davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
REFUGEES WOULD SWAMP LONDON
IF ATOMIC BOMB HIT COLUMBUS

Robinson, London and Union
Township Defense Director Bus
Chesbrough, various other Of
ficials and the mayors of Mad
ison County towns, including
Plain City, West jefferson, Mt.
Sterling, South Solon, Sedalia and
others.
Our biggest job" said Di-
rector Robinson, will be to evacu-
ate the people from a stricken
area"
DR.. Myers in addressing the
crowd Sunday stated that he
wished to deemphasize the radio
active bugaboo. This focusing at
tention on the point that if you
have a Geiger counter, you are
prepared for civil defense is ut
ter nonsense, DR.. Myers said.
He explained that the Geiger
counter could be thrown away if
an atom bomb is dropped on this
country. There are three types
of atomic bomb bursts under
water, ground burst and air
burst.
All the radioactivity to be
sought with a Geiger counter
would be dissipated within sixty
seconds after an explosion.
People who would have to 60
back into q bombed area could do
SO safely within 90 min. bodies
can consume so to 100 roentgens
Of radio activity without infection.
he declared.
Survival Chance
Persons within one-half to one
mile from an atomic bomb explos-
ion would have a $3.50 chance Of
(COntinued on Page TWol
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
$4,000 Damages,
Sought For Auto
Injuries 70 Boy

Thomas w. Wells, a minor Z
years Of age, by his father, John
M Wells, West jefferson r. F. D.
No /, has filed suit i'm common
pleas court against Charles B.
Thomas, London r. F. D. No. 4,
for $4,000 damages for injuries
on May %, 1850.
The plaintiff claims that on
that day, he was struck by de-
PENDANTS car as he was crossing
the road to his home on the Lilly
Chapel road after alighting from
a school bus at the Olmsted Road
just east of the corner where the
road enters the Lilly Chapel road.
The petition charges that Thom-
as was operating his car in a
careless and negligent manner at
a dangerous and unlawful rate of
speedi SIS to 60 miles per hour,
struck and injured plaintiff. 1t
further states that the defendant
suffered severe injuries and con-
tinues to suffer as a result of the
accident.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Second Blizzard
Threatens City

London appeared in line
for another blizzard like the
one of November 25 when
brief but binding snow and
wind storm hit the city Thurs
day noon.
Precipitation in London We'd
nesday night and Thursday
amounted to one inch, Leonard
McNeal, weather observer re-
ported. The rain of Wednesday
night turned to snow by noon
Thursday.
The temperature tumbled "a
degrees between 100 q. m. and
500 p. m. Thursday and con-
tinue5 downward to 10 degrees
during the night.
The 24-hour reading, accord
ing TO McNeaI, was a maximum
of "A and a minimum of 10
degrees. AT 300 a. m. Friday
the temperature was up to is.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
London Native Is
Killed BY Auto
"Wednesday Night

Frank Evans, 73-year-old Lon
don native and paper vendor in
downtown Springfield, was kill
ed Wednesday night when he was
struck down by an automobile a
short distance from his home.
He was pronounced dead on ar
rival at City Hospital at 7:05
p. m, few minutes after he was
hit at the intersection of Western
av. and w. Main st. He resided
at 80 N. Western av.
Coroner Ausin Richards said
Mr.. Evans sustained skull frac-
ture and compound fractures of
both legs.
Witnesses told police the victim
attempted to cross Main street
against the traffic signal. They
said he apparently was going from
the southeast corner of the inter-
section of the northeast corner.
Driver of the car was identified
at Stanley Petticrew, %, of 81
West cassidy street, Springfield.
He was not held by police. Mr..
Mr.. Petticrew was going west on
Main street when his car hit Mr..
Evans.
A native of London, Ohio, Mr..
Evans was the son of Charles
and Ann Meehan Evans. He had
resided nearly his entire life in
Springfield and fer number of
years was familiar figure in the
downtown section where he sold
newspapers.
He had no immediate relatives,
However, he is survived by a
number of cousins, among them
the Rev. Ross Slower, graduate of
Wittenberg College and prominent
Presbyterian minister in Philadel-
phia; Calvin Slower of Denver,
Colo; Pearl and Robert Meehan
and Mrs. Helen Morcher, all of
London; Herman Slower of Los
Angeles, Calf; and Mrs. Lillian
Hill of the same city.
The body was taken to Rich
ards Memorial Home.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Compensation OF
S4,918 Awarded

Tn the appropriation of an ease
ment for highway purposes over
land of John M. Caren and Gym
thia K. Burr, ca al, in Deercreek
Township, necessary in construc-
ton and improvement of U. S.
Route 40, a specially impanelled
jury Monday awarded these par
ties, So, ,953.75 as compensation
for easement appropriated, ex-
elusive of structures and $1,964,- :
30 as damage to residue of prem
ises, total compensation OF $4,-
91805.
Serving on the jury were, Ruth
f. Crouch, Harry Dixon, Arlene
Garen, Jean w. Overturf, Ercel
NJ. Dunkle, c. T. Shepherd, Hell
en- B. Martin, Dorothy S. Killeen,
Mrs. Flora Mitchell, Margaret
Ann Conway, Jane Peck and
Wgyneth S. Martin.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
SANTA TO BAIL OUT OVER
CITY AT CELEBRATION

Santa Claus will arrive over
London at 4:30 Wednesday after
noon, Dec 13.
Plans have been completed for
old Santa to bail OUT in a big
white parachute over the middle
of town. Santa will sail down
somewhere in London and will
be picked up and brought down
Main Street to say hello" TO all
the kiddies and grown-ups alike.
The event is expected to draw
the largest crowd ever witness
Santa's arrival in London. The
event has been staged by the
London Chamber of Commerce in
cooperation with local merchants
and business men and is said to be
the biggest and best program ever
put on here.
All Madison county school chill
dren are invited to be the guests
of London for the big parachute
jump as we'll as the big parade
which will follow at 7 2. m. the
same evening.
Meanwhile the local Chamber
of Commerce officials and their
aides will be setting the stage to
make London one of the most
colorful towns of its size in the
state for the Yultide season of
1850.
While additional negotiations
were underway for extra features
for the celebration December 13,
as we'll as for the entire Christ
mas season, workmen were al
ready busy Wednesday starting
to decorate the streets of the en-
tire shopping area of the city.
According to officials in charge
of the big Christmas celebration,
the airplane bringing Santa Claus
to London will streak in from
THE North Pole route" and circle
the city to give persons attend
ing the celebration ample oppor-
tunity to see him bail out Of the
airplane for his parachute jump
into the city.
From his landing point Santa
will be rushed to the downtown
section of the city and following
the customary greetings will pre-
pare to participate in the parade
later that evening.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Woman Injured
In Auto Mishap

Mrs. Everett Taynor Of near Mt.
Sterling is in Mt. Carmel Hospital
in Columbus suffering from a
possible skull fracture and frac-
ture of her left shoulder receiv-
ed about $50 o'clock Wednesday
morning in an auto accident a
mile east of Sedalia on the Prair-
lie Road.
She was riding in a car driven
by her husband, Everett Taynor,
when their car left the road. She
was taken to the Mt. Carmel Hos
pital in an ambulance from JEFF
fersonville. Her husband was un-
injured, but the Taynor ear was
badly damaged.
The Taynors own and operate
the Taynor Grill in Jeffersonville.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Delinquent Tax
List OF County
To Be Published


Believed the first for Madison
Countyy a delinquent personal and
classified property tax list is
soon to be published by Madison
County Auditor Forrest E. Han
son, in compliance with Sec. 5694
of the Ohio General Code.
The Ohio Board of Tax Appeals
recently directed the attention of
the auditors of all of Ohio's 80
counties to necessity of complying
with mandatory provisions of the
law concerning the delinquent
personal and classified property
tax list.
Under these provisions the
auditors are required to publish
the list in newspapers twice with
in sixty days after delivery of the
list and duplicate to the county
treasurers. Notice of the forth
coming publication of the list
is also to be published in news
papers by the county auditor.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Injuries Fatal
10 Crash Victim

Funeral services for Pearl
Stires, 18, of Era, the victim of
an auto accident November 9,
were conducted at the Era Church
Tuesday Interment in Pleasant
Cemetery, Mt. Sterling.
Young Stires died Saturday in
Mt. Carmel Hospital of pneu-
monia following injuries suffered
in the accident on State Route
142 just outside the London cor
poration line on the London-Jef-
ferson Pike.
He had both legs broken, badly
lacerated right ear and other in
juries, when a truck in which he
was riding with John Pollock, age
20 of Orient, skidded on the Slip
perry road and crashed into tree,
according to the report of Deputy
Sheriff Robert Allison and State
Highway Patrolman Albert Mon
as. who investigated the accident.
Pollock was only slightly in
jured, according to the report.
Stires was member of Ohio
National Guard. 166th Infantry,
Co. M of Washington c. H.
Surviving are, his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Thomas Stires, of Era;
one sister, Mrs. Mary Lou Lad
ley, nine brothers. Willis, Rob-
ert, William, Frederick, Elden
Lloyd, Ronald and Donald, twins
and Seymour, all of Mt, Ster-
ling r. F. D.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
.~~ss--- - ---
Sheriffs Want
Pay Scale Kept

Sheriffs of Ohio's 88 counties
want their present salary scales
made permanent by the next ses-
sion of the State Legislature. An
emergency increase, granted two
years ago, will expire with the
ending of their terms in 1852.
The campaign for legislation
making present salaries perman-
ent will be one of the chief topics
of discussion at the 10th annual
meeting of the Buckeye State
Sheriff's Association Dec. IA and
IS in the Neil House Columbus.
c. William O'Neil, Ohio's at
torney general-elect, will speak
at the annual banquet Dec. IA in
the Grand Ballroom. Election of
officers for 1851 will be held
earlier the same day.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
SANTA TO MAKE PARACHUTE lump
Xmas Parade For
Celebration Is
Billed At I P N.

Promoters of London's big
Christmas celebration Wednes-
day, December Is, today an
nounced that the parade. planned
as special feature of the event,
has been billed for 700 p. m.
The parade ranks as the Sec
ond big feature event of the cele-
bration and will follow the ar
rival of Santa Claus in London
by airplane and parachute.
The parade will assemble at
Cowling Park on North Main
ST, at 600 p. m. and is scheduled
to march South on Main street.
London police cruisers, the
fire engines and floats viii head
the parade along with Santa
Claus. Floats will be provided by
most of the local business con-
Germs and veterans organizations.
All London children, and chill
dren attending the celebration
from neighboring towns, may also
join in the parade if they so
desire, according to Chamber of
Commerce officials.
Band music is also expected to
be provided and cash awards are
to be presented as prizes for pa
raiders.
Christmas lights and the Yulc-
tide decorations will line the
streets and store windows. Lights
of the store windows will be
lighted for duration of the event.
Following the big celebration of
Wednesday December 13, the Lon
don Chamber of Commerce has
also planned further Christmas
entertainment.
Free Merry-Go-Rounds are to be
provided for the children ON the
street for a full week. The Merry
Go-Round will be in operation De-
cember .18 through December %.
All local stores will also be open
until 800 p. m. every evening
December 18 through December
%.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Former Resident
Of London Dies

Mrs. Carrie Whalen, age 81. a
former resident of London. died
Thursday at the home of her
daughter-in-law, Mrs. Francis
j. Whalen, AIS Rosemary Park
way, Columbus.
Mrs. Whalen was born in Ger
many, August 8, 1859, and came
to this country when she was Is
years of age, She had spent the
greater part of her life in this
country in London.
Surviving, besides the daughter
in-law and four grandchildren,
are three sisters. Mrs. William
Honnold, London; Mrs. II. j. Dan
ker, GAINESVILLE and Mrs. Steinie
Labinsky of California; several
nieceS and nephews.
Two sons, Francis J. and Her
man Whalen, both former London
residents, preceded her in death
several years ago.
Friends may call at the Kelly
Funeral Home, 2333 North High
street Columbus Until Sunday
noon, when the body will be
brought to the Lukens Funeral
Home, London, where friends may
call until time of services.
Funeral services at St. Patrick's
Church at $50 o'clock Monday
morning. Interment in St. Pat
rick's Cemetery by the Kelly
Funeral Home.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Civil Defense
Meeting Sunday

Earl Robinson, County defense
chairman, has announced that a
meeting will be held at the Lon
don Council chambers, Sunday
afternoon at p. m, Dec. 10.
Mayors and officials from all
parts of the county will attend,
IL was said. The meeting is the
largest thus far and all defense
officers are earnestly urged to at
tend. Plans will 90 forward to
make Madison county one of the
first completely organized coun-
ties in Ohio.
Officers OF the defense group
will be announced at later date,
Mr.. Robinson said.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
London High Teams Honored
At Annual Football Banquet

Fred Rizk, Wilmington Col
lege football coach, was principal
speaker at the annual London
High School football banquet hon.
oring the LHS grid teams, and
all associates in the school cafe
terra Tuesday night.
Honored with the varsity squad
members were the junior high
teams. the cheerleaders, and
members of the high school band
which provided the musical pro-
grams for the games during the
season.
James Bowlus, coach presented
the letter awards to the squad.
Darwin Keye, assistant coach,
presented the trophy for out
standing backfield man and Eu-
gene Winters, assistant coach, the
trophy. for outstanding lineman.
1850 Football Awards
Scroll Award - Tom Bopeley,
John Duffey, Norman Gossard.
Ted Graves, Captain Bruce Roude-
bush.
Buckle Award - Jim Herman,
Bill Hunter, Herman Jenkins, Bob
LeBeau, Bob Miller Dwight Simp-
son, John Steele. Dave Wilson.
Letter Award -. Charles Bur
chnell. Don Cain, Jack Decker,
Forrest Ellars, Floyd Howard,
Gilbert Jackson, Bill Minner,
Ronald Smith, Jim Starbuck, Son.
ny Wheeler.
Service Letter Award Bill
Edwards, Eddie Powell.
Monogram Award Jack
Barck, John Gloyd, Marvin
Hughes, Bob Stapleton, Martin
Stidhan, Allen Wilson.
Manager Awards = Ben Ben
nett, Reno Mancini, John Sand
ers, Tom Savage.
Lineman's Award Ted Graves.
Backfield Award-John Duffey.
Special Award for Persever-
ance. Don Cain.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Ira Henson Dies
OF Heart Attack

Ira Henson, 54, died of heart
attack Tuesday morning after
working on his auto at his home
in Big Plain. Members of the
family took him to the house, it
was understood, after he collapsed
and summoned a West Jefferson
ambulance which took him to a
physicians office. He was dead
on arrival at the physicians Of
flee
A veteran of World War /, he
served with the 166th Infantry.
Survivors include his wife, Ada;
five daughters, Mrs. Geraldine
Puckett of London; Mrs. Virginia
Barker, Mrs. Rosalie Cummings,
of Big Plain; Miss Kathleen and
Miss Marilyn Henson at home;
three sons, Robert and Elmer
Henson of Big Plain and Charles
at home; his mother, Mrs. Alice
Henson of Big Plain; three sis
ters, Mrs. Merle Livingston of
Columbus; Mrs. Josephine Nau-
man of Frederickstown, Ohio
and Mrs. Sylvia Donaldson of
Columbus; two brothers, Oren
and Orval both of Big Plain and
niRe grand children.
Funeral services Friday at 200
p. m. at the West Jefferson Apos-
tolic Church with the Rev.
Charles Pennington, officiating.
Interment in the Dennison Chap
Ell Cemetery.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
One Room House
Lost In Fire

A one room building at the
rear of Borders Garage Just off
of South Main St. between Cen
ter St, and Vernon Avenue, was
virtually destroyed by fire be-
lieved to have started from an
overheated stove Tuesday after
noon, firemen reported. The
building, occupied by John Jen-
nings, was owned By William
Feeley, according to the firemen.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08

towns At a meeting Monday night
at the home of County Defense
Chairman Earl Robinson began
the work of organizing the en-
tire county for all out protection
in the case of an attack.
The plans include protection of
every community in the county
and the integration and coopera-
tion of every existing legal agency
and local authority in the county
Full particulars of the plans
will be presented TO each town
ship and municipality in the coun-
ty. The same plan of defense for
Columbus, will be applied to Lon
don and then each township of the
county.
Defense officials will attempt to
impress each individual with his
or her responsibility for full CO.
operation In the program, Chair
man Robinson said Tuesday.
Action taken at the state meet
ing included adoption of resolu-
tions asking federal aid to states
for stockpiling medical supplies.
control centers and equipment
and funds.
Officials agreed to make sur
veys of buildings and farm
houses in their areas as sites for
temporary hospitals and for hons-
ing and to report their findings
TO the state headquarters.
Officials Attend
An estimated IS Madison coun-
ty men attended the meeting in
cluding County Commissioner
George Taylor, Sheriff Harold
Bidwell, Mayor E. F. Speasmaker,
County Defense Director Earl
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Charles Howsmon
Succumbs tuesday

Funeral services for Charles
/. .Howsmon, age 68, florist of
624 East street, Springfield, a
native of Madison County, who
died in Springfield Tuesday, were
in Springfield Thursday after
noon. The Rev. Delbert d. Sim
pson, pastor of the Church of
Christ Springfield, officiated. In
terment was in Paint Township
Cemetery, near London.
Mr.. Howsmon had been in fail
ing health since June and ser
iously i'll at the home of his
step-daughter, Mrs. Wilda Wat
kinson, 624 East street, Spring
field. where he lived, for the
last two weeks.
He had been an employee of
the George H. Mellen company
greenhouse since he moved to
Springfield nine years ago. He
was a member of the Church of
Christ, East High street, Spring
field.
Mr.. Howsmon was born in Mad
ison county August 8, 1882.
Surviving are his wife, Cecile;
one son, Wayne j., of Ashtabula;
the step-daughter, Mrs. Watkin-
son; two sisters, Miss Mildred
Howsmon, principal of the Cen
trai building of the London pub
lie schools and Mrs. Floss Chris
man of Corpus Christi, Texas;
one brother, John Howsmon of
Leesburg and two grandchildren.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08

London and other Madison
County towns would be 'swamped'
with thousands of refugees in the
event Columbus ever suffered an
atomic bomb attack.
Every available public and pri-
vate building would probably be
needed to shelter the great in
crease in population each of the
towns in the county would have
within few hours after such an
attack.
This picture and what it would
mean to London and all neighbor-
ing towns in the county was inn
pressed upon large group ,of
Madison County officials and
civil defense representatives at
tending an emergency civil de-
fense meeting called by defense
officials in Columbus Sunday.
With other representatives from
a 20-county area in ceRtral Ohio
attending the meeting the Mad
ison county men were told to
ignore radio activity and move
right in to rescue wounded if
and when this county ever exper-
fenced such a disaster.
DR.. William G. Myers, Ohio
State University atomic scientist
informed the civil defense men
that radIoactivity i'm an area hit
BY an atomic bomb air blast
would. after the first minute, be
only one-twentieth of the radio
activity In an exposure FOR a chest
plate.
Organize County
Almost Immediately Madison
County has laid plans for the pro-
gram in London and surrounding
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
London Student Is
Voting Delegate

Miss Linda Ann Lewis. daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Bruce D
Lewis, East Fifth street, a fresh
man at Miami University, Oxford,
has been elected a voting dele
gate to the National X. NJ. and
Y. w. G. "A. convention.
The convention which will be
composed Of 1000 students from
706 colleges, will be at Miami
University, December N to Jan. 2
The purpose of the assembly i
to set standards for the Ma.
tional Student Y.M. and Y.W.c.A
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Prince Of Peace
Contest Sunday

The Madison County Prince of
Peace Contest will be held at
the Lafayette Methodist Church
at 8 o'clock Sunday. Dec. 10, the
Rev. G. w. Eley, County Chair
man, announced today.
Two contestants will take part.
They are Harold Fell of sum-
merford, whose theme is ''Pyrrhic
Victory" and John Kile of West
Jefferson, whose theme is, Have
We Forgotten ?"
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08
Local Dry Cleaner
Suffers Burns

Don Bardon, London dry clean
er of 81 Logan Ave, is recover
ing nicely from severe burns suf-
fered recently when an accumula-
ton of gas ignited and flared in
to his face as he attempted to
light a burner at his shop on West
Second st. He suffered first de-
gree burns on the face and had
both hands burned when his
shirt caught fire.
Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1950-12-08

VIEWPOINT
It's all in the way you
put it. Words are fascinating
and it is a peculiar thing how
different they seem according
to the manner in which they
are put down. Take the SEN
tence "Time stands still
when / gaze upon your eoun-
tenance." Sounds nice doesn't
it? But actually this Is just
a mice" way of saying -
''Your face would step a
clock"
STORY
A lot of people are under
the impression that the
Three Wise Men who rode
camels into Bethlehem so
long ago weren't kings at all
- but newspapermen come
to get an interview Crank
of the Post, Incense of the
Times and Myrrh of the
Journal?)
CHANGE
Jolly old Santa Claus, long
the idol of children, now has
a counterpart for adults. His
name is Uncle Sam!
HABIT
Heard a story about a
banker who was advised by
his doctor to 'quit and take
ia job in the open air. The
banker took the advice, quit
the bank and bought a fill
ing station. One day busi-
ness man,stopped to get some
gas and told the former
banker to put 10 gallons in
the tank as he was going to
a town about fifty miles dis
'tant the banker quickly
asked, Joe, don't you think
you can get along on > gal
Ions? +? ?"
BABES BA5RLE
Gate opinion is this one
by a 6-year-old girl
People are composed of girls
and boys, also men and
women. Boys are no good at
all until they grow up and get
married. Men who don't get
married are no good either.
BOYS are an awful bother.
They want everything they
see except soap. My Mother
is a woman and my Father
is a man. A woman is
grown up girl with children.
MY Father is such nice man
that / think he must have
been a girl when he was a
boy"
CATS!
Every so often the girls
are known to take a bite at
each other. At a bridge party
one nattily attired matron
was heard to say, i am ap-
preaching the age of 40" To
which another equally over
dressed biddy, taking a long
puff at her king sized che
root, purred From which
direction, dolling?"
HOWZAT?
The country's corniest COM
mentator and would-be world
traveller, Haywood Snugg,
says, that as far as he can
see, the commies won't drop
the Atom-bomb on the PEN
tagon building down in Wash
ington. Says Haywood !.
After all, why would they
want to put an end to all
that confusion with fusion 7"