davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1954-05-27
Several Area Servicemen
Believed Unhurt in Explosion

ship. He was graduated from
George Washington University
last June. He called his par
ents last night to tell them he
is well and unhurt.
Aviation Electrician &c Lee
Mattingly. about %, whose sister,
Mrs. Margaret Shorter, lives at
1902 Chapman road, Hyattsville.
His parents live at Newport, Md.
Aviation BoatSwain William
Barney, 26, husband of Mrs.
Frances Barney, who lives with
her mother at 1241 independence
avenue Sc. He is the father of
two boys, one 3 and the other 8
months.
Mckinley High Graduate.
Seaman 1/c Edward Cooke, %,
son of District Fire department
1t. and Mrs. Luther Cooke, of
43O6 Thirteenth place NE. Sea-
man Cooke is a graduate Of Nc
Kinley High School and has been
in the Navy three years.
Seaman 1/c Robert Travers,
%, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Robert
A. Travers, of 2905 South Six
teenth street, Arlington. Sea-
man Travers is a graduate Of
Armstrong High School and has
three years Navy service.
Chief Electricians Mate Har-
ley j. Williams, 38, of 5707 Sixty
third avenue, Riverdale, Md,
Evening star., 1954-05-27

land Railway shops before en-
listing in the Navy when he
was II. He was assigned to the
Bennington nearly three years
ago while on his second tour of
duty. Before that he was on the
carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Airman Station G. Wallace,
formerly Of Arlington, was among
the injured. Relatives said he
joined the Navy following the
death Of his mother. Mrs. Mary
L. Wallace. a year ago. He had
lived with her on Washington
boulevard in the WeStover Sec
ton.
A sister and brother-in-law,
Evening star., 1954-05-27
Thomas Sees Carrier,
Praises Courage
| And Medical Effort
By the Associated Press

Secretary of the Navy Thomas,
returning from a visit to the ex-
plosion-fire damaged aircraft
carrier Bennington, last night
praised the courage of the in
jured and the wonderful organ
lied effort" aboard the ship.
After inspecting the warship at
Quonset Point. r. l., Mr.. Thomas
visited two hospitals and talked
with injured sailors.
"It was wonderful to see them
smile through their bandageS, u
he said.
Flies to Scene at Once.
Mr.. Thomas said he flew to
Quonset Point Immediately after
receiving word of the disaster
one Of the Navy's worst in peace
time history - because he
wanted to see that everything
possible was being DONE"
The Secretary said he wanted
to assure the families of the in
jured men that "they are getting
the finest medical care that can
be had"
He said he found a wonder
fully organized effort" going on,
and that by the time the ship
had docked most of the injured
men already were in hospitals,
having been flown ashore by
Navy and Coast Guard helicop-
ters which went out to meet the
Bennington. .
Mr.. Thomas said chaplains
and doctors had been hurried to
the scene from neighboring in
StallationS and ships.
Mr.. Thomas said he inspected
Evening star., 1954-05-27
craft and helNopters were sum
moned by radio.

craft and helicopters were sum-
moned by radio.
'COpters Evacuated Scores.
The helicopters. operating un-
der the direction Of Admiral
Hoskins, met the carrier 20 miles
from port. AS they did in Korea.
the 'copters proved their mettle.
The big copters-two Navy and
four Coast Guard - evacuated
scores of seriously injured to the
Newport Naval Hospital. They
would pick up injured on the
deck of the carrier, fly to New
port, then return to carry out
additional suffering men. They
continued the operation until the
carrier docked slightly more than
six hours after the disaster
struck.
Many officers were among the
casualties. They included 1t.
d. g. Clyde D. Thomas Of Gauley
Bridge. w. Va, one Of two doc
tors aboard the carrier. The
other, Comdr. Clyde Norman, was
praised by Capt. Raborn for do
ing "a heroic job" in caring for
all the injured.
Evening star., 1954-05-27
Other Naval Disasters
Claimed More Lives
Than Bennington Fire
BY The Assoeiosed Press

Disasters to several other
United States naval ships in re-
cent years have taken higher
death. tolls than the 81 so far
reported in the fire on the car.
rier Bennington.
The greatest loss Of life ever
recorded for an American naval
vessel. not directly caused by
enemy action or combat oper-
ations. was the 318 officers and
men drowned when the destroyer
Spence sank in o typhoon in
the Western Pacific in December.
1914. In that same typhoon two
other destroyers went down, the
Monaghan with 245 men and
the Hull with 202.
One Of the largest death tolls
in a ship disaster was the 264
men who were on board the
U. s. s. Cyclops, a Navy supply
ship which went out into the
Atlantic Ocean in 1918, disap-
peared and has not been heard
Of since.
176 Killed Aboard HObsOn.
A death toll Of 2O4 was re-
corded in February. 1912, when
the Navy vessel Truxton and
Pollux ran aground in a gale.
When the destroyer Hobson sank
in a collision with the carrier
Wasp in the Atlantic in April,
1852, 176 men lost their lives
on board the smaller vessel.
There have been other mari
time accidents with q heavy
loss of life.
On April 27. 1865. the steamer
Sultana, carrying exchanged
Union prisoners Of war, blew up
near Memphis and killed 1,450
men.
World War I Disaster.
During World War I, 431 lives
we're lost when the Otranto. a
British ship carrying United
States troops, sank in a collision
off Scotland.
A World War II collision in
the Atlantic caused the death of
218 men aboard the American
destroyer Ingraham.
Perhaps the greatest number
ever to perish in a single marine
mishap occurred in November,
1948. Six thousand Chinese. in
Guiding government troops, died
when a crowded evacuation ship
sank off Southern Manchuria.
Evening star., 1954-05-27

Casualties
Continued From First Page.)
ceived a telegram last night say
ing he was seriously burned.
A native of Hagerstown. he
worked in the Western Mary.
Evening star., 1954-05-27
British Atomic Chief
To Meet Wilson Here
BY The Assoeiofed Press

LONDON. May 27.-Supply
Minister Duncan Sandys will
visit Washington next month for
high-level talks with Defense
Secretary Wilson, the Churchill
government said yesterday.
It said the talks will cover
mutual problems connected with
weapons research and develop
ment."
Mr.. Sandys, a son-in-law Of
Prime Minister Churchill, is boss
of Britain's atomic weapons pro-
gram.
Evening star., 1954-05-27

Mr.. and Mrs. Phillip D. O'Neill,
live at 1892 North Venice street,
Arlington, Va. He last visited
here May Is. Before Joining the
Navy he worked for the Civil
Service Commission here.
Evening star., 1954-05-27

who will complete 20 years. Navy
service next January. His wife
and two children live at the
Riverdale address.
Seaman Robert David Hughes,
about 26, a native of Mena. Ar
kansas, whose wife lives at Pa
tuxent, Md.
Evening star., 1954-05-27

the carriers damaged compart.
where it was possible to enter,
and found the, explosion was
concentrated on the second or
gun deck forward, in the area
of the officers wardroom.
He said the explosion was "ter-
rife" and added, mo one knows
the reason or exactly where it
had centered."
In answer to a question, Mr..
Thomas said the damage, while
severe. was localized and that
the ship was entirely operational.
There was no damage to planes
either on the flight deck. or
hangar deck.
Evening star., 1954-05-27

Several area men not listed
among the casualties were be-
lieved aboard the aircraft car
rier U. S. S. Bennington when
an explosion and fire raked the
ship yesterday. They include:
Seaman Jerry Glenn Fulton,
10, whose wife lives at 1840 Park
road NV. He is a native of
Mitchell, Nebr., where his par
entS live.
Marine Sergt. Howard E. Car
rier, about "a, whose wife and
5-month-old daughter live with
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Clark
Carrier, 5818 Sherrier place NV.
Ensign Calls Family.
Ensign Fotis Kaousatos, son
of Mr.. and Mrs. Nicholas
KarousatoS of ia TausSig place
NE. a supply officer aboard the
Evening star., 1954-05-27
Carrier
CONTINUED From First Page.

VINO was ABOARD Cue 6eunlQS COu,
his flagship, said he also had
seen the puff Of smoke and
yelled over the speaker to Capt.
Raborn. He said later, when
the Bennington had docked.
there was a heavy smell Of
aviation gasoline.
The four-member Navy Board
of Inquiry which is meeting to-
day to investigate the tragedy Is
headed by Rear Admiral John
M. HoSkins, commandant Of the
Quonset Naval Air Station, who
directed helicopter rescue opera
tions yesterday.
Other members Of the court
are Rear Admiral e. A. Cruise,
commander of Carrier Division 6,
with the Bennington his flag
ship: Capt. j. E. Leepe, COM
mander of Fleet Air Wing 8,
based at Quonset, and Capt. r. J.
zanzot, a Quonset materiel off,
Ger.
Rocked by Explosions.
The 32,OOO-ton Bennington, a
proud bearer of numerous battle
honors in World War II, was
rocked by the disaster early yes
terday while cruising calmly in
the post-dawn sunlight.
A violent blast on the second
or third deck below the fight
deck was followed by soaring
flames which roared through
many forward compartments.
Then came at least one more
explosion.
Scores we're trapped in their
sleeping quarters. Escape for
many was blocked off. Many
suffocated. Many perished in
flames.
The disaster. one of the worst
during peacetime in United
States naval history, was the
second aboard a carrier in New
England waters in less than a
year. Last October, 81 died in
an explosion and fire on the
carrier Leyte while she was
docked in Boston.
No Indication Of Sabotage.
Secretary of the Navy Thomas,
who few to QuonSet yesterday
for quick inspection of the
stricken warship, and Capt.
Raborn said there was no indi-
cation of sabotage.
Capt. Raborn said the cause
Of the explosion is "a mystery
to me-"
"All leads have proved ground
less" he said. There was moth
ing explosive in the area where
the explosions took place."
The best information" he
said, is that the blast occurred
possibly at the f1ve-inch fuse
magazine" He emphasized that
this information had not been
confirmed.
The big carrier was en- route
back to Newport. across Narra-
gansett Bay from QuonSet Point,
on a routine training mission.
Four SquadrOns Aboard.
Aboard were four squadrons
of about 100 men each which
make up Air Task Group 181,
based at the Oceana Naval Air
(: Station near Norfolk, Va. The
squadrons boarded the Benning-
ton last week end for the trip
to QuonSet Point.
The blast shook the Benning-
ton just after the first of the
four SquadronS had been
launched-a common practice
aboard carriers nearing air
bases.
Realizing a serious catastrophe
had occurred. we launched the
rest of the air group to free the
decks for casualty control" Capt.
Raborn said.
The planes, many Of them jets,
took OF for QuonSet as surface
Evening star., 1954-05-27
3 Heaviest Animals

WINNIPEG.-North Americas
three heaviest animals are the
bison. Alaska brown bear and
the moose. A bull buffalo weighs
up to a ton, the bear and moose
up to 1000 pounds.
, 1954-01-22
s.. Croix Busebuif
League Revises Schl.
TO End League jan. IA

The St. Creix Baseball
League at a meeting held at
the Alexander Hamilton Air
port, has revised its schedule
SO as to finish the league
BY February IA and play the
Virgin Islands Series on the
weekend.
This coming weekend, in
accordance to the new sche-
dule the league-leading Com
mandoes will meet the second
place Athletics on Parade
Ground in Christiansted at
$50 pm.
In Frederiksted the third
place Crucians will play the
cellar team, Braves, a double
header, starting at Loo pm.
m#
, 1954-01-22
Workrnun on Hous no
Project Dies On WuY
to Hospital Yesterday

Isiah Edwards, died sudden
" while being rushed to the
yesterday afternoon.
According to Police reports,
Edwards was in the process
of threading a pipe when he
fell unconscious. He was plac-
ed in the car of Alva Mac Far
lane and was being taken to
the hospital when he passed
away. DR.. Karell examined
him at $40 and pronounced
him dead.
Judge Moorhead, coroner &
Director Davis were notified.
The cause of death will pro
baby not be known until an
autopsy has been performed.
, 1954-01-22
istration.
Atty. Fronk Pudillu.
Home to Visit With
Parents: CHS Grud.

Attorney Frank Padilla, B.
A., LIB. graduate of New
York University, arrived here
last Sunday to visit with his
parents, Attorney and Mrs.
R. H. Amphlett Leader of
Frederiksted.
Attorney Padilla, a grad
uate Of the Christiansted High
Class of 40, was adj
mitted to the New York Bar
years ago. He now prac-
tees in New York City
, 1954-01-22
CHS TO Sponsor
Mrs. Lorene Brooks q.
ii a MusicuI Concert

The Christiansted High
School will sponsor a musical
program on February II, in
which the featured att action
will be Mrs. Lorene Brooks,
an outstanding harpist.
Mrs. Brooks, a teacher in
the school, owns one of the
finest harps in the U. S.
and will give the community
an evening Of rare entertain
ment which is. planned as part
Of a program for cultural
growth of the Island.
Mrs. Brooks, incidentally,
owns a splendid Hammond
Organ which she plays expert
".
The names of others who
will participate on the pro-
gram Of that evening and the
place will be announced later.
rIM a
, 1954-01-22
Rouer Baldwin Due
In ST. Tho1nQs ToddY;
Civil Rights Chump

Roger Baldwin, internaticn-
ally known champion Of civil
rights, and one of the nations
leaders Of thought and liberl
ism, is due to arrive in 81
Thomas today.
He will be accompanied b
Mrs. Baldwin.
, 1954-01-22

Cruciun Art Club
Holds First Meeting; |
Plun Art Show Soon
The first meeting Of art
lovers Of st. Croix was held
on Wednesday evening, Jam
uary 20 in the studio Of Att
Henle. The usual organization.
al procedures were waived
and under the temporary
craftsmanship of Cyril Mar
shall the members voted to
have an art show as soon as
possible.
A Hanging Committee un-
der the craftsmanship of Att
Henle, with Faith Presby,
Anita Dickinson, Tom King &
Cyril Marshall as members
will meet on Tuesday, jan
uary 26 to select and hang a
show from over 80 promised
works of art of members pre-
sent at the first meeting. The
exhibition will be held in the
near future in the Att Henle
Studio. The exact date will be
announced soon.
The club has no strict rules
which rule out membership
for non-artists. 1t was formed
to foster a fellowship between
those who feel that life with
out some form of self express
sion Woil1 be dull indeed.
Anyone interested in sketch
ing, painting, sculpture, hob
b.es, musical expression or
with just a liking for art is
eligible to join
The group has expressed
the hope that more people.
will be encouraged to join
when they see the coming
show. With a larger member
ship it will be possible to get
properly organized and to-
form committees to carry out
the aims Of the club.
A few ideas put forth by
members include Club spon-
sored sketch classes, discus
sions on art and techniques,
promotion of latent talent in
children, musical and social
evenings open to the public,
and the promotion Of a series
of exhibitions devoted to Art,
Photography, Hobbies, Crafts,
, 1954-01-22
Fourteen Donkeys
Entered in JonkeY
Race Meet Feb. 22nd

Fourteen donkeys have been
entered for the Jonkey Club
Race Meet on February 22nd
according To- the chairman eff
the entries committee Will
liam Shaw, Jr., who urges
everyone with donkeys to
make their entries at once.
Blanks can be secured at eth.
er Merril's Drug Store in
Christiansted or Alexander.
Moohead in Frederiksted. It is
very important that entries
be made now in order that the
committee can make the ne
cessary arrangements to pick
up the donkeys and their own
ers and get them. to the Ball
Park grounds in Christian
sted, and so that the programs
can be printed on time
Every contestant who brings
a donkey to the Races will re-
ceive $1.O0 regardless Of whe-
ther he wins any of the prize
money being offered this year
for the five races and will be
eligible for the $170 in cash
awards. Loading places will
be announced later. All the in
formation necessary on entry
blanks is the name Of the dom
key and the name of the own
er who enters a donkey.
To add further color to the
faces this year, the Drum and
Rugle Corps will march on to
the grounds and play during
the races while each of the
events will be hera1ded by a
bugle fanfare.
The entries received so far
are Henry. James Crush EN-
Gooba";; James Watley's"Root
Of All Evil'; Walter Laycock's
"Tintolet";; Weber Wilson's
"Skibado White; Melbourne
Petersen's "Ladybird'; Ray
mond James "Dande1ion"
Young Laurie's "Hot Pepper;
Wilmot Horsford's Sailor
Boy; Paul Horsford's Betty
Lou; Juan San Kits "Rapi-
de-; Antonio San Kits Jim"
Dick Richards "Northside"
Clement Doward's lack Rab-
bit" and J. S. Colby's "Cane
Bray"
, 1954-01-22
Leroy A. Quinn, Inc.
Tax Chief Gets MIA
Degree fro n. Y. U.

Leroy A Quinn, Chief of the
Income Tax Division and De
putty Collector of Internal Re
venue in ST. Croix, received
his "sheepskin" recently show
ing that he holds a Master of
Business Administration De
gree from New York Univer-
sity.
Mr.. Quinn studied for one
year On a scholarship award
by the Foresight Foundation.
formerly held a BA de-
gree in accounting and COM
mercial law from NYU His
speciality IS in the field of fl
nance and income tax admin
istration,
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
Canada May Ask For Corridors
 To The Sea Through SEE. Alaska
 As Aid In Fabulous Developments
By GRAHAM McMULLIN Canadian Press Staff Writer

VANCOUVER, B.C., R - The keys to the strong box holding un- told wealth in northern British Columbia may be in the hands of the United States.
 Canada may ask the US. for corridors to open new gateways to the sea through the Alaska Panhandle.
 The corridors would open the way for the development of a fabulous treasure land of min erals, power, and timber areas.
 Canadian industrial and mining interests are behind the proposals not for one corridor but for sev- eral to provide access to deepsea ports on the Pacific.
 The plan has been discussed in Ottawa and Washington.
 Gov. Heintzleman of Alaska is interested. He will make recom- mendations when he attends conference in Washington later this month.
 For the territory, Frobisher, Ltd, an exploration and develop ment company with world wide chemical and metallurgical inter ests, has suggested a scheme that would rewrite the northland pages in geography books.
 It involves moving three towns, rerouting the Alaska Highway, and re-routing the White Pass Pukon Railway.
 A suggestion. that the course of a major river be changed was sidetracked by the federal gov ernment.
 The plan, with an estimated worth of more than a billion dol lars, would lay the base for the worlds largest chemical and met allurgical industry.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
Former Governor Of Hawaii Opposes Statehood Now

WASHINGTON, LR - Former Gov. Ingram H. Stainback of Ha- waii testified Friday he believes the admission of Hawaii to state hood now would endanger nation al security.
 Stainback, who supported state hood in 1850, advocated a com monwealth status for Hawaii, sim liar to the government of Puerto Rico, and eventual statehood after, he said, the danger of Com munist control of the territory has been eliminated.
 The former governor, now a federal appointee as a member of the Hawaii Territorial Supreme Court, testified before the Senate Interior Committee that he reach ed his conclusion in opposition to statehood at this time reluctant ly."
 Stainback said Communist lead CTS of the International Long shoremen's and Warehousemen's s Union are exerting greater politi- cal power than ever before in Hawaii.
 He said that by controlling 30 per cent of the labor vote in Ha- waii, the ILWU leadership is able to defeat any political candidate.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
University of Alaska To Operate Naval Research Laboratory at Pit. Barrow

FAIRBANKS, R - Dr. Ernest Patty, president of the University of Alaska, announced Thursday that the University has been granted a contract for the opera ton of the Naval Research Lab oratory at Pt. Barrow.
 Dr. Patty said that Ted c. Mat thews has been appointed director. Matthews was chief engineer and assistant project manager for Arc tic Contractors, the firm which conducted oil exploration for the Navy at Pt. Barrow from 1946 to 1852.
 The Navy has closed down it's exploration work in the Barrow oil reserve.
 Dr. Patty said the contract is another step forward in the Uni versity's effort to become a center for Arctic research. Johns Hop kins University has been operat- ing the project but its contract expired Jan. 1.
 The University will operate the research center and cooperate with scientific teams from other universities and scientific organ izations which do research there.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
ARCTIC EXERCISE BY ARMY AND AIR FORCE WILL BE HELD FEB. I5-28

WASHINGTON, R - The De- fense Department said Thursday night exercise North Star, a joint Army-Air Force Arctic maneuver, will be held in Alaska Feb. 15-20.
 The purpose of the exercise will be to test Alaskan air and ground defense and to provide Arctic training for certain Army and Air Force units stationed in the continental United States, the de- partment said.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
Territory Collects Taxes In 1853 Amounting To Record $15,63O,O71.98

JUNEAU, R--Tax Commission CT Karl F. Dewey said Thursday the Territory of Alaska collected a record $15,63O,O71.9S in 1853, up $4O3,953.05 over 1952's previous high.
 The record was set with the help of sizable increases in rev. enue from the, First and Third Divisions and despite drops shown by the Second and Fourth.
 Collections by judicial divi- sionS:
 First-$4,374,298, up $221,337.
 Second-$231,316, down $35,259
 Third-$8,1O5,171, up $291,895.
 Fourth-$2,919,285, down $74,- O2O.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
Canadians Discover Vast Oil Field Prospects Only 800 Miles From North Pole

OTTAWA, LR mn Canadian gov- ernment geologists have made a discovery only 800 miles from the North Pole which some day may surpass the oil wealth of Saudi Arabia and Texas.
 The discovery comprises "salt domes" far north of the Arctic Circle in a 10000 square mile area of the Arctic Archipelago. Under the treeless stretch of tun- dra may lie one of the biggest oil reservoirs of oil in the world.
 Officials here are excited about the find, made last summer after some peculiar rock formations showed on aerial photographs taken by the Royal Canadian Air Force.
 The domes are similar to those, which led to discovery of oil fields in Texas and Louisiana.
 No claims have yet been staked in the area.
 And there isn't likely to be any stampede. The area is almost in accessible.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08
Unofficial Reports Say Alaska Public Works
 Trimmed to s Million

JUNEAU, R-Unofficia1 reports have been received here of pos sible new cuts in the proposed 1854 Alaska Public Works pro- gram.
 An unofficial source says the APW program was reported cut to 715 million dollars several weeks ago and now has been trim med to million. No final deter imitation will be made until Con- gress receives the budget and acts on it.
 There were reports of planned attempts to get it restored to 28 million.
 Applications for APW matching funds have been made for schools or municipal utilities in Juneau, Douglas, Anchorage, Haines, Rake Skagway, Nome and the Univer- sity of Alaska.
The Nome nugget., 1954-01-08

JUNEAU, R - A dock project at the fishing village of Angoon is slated to be the second on the list of jobs for the aid of hard-hit southeastern Alaska fishermen.
 Irving Reed, territorial highway engineer, said work would begin as soon as easements and permits to meet Alaska Public Works re- quirements are approved.
 The first project was at Rake. The cost of each is limited to $25,OOO.