1954-08-27; Clare Sentinel

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THF  CT_A
SFNTTNFT
,E»labl_-h«l 1878
Seven C*nis Cop?
CLARE, MICHIGAN. FRIDAY MOHNiNG.   FHlDAYr AUGUST 27.1954
$0.50 Y*ar In Michigan
JNew Series, Vol. 62, No. 49
I *
I/*.
Dreams of Bridge
Oh Mackinac Began
Over 70 Years Ago
On February .7, 1954, the State j board of directors _ of^ the famous
of Michigan Mackinac Bridge
Authority received a check for
$99,800,000 realized from the sale
• of revenue bonds for the five-mile-
long bridge.
The actual estimated cost of the
bridge is $79,274,250 in addition, to
which there will be administrative
coats, real*estate and preliminary
financing charges, bringing the cost
over the 99 million mark.
Today the Authority is well on
it's way toward the 1957 goal of
completion. The Merrit-Chapman
and Scott bridge building Company
is already fast at work ready to
employ approximately 1,000 men in
the construction of foundations'
alone.
When this record-breaking span
is thrown across the Straits, another Important link will be forged in
Ame*i.ja;s expanding highway sys*
. tem, a tribute to the f arsighted and
determined- officials of the great
State of Michigan,
Need for the linking of the two
peninsulas of the State was .realiz-
• ed early in the pioneering days of
our history. It was- probably recognized, even earlier by the aboriginal'Indians who paddled their birch-
wood canoes over-the stormy ex-
p^nfe of the :Mackinac Straits,
However, like all.ambitious projects, there were always1 those
who said "No, it can't be done."
It',is physically an impossibility,"
or "It would be too costly."
. [Here in Clare County, our pwn I
Spikehorn Meyers called the plan
of-bridging the Straits unfeasible,
and fit" thing that would never work.
[Spike offered an alternate proposal. He submitted blueprints for
a proposed tunnel under the
Straits which appeared to many as
an amusing novelty even if not as
feasible as the bridge proposal.
[Meyers even went so far as^to
have his plan printed on the pages
of ,a large Michigan Daily newspaper. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed, and the plans for the less
sensational but more practical
bridge were continued.]
With ths passing of the last
sporadic opposition, plans were
brought to completion and on February of this year, the 99 million
dollars was turned over to build
the span,
Dreama of bridging the Straits
began at least 70 years ago accord-
1 ing to historians. There exists evidence of this Ia£t on"a fatieS $._#_
page of the old Lansing Republican, dated February 5, 1884.
,' The story was a reprint froth the
pages of the Grand Traverse Herald, . pointing out that the experiment to provide all year service
across the Straits by boat had'
^failed. If *a great, east-west route
"ever were to be established, the
report continued, a bridge or tunnel* would be required. The author
of'the piece thought both alterna->
tlves practicable. The big question
iii his mind was that of cost.
■About this time, interest ^in the
bridging of the Straits had received a great boost with the dedica-
, tion of the Brooklyn Bridge and
its opening on May 24, 1883. This
structure was built at a cost of 15
million dollars, considered an enormous amount at that time.
In 1884, a St. Ignace store keeper and Mackinac Bridge booster
used a unique method to furthur
• interest in his pet project. In his,|
advertising in the local weekly
newspaper and on the paper he
used for wrapping articles for his
customers, he reprinted an artist's
conception of the famous New
York structure and captioned it
• "Proposed bridge across the
"Straits of Mackinac."
In 1888, the movement had gained   momentum.   On   July   1,   the
Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island
held their first meeting. A bridge
across the Straits was the main
topic and the minutes, show that
Commodore Cornelius "Vanderbilt
said: "We . . . have the largest,
well*equipped hotel of its kind in
the world, (The Grand Hotel), for
a short season business. Now what
we need is a bridge across the
Straits."
Meanwhile in 1889 the great
Firth of Forth Bridge in Scotland
was under construction ajld conv"
pleted. .   '      . '
It-was not until 1?20 that any additional documentary evidence-Concerning the connection Of Michigan's two peninsulas was recorded.
Then, the state highway com-
■missioner suggested a, floating
tunnel. He also invited .other Engineers to suggest ideas for crossing
the Straits. Mr. C. B. Fowler of
New York City came forward with
an ambitious project to solve the
problem. '
He* suggested that a* series, of
bridges and causeways be started
at Cheboygan, some 17 miles from
the Straits, and traverse Bols
Blanc and Round Islands, touch the
southern tip of Mackinac Island
and leap' across the deep channel
to St. Ignace.
Three years later the Legislature orclered the state highway department to establish a ferry service at 'the Straits. Within five
years, traffic on this facility became so heavy that the late Governor^ Fred-* Green: ordered the
same agency to make a study of
bridge feasibility.
The report was favorable, cost
was estimated at 30 million dollars.
Some strides to get the project
under way were taken but it was
eventually scrapped.
In 1937, the first Secretary of
the Mackinac Straits Bridge Auth-
(Continued On Page Eight)
Find Oil 5362 Feet Under YWCA.Camp In Frpsst
60 didders
TuraOutfqr
First Prills
About 60 turned out for physical
examinations Wednesday prior to
the first practice of the season for
the Clare football team, slated
for next Monday, August 30.
„ It was about the number anticipated for "the turnout, but more
are expected to turn in their names
at the school between now and the
opening of the season, according
to Thomas C. " Campbell, School
Superintendent.
Equipment was 'issued and practice instructions  were  given  for
Monday's Workout.
y
Clare will open it's season at
home against Big Rapids. It will
be the first year of formal league
.competition for the Pioneers. It is
also the first year of operation for
the "Mid-Michigan Class B" football league.
Clare County Fair to Hold
3-D,, Hor* Race Program
—- -—"     New Midway, Music by 7 Bands. Larger
1 66______f__S Exhibits to be Featured At Harrison
Plans foi; the Clare County Fair, to be held September 13
through 48, are well, underway, with renovations at the fair
grounds, midway rides and concessions* contracted, and new
features set for the program.
Postponed
The case of- two of the boys who
had a part in the August 8 wrecking of the Lincoln township school
is being held open, -according to
Probate Judge George Bates.
The parents of the teenage brothers have befen ill, and are not
well enough to attend hearings of
the case, Judge Bates said.
Preliminary hearing has been
held for the two boys. One is fifteen years old arid the other sixteen. After talking to them, Judge
Bates said he was impressed with
the boys' realization of their serious misbehavior. *        ■
^■■'■'■'■■i'*'*1*1*'
■«P' *>!*■ WW ' ■
1"I REMEMBER"!
8Y THE OLD TIMERS
%*:
From Jim Walsh, Vinton, Virginia: I remember when Billy Murray and his partner, Ada Jones
were thejrnost popular makers of
phonograph records, Ada Jones,
.who (received proposals .offmarriage from masculine admirers of
her recorded voice, died in 1922,
but Murray is living at Freepprt,
Long Island, New York, and still
has a good voice. I also remember i
when Thomas A. Edison's. Diamond
Disc phonograph was the Sound
reproducing marvel because its
tone was* so natural artists sang
on the stage in direct comparison
with its reproduction and the
audience couldn't tell When the
singer stopped and the instrument
took up the. song. Since I was six
or jseVeh years of age I have been
collecting information about the
history of the phonograph and
the' lives of recording artists.
":   , mm*.
'. From Lonnie E, Legge, Lewis-
hutg, West Virginia: I remember
when my father used, the almanac
for planting--as faithfully as -he
used .the*' Bible for religion. Many.
of 'our superstitions and beliefs
Were han*ed down from generation
1o generation, Some they believed
were! Always pjint corn when
the Sign is in the arms, and the
ears will hand down like arms; potatoes planted in the light of the
moon wili grow so close to the
tpp of the ground they will sunburn, but planted in a full moon,
a Ml crop, deep in the ground.
(ScnH contvlbatiaa-. to tills column to
■WJio Old Timer, C'o«n»utt*ty "Press Se*if»
too, JTrftnkMrty Kdataeky.)
Mrs.EdnaCook
Appointed To
CHS Faculty
A new Girls Physical Education
Instructor has been appointed by
Clare school officials.
Mrs. Edna Cook, Rural Houte 3,
Clare, wife of E. ~E. Cook, was
named to replace Mrs. Meriam
Teixiera who left . the post last
year.
The new instructor is a graduate
of Texas State College for Women
at Denton, Texas, where She received- her Bachelor of Science degree in 1937.
After teaching one year in Dennison schools and five years in the
Houston, Tex. school system as
Physical Education Instructor,
Mrs. Cook went into retirement.
Mrs; Cook Will teach Tier classes on mornings* throughout the
School week, it Was announced, .
To Reekce
Sidewalks
- Sealed hids 'are-being taken "by
the. city up until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September   7,   to   tear   out
■curbs  and gutters for  about ;220
feet Of East Fourth St. at MeSw-mj
, Street alongside Jackson's Market,
j-  The job also calls for 15Q0 square
I feet of sidewalk, and replace the
'.curb and .gutter and   some   siSe-
walk,
The work is being done in order
to make Fourth St. seven feet
wider for that part of a block, according, to City Manager Willard
Wedge,
Depending oh how the bids come
out, the city may do 'more of the
same work, Wedge said.
A team which hover worked together before was successful in "an oil producing .ven>»
ture in northern Clard county, when drillers brought in a well on (of all places) YMCA
caihp property. Initial flow was a little light, but at the time that this? picture was beincf
made the crew was cleaning out the hole* The drilling crew, some of whom are pwiured
here- Pat Sullivan, Bill Guiirich, Guy Messick. Hay Brenio, Joe Buchtel, Ray Ne'ihers.
■ mile-deep well is in Frost township near Long-L-ak e at GApoxt J&e
Location of the-1
Trail."
Beer..
Photo bxJMautfic^ J&udid-
Note
Book
Pulcifers At ..
Witnesses Assembly
Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Pulcifer
and family will leave for "Petoskey
today to attend the three-day Circuit Assembly of Jehovah _ Witnesses to be held at the Fair
Grounds there August,, 27-29. They
will travel by auto where they will
meet with representatives from:
more1 than 20 other Central and
Northern Congregations for Bible
instruction.
•The three day session will be climaxed Sunday afternoon at 3:00
p.m. When Mr. C. W. Barber of
New York will deliver the main
public address, "Is Civilization's
End-Near?"
.   All sessions are open to the public. *
Auto Accidteiit I-ijiiries
Fatal to Wilton La^ertf
Bowling Dinner
Scheduled ' '
The Fourth Annual Clare Wo-
3&iaaV Bowling   Association   ban-
! qttat is schedulea^-for  0,30 •p.m.
Thursday;   September- * 2   at   the
Hptel Doherty.**' .
Entertainment will be provided
by the Coleman Tuesday Night
Ladies League and decorations are
in charge of the Harrison-Clare-
Coleman Wednesday Leagues.
Mrs. Minnie Sackerman of
Grand Rapids, Secretary of the
Michigan State Woman's Bowling
Association -will be* guest-speaker.
B6wler_' alffii -fiJiSiids^ Si*_.*iir,'iiea!
Tickets* .can; $e sdbtdiil^d 'Jrofti yMif
leagile -firesid-ht   or*.i B#■•'" _aii|hg
Colonville Reunion
The Colohville School reunion
Will be held at - the Colonville,]
church basement, Saturday evening, September 4, Potluck dinner
at 8:00 o'clock. Please toriftg *yow
Silverware and cups.
Teddy Bear has gone home. On
Saturday, a mother and her little
girl came in nnd. claimed him* the
reunion was a happy one.
x     *   *   *
Last, week, -Notebook commented
that nothing happened on Friday
13. But a new grandma called in
and told us Something did happen.
The Robert Mitchell's had a new
son, and she, of course, a new
grandson. Then the Arthur Ben-
zingers had a new daughter and
the John Hoskeys a new son. A
well -blessed Friday 13, we'd say.
.     *   *   *
Mr. Homer Pelton was in to renew -his Sentinel subscription the
other day. He's been taking .the
paper* since 1902. Can anyone top
this?
<**&
,A salesman came in the Sentinel
office the other day, peddling some
pretty special pigs, They had pecan shell bodies, rakish, red eyes
and taiis, and the usual number of
ears and legs. The special part of
it was that the eyes .and ears and
tails jnoved. The mechanization "Is {
a top guarded secret. I
'.**'*' I
At about#3!30 p.m. Wednesday
afternoon, it began to rain awfuL
hard. Simultaneously, the Clare
fire department''answered a call
to put out a fire just outside the
city limits. '
When they got there, the rain"
had done the job, for them. The
grateful firetoen returned to their
work.
.*• * "*
A year ago . . . Fire causes
$1,300 damage in the Marvin Witbeck home . * . Carpenters TSegan
tearing down the old Smalley residence, the oldest of Clare's Mc;
Ewan street structures , v, Clare
police receive tiew patrol car.,
■**■*'■•,
Paul Scott gave hjs annual dinner in honor of the Scott Drilling
Softball team. The dinner was
held in the Wedgewood Room of
the Hotel Doherty, *
Players and wives attended the
dinner. ^
1943 Glass Meet
'The second 1943 class reunion
Will be held at Clare louris! Paris:,
August 29. A special invitation is
extended to faculty members to
attenfl, Potluclt dinner. # _
■■-.' -r - -  .
Wilton Laverty, Assistant Plant;
Superintendent of the Clare Manufacturing Company, died Wednesday at 12:45 p.m.  at the Smith
Memorial Hospital in Alma., .
The 33-year-old father of four
had been on the critical list at the
hospital for seveh days since being
brought there following an accident in which his car left/the road,
overturning several times crushing his body.
The accident occured about a
mile south of Ithaca on Route 27
about 10 p.m. Wednesday, August
18. Eye witnesses said that it was
foggy and the Laverty" car apparently missed a curve .in the road.
Laverty was alone in the car.
Early the next morning, the fog
claimed its second victim,' Jessie
Dickerson, 34, of Benton Harbor,
Whose car plunged through the fog
into a moving train just, west of
Rosebush.
Laverty was returning- from, a
business trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he had visited the International Harvester Plant, plant
officials said.
After a preliminary examination,
it was learned that Laverty was
suffering from, both external and
internal injuries. .Until Monday,
hope was held out by hospital authorities for a recovery. By Tuesday, however, his ^condition had
worsened.
On Tuesday, a call went out via
radio for blood donors, with the
rare A rh negative type. According to A. L. Skinner, plant official)
the hesponse .was- "wonderful".
Later that day, it was announced
that enough donors had volunteered then* blood.
Meanwhile, the condition of the
Gilmore: matt continued to grow1
worse and little hope was held for
his return to health.
Shortly after 12:30 Wednesday
afternoon, he expired. At his bedside thsoughout the week were bis
wife, , Olive, , two sons, Larry
15 and John 13, his parents, Mr.
and Mrs*. John Laverty of Farwell
ahd other members bf his and his
wife's family.
Laverty is also survived by a
son Steve, aged 4, and daughter
Lynn, age 8.
LaVerty had been associated
with   the    Clare    Manufacturing
Company for eight years, having j group of delegates' to the GOP
started as a production worket on, Stats Convention; Others attend-
December 11, 1946. He had return- ing-were; Mrs. Harold Schaeffer,
ed •from, an overseas assignment;Mrs, Budd, of Harrison and Mrs.
with tM United  States Marine I Larry Shelanrleff*
Corps with which he had served
from 1942 --1945.       ' .-
Then followed'a quick rise'Up
the ranks from Job Setter to Foreman, to.. Geherji_F_re'gian. His Jat-
est promotion wis "to that, of .Assistant Plant Superintendent, a position "he held until his death.    *
Plant officials expressed ,grief
at the loss. •
The following is, a Statement
from the Clare Manufacturing
Company issued upon the news of
the death «f Wilton Laverty:
*"We are deeply shocked at the
news of the death of Wilton Laverty. He was a most valued part of
our/firm and his loss will be sorely felt by the Jnatiagement," the
employees and all th*o$e who
through the years developed a
deep friendship for him.
We Would especially like to express our condolence to the members of his family during this h'irar
of grief",,
signed:    Earl Morgan
Manager, Clare Manufacturing.Co.
The body will be removed to the
Coker Funeral Home in I'arwell.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Gilmore
Church. The body will lie in state
from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at' the
.Church. Burial will be in the Gilmore Cemetery, it was announced,
HigHlaiiders
Open Shoot
A 25-target Open Shoot is planned by the Highland Gun Club for
August 29, The yshoot will be the
first -one held since the building of
the new club facilities. / ,
The Club has added . 25 hew
members over the past month and
the membership rolls are growing,
according to Al Nystrom, cTub secretary, '•"''.
451 and 456,
Grass Fire
Rained Out
The Clare Fire Department
answered a call, to put out a grass
fire north of town -just south of
the Randall School, Wednesday at
3; 30 p.m,
Winds had blown a tree close to
an 11,000 volt Consumer power line
causing" the line to spark and split
in two. The tree was wet from re*
cent rains.
The line fell to the ground and
started a grass fire which the
rains extinguished just before the
fire engine arrived on the scene.
Consumer power men quickly
shut off the power on the line until
the damage could be repaired.
Stanley Parish advises those discovering a grounded line to report
immediately to the local Consumers Power Office.
Women Golfers
Billing Trophies
A business meeting* of Clare Wo*-
men Golfers at Twin Elms was
held 'with the president, Mrs. Earl
Baumgarth presiding. She appointed a nominating, committee consisting of Mrs. Harold Wright and
Mrs, Allen McKee to select a slate
of officers for next season.
A committee for purchasing trophies and gifts was also named
with Mrs. Paul Schroeder and
Mrs. E. C. Bromley acting.
Balls were given following the
day's play to Mrs. Baumgarth for
low net scofe 39r and to Mrs-Harold Schaeffer, 40, Balls were also
given to Mrs. Wright anU Mrs.
Schroeder for a "pass the card"
contest.
Plans areunder way for visitors'
[ day in the near future, when each
iagtMbei? will m askea to biting-a
guest who is not a member,
Field Day for all players who
lost the first match actually played in the Club Tournament will be_
on next Wednesday, September 1."
Other players will "Compete for a
ball-.
Mrs. Anderson announced that
she will donate two prizes to be
given in the September* ToUirna-
'ment.-This will continue through
■ September and ;will he -Jifly-gottr
:hbles, flayed any1 time arid "with
atij*Ttot^iet player1,, het score deter-
,nihiing, winners, ' feefore starting
.thfeke tbu^^bippiirp must sign up
in the "club house.
Brought Home "Big One"
Maurice  Studio  Photo
"MY tJNCLE HELPED JUST A LITTLE'^ That's ihe
statement of 9-yearrold Linda Stevens* Route 3, Clare who
poses above with a ten pound pike caught in Georgian Bay*-
Canada. Linda was visiting up north with her uncle, Joseph
Reed, of Saginaw. She used a-"red* devil" bait to laxfd the
fish, along with a little help from her uncle, she said. Linda
Heads County GOP
Clare bounty delegates to the Republican convention elected a new
chairman at the recent meeting,
! naming  William  Bowler   to   the
PMr. Bowler led the Clare countyJ contracted polip when she was two years old but doctors
■*   - - *    "     """"holdout some hope thai she may some day walk again.
Meanwhile, she intends to go right on hooking ihose big
ones with a liltlf help from her uncle of course. Linda is at
present visiting in Clare with hw grandfathe--
The fairground barns and grandstand have been remodeled* and
some weak timbers replaced in the
grandstand. The ground** ftjave
been cleaned up, too. .  .',
The Motor State Midway exhibitors, Ijere this year- for. the first
time, will furnish rides and concessions. They were contracted for
in'January'of this year, by Albert
Haley and Ray Harold,
Space in the Merchants Building
is already sold out, and requests
for exhibiting space continue to
come in, Fair Secr'y Ray Harrold
said, This is the second time it
lias ever been sold out.
For the first time this year,
harness races will be held
three days, Thursday, Friday,
and Saturday, September 16,17
18, The free acts that have
been scheduled this year are
the best that" have yet been
- brought -here, -the -fair—"bea-rsl-—=^
believes.
*
A band concert, with seven area
bands has been scheduled for Saturday afternoon, September 18,
Bands from Marion, Houghton
Lake, Gladwin, Beavertort, Clare,
Farwell, and Harrison will participate. This is a new feature this
^yearv -- - - -•- ——-^---^■-_,^^-_=_*__:==_=_
An open meeting of the fair
board .will be held Wednesday,
September 1, at the Harrison
court house. -Anyone interested
may attend.
Clare County Fair premium
books are printed and available now.
The Fair directory lists three
major groupings of exhibits,
Livestock, Produce and Home
Economics.
The livestock division,, besides.
animal exhibits also includas _
dairy cattle judging contest, spon-_
sored by - Kraft Foods. Included
here also are Future Farmers .
Livestock exhibits, and showman- "<
shiji contest,
Included under .Produce are div„-
Mom for" imiU,  -vegetables,, a,..
Special section for potatoesi'-and
one for grain and seed stock.
"Under Home Economics comes
the usual divisions for needlework
baked goods, canned goods, pi6k-
les, relish and preserves.
In this same division, is a miscellaneous section. This covers
such exhibits as _oney, eggs,
homemade butter, packed school
lunches, flower entries, "Both single
;bloomi.. and-arrattgehients.... —._,.„„
[fcehbol hay,. _«i, J?at septem-
,   bey 15, also comes tinder mis-
>   ctellttneflns.  This  is  a  special
'   aky,,jAr.ihgedi fbf ■ school' chili
dren and their parents; Prizes
will be awarded   for   g-eneral
displays of school work, unit
displays and music and art accomplishments.
4-H Home .Eco'nomics come under the general Home Economics
division too. This is made up of
4-H people's exhibits of food preparation and preservation, home__
management and furnishings, flower gardening and conservation and
a program of sports for the youngsters to compete in.
Floran Pudvay, one of the Fair
directors, is Livestock superintendent. Mrs. Howard Brockway,
also a director, is.Home Economics superintendent. Other directors are Albert Haley, Leo Gronda, and Henry Austin.
A special group this year are
the Clare County organizations'
exhibits. In this division, educational, social or civic groups can
exhibit which outlines their especial activity or particular aims.
Prize's will be awarded for entries in a 4-H Club float contest.
A parade of the floats will be held
Thursday and Saturday!
County Fair officers arc
Pres. Ray Richardson, Vice-
Pres. Fred Clark, See'ry Ray
Harrold, and /Treas. Ban. Holcomb. County Supervisors also
serve as members of the, fair
board.
Special features of the grandstand shows will be an Auto Thrill
show, various tumbling and acrobatic acts, a comedy team, and an
animal act.
Scotts Win 3
The Scott Drillers* continued
their winning ways by taking three
games from opponents last week.
On Tuesday they went to Weidman and won 16*11. Wednesday
•they* defeated Cbleman here by a
9-8 score and tbe next day traveled to St. Louis where they defeated the team there by a. 9-7 score.
On Inside Pages   |
Harrison News
2-8
City Briefs
7
Farwell News
'          6
Rosebush News
3
Society
5
TV Guide
8
Church Notes
Farm News    .
11
Lake News
4 - 6
Sports Corne-*
10
Comics - Crossword
13
"Wont Ads * Notices *
» -J2-1341
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