davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07

Despite the handicaps resulting
from wartime curtailmentS and re-
strictions, Imperial Irrigation Dis
trict concluded one of its most sue
cessful years on December 81.
The $13O00,000 Second Refunding
plan was given an okey by courts
and by the voters. Tax collections
were the best in years. Voters au-
thorized the six million dollar pur-
chase of the California Electric
Power company to mention few
of the achievements.
MAJOR ACTIVITIES
A chronological sketch of the Ir-
rigation Districts record for the
past year follows, listing major ac-
complishments:
In January Imperial valley grow
ers increased paintings of carrots,
flax and other designated crops in
compliance with the governments
request.
Completion of several important
maintenance enterprises including
increasing of East Highline canal
ldSlllllSS, WlllCll ltiio iioiV liolii
the Mexican border to Salton sea
and supplies water to irrigate more
than 10000 acres in February.
The same month G.. w. Bedford,
CaleXico introduced a perfected
weed burner which has proved eco
nomical and efficient.
A new rock quarry was opened
near Mt. Signal to supply materials
for the southern part of the dis
trict.
Evan T. Hewes was reelected
president of the board for the sixth
consecutive term at a reorganiza-
ton of the district board on
March g.
COURT OKEHS PLAN
The U. S. Circuit Court of APP
peals affirmed a federal judge
order approving the districts 1898
Refunding Plan. The plan involved
refunding an Indebtedness of $l5,-
$4,000.
1t was found in May that so pei
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
County Farmers
Unit Reflects

Directors of the Imperial Farm
ers association reelected all officers
at their annual meeting it was an
nounced Friday.
Martin Wahl of Ell Centre was
reelected president, B. A, Harrigan
of Ell Centro, secretary, and Argyle
McLachlan of Calexico, treasurer.
The directors of the association
which handle the importation and
employment of Mexican laborers
are N. L. Fifield, Barwley, repre-
senting the hay growers; George
r. Buffers of BraWley, grain grow
ers; John L. Dubois, Ell Centre,
grapefruit; j. j. Buckley, CaleXico,
vegetables; K. x. Sharp, Holtville,
vegetables; r.. b. Wilson, Brawley,
vegetables; Russell F.. Brown,
Brawley, vegetables; and Charles
Freedman, Ell Centre, vegetables.
This association was organized
more than a year ago to help solve
the war caused labor shortage.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07

them talking to Memphis resident
in front of a hotel. Montari, how
ever, dashed for freedom but was
followed by Sergeant Frank Lar
rabbe and Corporal Lloyd Tappett
of the marine corps. They chased
him up an alley and into the arms
of other police officers.
Stott, meanwhile, arrested Drake
and Ward after disarming one of
them, who attempted to shoot it
out.
SAN QUENTIN, Cal, Jan. 7. CUP)
Three youthful San Quentin con-
victs who scaled the, prison walls
with a fourth companion Decem-
ber 26 were recaptured in Memphis,
Tenn, early Friday, Warden Clin-
ton Duffy announced.
Warden Duffy said he presumed
the men, turned over to the Federal
Bureau of Investigation by Memphis
authorities, would be returned to
San Quentin, and declared they
faced charges which probably will
extend their present terms to life.
Their recapture ended 12-day
search that centered first in north
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Allies Slaughter japanese
In New Britain Battle;
yunks Cut Rome Highway
Garmany's Suicide
Troops Die in
I+aIv S+ronahoId

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, AL
gierS, Jan. 7. CUP) American
tanks and infantry of Lieutenant
General Mark w. Clark's 5th army
pounded German suicide troops into
three narrowing death pockets in
the streets of San Vittore Friday
and a break through into the val
ley road to Rome appeared immi-
nent.
Barely 48 hours after the launch
ing of the 5th army offensive. the
German lines were sWaying back
all along the l0-mile battle line and
front dispatches indicated that the
climax of the Allied assault was at
hand.
Slashing forward through inter-
mittent SnoWStormS and bitter cold,
one American armored column bat
tered down enemy resistance inside
San Vittore, while a second strik-
ing force swung in behind the town
to seize the 3,500-foot heights of
Mount Majo, cutting the German
supply road between San Vittore
and Cervaro, two miles to the
north
German big guns emplaced in the
Casino area six miles beyond San
Vittore opened up furious bonn
bardment on the mountain strong
hold, suggesting that the Nazis had
abandoned hope of holding that
position.
Inside the town, however, Ger
man machine gunners barricaded
themselves in abandoned houses
and battled to the death against
the American tanks and infantry.
United Press correspondent
Reynolds Packard in a dispatch
from the battle area described the
fighting for San Vittore as in
credibly bloody" and reported that
the Americans were clearing the
town, house by house, with hand
grenades and bayonets.
The unexpected arrival of the
American tanks, thrown into actor
on the mountain front for the first
time, promised a quick end to the
enemy resistance.
A mile beyond ruined San Wit
tore lay the valley road running
down into the flat planes before
Rome, and the American armol
threatened momentarily to burst
out on that highway for a direct
assault on Casino, the main enemy
stronghold in the central sector.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. Z.
(UP)-A trio of convict gun
men from California, identi-
fled as those who early Thursday
obtained nearly $4,000 in robbery
at the Robert E. Lee hotel at Jack
son, Miss, were captured early Fri
day by a Memphis policeman.
Chief of Detectives M. A. Kinds,
who said the men recently had es-
capped from San Quentin prison,
identified them as Roy Drake, 10,
Ralph Ward, %, and Lawrence Mon
tari, 81.
Officers said the men were car
rying a sawed-off shotgun, two
pistols, two black jacks and three
bank sacks full of money, silver
plate and other loot.
FIND $4,000
Chief of Police Carroll Seabrook
said that his men were still count
ing the money early Friday. About
$500 was found in the trio's pockets
and more than $4,000 in the money
bags.
Patrolman Frank Stott attempted
capture of the trio when he saw
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
New Plane Ready
For Production
Tops Al! Speeds

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. CUP) -
The iminent prospect of new super
planes, capable of travelling between
500 and 600 miles an hour-and
especially of new warplanes that
may hasten victory - was raised
Friday with the official announce
ment that a secret, jet-propelled
Allied fighter soon will be in pro-
duction.
Existence of a new fighter was
disclosed Thursday night by the
U. S. army air forces and the
Royal air force in joint announce
ment that gave no specific data on
speed, range and altitude. But it
said that several hundred success
frl flights with the propeller-less
planes had already been made here
and abroad, many of them at
high attitudes and extreme speed
and all without a single mishap.'
While the announcement care
fully avoided mention of exact
speeds, the London Daily Mail said
the new plane probably would
have a horizontal speed of be-
tween 500 and eco miles an hour
Few, if any, current propeller type
planes have attained that range
although they have exceeded it in
vertical dives.
The principle of jet propulsion on
which the new fighter plane works
differs from the rocket principle
although there are many resem-
blances, including the absence of
a propeller. Jets involve compress
sion, heating, and expansion of all
mixed with fuels, whereas rockets
carry their combustible oxygen ir
the fuels.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
District Reviews
'43 Activi ties

cent of the valley farms were
oWner-operated and that the total
area of the district was then 612,-
658 acres with 4,645 farms.
The second refUnding plan was
approved by the state securities
commission and voters okeyed the
plan nine to-one by ballot on June
Is.
The district submitted a proposal
to the u. S. Reclamation Bureau
that 10000 acres of East Mesa lands
be opened to cultivation to deter
mine agricultural possibilities of
that area. Undeveloped lands in
the Mesa total approximately 1885,
600 acres.
Assessor collector w. A. McFad-
den announced in August that the
collections of the district had zoom-
Continued on page 6, COL 9
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Utah Party Tours
Valley Projects

Gov Herbert B. Nav of Utah
and an official party Friday COM
pleted a tour of the All-American
canal and other Imperial Irrigation
district facilities as part of sur
vey of irrigated projects in Cali
fornia and Arizona.
With Gov. Nav were: w. r. Wal
lace, member of the Committee of
IA of the Colorado river basin
states; Grover A. Giles, attorney
general of Utah; l.. j. Skeen, men,
Ter of Giles staff; and E. H. Wat
son, state engineer of Utah.
They were gathering information
and data to be used in an irriga-
ton project in Utah which is said
to be similar to such projects in
California and Arizona. They were
escorted to Imperial Valley by L. j.
Foster of the United States reclaim
alton service at Yuma.
Most of the visitors have been
identified with negotiations and liti-
cation relative to the waters of the
Colorado river and its division
among the states through which ii
flows.
In addition to touring the canal
visiting Imperial dam, and looking
over the electric power plants along
the canal, the Utah residents con-
ferred with Imperial Irrigation dis
trict officials and looked over rec
ords and data at the headquarters
offices in Imperial.
Gov. Nav and his party left E
Centre Friday and planned to reach
Las Vegas Friday night and plan
ming on going on to Salt Lake Cit!
the next day.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07

Army authorities said the bus.
Semi-trailer type, was returning SO
cadets from night gunnery practice
when the accident occurred.
Witnesses said the heavy diesel
powered Santa Fe freight was roll
ing west on a slight down-grada
as it approached the crossing.
BUS HALTS, THEN STARTS
At a signal from the crossing
guard the bus halted. After pausing
for several seconds, it suddenly
leaped forward onto the tracks
directly in the path of the onrush-
ing freight.
The trains cowcatcher caught the
vehicle squarely, jacknifing it and
dragging the crumpled wreckage
several hundred yards down the
track. Pieces were thrown about
over wide area.
Base medical officers Immediately
set up field hospital at the scene
and ordered 300 men to stand by
for blood transfusions to the more
seriously injured.
Considerable difficulty was met
in removing dead and injured from
the mass of crumpled steel and
metal that had been the bus. In
some instances it was necessary to
pry the wreckage apart to extricate
the bodies.
ENGINEER TELLS STORY
Engineer c. l.. Hickey, Needles,
Cal, said his train was making
normal, 45-mile-an-hour ap-
proach to the crossing at the time.
Il Whistled for the crossing and
noticed the bus in the glare of my
headlight" Hickey said.
1T appeared to be making a full
stop at the crossing. Suddenly it
jumped forward and landed squarely
in front of us. I didn't even have
time to apply the air before we
hit it,"
Twenty-Five of the dead were air
cadets, one student officer and
the other, the driver, an enlisted
man. One officer miraculously es-
capped injury.
Army doctors, nurses and corps
men, working under searchlights
mounted on trucks, administered
Continued on page g. col. %
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
French
Coo uSt
Bombed
lnvasionAreas
Pounded in
Day. Night Raids

LONDON, Jan. 7. (UP)--
The u. S. Eighth air force
hurled it's giant Flying Fort
resses and Liberators against tar
gets in southwest Germany Friday
in their third daylight assault on
the Reich this week, climaXing
night and day of heavy attacks on
the axis continent.
The Eighth air force heaVieS
Streamed out across Germany at
the height of a furious Allied aerial
bombardment of the French inva-
sion coast. American and Canadian
medium bombers, supported by
sWarms of fighter planes, smashed
repeatedly at enemy military in
stallations and airfields in north
ern France, carrying the pre-inva-
sion bombarsiment of that area into
its third day.
Headquarters of the U. S. 9th
air force announced that the Mar
auders attacked unSpecified mill
tary detectives in northern France
under cover of a strong Allied
fighter escort, and returned with
out loss.
Observers along the channel coast
however, said the hard-hittinl
American raiders struck out il
considerable strength in the direc
ton of Boulogne and Calais, wher'
the Germans have been reported
erecting rocket guns and anti
invasion Notifications.
Three separate waves of bomber
and fighters crossed the Dove
Straits, flying above heavy clout
| formation.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Marine Demands,
Gets His Gals

CHICAGO, Jan. 7. UP)-Dan
Kaplan of the Royal Marines
walked into a servicemen's CEN
ter and asked: "Where are my
five?" He explained to a pUA-
zled hostess that he had been
told while on active duty at sea
for 20 months that "at home
there are five girls for every
sailor" The center assigned five
hostesses to give their undivided
attention to Kaplan until his
train pulled out three hours later.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Bond Quotas Set
For County

individuals in Imperial county
must buy $1,95O,OOO worth of War
Bonds during the Fourth War Loan
Drive from January Is to February
Is to meet their part of the 2,950,OOO
quota for the county. The balance
was allotted to corporations, ac-
cording to an announcement made
Fridy by Arno Yaeckel, chairman
of the War Finance Committee for
Ell Centre.
He said Southern California'S
Quota for the drive is $436,000,000 or
$4,000. 900 more than the total for
the Third War Loan drive.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Fl Centre Board
Inducts Twelve

The Ell Centre Selective Service
Board reports twelve men as having
been inducted through the local
offices.
The men reporting at Ft. Mac
Arthur were Alvin G.. Helms,
Donald L. Conn, Ruben Corral,
Cuauhtemac Noriega, Manuel S.
Delgado, Cecil E. Gayle, Thomas
E. Floyd, Kenneth C. Mitchell,
Raymond r. Smith, Harry r.
Forbey, Hilton Patton, and Fran
cisco R. Europa.
The offices formerly located on
South Fifth are now in the Bank
of America Building, Room 203.
A new group of men will leave
between the 18th and goth of
January.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Boy Scouts SPeed
Paper Salvage

week-ends. Sundays a truck scours
the alleys of the town for bundles
placed there by citizens aiding the
drive. The boys then bundle the
paper and store it in a building
available in the city secured
through the cooperation of George
Whitcher, county salvage chairman.
The troop sponsored by the fire
department picks up paper that
citizens report to the department
by phoning l31. Other troops check
with the chamber of commerce for
listing of those having waste paper.
Citizens should tie the bundles
not more than one-foot high, and
separate tie magazines and news
papers as much as possible,
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
MexicaIian Faces
Double CHARGE

Forgery and escaping from GUS
tody were the two charges filed
against Emiliano Quiroz, 30, Mexi-
cali resident arrested in Calexico
Thursday and now held in the I'M
perial county jail in Ell Centro.
Last July he and a companion
escaped through the roof of the
Calexico city Jail where they were
held foI immigration officers, Dep
uty Sheriff Peter Klyne said.
He was charged with forging the
endorsement on a check for $3540,
the officer said.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07

Boy Scouts in the Central Dis
trict of the Imperial-Yuma council
are collecting waste paper in the
national drive and plan to load a
car out of Ell Centre before the
18th of February, Hugh WILCOX
council executive announced FIJI
day.
The plan in the district which
comprises troops in CaleXlco' I'll
Centre, Imperial and HoltVille' Is
that when sufficient waste paper
has been collected in these towns
army trucks will be utilized to bring
the paper to Ell Centre from which
place a full car load will be shipped'
Ell Centro Scouts are busy col
lecting paper after school and on
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
VIA AID CONDUCTS FOOD
SURVEY IN VALLEY

E. E. Fearing. Los Angeles, who
is in charge of vegetable programs
for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Division of the War Food Ad
ministration, who is making a fact
survey of vegetable areas is check
ing records in the Imperial County
Triple-A and will be here over
Saturday.
Fearing, who is enroute to Los
Angeles after having made surveys
in Blythe and Yuma areas, said he
is making preliminary survey OF
conditions in the vegetable growing
areas studying what is materializ-
ing in the way of crops in the
spring and summer that will pro-
vide the WFA with information
relative to the vegetable programs
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Ha|sey Vows Fete
Where City Of
Toxic Once Was
Pacific Fleet Head
Returns to u. S.
For War Conference

LOS ANGELES, Jan. Z.
(UP(-Admiral William f.
"Bull' Halsey, commander
of United Nations naval forces in
the south Pacific, Friday predicted
a huge allied celebration in Tokyo
soon" after the war in Europe Is
cleaned up.
After the boys roll up Europe"
he said, the south Pacific will get
quantities of men and materlel.
After that there'll soon be huge
celebration where Tokyo used to be-
Away from the south Pacific for
the first time since he assumed
the command 16 months ago, Hal
sey was here for an army-navy war
conference opening Friday.
NEED MORE STUFF
HalSey told reporters his forces
need more men and materials, but
strategy had forced concentration
on the European side of the war.
Meantime" he said, well wait
our turn"
He refused to hazard a guess on
the wars end, reminding neWSmen
he once had thought it would be
over last year.
Once city boys" in the south
Pacific wilderness, American sol
diers have become better jungle
fighters than the Japs, Halsey said.
U. S. losses are about one man to
10 for the JapS, about the ratio
Of U. S. to japanese ability.
Nearing the bottom of the barrel
in trained fighting personnel, the
Japs are throwing green pilots at
allied filters, Halsey said.
I'VE are taking care of them in
a Workmanlike manner"
The only good Jap, he said, was
one dead at least six months You
have to track them down and kill
them one b. one" he said. IF that's
unkind, I'm very unkind man."
Morale is splendid, he said. There
is no distinction among the SER
vices. Army, navy, and marine
corps fight as one team. British
units serve under him and fight
alongside Americans in perfect
cooperation, he said.
I'VE are all out to crush Japan
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
THEFTS REPORTED

Albert Erickson, Balboa hotel,
reported an army overcoat was TAX
en- from his car parked in the 400
block on Broadway Friday morn
ing. A theft of auto fender skirts
also was reported to the police. The
skirts were taken Thursday night
from a car parked in front of the
Valley hotel belonging to Willis
Hayes, hotel resident.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
THE WEATHER

FORECAST FOR IMPERIAL
VALLEY-CIear Friday night and
Saturday. Moderate wind Friday,
decreasing Friday night and Sat
urday. Slightly cooler Friday.
Slightly warmer Saturday. slight
ly cooler Saturday night with
spotted light frost Friday night.
Lowest temperature 30 degrees.
More general frost Saturday night.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
SHOW POPULATION GAINS

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. (UPJ :
The bureau of the census reports
that the population in areas around
big cities in the southern and
western parts Of the United States
increased by about one eighth be-
tween April, 1910, and March, l943.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Marines SIay Foe
By Hundreds ir
Pacific Fiqhtino
BY limited PRESS

japanese troops were dying by
the hundreds in a losing battle
against veteran American marines
on the northwestern end of New
Britain Friday, while Allied air
power struck new and heavy blows
against the enemy's strongholds i'll
the southwest Pacific and Burma.
Marine forces advancing from
their New Britain invasion beach
head at Cape Gloucester toward
Bergen Bay killed 600 japanese in
a savage jungle battle Tuesday,
running the enemy's dead to more
than 1000 in little more than n
week.
AIRMEN CARRY ON
On the air front, carrier based
American bombers battered Kav-
ieng, New Ireland, for the third
time since Christmas, damaging
two destroyers and shooting down
nine planes at cost of one Amer
ican raider.
Land-based Allied raiders hit
again at Kavieng after dark, start
ing fires in the airdrome and among
Continued on page 6, col. p
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
QUIZZED ON SLAYING

Ell PASO, Tex, Jan. tUP)-An
unidentified soldier was questioned
at Fort Bliss by Federal Bureau OF
Investigation agents in connection
with the Staying of Jerome Hanse,
81, in Los Angeles, Dec 20.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Speeding Freight
Crashes Carrier
At kingmon Base
Driver Halted Vehicle at Signal,
Then Let il Move onto Rails:
Returning from Gunnery Practice

KINGMAN, AriZ., Jan. 7. (UP)-A TranscOntinenta
fast freight sashed into army bus crammed with al
cadets outside the main gate of the Kngman air bas
last night killing 27 and critically njurng eight in
the worst bus-tran wrecks in Arzonas history.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
DANCER DIES AT "a

BERKELEY, Jan. 7. (UP)-MrS.
May Josephine wilkins, 81, who
shocked early San Francisco vaude-
vile audiences with her "serpentine
dance and subsequently taught
dancing for 38 years in Berkeley,
died at her home here.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
AIRMFN CARRY ON
y AMBLINe
~ EpoRTER

Ell Centro policemen are ahead
in the flag feud with the Post
Press. In fact they may be said TO
have the Post-Press staff out on
its feet.
First they found the Post-PresS
flag hanging on the pole after night
and took it to headquarters. They
returned it Thursday night.
Friday morning they found the
Post-Press flag hanging upside
down.
Well. boys, we're in distress.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
Letter Bureau

Letter Bureau
Here is a nice letter RR received
from Buron Murray, who is an
aviation machinist5 mate &c at
Norman, Okla.
Dear RR: I just finished read
ing your article about Billy Shultz
and the Bruin flag and 1 would like
to say that it is things such as you
all did that really help the morale
of the men. When a man is far
from home it helps to know the
people back there are backing you,
even in the little things. And its
the little things we're fighting for.
I will close by saying that I, like
all the rest of the men from Cali
fornia, would certainly like to be
back in that good ole California
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
No Questions Asked

INU
If the Serviceman who lost his
overseas cap will call at 589 Holt,
Ell Centro, the cap will be returned
to him without the lift of an eye
brow, without the filter of an eye
lid
The cap was found under
grapefruit tree near $50 Holt.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-07
WEATHER

Maximum Thursday 81, minimum
Friday 35; am. Friday 40, humid
ity "a; noon Friday so, humidity 26;
pm. Thursday 65, humidity 81.