The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-06-26
BLACKOUT


the curb while the more venture.
some crossed the street.
Couples began moving about
Then the siren walled again and
the city revived. Lights blazed. Peo-
pie laughed a bit nervously, jolly
groups moved along the street. The
roar OF traffic took up where il had
left off. and Ypsilanti had come
through its first .blackout with fly
ing colors.
Most Successful
Or. Owen J. Cleary. state air raid
warden, said It was the most sue
cessful blackout he has viewed in
the state. Spencer Davis, city air
raid warden. Was equally delighted
with the result. Chief of Police Dan
E. l.. Patch. under whose direction
the policing functioned smoothly,
was pleased that there were so few
violations. Chief Of Police Sherman
Mortenson, Ann Arbor. who was
here with the blackout committee
from that city. marveled at the syn
chrOnized response throughout the
city. He observed in the streets and
from Hotel Huron. 4
Wardens, city and state police and
sheriff's deputies were on the alert
throughout the city, handled traffic
with minimum of difficulty and
found the public as courteous rs
they were themselves. Don Silk
worth. chairman of the blackout
committee. observing with Mr..
Davis. was impressed by the eff
cheney Of block wardens. who
stopped his car. investigated and al
lowed It to proceed after determin-
ing that its passengers were Off
cials.
All the wardens were equipped
with luminous Sam Browne belts
and carried flashlights.
Observers in the water tower not
ed a traffic light on at Cross and
Summit SITS. and a glow theast
OF the city. believed outside the
limits. Al the hotel observers noted
one night light in a gasoline station
and two other lights from battery
generators in garages. From Boyer
Hospital street flares on Michigan
Ave. were visible.
Blacker Than Average
Very successful and more black
than the average countryside" was
the opinion OF Commander Eddy
McEnnan, pilot. and Leil Atkinson
observer, OF Ypsilanti squadron OF
the Civil Air Patrol. who observed
the blackout from the air. 1t was
e timated that the lights were out
within 30 seconds.
Lights Of three factories were
visible from the air. but the plants
were not required to take part be
cause they are now engaged in de-
tense work.
There we're four other scattered
lights and red flares on Michigan
Ave. between Huron and River SITS.
and on Washtenaw Ave. between
Summit and Perrin SITS were visi-
BILE. Red lights at Washtenaw Ave.
and Summit St, and Cross and Sum
nit SITS had not been turned off
That Ypsilanti residents may be
thankful for their fine trees was
also revealed by the flight. Although
the moon shone brightly part of the
time. trees covered the city so well
there was little reflection from
house tops.
The plane was flown between 1000
and 1000 feet over the city and the
flight had the official approval of
the Civil Aeronautics Administrl-
ton.
Difficulty vas experienced By
people in buildings in hearing the
sirens and many said they undoubt.
eddy would not have been aware Of
the test blackout II they had not
known It was planned.
Mayor Pleased
Mayor Bower said today that he
was very pleased" with the black
out and commended the work OF the
volunteer policemen and air raid
vardens for their speedy and eff
Gent work They did an excellent
job he said.
Paul Ungrodt. executive secretary
OF defense council in Ypsilanti, said
there was little left to be desired.
Only difficult situation was pre-.
cipitated by a bus driver who want.
ed 10 take his passengers to the
Ford Bomber Plant. He was stopped
however. as were other motorists.
Drivers were especially coopera-
tive al the city limits and expected
traffic tieups failed to materialize
Official observers who watched
the test were: on the Hotel Huron
roof. Chief Patch. Mayor Ross X.
Bower, Col. owen j. Cleary: on the
Boyer Hospital roof, L. A. Sea.
mans. Dr. VI +. Soller. Dr.. Harry
Blitton and J. II. Hopkins; and on
the water tower. Knowell Hart. Fire
Chief James Dignan. Fireman Ralph
Handy and Russell Forsyth. Max
Llrkins and Ford Hutchinson. Ian
sing. deputy commissioner Of pub
lie utilities from the Michigan Coun-