1956-08-23; Clare Sentinel

              ■"■BflPW^^p?!!-?---*---!
Established 1878
 ~j    -**•
$2.50 Year i» Clare, Isabella Counties
CLARE, MICHIGAN. THURSDAY    AUGUST 23, 1956
Ten Cent* Copy
New Series. Vol. 64. No. 49
,*.•***
<?- ■*
tion
Up For Vote
At Randall
School voters in Randall District,
Grant No. 4, will hold an dfiicial
election August 28 to decide
whether they yvlll joih the Clare reorganized school district.
The proposal requires a three
part vote, including the decision to
annex with the Clare reorganized
district, to raise the. statuatory limitation on school tax millage, and'
to aSEume a share of the bonded indebtedness of the annexing district.
All three parts of the proposal
must be ok'd by a majority of those
voting, or the annexation cannot go
through.       ___
Clare School Superintendent Richard Wheeler, Clare School Board
President Harold Hughes and Clare
County School Commissioner Lenord Schwann met with Randall voters Tuesday evening to answer,
questions on annexation,
Plandall district people present
for the meeting with the visiting
school men said they were impressed wth the straight-forward tone
of the discussions that explained
school issues clearly for the benefit
of Randall voters.
Dover school district, Grant No,
1 (fractional) is expected to schedule an election soon for the same
purpose. /
The Clare School Board has received • a request this week from
Andersonville school district, Wise
Twp. District 5, for a resolution to
annex.
This is the first step in that District's making a deciaon on annexation with Clare.
Four From
Farwell Hurt
On Highway
Six people, four of them from
Farwell-, Were injured in a two.car
automobile crash on US-37? four
and on*; half miles -n*»th-*6£ -StrZiti
on Tuesday at about 1:30 p.m.
Taken to Mt. Pleasant Community-Hospital with injuries were:
• Mrs. Ethel Elaine Loomis, driver
of OUe of the cars, and her son,
Rodney Roy, nine months old, both
of Farwell*
Mrs, Bernice Hose, and her son
Terry Rex, 11, also of Farwell, who
were passengers in the Loomis par;
Joseph and Margaret Mc-
Caffery, of Traverse City, in the
other car, It was not known yet
Wednesday which was driving, as
they were still unable to be questioned.
State Police said that the cars
showed the accident had apparently been a head-on collision.
Mrs. Loomis is the wife Of Bud
Loomis, and Mrs. Hose is the wife
of Vernie Hose.
The William iiaslick home ioliowing~_ gas explosion
last Thursday evening, when five grownups were
injured,- and six-monlh-old Laurie Ann Roslund, the
Easlick's granddaughter died.
Tne house was located'a,t the junction of-highways
US-10 and M-115. Publisher. William D. Elden, of the
Clare Sentinel surveys the'wreckage of the blast.
■■w*-■'-'       '     *' Lee Sowie Photo
■   .*■    ,     .     . .     - .        "-
Frantic Neighbors Sifted Easlick Hoii_!e Debris
— Fearful Of What They Would Discover There
25 Years In
Conservation
Service
*-?•*
PAUL SHEPONSKI
Recognition for twenty-five years
of public service in conservation
was given Paul J. Sheponski, petroleum hazard inspector for -'the
Michigan Department of Coiigerv.a"
tion at, a department dinner held at
Haven Hill Lodge in tlie Highland
Recreation Area near Milford,. August 15. He,was one of seventeen
employees so honored.
« Sheponski "was born In Wellsburg,
Pennsylvania. He started with the*
department as towerman in Petoskey in 1932. in 1935 he was promote
ed to district clerk at Boyne City
district headquarters. In 1942 he
was promoted to petroleum hazard
inspector with .headquarters* in Cadillac. ,
From 1943 to 1945 he Was on
military leave from the department
to serve in World "War" II. On his
return from servicehe -was/ stationed at Glare in the same: capacity-
the position he holds at present,
■BSs (family "ihcluaes: Ms Wife
Betty and daughter sue. They reside, at SOS Maple Stree-fc
"We heard the crashing botom
of the explosion, and looked over
there is time io see the Easlick
house settling down into the dust
and wreckage Of tlie blast."
Two men, Gerald E. Avery and
Harry Norbury were across-th-
road neighbors of the Easlick
family west of Farwell, had al-
m»st the same word- to say
when they told of -witnessing the
tragio accident which destroyed
the house Thursday evening, and
inflicted serious inuriea on the
six people Inride.
Still sfohered by the inrimeizJity
tsah the •s~dek,-4h<* men'^-hadn't
learned yet that the infant which
they had helped search for in
the blasted house, had died in
the Clare hospital.
Avery and Norbury were among
the first to reach the house after
the explosion wrenched it apart
shortly after 7 p.m.
They, with other quickly gathering neighbors, clawed through
the debris to find and aid the people trapped inside,
Splintered boards and dust and'
shredded pieces of the house covered nearly everything, they said.
Theodore Thompson, a plumber
helping to install a water heater in
the house <ul.ihi> time; of the acel-
dent,   was   removed  frorn  where
wreckage covered him to his neck.
Thompson .was semi-conscious and
dazed from shock and his injuries.
William Easlick, owner of the
home, pointed out the place
where he thought tho searchers
would find his little granddaughter among the buckled wall sections and loode boards which had *
once been floor and ceiling qf
the rooms. His own burns were
severe.
Mrs.   Lucy   Easlick   and   her
daughter,   Mrs. Shirley   KosUmcl
"•were carried   out carefully ajid
made as comfortable as pesjsibjp
awaiting    the    ambulance. * The"
women's feet were split from tho
force of the detonation under the
floor -where they had heen stand-
, ing. Bones were injured.
Rescuers toiled in semi-dark;
light came only from aUto headlights and from -windows of homes
next door. As they worked, people
breathed their relief that fire didn't follow the. blast to make the
danger more acute for the victims.
And thanks were given for the
chance which caused the three other young children of the Easlick
family to'escape the lash of violence when they went next door tp
play with neighbor's" children. Jo.
another yard.
Gridders Called
To First Practice
Coach George Perry's call tor
Clare High football team candidates went out this week and ex-
pectatidns are that 75 or more
huskies will report Monday for
their physical exams and issue of
their equipment.
Prospective players are being
sought among all eligible boys at
CHS whether experienced or not.
,"AU are invited to try out for the
Open positions on our 1956-57
squad," Perry said.
After the loss by graduation of
twenty-two lettermen from last season's squad, there is plenty of rebuilding to do, and competition
will be keen for the jobs of filling
.last year's shoes.
Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, the
exams for the boys, and dishing out
the jerseys and shoulder pads will
probably take all the rest of the
day. Fall practice Sessions will be
announced that day.
A schedule filled with tough opponents Who will be .pointing for
the Champion Pioneers is facing
this year's grid squad and their
coaches.
Five letter winners from the 1955
squad will form the base upon
which Perry must build a completely new grid machine.
, Veterans raturning are:, Jim Nivison - C, Dick Beery - E, Don Bay -
B, Dick Roe - B, "Wayne Miller - G.
Tjiese five plus a "squad of successful Junior Varsity lettermen and
whatever new talent which can be
discovered are the hope of the
Green and White  defense  of the
r i
|  On Inside Pages
Harrison News '       2
City Briefs , ^ "                  3-7
Farwell Newsf 4
Lake News '• '"'• •        4
Society .News . .       5
Rosebush News 9
Church News- ,              10
Farm NeWs . ll
Want Ade - Notices. 12-13
Comics 13,
V i     ■
Rev. and Mrs. R. O Thomson,
weli'know'ri Rosebush couple, celebrated their, ,35th wedding anniversary August 19. Story on page 9.
Yellowing in alfalfa may be from
many causes, not just nutrient deficiencies, says County Agricultural
Agent Paul Gibson. See story on
page 11.    \
Eagle and Arthur Center
Churches of God honored their
pastors, Rev.* and Mrs. Elza Beery
for the Beery's Silver Anniversary
last week. Story oh page 5.     .
A group of young people from the
Clare Baptist Church taekied the
Au Sable River in canoes last
Thui'Sday,r and had a hilarious day
of it. Details* on page 5.
school's Mid-Michigau "B" Conference title.
Last season's start, after the
graduation of eighteen key letter-
men, saw CHS given-the pre-sche-
dule league cellar assignment. The
school, team and coaches joined the
fight up to the peak - were undefeated, and developed the most
outstanding team and individual
stars that CHS ever bbasted. '
Clare C of C
Authorizes
Signboard
A- signboard on East US-10,
directing . motorists to Clare to
reach highway US-27 for driving
north, will be erected in the near
futnre. ,   . . .
After listening to the report of a
committee on, the possibilities and
design for the promotion device, the
Clare Chamber of Commerce/ meeting Monday noon, authorized the
committee to arrange* for the sign'.
The local Chamber will enlist .the
support of other communities "north
on" US-27 for the project.. A three'
color design is a feature of the
proposed signboard.
It will emphasize US-27 through
Clare as the beet route to the
Mackinaw Bridge.
A retailers committee at the
same meeting reported the* start of
plans for a fall sales event in Clare,
to .boost the city as an area, shop
ping center. •
Pistol Club
To Shoot
For Trophy
The Clare Rifle and Pistol club
began shooting for a trophy in a
contest that will run -_ year, Monday night.
The marksmen will shout on a
handicap basis, and the man who is
high n)ost times during the 'year'
claims the trophy when the contest
ends.
Fifth highest man each week will
win a'box of shells.
Monday's high handicap * scores
were Wayne Pitts, first place, with
290.3G1,- Second", - Jack Henistreet,*
287.893, and third Franz Kuula,
,286,677,
Dale Rosenberger won tlie shells
with a 281,84, Twelve men were
shooting, -.ii
Surprise
Trip Fpr   j
Mrs. Koch
Mrs. Josie Koch, of Clare, will
have the chance-of-a-lifetime to visit Nassau, in the Bahamas, this
fall, when her son Max, and hia
wife, of Ann Arbor, will 'go there
on a vacation Max won in a contest
sponsored by the cOmpauy with
which he has a dealership.
This may come as a big surprise
to Mrs. Koch, who visited her son
and daughter-in-law last week, and
was immensely thrilled to hear of
Max's winning the trip, but wasn't
told then that she'd be going right
along with them.
Max is a dealer is York air conditioning equipment in' Ann Arbor,
and won the trip for his excellent
sales record this year. The York
corporation is awarding'this trip
to their outstanding dealers nationally.
The Kochs, Max, his wife, Lucille,
and his mother, are scheduled to
leave for their Nassau adventure
on October 8. They will enjoy every
luxury on the trip, after embarking from Willow Run airport.
Store Robbers
Stumped By
Stubborn Safe
A safe was taken through the
back door of the Giant Super Market on West, Fourth Street, early
Sunday morning and. left setting
outside, but marauders who had
broken info the building through
the back,- left the safe unopened,
aud apparently took nothing else,
according to Clare Police who are
investigating.
Clare officers were called Sunday
afternoon by the Store Manager
Stan Wicks when he discovered the
break-in. State Police are working
on the case with local police.
Robert Dunn, of Clare, appeared
in Clare Municipal Court August
16, and £lead guilty to "a charge of
reckless driving. .
He had been arrested early the
same morning by Clare Police on
South McEwan. He was assessed
p5 fiiie and costs by Justice William B. Dunlop. >
. Earlier in the week. Clave Police
arrested Dale Morris, of Mt. Pleasant, and charged him with drunk
and disorderly conduct,
He appeared in *"\iunicipa.l Court
on August 16, wheft his sentence
was deferred to August 22. Wednesday, this week, he appeai'ed and
was assessed $-10 in fine and costs,
County Fair
Hailed As
Success
Familiar Clare county names
turned up on exhibits at the County
Fair.last week, as many long-time
exhibitors kept up- traditions of
bringing _ prize produce and handiwork to the Fair.
Exhibits this year were about
equal in quality and number to past
years. County. Agricultural Agent
Paul Gibson commented, although
poor farming weather- tills summer
may have limited farm produce
exhibits, he added.
On the whole, the fair was favored with good weather, except for
a shower Tuesday night during the
Joie Chitwood Auto Thrill Show
and one Thursday afternoon.
Wednesday, Children's Day, at a
drawing held for one boy's and one
girl's ^bicycle, Joe Haley, son of
Mi-, and Mrs. Don Cobleigh, of Harrison, and Carol Sherman, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sherman, Ham-
lilton township, were the lucky
youngsters who took home brand
new bicycles.
The list of prizes givien away to
other youngsters included bike baskets and lights and saddle bags.
Cash prizes were also awarded to
youngsters who competed in games
and contests,
Exhibitors from as far away as
Detroit, and several local^ home-
makers are eligible to enter exhibits in the Michigan 'State Fair
Special.
Mrs. Mabel Austin, of Harrison,
won with the Best Tablecloth; Mrs.
Frank Rountree, Gladwin, Best
Centerpiece; Iris Mathews, Gladwin, Best knitted "article; Mrs.
Marie Bailey, Harrison, Best Rug;
Mrs*. Opal Tedrow, Detroit, Best
Bedspread; Mrs. Bert Neeley* Harrison, Best Quilt; Mrs. Inez Pudvay, Clare, Best Loaf White Bread;
Mrs. Avenelle Hildebrandt, Clare,
Best Cake.
Winning the State Fair Special
entitiles the women.to free entry
of ali exhibit, and a complimentary
pass to the •Michigan State Fair,
August 3l-September 9.    ■
Grimason
To Retire
Sgt. Hiram. Grimason,- commander of the Houghton Lake State Police Post, will retire October 2
after 29 years of service:
Sgt. Grimason joined State Police in-1927 and sefcved at the Flint,
Day .City,. Detroit, -West Branch,
East Lansing,, East Tawas, Sandusky and Clinton posts prior to his
transfer to Houghton Lake in 1951.
He was commander at the West
Branch, East Tawas and Sandusky
posts. .•■'-•'       -
Gas Explosion Blasts
Easlick Home At Farwell;
Baby Killed; five Hurt
Six persons were injured,* -une
fatally, and the Home of the William Easlicksnear Farwell was demolished last Thursday evening in
an explosion said to be caused by
gas", which leaked from piping un-.
der the house floor and became igJ
nited to "blast the residence and its
occupants.
The tragedy .took the life of
baby Laurie Ann Roslund who
died shortly after being brought tc
Clare General Hospital with severe chest injuries, hemorrhage
find shock caused by the blast. She
was. the 6-month-old granddaughter
of Mr- and Mrs. Easlick.
Tlie injured were:
William Easlick, 39."with burns
and shock. He is employed by the
Clare County Highway Department at the Harrison garage.
, Mrs. Lucy Easlick, 89, his wife
who suffered from "blast damage"
to -both feet and legs along with
severe shock and bleeding,
, Mrs. Shirley Roslund, mother of
the baby who died, and who is the
daughter of the Easjicks. Her injuries were described as similar to
those 'of Mrs* Easlick with some
hurls also to her face and head. •
Albert E Easlick, a son who haa
minor* lacerations and milde:
shock.
Theodore _ Thompson, Farwell
plumber who Wag working .in the
Easlick home when the explosion
occured,. His injuries were described as lacerations around the. head
with shock, and Severe contusion.
• At the Clare hospital soon after
the accident * Dr. Julian   Gershon
Representative Recount
Waits Amended Petition
The decision on recounting ■ of
votes in the Primary Election race
for the Clare-Isabella Representative in the State Legislature appeared to be stalled this morning,
waiting for election results to oe
certified by the State Board ot
Election Canvassers and filing of
an amended petition for the recount by Mt. Pleasant Attorney
Barney Wendrow .counsel for Preston Johnson,
Kussell Strange, successful candidate for the Republican nomination who won over Preston Johnson, his nearest rival by only nine
votes, has retained Attorney Gerald Cotter, Mt. Pleasant as his
counsel in the action.
In the meantime, conflicting
statements by the two  attorneys
3&s,ert_j_i"'|i.A*-d.^^^^
validity of"the "dfiginal recount petition which was filed last week,
and copies Of which were served
on Strange, and -several election
canvassing boards.
In a letter to his client, Attorney
Cotter had the following to say
about the legality of the petition
and the procedure followed in filing it:
". -. . The form of the Petition for
Recount seems to have several deficiencies and in my opinion I do
not believe it will be recognized
by the State Board of Canvassers
due. to the-fact that, it is addressed
not only to the State Board of Canvassers but also to the canvassing
boards of Isabella and Clare Counties and to the inspectors of election, all of which is contrary to the
eleption law ;also it has not been
properly filed nor has it been properly served due to the fact that it
is premature and therefore in my
opinion no recount Is now pending,"
Attorney Wendrow, after a conversation 'With Isabella County
Prosecutor Allan Lampman, said
that he and his client had decided
soon, after the election day to file
the original recount petition at an
early time, and prepare an amended petition to file within the time
limit specified following the certifying of the .results by the State
Canvassers'.
Wendrow said Wednesday that
he was waiting for the word that
the Canvassers - had certified ' the,
election* results. .
Nothing    in  "Michigan    Election
such a petition, "VVondrow declared,
in explaining why the document
Was filed so soon. He said that the
serious error would have been in
filing too late, rather than too
early.
An amended petition will be
similar to the original one already
on record, except for the addition
of a sentence acknowledging the
final finding of the State Canvassers, according to Wendrow.
Both attorneys agreed on one
point . . . After the elections have
been certified and the winner
named, then a certain amount of
time is given for legal action for
the recount.
The interested candidates expected the State Canvassers' "report on the vote sometime soon,
possibly this week end.
pronounced the condition of tha
blast victims, "just fair'Yfor Mrs,
Easlick and Mrs,, Roslund, "good"
for Albert Easlick (he was released early fois week). anoV "critical''
in the case of ThompsonY
By Wednesday afternoon,, Dr.
Gershon reported improvement
in the condition of Thompson and
said that he was* "doing wetf-"
Rumors of the patient's transfer
to. an Ann Arbor hospital for
treatment for impaired vision,
were false and he was considered
in as good condition as could be
expected,- Ijusplfcal .-examination
had revealed a .skull fracture' h**,
a-ddltion to his other injuries.  ;
Mrs. Shirley Roslund and her
mother IVJrs. Easlick •were both
resting well after surgery on
their feet to repair injury and
damage. Each had been given
quantities of blood daring their
suffering in siaock. Dr. Kranlk,
hostpital surgeon and Dr. J. B.
Gershon operated. Complete recovery after mutiple lacerations
and tone fractures is somewhat
unpredictable, according to Dr.
Gershon, and final outcome after treatment ***eriiains to be sfeen.
The condition of William Easlick was reported as "good,"      r
The explosive burst came only
nours after natural gas service had
been installed in the Easlicks' modern white bungalow west of Far-
well where US-10 and M-115 join.
Besides a gas kitchen range, the
house contained a gas wall furnace which had been connected
just two days before the accident,
and a goa water heater which Easlick and Thompson were installing
the very moment of the jolt,
Michigan Consolidated Gas Company's meter at the service entrance, showed that only 50C> feet
of gas had- been used since- the
meter had been placed there-.
Shattering violence of the explosion uprooted floor and foundation
tmttiK'tdTlripssd" ifcrUtions *nd
Goodwill ddnatlons»f|cashart
being accepted for the aid of
the Easlick family. Those wl*h-*
ir*0 to help the stricken family
can send contributions to Mr»,
Richard Koontz, Farwell, or to
The Clare Sentinel for presentation to the'family.
K ■ %'•"* '>   "''■"ii', % '<", -S;
.   ' Y%, ■>,>' -Ly "- $
Mr. and Mr6. Cecil Davison wave a happy fareweii as. tney start
off for a free week's vacation in Bermuda, and three, days of sightseeing in New York.
Mrs. Davison Won the trip for the couple after she entered a
Win-A-Vacatlon Contest offered by the Citizens State Bank of Clare.
The Davisons are Farwell residents. Mrs. Davison teaches school.
outside walls, and raised the building's roof, allowing it to drop, iu
again a-top the tangled wreckage
and confusion. No fire followed
the blow-up.
All six occupants of the house at
the time were reached by rescuers
in either unconscious, or shock-
dazed condition. Ambulances "and
officers from both State Police
.and the Clare City Department
came immediately when called by
neighbors.
Three other small children of
Mr. and Mrs. Easlick escaped probable injury when they went to
play in a neighbor's yard shortly
before the time of the blast, 'still
two others were visiting at the
home of an older married sister
•Thursday. •   .   *
Roslund, husband of the injured
Shirley, was in summer "camp at
Grayling With his military unit,
having left his family at the Easlick home while he was away.
Gas company manager for Clare-
Mt. Pleasant area, John Rodenbeck examined the pipelines and
appliance installations in the rubble "Which had been home-to the
Easlick far-oily. He stated Ins opinion that gas had leaked frorn pipea
into a shallow crawl-space - under
the house and into a well pit near
the water heater location and had
been ignited there.      • •
■Floors and walls in parts of the
house which had been the kitchen,
utility room, and living room were
blasted up and outward with particular force* Peak violence of,ths
explosion was evident*" in those
areas. , , .   t    ' ,
A refrigeratr and upright free*ter
exploded and scattered their contents when original blast vacuum
r'eleased the force of normal pressure within the steel boxes. Doors
and windows were shaken loose
from the frame*'of the house.
T\visted boards, timbers and pieces
of the Walls'were, sailed sixty feet
when the pentup force, cut loose.
No portion of the house was left-in
repairable condition and' helping
neighbors and .friends cleaning up
at the scene a few days later, left
only neat piles of boards and salvaged material to mark the spot
where the house had stood.
' Clare Police Chief William
Cook, and officer William -Beli
were warmly praised by troopers
from the Mt. Pleasant State Police post for their part in 'control!-'
ing auto traffic past, the accident
scene. The two Clare officers went
beyond their ordinary range of
duty lo assist With the traffic and
crowds of onlookers.