1954-12-23; Clare Sentinel

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CLARE. MICHIGAN. THURSDAY MORNING   DECEMBER 23. 1954
Ten Cents Copy
New Series, Vol. S3. No, 1*
Christmas Car oh And
Candle Lighting Mark
Friday Church Services
"Silent Night • Holy Might!
Son of God, love's pure' light."
Theae words from one of the
best-loved o£ the Hymn Book
Carols seems to lay emphasis oh
the meaning of the midnight
candle lighting services planned
on Christmas Bye by some of
Clare's churches.
AV the Congregational Church
the l minister and the -. people yiH
ehspb the "words from Scripture
passages, "Arise, shine; for thy
light is"- come, and the glory pf the
Lord is risen upon thee."
The service, in three separate
parts is to he celebrated under
the titles; "Mankind, Yearning
For The Light", "God, Preparing;
To Give Thy Light", a»d "Jesusj
Christ, The Light of The World.'*
In each part, carols, prayers and
Scripture will support the idea*
presented in the titles.
Rev. Nevins will lead a service
of candle lighting at the MethQ-.
dist church where the symbolism
of the lights is to be translated ;i»
terms of three altar candles.
One lighted candle in the otherwise darkened church will represent the Heavenly Father, Qod
Himself. The second light is the
earthly representative, Jesus
Christ, the Light of the World.
Ahd the third light represents the
third person in the Godhead," The
Spirit manifested at the Pentacost
mystery when the tongue of fire
touched the descipes.
At both services, the congrega-
Pioneer
Resident
tion? will participate with lighted
candles of their own in The Service"-of Lights, ftnd with singing
and prayers. The service's in the
two churches will open at eleven
o'clock, while Mass at St. Cecilia's
is scheduled for midnight, all on
Christmas Eve.
ounce
Mult Class
Most of the instructors in the
Adjlt Education series of courses
IjaYe, been'lined up as of this week.
Recording to T. CC. Campbell, Superintendent of Schools.
f "Photography will be taught by
Maurice Mitchell, local professional. Show Card Writing will be
under, the^. direction of George
"ferry, who 'majored in Art in
Icjiiool, and runs^a sign painting
business in addition to his coaching duties' at the High School.
-Emil Pfister. will teach Public
Speaking. The class* will be offered only on Thursday night, and
Will- he an elementary course in
"leadership and parliamentary procedure. Formerly on the CHS staff,
Pfister now teaches at CMCE,**
Upholstery aiid Draperies will
be -taught for the third year by
3Vtrs, Clarence "Van, wife of the lo-
cdl upholsterer.
"Don Gilbert, a.' former accountant who is" just now entering the
teaching profession, will teach
bookkeeping.* He has taught in
Army   Schools..  Flower   Arrange-
County C of C
Wants Old Jail
For Museum
A museum and a Clare county
winter festival were discussed at
a December 13 meeting of the
Clare Chamber of Commerce.
The group discussed a plan tp
turn the present County jail at
Harrison into a museum building,
after the new one is built. A committee was appointed to outline
the plan before the County Board
of Supervisors.
Tentative plans were also discussed for holding a Clare County
Snow Festival sometime this winter. Final decision will be made
by the Chamber of Commerce at
a meeting set for January 19.
"Depending on -> the interest
shown, the Chamber of Commeree
would like to sponsor some activity of the >Wnd to-promote Clare
County as a play area," said Jennings Archambault, vice president
of the organization.
Chamber members were« present
from Lake, Farwell, Harrison and
Clare for the dinner me.eting, held
in the Doherty Hotel. The group
later moved on to County Prosecutor Robert Campbell's office for
a business meeting.
Pioneer
Clare Man
Succumbs
Ivan E. Feighner-was Horn In
Clare, August 16, 1880, the son of
Mr. and Mrs. William Feigner,
and was a life long resident here,
active in business and community
affairs. For the past two year3
he was in failing health and passed away at "his home on Sixth
street, Monday afternoon, "Decern-
Fr«*d Hudson, the son of' Joseph
and Rachel Hudson, was born December 16th, 1873 in Ionia. When
he was eighteen months old he
returned with his -parents from
Missouri to their homestead in
Section 2 Grant Township. Here
he grew to manhood, working with
his lather farming and lumbering.
In the summer of 1893 the Hudson family made a trip to England
to visit relatives. This^was one of
the* highlights of his life and mem-
dries. -    *   ■*
The following year September 5,
1894 he was married to Miss Alice
May' Evans. To this union was
born-two girls, Leah and Rachel.
In 1899 Mr. Hudson "bought a
farm in the Pratt neighborhood.
Here he farmed and also foegan to
carry mail. He was the first rural
mail carrier to work out of Clare,
Starting September 1, 1903 and
continuing..until.June 1, 1934. In
1920 because of :his wife's:failing
health he moved', to»the Wty . 61
Clare, taking up- residence 'at 308
E. <5th street.        .   :," ;*     ■"-   '•
Tin" November* 1924"-iMrsv Hudson
passed away. Four years later he
married Edith Vogeli '.Cole of P6rt
"Huron.
After his retirement from the
postal service in 1934 he was engaged in the insurance business.
In 1937 he was elected to the office
of Justice of the Peace, for the
City of Clare serving in this capacity for ten years.
Since that time his health has
been failing and for the past three
years and nine months he has
been toed ridden. All but six.
months of this time he has 'been
at the home of his daughter Mrs.
William Garchow. After a full
week of intense suffering he passed away December 14, 1954 at the
age of 80, years, 11 months and 2g
days.
He was preceded in death by his
daughter, Rachel Garchow in
March 1951 and his sister Mary E,
McKay on December 4, 1954.   ,
He leaves to mourn his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Garchowof Clare1,
five grandchildren and eight great
grandchildren, other relatives and
a host of friends.
Mr. Hudson was a man who
loved his family deeply and enjoyed his friends. He was affiliated
early in life with the Congregational Church at Dover. As early
as 1890 he founded the first Christian Endeavor Society at the Eagle
Church of God while living in Dover as a young man.
He became a member of the
•'First Congregational Church of
Clare in March of 1932 joining By
Confession of faith. He was an active participant in the affairs of
the church until unable to carry
on for physical reasons, teaching
the Adult Bible Class of the Sunday School at One time," beginning
1932, holding the office of deadbn
for four terms,, from 1932-38 ahd
from 1945-51 and two*terms is
trustee from 1935-41, serving as
chairman 6f,the board during his
second term in 1938. ^.
"Funeral services Were conducted
Friday, December 17 from fhe
Thurston Funeral Home, Rev. OS-
car W. Olson officiated, assisted by
., Rev. L. J. Nevins, with interment
in Cherry Grove cemetery,
On Inside Pages
ber 13, 1954 at 5 o'clock.
When old enough to work, he be-
ment will be taught by Mrs, Dor- ,gan cuttng meat in his father's
othy Maxwell. "No instructor has;11[Tie?lt market and throughout the
been named for Gift Wrapping.        years served   the  community   in
Local Attorney Harold Hughes,, that capacity. For a time he was
a former teacher in Detroit, will j employed as meat cutter with Wil-
teach Business Law. Hughes is a! nam Cole on Main Street. Later
former County Prosecutor. The ■ he and Joe Davis built the build-
class will be taught only on, ing known as the Farmers Produce
Thursday evenings. i Company.
Folk Dancing will be under thej Later Mr. Feighner went into
direction of Mrs. Edna Cook, girls ^business with Ernie Ramey, con-
Physical Education teacher at tinuing the same after Mr. Rameys
CHS. Mrs. Cook has studied dance death, until 1942 when he sold the
and has tauglit in Texas. Another, market and did small jobs, as long
CBS" Faculty "member/ Don Richardson,  will teach Driver Education. ,
Offered   only   Wednesday   eve
as health perrnittgdi
He was married in 1908 to Miss
Vernon Mae LaUghlin at Harrison
and thpy began housekeeping  iri
Sings the class in Welding will j the Feighner home on Vernon Hill
be taught by George Stebbins, | where they lived until 1919 when
sales manager for Red's Welding they moved to the present home
Supplies Service in Mt. Pleasant, \ on East Sixth street. This union
He has taught similar courses in' was blessed with one daughter,
several towns. " Geneva.
Income  Tax will be  taught by     Mr.   Feighner   served   on   the
local Attorney Theo. Pixley. Bas-; Clare  Council for  eleven terms;
keiball  .coach-Bob    Baker    will,j held   at Jife< membership,_in^the
teach! Physical Activities fbr nien.
^'instructbt has been.tiahied fov
fbr hien.'l John Q.i Look.Lpdge-'No.'404,' F.; &
amt>rf fov' AiM.'5'<' wis, a ifaithful membei' of
Psychology,' but it, will'be" 30ihe
one front CMOS. .-,-  ;- - -.--■
fWilliam Harper,* Art teacher on
thfe CHS* faculty, will direct General Art For Beginners. Home
Mechanics   for   Women   will   be
thet:6lare,Baptist Churcfy a kind
and loVirig^htisband and; father,
"and'a irieii'd" of all who knew liirh.
Besides his bereaved wife, he
leaves the daughter, Mrs. Geneva
Goetsch  of Lansing;   one  grand-
Sing but with all good wishes of the season,
With songs of faith and carols of good cheer:
"*■   ~4       ■-■■'■■.
For Yuletide's here and Christmas is the reason
That bells ring ou*t for all the "world to hear.
And at this time, to. all our friends and neighbors
'We give our thanks for kindness in the past;
We take a thoughtful pause from Worldly labors
To wish you Christmas joys that last and last.
Happy And Prosperous Holiday
From All Here at The Sentinel
To Each Of You!—Everywhere
Jaypecked Roneers Vittims
Of Bad Shooting, 55-53
The Shepherd jinx held against j A new ruling this-year allows a
CHS cagers Friday night_as Shep-| second free throw "try if the first
herd's Bluejays edged the Clare  one  is successful,   which puts  a
Pioneers for a 55-53 victory.
This   was  the  sixth  defeat for
the  Pioneers   out  of nine "starts
against the Bluejays. It was the'
first conference defeat of the young,
season for*Oare. '
• "The team just couldn't get ths
ball through the hoop", Coach Bob
Baker commented ruefully.
"They weren't hitting from* the
field and they had. a poor percentage in the free throw lane", he
added.
Two Die As
Freight Hits
Car In Farwell
Christmas Concert Pleases
Big Audience At School
A Christmas concert presented
Monday evening at the high school
by band and choral groups, drew
a nearjeapacity crowd and listeners applauded the music as the
"finest program. heard, in thf*
school in nxany years'V «>
A nicely balanced selection of
numbers represented religious,
popular and traditional themes.
The band, chorus of mixed voices,
a girls' and a boys' guartet, and
Note
Book
taught by L. O. Garthe, also on the f°n; two brothers, Jofan E. Feigh-
pnS faSnHv lner> of Cincinnati Ohio, and Glen
vaJiii£„l''vv™rt*- -mm 1>i tainr*ht-'E-'-of Saux Centre Minnesota; one
Beginning Typing will be taugnt siste    M      EH Ri„     , T»a1ti* nve
by- CHS  commercial teacher Ber- ?*-ster' mrs- ^a Kice 0I Baltimore
nice Tulk.
No instructor has been found for
Shorthand, as yet. This will not
be a course for beginners, but a
brush up, Bpeed course for indi'
viduals who already know short-
viduals who already khdw short-
Adult education enrollments will,
be taken January 3 between 5 p.m.
and 8. p.m. at the1 School. Classes
will organize January 11 and 12.
US-27 Auto
Accident;
Fatal to One
A car accident five and one half
miles north of the City ou US-27
was fatal to David McCormick, 6t
Port Arthur,, Ontario, early Wednesday forenoon. His wife was
badly injured.
• The McCorinicks were driving
south-on US-27 at about 9:15 this
morning. After pulling around
another car to pass, the McCormick car struck a patch of ice" and
Skidded head on into a tree, according to Coroner Carl Stephen-
son.
Mrs. McCormick was taken to
Clare Hospital, where she was reported in serious condition by
hospital authorities, late Wednesday/
Maryland, other relatives and
friends. The brother Glen suffered a heart attack last week and
was unable to come to Clare.
Funeral services were held
Thursday afternoon from Clare
Baptist' Church at 2:00 p.m. with
Rev. Robert Burgess officiating
and interment in Cherry Grove
cemetery,. Rev. Burgess took his
text from several passages ol
scripture which Mr. Feighner had
marked in his Bible. The profusion of flowers spoke more than
words.of the high esteem, he was
held in the community. Thurston
Funeral Home had charge of arrangements;
By Car
Harrison News
2
Lake News
13
Society
4-5-6
Bowling Scores
7
Rosebush News
9
Sports Corner
11
Farm News
10 ♦ 11
Church Notes
6
Want Ads * Notices
-I*#'l*
Comics * Ofosswoi'tl
13
81-year-old Mrs. Bertlia Dobson
suffered a fractured ankle 'When
She was struck by a car on downtown McEwan -Tuesday afternoon
at 2:30.
The driver of the car, Clyde
KalSeiY 65, of Shepherd said that
Sun: shining, on his windshield
blinded him, and he did hot see
Mrs. Dobson when she stepped in
front of his car. The iigbt bad just
changed and Kaiser was just
Starting to move.    -
The accident occurred at the
.fifth street light on MeBwan.
Mrs. Dobson wag tafen to Clave
Hospital Kaiser was "hot aeid8
iii
Death Claims
Lifelong
Resident
Lillie Dell Wager was born in
Keith, Chatham Township, Ontario
Canada, May 16, 1S82.
She came to Clare with her parents when she was 12 years old.
She attended the. Clare schools
and graduated in June 1901.
On December 25,^1901 she was
united in marriage to Charles H.
Church by the Rev. W, J. Hathaway. " -1 ■      •
Except for * a period of" about
eight years when they resided in
Detroit, Mr. and Mrs. Church
have made their home on the old
Church farm in Wise township
near Clare. "-
Mrs. Church Was converted
when she was 12 years of/age and
lias served her " Lord and tile
church very sincerely through the
years.
, Besides ber husband, Charles^
Mrs, Church leaves her daughter,
Lucile Merrihew, her son-in-law,
Theodore and granddaughter, Nancy Carole, of Trenton; two sisters,
Mrs. Pearl Pierce and Mrs. Nellie
Fathers, ahd one brother, . Will
Wager, all Of Detroit. Also many
relatives and. a htfst o/ frieads.
Funeral services were held from
the First Methodist Church ift
Clare, Michigan, Thursday after*
aiooh, December 16tb, at 2:00 p.m.,
with 'Rev. L. J. Nevins officiating,
assisted by Rev. Floyd "ff. Bontrager. Interment was in Clierry
Grove Cemetery*
,CSr&lers. _dut.:_jn. .jroupes/ and
•Christmas lights on every bush
that? 11 held them',, give the final
fillip to make the" air vibrate with
Christmas.
*■*-•■
The Sentinel's Farwell correspondent, Mrs. Eunice Weaver was Sick this week, and
unable to collect and send in
news from that town. We hope
she'll be back with us next
"week.
*'   *    * e
Young Phillip House of Rosebush
and Isabella county 4-H leader Harry Densmore .-made the
front cover of the Michigan Farmer this Week. Phillip was on a
livestock judging team named, best
in the Nation, at the National 4rH
Club Congress held in Cbicago:
Densmore was Jhe coach. .
* »   »
A real jaunty bunch are the
Canadian servicemen> who
were in town one day. Their
aeconair, wine-colored &erets
are a part of the uniform.
mmm
The Christmas cards the Sentinel has received are pinned on a
Wall bulletin board by way of decoration. They came in all shapes
and sizes, but the one thing the
cards_ ,had in common was a
cheery greeting. A particularly
tangible Merry Christmas came to
the Sentinel staff from the Rosebush correspondent, Mrs. Eileen
Jacobs. It was a big box of candy
that kept us munching  all day,
Wednesday.
* *   *
And a merry, merry Christmas
to all of you.
Jim Bicknell
May Open
Law Practice
Jim Bicknell, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Stuart Bicknell was admitted
to the practice of Law at exercises
held in Detroit this month. <Be has
been studying and preparing himself for the bar examination whil*
holding a position as an assistant
bank examiner with The Federal
Reserve Bank, Chicago branch,
Jim's plans'are for the eventual
Opening of practice in a CMre
office, although nothing is definite
yet aecordng to his family here.
Before his graduation from The
Detroit College of Law, -Jirn had
attended Clare High School and
rhad received training as a ttiiii*
tatv school cadet, -   .
vocal' and instrumental soloists
performed. The groups were under
the batons ot Mr. Lloyd Conley,
band director, and Miss Nancy-
Keller, vocal music instructor.
• peparting from usual custoni,
the band appeared, in suits and
formal dresses, and festive appearance was added when the girls'
quartet sang in white formals.
Th4 large chorus wore new blue
and white robes, recently acquired
and being used for the first time.
The band was heard in twelve
numbers. Among those most appreciated were "White Christmas" by
Irving Berlin, "Ring Christmas
Bells" a Ukrainian Carol recorded
by leading ensembles; '-'Rudolph
The Red Nosed Reindeer":,),, an'd
traditional carols.        , '. "'s,,
Outstanding numbers by the
cjhorus were, "Beautiful -. Savior",
"D'ona Nobis Paceui"", "Joyful
Christmas Sang",, .and "Jingle
Bells", the latter was- a 'variation
on the popular tune. Four other
songs completed their part of the
program.
The girls' quartet of Marilyn
Smith, Twila Beery, Bonnie Stanley and Lydabelle Bicknell sang a
sparkling song of beautiful harmony and precision, "Sleighride",
and the familiar "The Christmas
Song". Four boys, Ron Garthe,
Kyle Hanley, Bill Siel and Chris
Smith apeared in a pleasing, arrangement of the popular song,
"Let It Snow"^
The two groups sang as an octette and presented well rehearsed
versions Of "The Holly and The
ivy", and "I'll Be Home For
Christmas".
Some of the best of the vocal
music was presented again at
noon on Wednesday when a program was a feature of the Rotary
Club meeting.
Jimior High Play
Crowd Pays
Christmas Food
A Class play, "The Bird's,Christmas Carol'* was presented by students jn Mrs. Gtavelie's Seventh
-Eighth grade room- one day this
Week with remarkable success,
both on the stage and a tthe box
office.
An audience of students and
many mothers of seventh and
eighth graders gave the performance their harty approval. • The
play was presented.in Mrs. Gra-
velle's classroom.
Three needy families in the area
benefitted indirectly by the plan
for admission to the play.' The
price of a ticket was some article
of food or canned goods to be packed ih a -Christmas dinner basket.
Allen Tulk, elementary principal
agreed to furnish a chicken fpr
eacti basket whicWhe admission
takers could fill. Mr. Tulk, who
furnished the fowls from his own
little flock of chicken^, found himself almost out of the chicken business when the ".gate" at the play
filled three large baskets, and he
had to'"kill three hens, (half his
flock) to live lip to 'his part of the
bargain. .'■„■'
The play cast included: Helen
Akins, Larry Stanley, Beth Schultz
J. J. Seiter, Karen Worstel, Linda
Blystone, Bill Legg, Rex Robinette,
Carol Haggart and Becky Cfeo-ves.
Two rural   Farwell   men   were
killed instantly and the car they
were  riding  in  demolished when
they drove into the path of an oncoming freight' train   within   the
Farwell city limits Saturday night
December 18j at a little after 10; 00,
Killed were Thomas Cook, 64, of
R-2, and Arthur Miles, 75, also of
R-2. The accident occured on South
Hall street, by the Farwell Lumber yard in Farwell.
> The men were thrown clear
of the car. The car was dragged a "170 feet down the main
track, where It was smashed
between the moving freight and
a gondola oar, parked on siding.
Estimated clearance Between
the freight and Ihe gondola
was. enough for a man to walk
through and the.auto, a 1954
Studebaker, was ripped to
shreds.
Cook, who was driving the car,
apparently did not see the freight
approaching at about 45 or 50
miles an hour, according to Far-
well Police Chief Don" Lloyd.
Farwell   Police,    State   Police,
County  Coroner Ca"rl Stephenson,
and. County    Prosecutor.   Robert
Campbell were called to the scene.
Miles had a son and daughter, but was living alone. Funeral   services   for . him   were
held   from    Coker's   Funeral
*   Home in Farwell Tuesday, at
11 a.m. Rev. L. J. Nevins officiated   and   "burial   was   in
Surrey Township cemetery.
Cook worked as a carpenter. He
was married and had 10 children,
'three of them still at home. Fun-
*eral  services were "held Wednesday at 2 p.m. from Cokers. Rev.
Hiram    Gates* of   .the   Gilmore
Church   of Christ   officiated   arid
burial was in GilmprjE! ;cemdje'ry':.
premium on free throw accuracy-
Clare, standouts defensively were
Pete Brown and Gerry Fullerton
who "were also high scoring me.h
with 13 points a piece. Shepherd's
Bob Coplind and Gene Figg also
dropped in 13 points each.
The Pioneers Scored heaviest in
the first quarter With 18 points, In
second quarter they racked up .13*
and in the last tw,o, 11 points each.
Only three field goals were successful in the last quarter,
"Inaccurate shooting and bad
passing added up to defeat. There
was also a lack of team play at
times" the Coach said..
"Team play and shooting will
have to be* improved, and "the
faulty passing stopped" he said.
The junior varsity won its ■ tilt
with Shepherd, 47-43, Standouts
were Jack Bailey and Dick Roe
with 19 points each. The freshmen
also won their game 36-21,
The Pioneers meet Chesaning
here at 8:30 Friday evening January 7 in another conference clash.
Chesaning has defeated Shepherd
earlier in the season.
New Well
To Eliminate
Rusty Water
Rusty water troubles will be a
thing of the past for Clare residents if the new test well rlow being, drilled pans out.
. The four inch test well is being
put down North of the railroad
-tracks in line with John R. St.,
on the west side of town. Hugh
Nelson, Farwell contractor got the
bid for the job at $2 a foot.
The city has tentative approv-'
al from the state for the new well
which is dependent on the quality
and quantity of water brought in.
Adoption to buy the piece of property which is owned by T. H, Mc-
Conica III, has been taken up.    '
The city's contract with the
State to keep highways US-10 and
US-27 cleaned is going along on,
schedule. So far City employees
have removed snow twice and
done some sandirigr • - L t-L
Present "eduiphieht has been
adequate in both cleanings, City
Manager Willard Wedge said,-The
City had planned to buy a new
showplow this winter, hut air old-
one that-the city owned has/been
completely renovated, so jthere;
probably will be no new snowployv*
yet this year, Wedge said! ;\ \
Christ mas; Itaies Wyt^t, ;
Employeisiof |Lcm3^1 Firms
THertf was -a largs="&ttohdtoceJ
Sunday' evening, December 19', at:
the annual Christmas party given
by the Hotel Doherty management
for their employees.
The program opened with the
singing of Christmas Carols, led
by Jack Hall, with accompaniment
by Les Leech, the hotel organist,
on the Hammond organ, and Mrs.
A. J. Doherty at the piano,   t
A beautiful and delicious buffet
dinner prepared under the supervision of the kitchen staff was
served at tables' decorated with
red candles and yuletide ornaments. At one end of the Wedge-
'wood room, a sparkling .Christmas
tree stood, with many gaily wrapper parcels piled under the tree.
After the meal, gifts were distributed by Santa's helpers; Becky
and Joy Groves, and Billy Stickler. A special feature of tbe evening was the presentation, of gold
wrist watches to Miss Helen Logic, and Mrs. Goldie Zinser, in appreciation of their -more than
twenty years with the Hotel Doherty. Two other employees have
received these awards in the past,
Mrs. Iva Williams and Mrs. Elsie
Lumley. The four are now members of Hotel Doherty's "Twenty
Year Club."
The delightful evening concluded .with games and dancing. Richard Groves was general chairman
of the party, and also served'as
master of ceremonies.-
Hospital employees, doctors and
their wives gathered at the Hotel
tlJGtter;ty-Maad^r evening for the
an'nual^emplbye'e" Christmas party.
The group enjdyed a buffet
luncheon, and dancing to the
music of Miller's Merry Makers
from Harrison. Door prizes were
awarded, and there was a gift exchange around .'&■ big Christmas
tree.
* *   *
On December «11, 16 office girls
at Clare Manufacturng had a party at the Chippewa Hotel in Mt,
Pleasant. On Wednesday, December , 22, the Clare Manufacturing
office   force   had   a   luncheon "at
Barnes Cafe.
* *   *
The girls at Davy's enjoyed
their annual Christmas dinner and
party at the home of Mrs. EUgene
Wyman. The dinner was prepared
for them, by Mrs. Agnes Gleason.
After the dinner, gifts were/ exchanged, and'games-were played.
Prizes went to Mrs. Everett Moffitt, Mrs.- Wyman and Mrs. L. D.
Fisher. To conclude the party, the
group surprised Mrs. James Yeoman singing "Happy Birthday",
and presented her With a gift, as
her birthday is December 23,
Eagle Favors
Local Tax :
Valne Figures
At a December 1,4 meeting of
the Eagle Farm Bureau, all members were ' urged to write their
State Representative, and go on
record favoring local assessment
figures for property taxes.
The- Eagle group contends that
local people knew the value of local properties better than a professional State tax' assessor not
familiar with the local situation.
The discussion was led by Noimiah
Hutchinson.,
• The meeting was held at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn "Poet,
with is members present,    «
Blue • Cross representative, Rev.
Elza Beery, gave a report on the
deductable plan that Blue Cross
offers. Members are reminded to
read the Farm Bureau panel's.
Postoffice Shows
Increase Oifer
9SS Mail Volume
The sale of stamps and the volume of mail handled may reach a
new record this year at the Clare
Postoffice according to Francis
Jackson.        .
Final figures at the close of the
year and the Christmas Card season will probably see the local office-over''the'top. Already, the
sale of two-cent stamps has passed
97,000 with" the likelihood that the
100,000 mark- will be left behind.
Three-cent, stamp -sales are "beyond.
theSSiOOO mark in'their climb to a
recprd. -
(Noting that' the volume of sales,
has multiplied four times over in
his.term in the postoffice, JaCk^-
son has promised material for a
feature story after the holidays.
leer
US27Body
A XJS-27 organization was .
perfected at,Mt. Pleasant last
Wednesday for. .the ..avowed
purpose of education and:
public information and to;
promote interest in a four
lane super highway through
the center of Michigan to the
Straits of Mackinafc bridge/
The organizational" meeting* was
attended by 100 representatives
from various communities along *'
the route from Cofawater on the
south to Mackinaw/City.
Included in the /delegation fropi
Clare^ were Laurenee* Seiter and
Jennins Archambault* of the Clare
Chamber of Commerce; Mayor
Howard Everts and City Clerk
Alex McKinnon of the city government; and businessmen-citizens,
Dan McDonald; Stuart Bicknell,
Ea;-1 Morgan", Lanc'e Thayer,' Rich"-'
ard Groves' and Art Damoth, all
interested/in US-27 development,
Ithaca,. Alma, and St. Louis also
sent delegates with Alfred Fortino
of St. Louis "being elected to the
board of directors of the permanent organization.
It was generally agreed.,
throughout the day-long meet-'
ing that this was not to be a
high pressure, sales group but,
that much could be accomp-
j, lished "to speed''the construction of the super-highway now
destined for completion about
1975'.
Carl McMonaigle, head of the
planning and- traffic division of
the state highway department, as
the main speaker of the day, told
the group that the 1955-56 program
calls for extending US-27 as 3,
four-lane highway from the pi'e&i
ent terminus at St, Johns as. far-
north as Ithaca.
He pointed out, however, that
the US-27 and US-1,27 project waa
only one of several state trunk-
line extensions contemplated.
Although 'there was some difference of opinion expressed as to
the advisability of changing the
route Of US-127 south of Jackson
and US-27 north of Gaylord, Mc-
Monagle referred only indirectly
to it. He said that while the .general route had been projected on.
mags that it might be eMUged
from time to time to meet traffic
conditions. .'
; Jhh. s\t£te road plana are
mad^ifive years in advance
but are never definite «nly for
two {years because of shifting
traffic
He said that the only thing that
prevents building roads faster was
the lack of money. A survey of
Michigan contractors revealed that;
they could sensibly* build ?250 mil*
lion Worthi of new/highways each
jtear '. with their present equip-]
meat. The highway department*
howeVdr has Only ?66' million" a
yfear • to. -spend ron--rhighwaySi~artfi.r==:
3"6 percent of this has to'be spent
for maintenance.
The problem of the state high*,
way department, he pointed out,
had been greatly aggravated in recent years because of the increase
in motor vehicle registrations.
From 1945 to the present the number of registered vehicles has
jumped from two million to three
million or 33 percent. If all of
Michigan's'mo.tOr vehicles were
parked on the 107,000 miles of
streets and highways in the state
at the same time they would bal
only 220 feet apart while the national average is 375 feet,
At the same time," however,
' the'average gasoline tax in the *
United States is 5{4 cents as
compared with Michigan's 4-
cents, thus explaining why
this state ■ might be lagging
behind many others in construction of new roads.
1
Schuyler L. Marshall of St.
Johns, organizer of Michigan's
first highway, safety council, also
spoke briefly to the group. He
pointed out that in 1953 there1
were 1925 people killed and 57,-300
injured in 190,000 accidents, In
other words for every 100 accidents of all kinds there is one per*
son who meets death. The entire
cost involved for each death hag
been estimated at $95,000, Last
year it cost Michigan residents
$190 million for highway accidents alone, or over three times
What the state spent on highwaysv
Named co-ehairmen of the association were A. L. .Crowell of Mai**
shall and Charles LeHair of Che1-
boygah. Earl Morgan bf Clare waS
elected Vice chairman; Douglas
Nash of Gaylord, secretary, "and
John Jackson of Coldwater, treas*.
uref. '
Other directors named to serve
-with- ffoftino are; Francis Kinne
of Harrison, Edward "Voshen ot
Tekohsha^ Howard Scott of Indian.
River, Norman Lyons of *Mt. -pleas*-
ant, A. L, Roberts of Grayling,
Rufus Dodge Of Wolverine, T; B,"
Oxby of Olivet, Kenneth Teys.eti,
of MaekiaawF, City, and. Mayor-
Ralph W. Cre£d of Lansing. Mayor*
Crego is the original backer of tha
movement,. called the Mt, pleas*
ant meeting and presided over the
sessions.
CHAIRUES BLAIR
Charles Blair^ one of four people
burned in the Scott home five at
Eight Point Lake last week, died
in a "Veteran's Hospital in Saginaw
"Friday morning, December %11, He
was f8 yeays old. ,    ;;..;.;:...'..:.r.,:   ■
Library fo^jClose ■ ■ ■. *
Clare City Library will be clog*
ed Friday evening, Christmas Eve*
and Saturday*' Christmas Day, tt
will aiso be closed New "Sear's
Sve and Jifew Years Day,"      - '