Oldest Newspaper In Alaska. ‘The News of the Day In Pictures” Member of The Associated Press.
DEVOTED TO THE BUILDING OF A BETTER NOME AND THE SECOND DIV ISION
NOME IS THE STRATEGIC WORLD FLIGHT AIR BASE—ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY ' VIATION
THE NOM2 DAILY NUGGET
VOL. 38 No. 64 NOME, ALASKA, FRIDAY MARCH 19 1937 Per Copy 15cts
“COME DOWN-& BRING YOUR DOG TEAM”
Worst School Disaster in History of United States
670 SCHOOL CHILDREN
ESTIMATED KILLED
BY EXPLOSION
i
(By The Associated Pre«'
NEW LONDON, Texas, March
19— Principal Troy Duran of the
New London high school, the
scene of yesterday’s terrific blast,
estimated today that six hundred
and seventy students and teachers
were killed.
He said three hundred bodies
were recovered at dusk yester
day. A low rumble preceded the
mysterious blast which lifted the
roof from the building and sent
the walls shattering outward, trap
ping 740 children and teachers.
The blast occurred a scant ten
minutes before school was to
have been dismissed for the day.
The grade school, a hundred
feet from the high school, was
only slightly damaged.
The Red Cross is rushing aid
to the small oil-producing com
munity. "
New London. March 19—Hor
ror in the nation’s worst school
disaster in ,h story, mounted to
day as the tangled wreckage of
the New London consolidated
school yielded scores of crushed
bodies. The knwn dead has reach
ed several hundred.
Walter Elliott, Texas highway
patrol captain reported at the
Austin headquarters that 500 bod
ies including those of seventeen
teachers, had been taken from
the explosion-torn, luxurious
school which was built by the oil
wealth of the vast east Texas
fields, which was wrecked yester
day by a mysterious blast.
The explosion is believed to
have been caused by seeping gas
from those same fields.
Some authorities estimated the
ultimate death toll would range
above six hundred.
Elliott added that order had
been restored to the stricken com
munity where Governor Allred
had declared martial law last
night after inrushing sightseers
and rescue workers mingled with
frenzied parents, bringing about
chaotic conditons.
Elliott said “the work of ex
amining the buildings for bod
ies Should be completed today.”
Acetylene torches are busy cut
tin* twisted steel beams in the
massive building, while tugging
cranes and bare hands worked
together uncovering the bodies.
Rain slowed down the work.
Nurses set up an emergency
hospital immediately in the rear
of the building and revealed that
they were rushing preparations to
care for “about seventy five more
bodies," expected to be exhum
ed from the basemelnt in the
south wing of the structure.
Superintendent H S McGrary
of the Humble Oil Refining Com
pany estimated at nine o’clock this
morning that four hundred and
fifty bodies had been identified.
He added that he understood 26
were still unidentified. Several
children who were injured, died
in the hospitals this morning.
To Ask Congress
Free Philippines
In 1938 Or 1939
H3v T'hr Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, D C March 19
Administrative officials agreed
with President Manuel Quezon
of the Philippine Islands, to ask
I congress to move the indepen
dence date from 1946 to 1938 or
1939.
General Douglas McArthur
would then hasten to Manila to
organize island defense forces.
McArthur set out two years
ago to make an invasion of the
islands, but said he found it too
expensive for any foe.
He aimed to create a force of
twenty thousand professionals and
four hundred thousand trained
reserves by 1946.
A reciprocal trade agreement is
planned to provide commercial
relations after independence.
Philippine sugar, cocoanut oil
and other products would be on
a non-prefercntial basis, where
as now they are entered without
! duty.
NOTICE TO VOTERS
The Poll Book for the reglstra
I tion of voters for the forthcoming
Municipal and School Board el
ection has been open since Feb
ruary 17th, and will close on Sat
urday, March 27th, 1937. Elec
tion takes place April 6th.
M. J. WALSH,
City Clerk
----
I $10.00 paid in advance will
give you the Nome Daily
! Nugget for six months, A
1 saving of $2.00. Do it now ?
Miss Alaska Told
‘Come on Down &
Bring dog Team"
(Bv The Associated Press)
NEWARK, New Jersey, March
19, — John Hollinger, president
of the organization sponsoring
the Atlantic City Beauty Pageant
said Miss Marguerite Lee of Nome
who was selected as Miss Alaska
at the recent Fairbanks Ice Car
nival, was eligible to compete for
the title of Miss America, beauty
queen of the nation, if she won
her title of Miss Alaska in a
bona fide contest with other girls.
“Tell her to come on down and
bring her dogs” Hollinger said in
answer to a query regarding her
elig bility, when it was reported
the Nome Kennel Club and the
Fairbanks Ice Carnival Associa
tion planned to send her to Atlan
tic City.
CANDLE
NEWS ITEMS
March 6, 1037
Several severe storms this past
month have been rather hard on
the cnal piles. They didn't seem
to effect the children’s attend
ance at school because they think
eating lunch all together at noon
in School is great fun.
—
On February 12th the school
children celebrated Lincoln’s
Birthday and St. Valentine’s Day
combined. Many little guests
were invited as well as several
grown-ups and the postmen were
kept busy distributing the numer
ous valentines. A few songs and
recitations in commemoration of
both holidays were given by some
of the children. Big pink heart
shaped cakes were cut and serv
ed with pink strawberry ice
cream.
r"
The Children’s Club is busy
fixing an exhibit of handiwork
for the Fair. The first and second
grade boys have been making
door-stops of plywood. The girls
have been embroidering, croch
eting and knitting. Even the
boys get a domestic notion occa
sionally and one of them has prov
en his ability and knit himself
a pair of mittens. Some time was
spent during club periods in carv
ing animals out of soap.
Since Feta. 1st the school has
gone on daylight saving time
which is one hour ahead of radio
(Continued on Page Three)
No Barrier Left
Secure Absolute
Divorce is Said
' By The Associated Press)
LONDON, March 19, — The
'ist apparent barrier of Wallis
S mpson’s absolute divorce and
marriage to former King Edward
VIII of England, now known as
the Duke of Windsor, was remov
ed today when Sir Boyd Merri
man president of the British di
vorce court, ordered the collusion
charge dism.ssed, after the King's
proctor told the court he had
failed to find any grounds to pre
vent an absolute decree of divor
ce being granted April 27th.
Francis Stevenson, attorney.
An Ex-King Poses
.5
who charged collusion, approved
of the action.
The collusion charges grew out
efforts to prevent the abdication
of King Edward, when it became
WL~Ju.. •. n vv I j 11 ■ imm-ry^ooooa&^y.'..-Af.-.
i
THE LADY OF THE YEAH—MRS. WALLY SIMPSON
k.-own that the K ng. early,.plan,
ned to marry Mrs. Simpson as
soon as he: divorce became final.
On the face of the scandal,
said attorney Stevenson, there
appeared to be arrangements of
some sort, that the divorce was
brought about through kingly
influence. At present it is gen
erally believed they plan to1 wed
May 2nd, although some quarters
hinted the date might be post
poned due to comments that their
marriage would detract consider
able from the coronation ceremon
ies planned for 10 days later, of
h's K' '9, Geer<e VI
The Duke of Wind or. it
announced will be granted t^^en
dun of $125,000 a year. . ■> *
/
Comment in the United States
su r1 •bet nobody begrudges Ed
ward his stipend, especially as
they don't have to pay the bili.
Yel it was observed that for the
sum stated the U. S. can get a lot
more service. A hundred and
twenty five thousand dollars will
fill the pay envelopes of a Presi
dent, a vice pre ident, a cabinet
officer, and two senators in first
class working order.
Feature Stories About Alaska
Included in April Issue Of The
Alaska Sportsman—Magazine
The present status of gold pro
specting and mining in Alaska is
given an interesting review in an
article entitled “Gold Diggings
of 1937” in the April issue of The
Alaska Sportsman, just out. It is
a featured article by Victor Shaw
with illustrations.
In “A Full Cache”, Leo F.
Rhode of Fairbanks describes a
moose hunt he made in company
with another student at the Uni
versity of Alaska.
“Saint Lazeria”, describes a vis
it to an island bird sanctuary off
Sitka. It is by Robert A. Henning
of Juneau.
In “What of Tomorrow" Frank
Dufresne writes briefly of game
conservation in Alaska and less-;
ons to be learned from the past.
(Continued on Page Four)
Opponents Want
Chief Justice To
Testify Hearing
(Bv The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, D C March 19
—Some senate opponents of the
Roosevelt cuurt reorganization
plan, hope to have Chief Just
ice Hughes testify next week at
committee hearings, but the de
cision depends on whether the
Supreme Court will vote to do
so.
The opposition begins to pre
sent its case Monday. It wants
Chief Justice Hughes as its first
witness.
Save $2 by paying in ad
vance for your subscription
Hash Appeared
Likely Senate
House Over Bill
' Rv The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. March 19.
A hitter clash between the sen
ate and house appeared likely ov
er the amount of discretion h
give the President, in enforeim
the neutrality program.
The House voted 374 to 12 yes
terday to allow the president t
do as he sees fit. The senate pro
viously voted to direct the pres;
dent to install a system at th
outbreak of war, whereby wa
materials could be exported o
foreign ships but not on America
ships.
The Nome Daily Nugget carrit
several forms of printing blanl<
for your convenience — Dredg
Logs, thawing and drill report
Mining Deeds, Placer and Loc
Location Notices. Vouchers, an
Special Power of Attorney form
"The Apple Pie”, "Nevertheless”—Saturday Nighl
TWO PLAYS BE PRESENTED AT SCHOOL AUDITORIUM SATURDAY NIGHT—ADMISSION PRICES—ADULTS 50 cts CH!LDREN 25c*s—STARTS 8PM