»
‘Heads For 1964
.ranto is street superintendent, with
75 YEARS A NEWSPAPER
Oldest Business Institution
Back of the Mountain
THE DALLAS POST
TWO EASY TO REMEMBER
Telephone Numbers
674-5656
674-7676
TEN CENTS PER COPY—TWELVE PAGES
Supervisors And
Council Choose
\
Police Chiefs And
Solicitors Remain
As Per Past Year
As mandated by law, all muni-
cipal boards reorganized Monday
night, which for some meant re-
electing all officers, and for others,
the courtesy of just trading of-
fices.
Borough Council maintained the
status quo, Harold Brobst as presi-
dent, Bob Moore, vice president, W.
B. Jeter treasurer, and Bob Brown
secretary; John Jeter, of course, is
borough engineer and building in-
spector, Russell Honeywell police
chief, and Robert Fleming solicitor.
Jack Berti was reappointed to the
special police force, joining Bill
Berti, Ray Titus, Clifford Foss, and
Charles Lamoreaux. Andrew Per-
Frank Morgan, Kyle Cundiff, and
Carl McMichael as crew.
New councilman George Thomas
was sworn in, along with recently
elected Bob Post, Bob Parry, and
Brobst. :
DALLAS TOWNSHIP
~ Fred Lamoreaux again became
president of Dallas Township Board
of Supervisors and Glenn Howell
secretary-treasurer, while newly
elected Basil Frantz became vice-
president. Frank Townend is sol-
licitor,, Frank Lange, chief, and
Stanley Gardiner, assistant chief of
police force, all at same salaries as
last year; Fred Lamoreaux is road-
master with right to hire and fire
sien, lieeting t'me and place re-
main tne same. Special police: Phil
Walter, Frank Gesleichter, John
Gosart, Pat McGough, Ernest Reese,
Les Tinsley, Fred Nicely Frank
Wagner Jr., Al Hoover, and, Bill
Hersh.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
Supervisors in Franklin Township
remain in same office, Herman
Coon ' president, reelected Philip |
Williams roadmaster, and Russell !
Race, all authorized to work on
roads. A non-member, Mrs. Maude
Schultheis is secretary-treasurer,
Malcomb Baird, ‘auditor, and Byron
‘Kester, chief of police.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP
Eiger Lask wski is a,
dent of Jacksoh Township Beard ot
Suervisors, with Harold * Bertram
new road foreman, job previously
held by Wesley Lamoreaux, and
non-member Ed Jeffery, secretary- |
treasurer, Robert Cooper, chief, and
Roland Gensell, assistant chief of
police. Henry Zbick auditor, and
Jonathan Valentine solicitor.
LAKE TOWNSHIP
Edward Crake of the North Dis-
trict replaces Walter Hoover of the
Middle ‘as president of Lake Town-
ship Board, with Sharon Whitesell
assistant secretary-treaurer to non-
members. John Stenger, who re-
placed the late 0. Biery as secretary-
trasurer. Edgar Hughes and Wal-
bridge Leinthall are chief and as-
sistant chief of police, Delmar Win-
tersteen, Wayne Smith, and Morris
Johnson « special officers;
Crisman is solicitor.
LEHMAN TOWNSHIP
"William Samuels, Lake Silkworth,
is now president of Lehman Town-
ship Board, with Michael Godek
secretary-treasurer, and Alan Major
in pregis
Lewis |
Car Bnd Mail Truck
Skid, Flip Off Road
In' subsequent, skidding and loss
of control, two vehicles, one a small
truck, skidded on the icy highway
yesterday below Harter’'s where re-
cently a panel van performed simil-
arly, and flipped upside down into
the creek bed.
The accidents were unrelated, al-
though Mrs. Alice Davis, 58 Harris
Hill Road, driver of the second cas-
ualty, a Chevy II sedan, had seen
the truck upside down just before
her car went out ‘of control and
over the side. Both were going
south.
Neither driver was hurt, although
Mrs. Davis, an expectant mother, ac-
cording to the emergency squad,
was taken to Nesbitt Hospital by
Assistant chief of police Jesse Cos-
lett.
Driver of the truck, which was
empty and going to the garage in
Courtdale, was John Chilson, em-
ployed by a contract carrier, Rus-
sell Nicholas. Vehicle was a large
four-wheel drive International.
MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER. A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION
Lehman Board To Meet Saturday;
Appoint Ben Banks Road Inspector
Lehman Township Board of Sup-
ervisors voted a change in. meeting
time to the Second . Saturday of
each month at the reorganization
meeting Monday night.
Also, Ben Banks, Sr., Warden
Place, was appointed road and sani-
tation inspector at a nominal salary.
Board voted to borrow $10,000 in
antiei] ation: of 1964 taxes.
fro:
il
“that the last bill ran the
board a $200 deficit.
Michael Godek said that bids are
still open for floating a $28,000
bond to finance the WPA road proj-
ect, and that bids of two banks of
4, and 5 per cent cnterest were re-
jected as too: high.
Request of John Burbeck, Ide-
town ,was made for relief {rom
a zoning commission order to stop
building his carport close to the
road. Owner says that he has wait-
Faculty Fights
Action in Friday's game
close defense typical of
Left to right, surrounding two
Satellites: Robert Dolbear (partially
obscured), Pooch Kozick, Clark
Mosier and Louis Palermo.
basketball court, the Satellites looked
a little more serious this year,
Under The Net
shows | as John Baur, Clint Brobst,
Dallas : bear, Frank Hemingway, Arthur
Kozick, Mosier, Palermo,
Faculty’s red-hot All-Stars, who | Hontz,
gave the winning Harlem Satellites | William Price, and Hilbert Stark all
a run for their money Friday, 69-59. put in a lot of mileage in their al-
Accustomed to clowning onthe | even greater improvement in games
Dol- |
loted half-games.
Mosier was high with 23 points.
George McCutcheon is coach of the
team, which promises practice and
to come.
Kingston Township Supervisors
signed contracts Tuesday evening
roadmaster; Joseph Ide is chief of
police, Russell Walters, lieutenant,
John Major, Lionel Bulford, Roland
Ide, Lee Wentzel, William Weaver,
Chester Lamoreaux, special officers.
William Valentine is solicitor.
KINGSTON TOWNSHIP
(see related story .. ......... —..... ...
NOXEN TOWNSHIP
Ernest Teetsel is president of
Noxen Board, Harold Bennett secre-
tary-treasurer and George Brody
newly sworn in, Michael Traver is
constable and Davis Hobbs solicitor.
Toby Creek Lodge, Trucksville,
voted Tuesday evening to join with
Osage Lodge, Lehman, following the
which signaled the beginning stages
of the new township building.
Part of present structure will be
torn down shortly to make way for
the erection of the new one which
is expected to get underway at the
first break in weather, probably in
March,
Altered plans have eliminated a
basement, brick covering and some
square footage, with police quarters
out drastically from the earlier de-
sign.
At the reorganization meeting,
LaRoy Ziegler was reelected chair-
failed to receive a second. Mr.
Hauck nominated Ziegler for the of-
fice and Arthur Smith seconded the
motion.
loss of their meeting place at
Trucksville Fire Hall ,soon to be
dismantled.
A
man of the board when his motion |
to elect Lester Hauck to that post |
Supervisors Sign The Contracts
For New Township Buildng
T bogganing is becoming more | Things get pretty crowded over | ticular animal
Edward Richards and Att. Mitchell
Jenkins were reappointed secretary
and solicitor, ' respectively. Lawton
Culver was renamed road superin-
tendent and’ Herbert Updyke, chief
of police and zoning officer, Jesse
Coslett, assistant police chief. All
cther employees. were rehired.
Mrs. Beatrice Williams, justice of
the peace, swore in Ziegler and Ted
Poad, newly elected auditor. Arthur
Smith was named permanent vice
chairman of the board and liason
officer of police department, Hauck
as lliason officer for road depart-
ment.
On motion of Hauck, Ziegler was
named ccntact man for new build-
ing. Insurance on same will be pro-
rated as soon as forms are in.
A new dump truck was ordered
from International Harvester at.
“drunt
ed for word from the commission
just what he has to do for several
months, néeds the carport now, and
will gladly move it later. Board said
they would contact the zoning com-
mission.
Reason given for change of meet-
ing time was that Thursday night
was inconvenient sometimes, and
that Lake Township had had a lot
of success with Saturday morning
meetings. One person objected that
Saturday morning would be incon-
venient.
The unofficial advisory capacity
filled by the late John Hewitt with
respect to practical matters such as
road engineering was noted, and
for this reason it was felt that Mr.
Banks would do a good job in the
same position, now being retired
from his own work.
S.J. Levitt Jr.
Family's Second
Violent Casualty
Killed In Explosion;
His Father Met End
In Farmhouse Blaze
Sidney John Levitt, Jr., 49, father
of eight, and formerly of Center-
moreland, whose own father was
killed in a housefire there, met
'| violent death in Florida the week-
end before New Years when a
volatile drum exploded.
The Levitts moved to Titusville
twelve years ago, but Mr. Levitt is
remembered in this area, with a
sister, Mrs. Grace DeRemer living
in Centermoreland, and his wife
being the former Marjorie Nafus,
Chase. :
His father, Sidney Levitt, 79, a
widower, climbed a ladder to fight
a chimney fire at ‘4:45 a.m., July
20, 1961, at his home on ‘“Presby-
terian Hill”, was hit by a burning
timber and killed.
According to the Titusville Star-
Advocate, submitted to the Dallas
Post by the Levitts’ good friend,
Mrs. Leonard Harvey, Woodlawn
Drive, Mr. Levitt was welding an
airplane part on or near the drum
at Arthur Dunn’ Airpark, Titusville.
Fumes "in -the’ near-empty ‘dope
apparently expanded ™&ud
expanded and blew it apart.
Two other occupants of the
building were unhurt. Witnesses
for several blocks around said “the
ground shook.”
Nearby, neighbors F.-L. Threkeld
and ‘Aderon Feagan ‘were fertilizing
fields, ran over, told one ofthe
other occupants to call the fire de-
partment, and entered the burning
building. Finding Levitt under the
mounting smoke layer, the men
laid him on a tarpaulin and carried
him out. He had head injuries
and was badly burned.
Taken to the hospital by ambu-
lance, Levitt died of his injuries
four hours later. ‘Interior of the
hangar was gutted, and many large
airplane parts destroyed.
Surviving are his wife Marjorie,
three sons, John, Thomas, and
Daniel, all in the Air Force, five
daughters, Dorothy, Mar garet,
Nancy, Penny, and Mary, all of
Florida; and two sisters, Mrs. De-
Remer and Mrs. Celeste Machell,
Philadelphia.
sweeper will be drawn up soon.
Billboard Tax
Tax. on bill boards is now in ef-
fect, and the zoning officer was au-
thorized to make collections. Culver
reported he had removed signs from
Harris Hill Road. Stop signs will be
placed at either end of Evergreen
Street to designate this as a' play
area.
Ted Hinkle and John Ferguson re-
ported radio frequencies in this area
have been changed due to all over
communications network change-
over by Civil Defense authorities.
New crystals and tubes are needed
for Ferguson to make transition.
Costs will be presented to board at
next meeting. Hinkle lauded Mother
Cabrini Church for its fine set up
$5,800. ‘Specifications on road
(Continued on Page 2A)
Tobogganing Gains Steam As Local Sport, Sometimes Lethal
Ps
chasad his family |
and more popular in the Back Moun- the weekend, as witnessed by this | down the slope about fifteen times.
tain, and one of the most heavily | ccllection of shots last Sunday. To- |
used slopes is at Irem Temple Coun-
try Club.
Families, groups of friends, any-
boggans range
Not everybody makes it in‘ one
in size anywhere piece. At top right, two guys recov-
from a flying one-man saucer (low- | er from a harmless spill. By the
| er center)
through two-man ve-|end of the day Sunday,
though,
Jacqueline
toboggan hit a bump;
Moore, 21, Oak Hill, received back
injuries and companion Christine
Yurish, 14, Kingston, badly cut her
hand when theirs overturned on a
dry spot; Christine Evans, 11,
body interested in a fast downhill | hicles, including ordinary sleds, to | four people had been hurt in three | Church Street, suffered fracture of
ride on the snow, often with some
rough sledding in transit, gather on
the hill,
family size affairs.
Even the family dog gets into |
| accidents.
William Lloyd, Shrine Acres,
the act (top center), and this par-| broke a vertebra when his family
left leg and injury to her nose when
she overturned.
Back Mountain Area
Ambulance Logbook
Dallas Community Ambulance
took William Lloyd, ‘Shrine Acres,
to General Hospital Tuesday after-
noon, after he broke a vertebra
tcbogganing, Bob Besecker, Hayden
Richards, and L. R. Scott attending.
Franklin-Northmoreland
Franklin - Northmoreland ambu-
lance took two Orange people to
Nesbitt Hospital last week: Mrs.
Amy Reese, with Carl Besteder and
Les Howell attending; Theodore Mc-
Henry, William Boyes, Glenn Major,
and Stanley Jones as crew.
Kingston Township
On Saturday afternoon, Mrs.
Charles Howe, Summit Street, was
taken to Nesbitt Hospital for X-rays
and brought home. Anthony Plata,
Robert Carey and John Chapple
were crew. '
Fred Williams, Trucksville Gar-
dens, was brought home from Nes-
bitt Hospital on Sunday with Robert
Shoemaker and Al Hawke attend-
ng.
Early Tuesday morning, Kather-
ine Ward, Cliffside Avenue, was
taken to Nesbitt Hospital, with
Hawke and Willard Bullock in at-
tendance.
The ambulance answered: a call
for oxygen for Harvey Moss, Jack-
son Township, on Tuesday after-
noon. Later that evening, William
Pugh, Jack Lasher, Plata and Loren
Dymond removed Mr. Moss to
General Hospital.
Noxen
Kenneth Traver, Tunkhannock RD
5, was taken to General Hospital
New Years Day, William Crossman
and Earl Crispell. :
pe
Entique Shop Cash Box
Blistered By Flames
On December 6, the Powder-Horn
Antique Shop opened on Main
Street Dallas, Mrs. Charles Frantz,
Mrs. [Frank Parkhurst, and Mrs.
A. Harden Coon Jr. holding open
house as they launched their new
venture.
The day after New Years, the
cash box, blistered with heat, was
discovered in the wreckage of the
Coon home in Huntsville, its con-
tents intact. It had been taken to
Huntsville for safe keeping over
the holiday.
Board Orders
New Boiler
Junior High Heating
Unit Found Defective
A defective boiler at Dallas Junior
High School prompted’ Dallas School
directors to call a special meeting
Tuesday evening.
The custodian found an extensive
break across the entire front sec-
tions of the boiler early in the
morning of December 20. Mr. Ros-
ser, Mr. Paul and Dr. Mellman
were notified. - Hughes Corporation
of Luzerne was summoned and
Stated welding was impossible.
A call to American Standard
Boiler Manufacturers, Philadelphia
for new parts revealed such were
no longer available.
Dr. Mellman contacted the De-
partment of Public Instruction for
permission to replace the defective
unit. Necessary forms were mailed
from Harrisburg.
Heat has been maintained in the
building by pushing the other
boiler. Replacement will be com-
pleted by January 14.
Hughes Corporation received con-
tract for a new boiler at the price
of $6,775.00.
Tuesday . evening, one authorizing
the advertising of three bids in ac-
cordance with provisions of the
School Code and the submission of
the original and copies of each bid
to the Department of Public In- |
struction.
All directors were present but:
Walter Phillips.
Group To Decide
Citizens Award
Movement To Assess
Properties Equally
Back Mountain Protective Asso-
ciation will elect a president Janu-
ary 23, and discuss recommenda-
tions for selection of the recipient
of the annual Back Mountain Citi-
zens Award. A number of candidates,
both men and women have already
been proposed, according to Dr. F.
Budd Schooley. '
Meeting is set for 8 p. m. in the
Library Annex, Atty. James L.
Brown presiding.
Robert Laux is chairman of the
nominating committee Members are:
Rev. Robert D. Yost, James L.
Brown, . Dr. Schooley, all former
presidents; and Theodore Poad and
Elizabeth Wallo.
The Association will throw its
weight behind a ‘County-wide move-
Two resolutions were approved |
VOL. 75, NO. 1. THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1964
Most Gruesome Tragedy In Years Stuns Area
As Flaming Death Strikes On New Years Day
Entire Family, Parents And Three Small Children,
Perish Rs Blaze Roars Through Huntsville Home
DONATIONS TO FIRE
COMPANIES DEEMED
FITTING MEMORIAL
John Conyngham makes a
constructive suggestion about a
memorial for the A. Harden
Coon Jr. family, pointing out
that many people were depriv-
ed of a normal expression of
sympathy for the tragedy by
the specific request that no
flowers should be sent.
Flowers were many and
beautiful, despite the request,
and were greatly appreciated.
For those who heeded the re-
quest, Mr. Conygham suggests
that the volunteer fire com-
panies which gave their serv-
ices, would accept gratefully do-
nations of cast in memory of
the family; that the Prince of
Peace Episcopal Church might
welcome a fund; the SPCA
cemetery at the Animal Shelter
where family pets. are buried;
the Day School which the chil-
dren attended; or St. Luke's
Hospital in Bethlehem where
the children were born.
ATE ae Aa A
Fire-Fighters Cooperate
From 5 Local Companies
Volunteer Fire companies from
the Back Mountain which fought
the New Years Day blaze at Hunts-
ville, included Lehman Township,
under Chief Lee Wentzel in charge
of operations; Dallas, under Dan
Richards; Trucksville, Vought Long;
Shavertown, William Pugh and Wil-
liam Frederick; Idetown, Walter
Meade.
Police from all sections of the
community including Noxen and
Lake were present; also State
Police.
Over 100 people, including members
of fire auxiliaries, assisted.
Ruins of the
the morning on New Years Day.
of the fireplace which was a feature of the master bedroom,
mediately above the living room
brick chimney.
Rftermath Of Tragedy At Huntsville
A. Harden Coon Jr.
Crane of G. B. Coon Construction Company which helped fire-
men probe the ruins late on New Years Day, in search of charred
remains. ?
Burned out garage wing, walls still standing in contrast with
utter devastation of the front part of the house.
home at Huntsville, where a
family of five, parents and three children, lost their lives early in
The ladder extends to the hearth
im-
fireplace and serviced by the same
photo by Kozemchak
BE
NEW YEARS BABY BORN
TO DALLAS COUPLE
The first local baby born in
the New Year was the child of
Back Mountain parents.
Little Jay Theodore, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Cris-
pell, 35 Park Street, Dallas, ar-
rived at 1:36 a.m., on January
1 at General Hospital.
He is the fifth child for the
Crispells, joining Nancy, Ste-
phen, Joyce Ann, and Wayne.
Mrs. Crispell is the former
Norma Seavey Reed, Dallas.
Maternal grandparents are Mr.
and Mrs. Carlton C. Reed,
Church Street and Stephen Ray
Crispell, Park Street is the
paternal grandfather.
a2
Gold Star Sire
Registered Guernsey bull, Lake
a
ment to re-assess properties on a
unified basis, with no political con-
notation. Inequities have long been
a matter of record.
Louise Royal Lancer is rated a Gold
Star Guernsey Sire by the Ameri-
can Guernsey Cattle Club.
|
Presidents Wife
Will Speak At
Wilkes College
Mrs. Lyndon B. (Ladybird) John-
son will appear at Wilkes College
Gymnasium for the Wilkes College
convocation to be held Saturday,
January 11 at 2:30 p.m. She ac-
cepted an invitation tendered by
Dr. Eugene S. Farley to share the
platform with Dr. Frank P. Graham.
chairman, Area Redevelopment Ad-
ministration, Washington, D. C., and
will arrive at Wilkes-Barre-Scran-
ton Airport, Saturday lat 10 am.
An itinerary has been ‘tentatively
planned for her short visit. Dr.
and Mrs. Wilkes College
Band of Student
| Government will meet tke Johnson
Farley,
|
and members
An entire Huntsville family, parents and three small chil-
dren, were suffocated before dawn on New Years Day, when
fire of undetermined origin, licking oxygen from the super-
heated air, exploded into a raging inferno, generating heat
so intense that stout steam radiators twisted and bent.
It was all over long before firemen reached the spot,
flames bursting from the windows,heat confined by the very:
excellence of construction which had been designed to make
a house built among tall trees, safe from fire.
The last of the A. H. Coon, Jr.,
guests left the house shortly after
5 a.m., emptying ashtrays and not-
ing that logs had burned down to
embers in the fireplace.
At 7:15, when Joseph Losh drove
down the old Lehman Road on his
way ‘to church, flames were roar-
ing from the upstairs windows, and
there was no sign of life.
Frantic beating upon the knocker
of the house next door, where an-
other New Year’s party had broken
up by 3:30, ,alerted Mr .and Mrs.
John Vivian:
As Mr. Vivian telephoned a gen-
eral alarm Mr. Losh attempted to
break into the Coon home. A
mushroom of flame beat him back.
Volunteers from every Back Moun-
tain Fire Company answered the
siren, with Lehman Township the
first to arrive. Lehman Township
chief Lee Wentzel took command.
By 9 a. m. the slate roof of the
main section of the twelve-room
brick home had fallen in, and floors
had collapsed into the basement.
The fire was under control. The
horrifying roar of the blaze dim-
inished.
Firemen doggedly pumped water
into tke ruins, Lehman's tanker mak-
ing trip after trip over the icy
roads to Huntsville reservoir, where
Idetown's booster auxiliary pump
was in action.
With ropes and chains volunteers
breached, the brick walls and top-
pled one of the tall chimneys.
As debris sank into the founda-
tions, the hearths of two fireplaces
stood out from a mammoth brick
chimney like shelves, one on the
ground floor level ,the second im-
mediately above. The chimney
self, solid masonry, and builj
last for generations, showed no
of damage.
The slate roof in the wing
way grudgingly, a few slates
a few there, as beams suppo)
the dormer windows charrad
settled. 3
Tossed to the snow outsie, two
small box springs and mattresses,
one of them with a plastic cover,
hissed under the sleet, sending up
thin spirals of smoke.
A fireman, staggering from a
smoulder of rubble, carried some-
thing covered with canvas. The
body of a dog, one of the two pet
French poodles.
Off to one side, somebody start-
ed a bonfire where firemen and
police could warm numbed fingers.
Members of fire auxiliaries roy
ed up kettles of soup and baskets
of sandwiches. , NA
Stout swings, ropes stiffened by
ice, dangled dejectedly from heavy
beams in the play area.
A dainty bit of bronze garden
statuary, sheathed in ice from the
spray of the fire hose, pointed the
way with an outflung arm. Firemen
labored past, slipping in the freezing
slush.
Trampled rhododendrons.
A recently remodeled kitchen re-
duced to rubble, but with silver
and crystal unharmed behind blist-
ered cuboard doors.
The family cat, unsinged, smoth-
ered in an upstairs closet.
A stout rope flung over a buck-
ling wall to further its destruction.
The rope charring in the heat
! and falling in two sections ,as if cut
|
with a knife.
A group of firemen, with deputy
coroner Richard Disque and funeral
director Harold Snowdon, inten
upon something in the excavation
| and bringing it out in the kindly
| party at the airport.
anonymity of a canvas carrier. A
something tragically small.
Police deflecting the idly.
ious.
Worsening weather, sleet pebbl-
ing the windshields of cars crawling
along the hazardous roads.
Last night's guests gathering,
stunned and horrified, at the Vivian
home.
At the ede of dusk, a huge crane
from the B. C. Coon Construction,
Company, inching its way up the
steeply curving drive, snaking its
height adroitly, bolt upright,
among the trees.
Making ‘the crest at last, backing
and filling with its dangling hook
and clamshell, directly over the re-
mainiing walls of the place where
the fire had been the most intense.
An expert at the controls, the
(Continued Page 2 A)
cur-
Receives Award
Douglas Ide, a junior student at
Lake-Lehman High School, has
been awarded the Junior Engineer-
ing Technilogical Society Medallion
for placing in the upper percentile
in the National Engineering Aptitude
Search of 1963.
Approximately 21,000 youg peo-
ple participated in the test which
had as it’s average score 98%.
a
3
/