Evening star., 1949-04-17
Funds Still Pouring in
For Men Who Tried 10
Save kathy Fiscus
BY fhs Associoied Press

S~sV NOsI ssSS
BY the Assoeioisd Press
SAN MARINO, Calf, April l6.
Its almost a week now since
they brought little Kathy Fiscus
up from her well tomb. And a
. sympathetic Nation still Is send
ing in contributions to the fund
for the volunteer workers who at
tempted to rescue her.
The fund for the tireless men
who worked So hours to reach the
3-year-old child-too late-has
reached an estimated $4,000 and
may go over the $4,000 mark. It
runs from piggy-bank dimes to
500 checks.
About so men who toiled with
Out thought Of recompense stand
to receive checks averaging $40o
from the Kathy Fiscus Rescue
Fund. Some who did the dirtiest
work and put in the longest hours
-men like o. A. Kelly, Bill Yancey,
II. e. (Whitey) Blickensderfer-
may receive bigger shares.
An attempt will be made to pro-
rate fund contributions according
to hours and work done on the
heroic job, Mayor Clark E. Bell
Of San Marino says.
Will Screen List.
Mayor Bell, chairman of the
Fund Committee, has named Ray
mond A. Hill, the engineer who
oversaw rescue operations, and
Police Chief Glenn F. McClung
to head a screening committee
to list the workers and determine
amounts they will receive.
1T will take considerable time"
Mayor Bell declared. 'Inasmuch
as the money is still coming in.
we wish to take our time and be
absolutely fair in apportioning the
fund"
More than $500 pieces of mail
to the fund have been received at
the San Marino and Los Angeles
post offices. Thus far only about
one-fourth of these have been
opened. with about $4,000 banked
Opened gifts have averaged about
$40.
On the basis of that, Mayor Bell
estimates, a total Of $4,000 is
assured-and $4,000 is probable. ]
Good News for Workers.
And that will be good news for
the rugged workers who pitched
in without second thought of
personal safety to burYow 100
feet underground to reach little
Kathy.
Some have already benefited in
other ways.
Mr.. Yancey and his sewer con-
tracing partner. Bartram Herpel,
landed good cesspool deal in
Duarte. Sympathetic persons also
found a house for Mr.. Herpel and
his family, who were about to be
evicted. Their house is IN a
multiple dwelling zone which the
city decided should revert to
single dwelling zone status be-
cause of alienation of the war;
time housing shortage.
Mr.. Kelly, a machinist, has re-
ceived several job offers but said,
I'm taking my time and getting
some rest first" Mr.. Kelly, uri-
employed for several months, was
on the rescue job almost through
out. He was the man who finally
cut through the old well pipe to
Kathy.
Mr.. Blickensderfer has the
promise Of free surgical care for
a hernia operation. Mr.. Blickens-
derfer-like Mr.. Kelly in his 40s--
was a dynamo on the excavating
Job.
The fund will come in handy
for Clyde Harp. 25-year- -old dig
ger with five children. and others
who won't be forgotten-B. A.
Gorham, Mark Nottingham, Paul
Neiford, Frank Fisher, Al Larsen,
George Goold.
Some like Don Metz, friend of
the Fiscus family who helped
supervise the job, and Lee Wood,
bulldozer operator, perhaps won't
care to share in the fund. Mr..
Wood had a job he was glad to
do for free: bulldooze the old well
pipe over double, putting the final
touch to San Marines grim week