davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
BY RICHARD RODGERS

The Potomac Rivers outsized
bank deposits are audited auto
matically and all the time
When the old cut-up spills hel
banks, her cashier so notes in
neat red ink. on a graph.
Since 1888, the streams every
binge has been recorded by the
faithful chronologer. It is called
the Letter Gauge. Over the year.
residents hereaboutS have come
to regard it as an invention Of
lone Letter, or as a thing that
letters, as q verb. They are
wrong.
The gauge in question is So
called because 1t is on the OLD
Letter estate. The site is on the
Virginia side of the river. OPP
poSite Glen Echo Park. It is &C.
cessible to mountain goats, ii
they are robust.
|
the Weather Bureaus River
Services Section here has a
shortage of hill-climbing goats
But 1t long ago devised a way OF
talking to the Potomac by tele-
lphone. AS insurance it also has
Edwin Lucas. PISS Seventy-third
place, Kent Village, Md, q me-
neurological aide.
Knows Footholds
Mr.. Lucas is maintenance man
flor the Letter. His duties have
endowed him with strong legs,
hale lungs and acquaintance
with the monstrous terrain
around the Letter Gauge. He
knows the footholds so well on
the path to it. he traverses it
without heart attacks.
Yesterday he guided two inno-
cents from The Star to the Lei
ter. They may forgive him.
The Weather Bureau has
many observation points in the
Potomac's basin. The one on the
old Letter estate aims specifically
at measuring the rivers stages
upstream from tidal influence.
Above ground it rears maybe
40 feet. Visitors enter its top
side by overcoming a catwalk a
cat wouldn't walk. the entrance
flush at ground level and the
exit a skull fracture higher.
Except for Mr.. Lucas. the Lei
ter Gauge lures few. 1t need
not. Those DESTROYS Of picking
Its brains need merely dial its
telephone number and it tells
them how the Potomac is level
ling.
Buzzer Tells
The ordinary citizen can't, be-
cause the Weather Bureau
thought ahead to when party
guests might want to give a pal
a joke message to call Letters
number.
When a man does call, Letter
merely buzzes. 1t answers the
phone by itself out there.
MIR. Lucas explained something
about contacts" between metal
switches.
Mr.. Lucas said the buzzes are
spaced so an auditor with a
Istopwatch can time them and
determine the rivers stages.
Buzzes are scheduled SO inter-
walls between mean another two
feet Of water there, he said
Letter buzzes every 80 seconds
when she. he or 1t talks to q
phone.
(The gauge at the foot Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
Stanley Gives
Budget Job 10.
Fiscal Critic
Stirs Speculotion
In Appointment
OF Young Turk

RICHMOND, Va. Aug. Rh-
There was political speculation
today over just what Gov. STAN
ley had in mind when he ar.
pointed Delegate Roy p. Say.
age. jr.. Of Norfolk to the ads
yisory board on the budget.
Mr.. Savage. one Of the 90,
called young Turks who rebeiled
against the administration's ~
cal views in the 1854 legislative
session. was one Of four new
members named to the board
yesterday. The others were,
State Senator Thomas II.
Bianton Of Bowling Green, sue
ceeding Senator Robert o. Nor
lris, jrssof Lancaster.
Delegate Vernon @. Smith Of
Grundy. succeeding State Sena-
ter Landon r. Wyatt Of Dap-.'
vile.
Delegate w. Roy Smith Of Pc
itersburg, succeeding Delegate
Edmund T. Dejarnette Of Han.
over. " q
Bows to Democrats
There was no comment from
the Governor concerning Mr..
Savage's appointment. but the
enlargement of the 10-mAn
board to include young Turk
could be construed as q gesture
of Cancellation toward the Demo-
Icratic faction which wrested
control of the House Of Delegates
from the old line organization
leadership on crucial votes dur.
ling the 1854 session.
Mr.. Savage, now in his fresh
man term as q House member
land a Democratic nominee for
reelection, is one Of two new
appointees who are not members
Iof key legislative committees on
fiscal policy.
The other is Vernon Smith
whose appointment gives the 9th
Congressional district representa-
ton on the board. It also adds:a
man who strongly opposed the
lright-to-work bill recommended
by the Governor at the last legis.
lative session.
Stephens Reappointed
Reappointed from the group
which advised former Gov. Bat
tile during his final budget prep
arations two years ago were:
| 1t. Gov. A. E. s. Stephens Of
Smithfield and Senators j.. D.
Hagood of Glover and Garland
Gray of Waverly along with
Speaker OF the House e. Black
burn Moore of Berryville and
Delegates Howard H. Adams OF
IEastville, Charles K. Hutchens Of
Newport News and W., Tayloe
Murphy of Warsaw.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
Women Is 2lst Case
OF Polio in D. c. in IS

The Districts 2lst case Of polio
this year was reported yesterday
by the District Health Depart
ment.
The case was that of a %
year -old colored woman living
in the $500 block of Blaine street
NE. who became Ill August 8
and was admitted to District
General Hospital last Saturday
Her case was diagnosed as non
paralytic. There had been %
cases at this time last year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
2 Projects to Complete
Rock Creek Park Series

With another phase OF its
$685. 900 Rock Greek Park road
program nearing
completion, National Capital
Parks Is set TO proceed with the
nth and sixth projects.
The parks Office has spent
more than s250. 900 on four sep
|arate road and bridge projects
In the park since its current pro-
gram began five years ago. The
remaining two undertakings will
cost an estimated $4,000.
Scheduled to start in October
lis the modernization Of that sec
ton Of Beach drive between
Broad Branch road and Military
road. This Is distance OF 1.6
miles. It will cost about $40 900
to resurface the road and install
Icurbs and guttering and drainage
outlets-the same kind Of i'm
provement that is the aim Of the
whole building program.
Requires Recruiting
While construction Is in prog
ress. this segment Of Beach drive
will be, closed to traffic. Vehicles
viii be routed over Ross drive
and Glover road. a
BY early spring, Mop win begin
work on q replacement for the
ancient timber bridge over Rock
Creek beside Milk House Ford.
This is about half a mile north
Of the Military road intersection
with Beach drive. The concrete
and stone structure is expected
to cost about $170, 900. Traffic
will not be interrupted since the
new bridge is to be alongside the
existing bridge which will remain
in service during the construc-
ton period.
/ Completed or nearing compile
ton are these projects. all in
volving Beach drive:
/. The half-mile stretch be-
tween the Porter street. Klingle
road interchange and Tilden
street; finished four years ago
at a cost Of $4,000.
Military Road Raised
2. Between Tilden street-ParkI
road and Blagden avenue; one
half mile; cost, $4,000; COM
pieted last month, including al
big off-street parking area near
Park road.
8. A $4,000 culvert at the Mill
tary road intersection to accom-
modate the flaSh-flood waters Of
that normally dry gulch that
parallels Military road down the
east slope of the park. In the
process of building this stone
faced concrete structure, the
park people also raised Military
road four feet at the east ap-!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
Letter Gauge Keeps Tob
On Potomac Flood Stoqe

Wisconsin avenue speaks more
clearly. It has syllables. A
person phoning 1t hears four
different series of buzzes. The
first-seldom used-gives the
tens. The second gives the
units. Then comes a silent
period, the decimal point. The
next noises denote the break
down OF the fraction. followed
by a buzz or buzzes complet-
ing the transaction.)
Record In 1896
Letters record water leveI
was In 1886.
The Potomac rose 28.1 fee
above zero gauge level then.
Tomorrow's rise will be IN
fiated by Maryland and Penn
sylvania tributaries nurturing
the Potomac. If IL reaches ex-
pectations, it will be the rivers
top mark since 1912, when the
Potomac hit 26.9 feet.
Letter is zeroed in at a point
the Weather Bureau picked ar
bitrarily as the lowest the Po-
tomac would ever reach. The
bureaus meteorologists didn't
happen to have that river depth
available. But they knew it was
a point a bit above SO feet
above mean sea level. Does
this tell you anything?
The station rises over its river
to a point the weathermen con-
fidently believe the river never
can reach.
Calm When Measured
AT its lower reaches, its cellar
has pipes extending IS to A
feet offshore into the Potomac s
channel.
The pipes carry the Potomac
into Letters basement. Free
from surface turbulence, her
conniption fits are measured &C
curately there.
High overhead. at the end OF
that's catwalk. are the graphs
cables. Alexander Graham Bell
who-dunits and other gear.
All of it depends upon the
hollow copper floats which mes
tie on the bosom of the Potomac
safe from the rivers ups and
downs. They are in the bottom
Of Letters siio.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19

~ uCIG ID SOlueEIlllE you Chk
cope with about a flooded base
ment. but Storm Diane proved
herself a household pest In othel
departments. too.
| While Diane flooded plenty oil
Easements. she also launched
sneak attacks through the very
walls of buildings. Predecessor
storms have done the same, but
not on DANES scale.
/ Picture q little brick home OF
10 massive apartment house ir
the heart of downtown. Snug ano
ldry, Ell?
Diane had different ideas.
| With big winds, she drove the
rain almost horizontally against
the sides of dwellings.
Brick is absorbent. So is the
cinder-block just beneath. ano
the thin coating of plaster just
inside that. Pounding sidewise
rain, plus sorbent walls
Iequalled one terribly wet mess ir
many mans castle in the two
days of her reign.
Floors Buckle
Names and addresses Of ha.
victims, aren't available through
any particular agency but every
one knows the ravages Of wet
weather.
Wallpaper and plaster were
stained with watery drippings
Some floors b ckled. Mildew
formed on objects in storage
Easements. Doors and window
sashes swelled as moisture i'm
lpregnated their wooden grams.
One home-owIier. about to
leave on his long-awaited vaca-
ton, decided he would wait
awhile longer. The rain hao
warped his front door so that
The couldn't close 1t.
Another inhabitant frantically
reported as follows to his favor
lite home repair company: "Get
right out. the water is leaking
in all over"
True enough. Water was
coming in through the cellar
floor, the roof and at least two
walls.
Dehumidif1ers have been sold
out. store managers here re-
ported today. I'VE haven't had
one for nearly a week." one re-
taller said. Its like that all
over town. The storms did 1t"
Merchandisers reported they
could not tell when more Of the
machines will reach here.
The G. M. McKibbin roofing
Arm, like the rest Of the roofers
here. reported up to 400 calls
for leak stoppages during the
big-rain reign of Diane.
Ralph Wine, one Of McKibbin's
lrepairmen, was struck by one
emergency measure taken by q
home owner. This mans root
was leaking so bad" said Mr.
Wine, that he took q funnel,
dropped it up against the leak
with q plank, stuck a hose into
the funnel and ran 1t out the
window. The leak was that
bad"
Different Construction
Apartment house manage
ments were reluctant about ad-
Uniting wall seepages or adverse
effects Of any sort. Repair firms,
however. reported q general
dankness-even q degree OF
waterflow-inside a number OF
these structures.
Faulty construction was blamed
for some of the trouble. In the
old days. buildings were built Of
several courses Of brick-not Gin
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19

IMPROVING THE PARK
These are the major inn
provements that have been
or are about to be under
taken in Rock Creek Park.
Numerically, they are ID site
of bridge to be started soon,
(2l Beach drive revamping
nearly finished, 80 culvert
construction almost COM
pleted, a. Beach drive re-
construction to begin in
October, 90 and 90 two
other sections Of Beach
drive improved in the last
four years.--Star Stan Map.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
D. {. Drafts Bill
To Eansfer ;
Court Functions
Moy'AIso Shift
Marriage Licenses
To Municipal Unit

Legislation TO transfer three
functions Of the United States
District Court for the District Of
Columbia to the local. District
government was ordered drafted
yesterday by the Commissioners.
Three other proposals for SIM
liar transfers were ordered given
further study, while q seventh
transfer was turned down by the
city heads.
The Commissioners told Cor
poration Counsel Vernon e.
West to draft legislation to end
the District Courts obligation to
keep records on the licensing Of
optometrists. The job presum-
ably will be done in the future
by the city's Department Of Oc-
equations and Professions.
Shift on Trade Names
Similarly, legislation was Or
dered relieving the District
Court Of keeping records on
trade names and trademarks, a
function expected to be trans
|ferred to the Recorder of Deeds.
Also. records Of limited part
nerships. now kept in District
Court. would be shifted to the
District-probably the Recorder
Of Deeds-under legislation or
dered by the Commissioners.
The city heads indicated APP
prevail Of d suggestion. orig
|inally made by Chief Judge
Bolitha ]. Laws Of District
Court, that the District Courts
jurisdiction over marriage
licenses here be transferred to
Municipal Court. They Or
dered, however, that Chief
Judge Leonard p, Walsh of Mu-
nicipal Court be consulted to
make sure he agrees. before any
legislation is drafted.
Another Shift Studied
Further study was ordered on
a proposal to SHIFT from District
Court to the Commissioners the
job OF approving bond and keep
ling records on notaries public.
Part of this record keeping is
duplicated by the secretary to
the Board of Commissioners.
The Commissioners told their
management Office to check with
District law associations to see
whether there would be any OBJ
lection or inconvenience If public
notices Of mechanics and hospi-
tai liens were kept by the Com
missioners instead Of by District
Court.
They turned down a recon-
|mendation that records of United
States tax liens and District OF
Columbia tax liens be shifted
from District Court to the Com
miSsioners on the theory thai
these documents are court judg-
lments and are peeded in lawsuits
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-19
Fuir at ForestviIIe

The Forestville (Md.) Volun-
teer Fire Department Auxiliary
will hold a country fair at 4
pm at the firehouse.
, 1955-05-21
CALL o BIDS

Sealed bids in Septuple will
will be received at the Dept.
of Insular Affairs, Division of
Procurement & Supply, St.
Croix, Virgin Islands, until
800 PM, Friday May y, 1865,
and then publicly opened for
the equipments listed below.
4 Pickup Trucks, " ton
Copies Of Invitation to bid
may be obtained from the
Dept. of Insular Affairs, Divi-
sion Of Procurement & Sup
ply, St. Croix, Virgin Islands,
upon request.
, 1955-05-21
FURNISHED HOUSE

for rent, at Princesse Stock
Estate with six acres of land
and abundant water supply.
Available: July 1st
, 1955-05-21

WHEREAS, Relph de Chabert, a native q p. Cro1 aW
ing his lifetime rendered many years of public service as al
effective member of the Colonial Council and Labor Leader
served. for eighteen years as a member Of the Homestead
Commission; and served from 1886 until his retirement il
1850 as Tax Assessor and Recorder of Deeds for St. Croixand
WHEREAS, His death IS greatly denounced by the PEG
pie of the Virgin Islands, particularly of St. Croix:
NOW THEREFORE, E IT RESOLVED, and it is hereby
resolved, by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in session
assembled; that:
() The Legislature Of the Virgin Islands. on behalf
Of the People of the Virgin Islands, hereby ex-
presses deep appreciation for the many years of
public service rendered by Ralph de Chabert;
() The Legislature, on behalf of the People Of the
Virgin Islands, hereby extends sirlcere rondoL-
enee and sympathy to his bereaved family;
AND, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, and it is hereby
further resolved, that a copy Of this Resolution properly
printed an dframed be forwarded to the widow of Ralph dc
Chabert.
, 1955-05-21

ON OUR PANORAMIC SCREEN
with Spanish Sub titles
Revenge Of the Creature
Starring
John Agar, Lori Nelson, John
Bromfield, Nestor Paiva
goth Century Fox up-to-the-mln-
ute News and Short Feature.
in Sd "A comedy Pardon MY
Backfire" starring the 3 Stooges
S p a Y
at 500 and $50 pm.
Regular Admission
HELL'S HALF ACRE
starring
Wendell Corey : Evelyn Keyes :
Elsa Manchester
Latest Universal News lst edition
at $50 pm.
, 1955-05-21
RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation. on Behalf of the People of
VIRGIN Islands for the Public Services Rendered Ralph
Chabert During his lifetime
, 1955-05-21
BILL No. 27
H FIRST LEGISLATURE OF HI VIRGIN ISLANDS
f THE UNITED STATE
Regular Session 1855

To Recognize the Accumulated Sick Leave Of Federal
Employees Recently Transferred TO the Government of the
Virgin Islands by Virtue of the Provisions of the Organic
Act of the Virgin Islands. approved July %. 1854.
Continued on page 3
, 1955-05-21
10 r N /
BILL NO. 81

BILL No. "a
THE FIRST LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANI
OF THE UNITED STATES
Regular Session 1855
Evening star., 1955-07-27

win introduce the show with Q
one-minute film clip.
= = y
Walt Disney's TV success has
jumped the sale of Disney comic
books to A million for the first
six months of this year. For the
same period, z million Davy
Crockett comic books were snap
ped up by his doting small-fry
fans.
George Burns and Oracle Allen
refuse to celebrate their 25th
wedding anniversary-two OF
their friends split up after their
25th anniversary and they are
taking no chances, they say.
Dolores Gray plays the intrepid
news hen. Nellie Bly,, in her next
Metro movie. Nellie journeyed
around the world in I've forgot
ten how many days, but it was
fast for that time. Having Just
completed "Kismet" at Metro,
Dolores flies to Monte Carlo for
a giant Red Cross gala on July
20, makes a p. A. there. returns
to Hollywood to close her house
(the old Jack Webb home). board
her seven poodles and one monk
ey, pick up her mother and take
of for Europe again on a vaca-
ton.
Harold Lloyd is having a baby
goat shipped to his home in
Hollywood all the way from
France. and will use 1t as q house
Evening star., 1955-07-27

who comes into an agents oftice
raises his arms, flaps them and
goes up In the air In flisht.
Nav" says the agent. we're
overloaded with these do-it-
yourself acts"
= = + Il
At the Laurels Country Club a
model was telling why she quit
work for one Of the grille maga-
zines. They wanted her to pose
with a bathing suit.
whats wrong with that?'
she was asked.
Holding it in my hand" she
explained.
The press agent for Guy Lom-
bardo's Arabian Nights" at
Jones Beach not only tolls to
publicize the name of the show
but also a line of packaged
meats he handles. Thus the pro-
gram bears the note: "All delica-
lessen supplied by Barnet Bro
die" A friend laughed at him
the other day and demanded how
salami was used in the stage
show or the big water spectacle
with its mechanical whale.
"What do you think the whale
eats?" the express agent de-
manded Indignantly.
Evening star., 1955-07-27
Dovy viii Be Dead

It was Comedy Week for the
lids. First. two nine-year-olds
were watching the free show at
the Shorehaven Beach Club in
the Bronx and one Of them kept
snifning. A woman nearby fin
ally advised him. in some irrita-
tion. to blow his nose. The kid
paid no attention. just kept
snif1iing.
..Ya better do what she says" /"
his pal advised. after all, she
amt your mother"
And Chuck Barnet, a veteran
contributor, has been promising
his kid a Davy Crockett hat.
Chuck keeps goofing.
by the time you get me that
hat" his kid complained the
other night, "Davy Crockett will
be dead"
Licia Albanese reports a young
friend Of hers who had to write a
letter OF apology to a sclloolmate
for forgetting the schoolmate's
birthday.
II have no excuse for forget
ting" she wrote, "and it would
serve me right II you forgot my
birthday next Wednesday"
y 4 II +
Elise Rhodes, the singer,
comes forward with the fellow at
his psychiatrist telling about
his good fortune. No matter
what he touched in the market
he doubled his money.
II don't understand your prob
lem," says he doc.
"My problen says the fell
low, sis how should I kill my
self If the market turnbles?"
n 4 n X
Our two boppers are walking
down Broadway and they come
upon q group Of strollers wear
ing Bermuda shorts.
''Man," says one. "dig that
crazy Our Gang Comedy"
Evening star., 1955-07-27
Films of More Than Routine Merit

"THE COUNTRY GIRL"-Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby in
moving drama Of backstage life.
DADDY LEGSesle and Fred Astaire decorate
the familiar fable.
"DAvY CROCKETTthe Walt Disney version with Fess Park
er, now wdescreen and in color.
"THE DETECTVE"-Alec Guinness frolcs as ChestertOns
famed fictional sleuth, Father Brown
"DRAGNET"-Jack Webbs Sergt Friday tackles feature
length movie crime
"THE LITTLE KIDNAPERS"-hearw warming chidrens tale
you shouldn't miss.
"THE LONG, GRAY LINE"-Tyrone Power as Sergt Marty
Maher at West Point, with Maureen OHara
"THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER NHTTY"-Danny Kaye has
a happy time with Thurbers famed dreamer.
Evening star., 1955-07-27
An IdyII Of Childhood
Now at the Dupont
BY JAY CARMODY

If your life is lacking a lyric
uuality-as whose is not-take
it around to the Dupont theater
for a complete overhaul.
There's a picture there, 'The
Great Adventure" which gives
one no choice but to fall in love
with it. 1t is as simple as springs
first warm sunshine and quite
as filled with wonder. For being
this, it won prize at the Cannes
festival, a decision that for once
leaves no ground for controversy.
Arne Sucksdorff, a Swedish
film producer with a habit of
winning prizes, is the poetic
genius behind "The Great Ad-
venture"
What he does this time is to
tell the story Of being a 10-year-
old boy on a farm in Sweden and
no one who has ever been a 10
year-old Of either sex can escape
its spell. His theme is nature,
human and otherwise, and 1t Is
treated without archness, even to
the point Of being photographed
in unpretentious black and white.
The days Of a boy, 'The Great
Adventure" reminds one, are the
really full ones in a lifetime
and what they are filled with is
magic. The Sucksdorff view of
this Is completely candid. 1t
sees nature as both good and
evil, and in both guises as
fascinating.
The story the Dupont film tells
Evening star., 1955-07-27
MIDTOWN NEW YORK
By ROBERT SYLVESTER

Heard about the three sailors
on a raft in mid-ocean with four
cigarets but no matches? So
they throw the fourth cigaret
overheard to make the raft a
cigaret lighter.
The Lewyt Corporation the
vacuum cleaner company which
started q Museum Of Household
Cleaning Implements as a pub
licity gimmick, offers to ex-
change a new vacuum machine
for any ancient cleaning tool
accepted. So far the inspec-
tors have refused to "ly shoe"
made Of strips Of newspaper.
claimed to be SIS years old but
with the newspaper bearing
modern dates, a tree twig which
"a guy claimed was used by Eve
to sweep out Adams cave, and
a bottle of water which George
Washington purportedly used to
wash his face.
4 n r \
The ushers at the Cherry Lane
Theatre, in Greenwich Village,
have been picking up some
varied reactions from patrons
at Mornings at Seven," the
comedy there now. In the play
a husband decides, after so years
Of marriage, that he and his wife
should live on separate floors.
A woman with her husband
was heard to advise: "Now, don't
you start getting any IDEAS" A
man alone hollered: "Atta boy.
Let her have It'll" A young gal
soulfully asked her escort: "An
marriages don't turn out that
way, do they?" and another guy
all alone was heard to mutter:
"Why did the boob wait so
long?"
Il X n 4
Harry Toffel, Of the Balmoral
Hotel, reports the entertainer