Evening star., 1951-02-02
Atomic
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ATOMIC
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the setting sun, about two min
utes after the fash, a series of
explosions could be heard. echo
ing back and forth in the noun
tains."
Smoke Column Rises.
The range is circled on three
sides by mountains.
"A column of smoke extended
into the air after the explosion,
Mr.. Matosian continued. 1T
gradually formed into a cloud
a sort Of dirty brown"
Some informed sources said the
cloud was dust accompanying the
detonation. 1t drifted toward Las
Vegas. but two hours after the
blast had dispersed at an altitude
of about 1000 feet. Citizens
showed no particular concern over
whether it might be radioactive,
but an Acc spokesman put out
the following statement:
with specific reference to this
mornings test detonation, reports
received from our field survey pa
trolls have shown no indication of
any Pathological hazard.
Air Traffic Resumed.
with reference to all test de-
donations since the first on Janu-
ary q through this mornings, we
are able to say that no levels of
radiation have been found any
where which could conceivably
produce any damage to humans, to
animals or to water supply"
An Air Force base and a COM
mercial airport here announced
they were resuming routine air
traffic shortly after 8 am. (PST).
1t took the conclusion six min
tues to reach here.
The flash was timed at 5:45 am.
(PST). 1t was visible in a pale
orange flash as far distant as Los
Angeles, about 800 miles away,
and the San Francisco-Oakland
area 425 airlines miles from Las
Vegas.
Since Saturday, the Government
has been testing atomic weapons
of undisclosed nature at the new
5000 square mile range on the
desert.
The test have been made in
pairs: A fairly light explosion Sat
fairly light one yesterday, a heavy
one today.
All have occurred at about the
same hour, just before dawn.
Presumably the test was wit
messed by some of the Nations
highest civilian atomic and mill
tary authorities.
In town yesterday were Gordon
Dean. chairman of the Atomic
Energy Commission; DR.. William
Webster, head of the Research
and Development Board of the
Defense Department.; Senator
Anderson, Democrat, of New Mex
leo, a member of the Joint Con-
gressional Atomic Energy Com
mission; Brig. Gen. A. R. Ludecke
and Rear Admiral C. F. Coe,
among others.
Several Las Vegans were con-
vinced that it was the strongest
jolt of the four.
/ Cashier 10 O'Donnell at one of
the big gambling clubs said, ut
shook hell out of the building"
There was a binding white
flash of light that got deeper
orange and finally faded away"
was the way she described the
sight.
After the flash, everybody was
set for the jolt and. a policeman
said: Here it comes.'"
Games Stopped for Moment.
About IS players in the club
stopped their games for a minute
or two and then resumed. This
was in contrast to previous tests,
when the wheels went right on
Spinning in this town of quick
divorce and many gaming tables.
Night Clerk Fred Worthen at
the four story Sal Sagev Hotel
said: 1T shook the whole build
ing and blew in the swinging
doors" Many occupants of the
hotel were awakened.
This is the 18th atomic explo-
sion since the first went off in
the New Mexican desert in mid
July, 1945. Two were dropped on
Japan. five others were exploded
in Pacific Island tests, the Rus
slams set off one and four have
been detonated here.
There has been speculation
without Acc confirmation that
the Nevada blasts are experiments
in using atomic explosives in such
weapons as guided missiles or
shells with atomic warheads.