
000 barrels of gasoline and heat
ing oil for New York communi
ties where shortages were report
ed. The bulk of the fuel was bound
for Newburgh for distribution.
In Washington, D. C., the capi
tal’s snow-a-week schedule was
right on time with a fall unof
ficially reported at 3 to 5 inches.
Heavy snow warnings were out for
Northern and Western Virginia
and snow and sleet was spreading
from North Carolina into South
ern Pennsylvania.
While Pennsylvania was at
tempting to dig out from last
weekend’s crippling snowfall of
up to 24 inches, more snow lash
ed at the state.
Powerful New Engine
In X15 Awaits Test Pilot
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE,
Calif. UP — The next X15 rocket
ship flight for Air Force Maj.
Bob White — possibly next week
— will be in a model with power
ful new engine.
White rehearsed for this role
yesterday by testing the rocket
ship’s new “Hot Nose” in an X15
with a small temporary power
plant developing 16,000 pounds of
thrust. He reached a speed of
2,112 mph during an 11-minute
flight.
The more powerful model is
designed eventually to rocket
man from 50 to 100 miles at
speeds of 4,000 mph.
The X15’s new rounded nose,
-eplacing the earlier needle-like
intenna, contains instruments to
lelp the pilot re-enter the at
nosphere at a safe angle.
rhree Deaf Athletes
ro Compete In Finland
\t International Games
VANCOUVER, Wash., UP —
Jeven hundred dollars has been
aised in the drive to send three
)oys from the school for the deaf
lere to the 9th International
james for the Deaf in Helsinki,
•'inland, Aug. 6 - 10, Kenneth
jane, fund chairman, said Tues
lay.
The three are Walt Sumoski,
Ipokane; Gary Hendrix, Seattle,
ind Dick Itta, Point Barrow,
Alaska.
Sumoski and Itta rank among
he top 10 deaf sprinters in the
:ountry and Hendrix has been the
op hurdler twice, Lane, a mem
ber of the school faculty, said.
Basketball games are also plan
ned in the statewide drive to
'aise $4,050 to pay their expenses.