1942-03-06; Clare Sentinel

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EVERYBODY   READS  THE
CLARE  SENTINEL
ALL HOME  PRINT
THIS WEEK—12 PAGES
84 COLUMNS
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Established 1878
GLARE, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY ^lORNING, MARCH 6, 1942
New Series Vol. 50, No. 22
ENTIRE FAMILY
BURNS TO DEATH
EARLYMONDAY
George   Long,   Wife   and
Four Daughters Victims
of Tragedy
All   Apparently   Suffocate   in
Their Beds Before Fire
is Discovered
Twenty-five Years' Accumulation
of License Plates to Aid Defense
?     V*
Undoubtedly the greatest tragedy In
the history of Central Michigan
occurred early Monday morning when
the entire family of George Long was
burned to death in their beds at their
farm home two miles east of the Clare-
Gladwin county line on the Beaverton
Road. Mr. Long, 30, his wife Evelyn,
23, and their four daughters, Elenora
Mae, 7, Barbara Jean, 6, Ruth Ellen,
5, and Ida Belle, 11 months, all lost
their lives as they slept.
Mr. Long had been at the home of a
neighbor Sunday evening, leaving
there for his home at 10:00 o'clock.
Phil Abbott, 15, and Miss Florence
Collins, 17, discovered the fire as they
were returning from Gladwin at 1:30
Monda.y morning and the Abbott boy
attempted to make a rescue, but the
roof collapsed soon after he broke the
front door in and he was forced back
by the smoke and flames.
He immediately notified Mrs. Long's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nunn,
who live on the farm adjoining on the
east, but by the time they could reach
the scene of the tragedy the entire
house was enveloped in flames.
The Long family slept on the second
floor of the two story dwelling, which
had dropped to the ground level when,
the Nunns arrived. The family all died
in their beds, the position of their
bodies indicating that they had made
no struggle or effort to arise, apparently having been rendered unconscious by smoke or gas fumes before
the fire reached them.
Sheriff Ray Cowell and Coroner
Floyd Hall, of Gladwin county, were
called and investigated the accident,
Sheriff Cowell expressing his belief
that the fire was started by an overheated stove or defective chimney
soon after Long had iNCrtlt-M ^r the
night.     , ■■       :•    <.
It was more than eight hours before
sheriff's deputies, assisted by an
undertaker and his assistant, could
remove the bodies of the victims from
the still smoking ruins.
The house was built by the Longs
about four years ago, when, the family
moved to the farm, and logs were on
the property to build a barn this coming spring.
Mr. Long was the eldest son of Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Long, who live a mile
south of the scene of the tragedy, and
Mrs. Long was the only daughter of
the Ernest Nunns.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon from the Stone Church
and the remains were all laid at rest
in one casket in the Gladwin cemetery.
CIVILIAN DEFENSE
OFFICE NOW OPEN
FOR REGISTRATION
Protective and Community Welfare Occupations May
Be Selected
The Clare County Council of Defense
office in the Jackson Market building
is open each week day afternoon from
2:00 to 5:00 o'clock for registration
for Civilian Defense work. A list of
the activities in which civilians may
enroll follows.
Work Preference
This list outlines the divisions Of
work set up for Civilian Defense.
Read it over and make four or five
choices Indicating what type of work
you prefer to take part in- List these
Work Preferences on your enrollment
card iu the space designated.
Civilian Protection
Air Raid Wardens
Messengers
Nurses Corps
Medical Corp
Fire Watcher
First Aid Squad
Drivers Corps
Emergency Food and Shelter
Executive Staff Corps
Auxiliary Police
Auxiliary Fireman
Bomb Squad
Wreckage Clearance Squad
Road Repair Crew
Community Welfare
Morale Building Programs
Special Services for Army
Personnel
Consumer Information
Community Health
Nutrition     ,        ,_.s.        ,.•'<.■■.-
General Education   '.    , .. . ., ,
(Continued On, Page, Seyeri)
ftadioiRefiair^Expert radio service.
all 'WW& ig-uararjjte-d.   .'Tubes .tested;
free.   < 'J&jtift * 8fc&; HiH   Hard^ya*ej
jPhdne 22" .«•:.'*»«*»v■ •.;; > i$t.
CLARE COUNTY A.A.A. CHAIRMAN ROBERT C. KLEINER
SATURDAY RECORD
DAY FOR COUNTY
L1CENSEBUREAUS
Robert Kleiner Brings in
Plates for Twenty-
five Years
Clai'e; County AAA Chairman Robert Kleiner, in'response to the Department of State's appeal for motorists to
bring in their old license plates for
scrap metal, really ''came through"
the first of last week and brought his
license plates' for the past twenty-five
years to the department's branch office in the Art Damoth Insurance
office here.
The above picture shows Mr. Kleiner in front of the Damoth office with
the most of the plates from 1917
through 1941. A few of the "tags" do
not show in the picture, but they are
all there and total twenty-eight pounds
in weight. Can anyone beat Bob's
record ?
Last Saturday was a record day at
the local license office, with applicants standing in line practically all
day long and 459 sets of plates sold
and fifteen transfers made, the latter
requiring considerable time. Among
the plates sold were 108 full year passenger, 286 half year passenger, seven
full year commercial, thirty-three half
year commercial, twenty-two full year
trailer and three half year trailer.
At the Department of State branch
office in the office of County Treasurer
Ois.e Derby, at Harrison, 9S sets of
plates were sold. Among these were
thirty-one full year passenger, fifty-five
half year passenger, two full year commercial, six half year commercial and
four full year trailer, making a total
of ninety-eight plates for this office
and a total of 557 sets of plates sold
in Clare county during the day.
«]»—-■»— ih
4-
Red Cross
Activities
• «»J,
Attention Red Cross Chairmen
Chairmen of All Units:
Will you please plan to attend the
monthly meeting of Clare County Red
Cross Chapter to be held in the high
school building in Harrison Monday,
March 9, at 8:00 p. m.
This will be an important meeting,
ll would like to have a representative
present from every unit in the county.
If the chairman is unable to attend,
please send a representative.
Mrs. Gerald E. Lamb,
JEhairman Clare County A. R, C.
Clare Rod and
Gun Club Annual
Meet Thursday
The annual meeting and election of
officers of the Clare Rod and Gun Club
will be held at 8:00 o'clock Thursday
evening, March 12, at Hampton's
Garage. Plans will be made for the
annual banquet in the Clare city hall
auditorium Wednesday evening, April
22, and other important matters will
come before the meeting.
All members and others interested
in wildlife and sports are urged to
attend and assist with the plans for
the coming season.
Want Some Help
on Your Income
Tax Report?
Farmers who wish to obtain help in
filing their income tax reports may
come; to the Clare City Hail, Tuesday,
March 10, between the hours of 9:00
and 12:: 00'a." m. and 1:00 and 5.00 p.m.,
and County Agent P, D. Gibson will
assist them,
•A farmer should obtain Form 1040F
which Is a schedule of his expenses
and, receipts for the year. With this
fpi_n'fllled;out,j.the* balance of the job
is-not:»fio;hardt; Form JOiOF can. be
obtained at, the County Agent's Office,
, Home Nursing Courses
The American Red Cross, cooperating with the Michigan Department of
Health and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, is planning to hold two one-
week institutes during March for
graduate nurses who are teaching or
who plan to teach Red Cross classes
in Home Hygiene and Care of the
Sick. The institutes will be conducted
along the lines of a work shop and
will be held in one of the Kellogg
camps near Battle Creek. All meals
and lodging will be furnished free.
The only expense will be transportation to and from the camp. Nurses
attending the work shop will be invited for a period extending from
Sunday afternoon to Saturday afternoon inclusive. Classes will begin
(Continued  on Page Twelve)
LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS TO ATTEND
BAY CITY MEETING
Police Conference and F. B. I.
School to be Held There
Next Week
John S. Bugas, Special Agent in
charge of the Detroit Field Office of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
announces another regular Quarterly
Conference of Police Officials in this
area. The conference is to be held
simultaneously with the six-day training courses in Civilian Defense given
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation instructors, beginning at 9:00
a. m., March 9, 1942, ending March 14,
1942 ,in the Supervisor's Room, County
Court House, Center and Madison
Streets, Bay City, Michigan. The
Quarterly Police Conference will commence at Bay City at 9:00 a. m.,
March 10, 1942.
The Quarterly Conference is part of
the FBI Law Enforcement Offices Mobilization Plan for National Defense,
which wag launched by Director
Hoover to correlate and coordinate
the work of all local, county and state
law enforcement agencies in the handling of all internal security matters including Espionage, Sabotage and other
matters relating to National Defense.
This meeting will afford all police
officials present an opportunity to discuss special problems which have
arisen, occasioned by the present state
of war,
| The six-day school of Civilian Defense Courses for Police will be held
simultaneously as a part of the
Civilian Defense Administration's Bra-
gram. The Office of Civilian Defense,
through its former Dir_ctor, Mayor F.
|H'. LaGuardia, has. requested the FBI
ahditsvDirectoiyMr; j:. Edgar Hoover;
', (Continued on faga Six)
WPA SYMPHONY
GIVES INSPIRING
CONCERT FRIDAY
Accomplished   Director
Leads Orchestra at
Auditorium
Although the attendance was less
than had been anticipated, because of
Lenten services in the churches and
other conflicting activities, the audience who heard the Michigan WPA
Symphony Orchestra in the high
school auditorium, last Friday evening,
was deeply appreciative of the inspiring music and many feel that those
who were unable to attend missed a
rare treat not often, heard in a city the
size of Clare.,
Major Ramon Hernandez, director of
the symphony orchestra, was born in
Lancaster, Texas, was taken to Mexico
by his parents at the age of two years,
and following years of study and a
colorful and highly successful career
in that country, returned to the United
States in 1931. Since his return, he
has been engaged In making arrange
ments for large concert bands and
orchestras, and during this time has
conducted large classes in music on
various instruments, being a very
efficient performer on several instrn
ments himself.
Friday evening's program follows:
Star Spangled Banner.
Marriage of Figaro—Mozart
Symphony No. 101 (Clock) First
Movement, Adagio, Presto—Haydn.
Tales From The Vienna Woods—
Strauss.
Request number—Hungarian Dances
5 and 6—Brahms.
Slavonic Dance No. Is—Dvorak.
Request number—Showboat—Jerome
Kern.
Two compositions, Valse Triste and
Tone Poem, Filandia—Sibelius.
God Bless America—Berlin.
Encore—Stars and Stripes Forever
—John Phillip Sousa.
Donald E. Holbrook, Director of the
Clare County Speakers Bureau, gave
an inspirational address on "Bonds or
Bombs," during intermission.
Six $25.00 Defense Bonds and $75.00
worth of Defense Savings Stamps
were sold at the door, totaling $225.00
for the evening. '  ■
BOY SCOUTS HOLD
BOARD OF REVIEW
M0NDAY_EVEN1NG
Plan Test Mobilization and
Emergency Demonstration
Saturday
A Board of Review was conducted
in the school gymnasium Monday evening for Clare Boy Scout Troop 125
with Field Executive of the Clare-Isabella District Max Clark, County Scout
Commissioner John Rodabaugh, Chairman Rev. John H. Hall of the local
Scout committee and Scout Master
Morrel Clute officiating.
Badges were awarded as follows:
Tenderfoot rank—Willard Ireland,
Wilbur Ireland, Dale White, Bud Rodabaugh, Jack Woodruff, Jim Bicknell,
Herbert Smith, Dannie Osborn.
Second Class—Tony Burdo, Jack
Rodabaugh, Dudley Lovett.
First Class — Tony Burdo, Dean
Manee.
Star—Kenneth Sorrell.
As a part of their cooperation in
national defense activities the troop
has planned to mobilize next Saturday
morning. The mobilization, of the
troop and their troop committee, Dr.
John H. Hall, Lyle Chapman and
Harold Fleming, will be completed
within five minutes from the time the
first telephone call is made at a time
unknown to the Scouts or committee.
The First Aid Team Of the Troop
will go into action on a previously
appointed patient.
The Signal Team will demonstrate
signaling ability with flags, flasher,
etc.
The r.est of the Scouts will control
traffic and demonstrate messenger service.
The first aid patient is supposed to
have been hit by flying debris from
a demolition bomb while trying to
extinguish an incendiary bomb.
He has a fractured left leg just
above the knee, a bad cut over the
right eye; in falling forward, water
was spilled on the incendiary bomb
causing it to explode and badly burn
his right hand and. forearm.
The concussion from the demolition
bomb has caused severe shock. He is
unconscious, but breathing.
It won't be necessary to call* a
doctor as in the confusion of an air
raid, the object is to give the patient
first aid treatment eo'that he: can be
transported to the nearest first aid
shelter or emergency hospital.
Clare Young Man Gives His All
for His Country and Democracy
4MM0% -*MiVPW
ROBERT LEE PETTIT OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY
Visitors May
No Longer Climb
Fire Towers
"Fire Tower, 1 Mile," with a
directional arrow, is a sign familiar to j
northern Michigan motorists that will
be lacking from the roadsides entirely
this summer, conservation department
officials reported today.
Since visitors no longer may be
allowed to climb the towers, because
of federal wartime radio restrictions,
the department .is keeping the directional signs—valuable only to strang-
ers-^-in storage,
A hew sight for tourists in Michigan's north woods will be fire fighting
tool caehes-^solidly built, tarpaper-
covered, three-by four-foot shelters for
shovels and axes. Spotted in strategic
places, they are part of the 1942 fire
fighting plan, prepared for what is
expected to be one of the most strenuous forest fire seasons in years.
MICHIGAN BELL
NET OPERATING
INCOME DROPS
Result of Sharp Increase in
Payroll and Tax
Costs
Skates Sharpeuett W factory nieth*
dd.... Try'.our new.- machine. Clar&
Hardware & Furniture ;©o,      i  lit.
C. C. LANG & SON
PLAN PICKLE STATION
FOR FARWELL AREA
Representatives    of   Company
Write Contracts to Raise
Cucumbers
D. D. Holler, of Freemont, Michigan
Manager of C. C. Lang & Son, pickle
manufacturers of Baltimore, Maryland, and Ed. Block, Superintendent of
the Mt. Pleasant area for the company, were in the vicinity of Farwell
this week making arrangements to
open a pickle receiving station there
this season and writing contracts for
raising cucumbers in this locality.
The company has been making
pickles and kraut since 1868 and has
been making pickles in Michigan, with
headquarters at Freemont, since 1920. i
In 1941 they opened up the Mt. Pleas-'
ant territory for raising pickle cucumbers and established a brining station
there that year. I
It is planned to contract at least one J
hundred acres for raising cucumbers
in the vicinity of Farwell and establish a receiving station there this
season.
With advancing prices for all food
commodities and this old and dependable concern offering cash on delivery
prices in this community, it seems that
the raising of" cucumbers would be a
lucrative occupation for the farmers.
of the area. j
Mr. Biock will call on the farmers to
write Contracts or they may be made
at the Powell Barber Shop in Farwell.
Despite record revenues resulting
from unparalleled demands for its service, the Michigan Bell Telephone
Company today reported that its net
operating income for 1941 fell off four
per cent, or more than $400,000.
George M. Welch, president of the
company, in his annual report to stockholders, pointed out that earnings
would have been substantially lower
had the company not taken a tax
credit for the refunds on loug distance messages made during 1941 but
applicable also to previous years.
(The refunds covered the period,
August 1, 1938 to April 25, 1941, but
the entire credit was taken last year.)
Eliminating that non-recurring tax
credit, the report said that the net
operating income was $2.74 less per
average telephone. That decline took
place despite a $1.10 increase in
revenue per telephone. That result
was attributed to sharp increases in
tax and payroll costs.
Operating revenues reached $54,-
159,000, an increase of 13 per cent
over 1940, while operating expenses
were up 17 per cent and operating
taxes were up 24 per cent. Net income
(Continued on Page Seven)
ST. PATRICKS DIN.IER
Plan to eat dinner Sunday, March
15, at St, Cecelia's Church. 40c—60c.
Menu next week.",
The Clare 'County Nurses': Associa-,
tiBn Will ine-t with 'Mrs, Joe'Sproat'at
8:00 j tfGlosefcs hexfe'.ITuesday-. '.evening;
March 10.   *>?*> )3.vi' •<•■> >'^.«.>'i;X,1:
Endless Chain
Letters Violate
Postal Statutes
The mails in all parts of the country
are still being flooded with letters
relating to so-called endless chain
schemes soliciting defense savings
stamps.
The Postal Bulletin of July 22, 1941,
contained a notice regarding the
legality of such schemes. Nevertheless, patrons of the various post
offices are depositing in 'the mails
matter relating to schemes of this
nature. They are hereby warned that
the sending of such matter through
the mails is a violation of the postal
fraud and lottery statutes.
Notices are served upon persons
participating in such schemes whose
names come to the attention of the
Post Office Department requiring them
to show cause why fraud Orders should
not be issued against them. Such
orders forbid the uelivery of any mail
to the persons named therein; and ho
money orders in favor of said party
shall be issued or certified.
ROBERT PETTIT
DIES IN ACTION
IN PHILIPPINES
First From This Commun*
ity to Make Supreme
Sacrifice
Friends  Here Join  in- Paying
Homage to Native Son
of This City
The first person to give his life int.
action for his country and democracy/
from this community, in World War 11/
was Robert Pettit, son of Walter
Pettit ,of Clare.
Robert Lee Pettit, the son of Walter
and Alta Pettit, was born in Clare/
November 17, 1906, and lived here all
his life until joining the United
States Navy fifteen years ago. He
graduated from the Clare High School
with the class of 1924 and worked witlf
his father as a carpenter and cabinet*
maker for three years, before going
into the service of Uncle Sam,
Word was received here by Walter
Pettit, Thursday of last week, that
Robert had lost his life; Robei-t's wife,
Mrs. Esther Pettit, of Honolulu, Terri*
tory of Hawaii, having first received
word from Washington that Robert
was missing and later that he had lost
his life in action.
Mrs. Pettit has been at their home
in Honolulu for the past seven
months. He flew to the Philippines
three years ago in a flight of twelve
bombers, where she joined him later,
and they have since resided, until he
sent her back to Honolulu for safety*
Robert was a radio operator on a>
flying fortress at the time he waS'
killed and at last report he was
stationed at Cavite, Luzon, twelve"
miles from Manila. The time he was
killed is not as yet known here, nor
is it known whether he lost his life*
when, the Japs attacked Cavite or on'
a bombing raid since that time.
He planned to have been home this
month for a thirty day visit, before
returning for another Ave years to
complete his twenty years of service
in the Navy.
Robert was well -known and highly
respected in" this community and his
many friends here join in paying
homage to Clare's first hero of the
present war and in sympathy with his
bereaved wife in distant Hawaii andr
his father here at home.
VICTORY SPEAKERS
MEET HERE MONDAY
TO PLAN ACTIVITIES
To Address Clare School Rally"
and AAA Meeting at
Frost Town Hall
The March meeting of the Victor/
Speakers was held in the library of
the local high school Monday evening,
with Donald E. Holbrook, director of
the Clare County Speakers Bureau/
assisted by instructors Principal Emil
Pfister and Dr. John H. H. Hall, in
charge of the meeting.
It was announced that three im-'
portant speeches had already been
successfully made by members of the
group and plans were made for fur'
ther activities.
Those present chose topics for
speeches to be made and Mr. Pfister
discussed the importance of consider*
ing whether the speeches were timely,
suitable for the prospective audience*?
and the aptitude of those to be &&
dressed, stating that the talks should
entertain, create interest, inform, coB'
viuce and persuade the listeners.
It was planned to hold a Victory*
Rally for the student body and faculty
at the school Friday afternoon, March
13th, with N. L. Tibbils and two sttK
dents addressing the group.
James Rawley, instructor of social1
studies in the school, will address i«s-
A.A.A. meeting at Frost town hall thafr
evening.
Imogene Hickey was assigned tc"
talk on Red Cross activities an4
County Nurse Ina Mary Young ott
[health activities at future meetings
j and plans were made for short talks
to be given in the rural schools of th©
county.
A special meeting of the Victory
Speakers will be held at the Clare city
hall from 4:30 to 5:30 o'clock MOn*
day, March 16, and regular meetings
will be held at the same hour at the
city hall the first- Monday in eaels
month.
INCOME TAX
Qualified to make income' tax, returns. Pearl Johnson.' Brewer &
Thompson. Stdrfe, Glare,.Michigan,
Easter Seal Safe
General chairman Mrs. FranK. Hdefi'-''
stetler announced here this weiJW Mat
the Ninth Annual Easter Seal Sale"*
Campaign for crippled children would'
be conducted in this community troift'
March. 10. to April 5. Particulars #111
be announced later by publicity cftsSf'
man Mrs. Merle Sambor-iw .'.;f.....