Western Star (Corner Brook, N.L.), 1949-03-15

              The Western Star 49fh Year—Number 2559 Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Tuesday, March 15, 1949 Price Five Cents The Weather  Cloudy, becoming overcast this afternoon, with . intermittent snow. Wind South-east 15, shifting to North-west after midnight. Little change in „ temperature. Low tonight, 25; high tomorow, 35. Geologists Describe Extent Of Labrador Iron Ore Deposits Believed To Be One Of Three Largest Known Mineral Finds On Record Other Though Less Valuable Minerals Also Present In Quantity QUEBEC: March 14—(CP)—Before the multimillion dollar question of the full potential of the iron ore deposits in Labrador are determined, geologists must* first solve the mysteries of that bleak land. That is a problem which is comparable to reading a book backwards. But geologists feel that after pouring over the history of the mineral laden stratified rock, layer by layer, they will have proof that in Northwestern Quebec and Newfoundland Labrador there is as much ore as in the five virgin Measabis. Minnesota's fabulous Mesa-?> bi Range on Lake Superior held two and a half billion tons when it was discovered in 18- 92. That would make the Canadian deposit one of two or possibly three of the larg- est in the world. Others are in Brazil and Russia. Those among the more conservative geologists who have probed the Canadian ore bed estimate that there is at least one Mesabi in Ungava and Labrador. The recalled here today that i the American Mesabi has fed * the steel industry in North America through an immense period of expansion as well as 111 wo world wars. Some geologists claim that in Ungava and Labrador there are signs of Lead, Zinc and other base metals in addition to iron, but these are of sec- ondary importance. Canada's great developed ore formation, which is deeply encrusted is spread over an error 300 to 600 miles long and fifty miles wide, compared with Mesabi's 112 mile long single strip. Thus far geologists have pieced together this story which goes back millions  years. The upheaveal of the earth sent layer upon layer of stratified rock bulging into a series of high ridgel mountains which later flattened out in the slow normal process of erosion. Where the Ungava deposit is located the land sank even lower, forming a trough from which comes the name of the Labrador Trough. Myriad streams, some rushing torrents, snaked through the land carrying crushed matter rich in minerals. Where the rivers were lazy, grains sank to the river-bed. As the sea continued to reach the areas formerly under water liecame swampy valleys. Deeper rivers continued to flow Northward. At one stage the ore deposits piled as high at a point about 320 miles North of what is now Seven Islands, P. Q., that it blocked the river and forced the water to turn tail. Lewis Calls  Miners Out For Fortnight PITTSBURGH, March 14— (£P)—Coal production virtually ceased in the U.S. today as some 425,00 miners east i of the Mississippi simply ' stayed home, saying they obeyed the orders of John L. Lewis, 69-year-old leader of the United Mine Workers I who ordered the pits closed i until March 28. Lewis called for a work stoppage last Friday. He said it would be a memorial to miners killed or injured last year. H»continued by saying that it would l>e the miners' , protest against President Truman's nomination of Dr. James Boyd as Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Dr. Boyd's appointment awaits Senate ratification. In Washington, Senator Harry Byrd (Dem. Va.) called on the Senate to "promptly J confirm" Dr. Boyd's appointment "as a reply" to the mine shutdown. He added, "As the nomination of Dr. Boyd is now before the Senate for confirmation the strik€>ovder is nothing less than to coerce and intimidate the Senate of the United States." First effects of the work stoppage came in the railroad industry when eleven U. S. k railroads laid off 57,425 work\ ers who were employed by the railroads and who get a big chunk of their freight revenue from hauling coal. The steel industries will not be hit  mediately as they have large 2*|upplies of coal above ground. U.S. coal stockpile totals { an estimated 70,000,000 toiio \ which is the most coal above ground in spring since 1942, and is good for alxmt 45 days. 1 As work stoppage went into effect, only maintenance men headed towards digging. They will keep pumping water out of the pits and do routine work necessary to keep the coal mines operating. President Lewis emphasized that the fortnight holiday is not a strike. He says too that it will not cause physical distress. Lewis points out he is allowing the miners west of the Mississippi to work "to avoid public hardship in the areas where climatic c onditions have recently I teen urfavnurahle"Says U.S. Plans Send Argentina Five Warships WASHINGTON, Mar. 14 (CP)—The Times Herald says today in a copyrighted story, that the U.S. is planning to turn over an aircraft carrier, two cruisers and two or three destroyers to Argentina for the defence of the Western Hemisphere. Transfer legislation is being prepared by the State and Navy Department officials, the Times Herald says, but adds, "high" State and Navy officials deny this. The ships have not been identified but the story says they "presumably would l>e first-line combat ships" from either the active or reserve fleets. Two Local Hen Receive Prison Sentence Hughie Mclsaac, charged with breaking and entering the waterfront premises of Harvey and Company and stealing goods to the value of $13.97. was tried in the Magistrate's Court, March 10, and found guilty of that offense. Mclsaac was sentenced to four months in the penitentiary at St. John's. The man in question was also charged with the alleged stealing of a slide from a resident of Buckle's Hill. He was convicted and sentence was suspended. Edward Power, who sent a telegram to Steer's Ltd., St. John's, requesting a sum of money and saying that he was Colin Strong, the firm's agent here, was tried before Magistrate Sho**, fennd guilty and fined $lOO or three months in I penitentiary. More Canuck Officials Visit Corner Brook L. A. Niblett and J. C. Mc- Donald, members of the Audit Division of Canada's Unemployment Commission, arrived in Corner Brook on Friday for a two-week visit to the West Coast. The two Federal officers told the Star that they are in Newfoundland for the sole purpose of assisting and advising both employees and employers on all matters relating to unemployment insurance, which will be payable to Newfoundlanders on April 1. They plan to visit the St. George's - Port-au-Port sections, Port-aux-Basques, and on their return will call at Deer Lake and Grand Falls. The visitors had little to say regarding the details of the Insurance Scheme for Newfoundland but wished to make it clear that they were here to assist the people on such questions as eligibility, employers' and employees' premiums, etc., and in this connection they will be glad to receive visitors at the Glynmill Inn, during their stay in the Corner Brook area. Meeting Of Woods Board March 29 ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent)— The annual meeting of the Woods Labour Board will be opened in the Newfoundland Hotel here on Tuesday, March 29. The Conference will be presided over by Raymond Gushue, and in attendance will be the General Managers and Woods Managers of the operating Paper Companies, the President of the Newfoundland Labourers' Union, the Newfoundland Lumbermen's Association and the Central Workers Union. Also in attendance will be the Labour Relations Officer and a representative of the Department of Natural Resources. G. Mgr. Bowater's Returns From Visit To U.K. 11. M. Spencer Lewin, Vice- President and General Manager of Bowater's returned to Comer Brook on Sunday, following an extended visit to the UnitedvKingdom. Accompanied by his wife, Mr. Lewin left here early in January, and after visiting Bowater's mills in the United Kingdom, went to Scandinavia where he toured the Company's extensive operations. Mr. and Mrs. Lewin crossed the Atlantic by plane on Saturday, and came to Corner Brook from Gander in a car attached to a freight train. Vanguard Of RCMP Arrives At St. John's ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent)— Six members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived in St. John's a few days ago. They will undertake the work of establishing the force in Newfoundland.It is the general belief that they will select a number of members of the constabularv and give special attention to Customs preventive work and other federal departments. The force will be quartered at the barracks formerly used by the Canadian Air Force, KVnofl'" Hill, St. John'® East. Britain's Bid For Aerial Supremacy TH|E NEW BRITISH AIRLINER "Apoiio," built bv the Armstrong Whitworth Company, is powered by four jet engines driving propellers. It is to make its first flight in the near future, and will be used for exploratory flying in civil conditions. The aircraft, designed to the Brabazon Committee's specification, represents the latest stage in Britain's efforts to establish a world lead in jetpropelled airliners. This picture shows the "Appollo" in course of construction at the Armstrong Whitworth factory. Burma Offers To Set Up Karen State RANGOON. BURMA, Mar. 14 (CP)—Buma offered the rebelling Karens an autonomous state of their own today as reports reached Rangoon that the Karens had captured all of Mandalay. Rangoon newspapers said that Karen tribesmen had taken all Burma's second largest city in a three-day battle with government forces, while the Burmese Government admitted yesterday that part of Mandalay had been taken by the rebels . Mandalay, with a population of 200,000, is five hundred miles north of Rangoon or the Trrawaddy River. The newspaper report added that fighting is still going on outside the city, mainly along the banks of the Irrawaddy River. It also reported that the Karens are attacking the city of Sagaing across the river from Mandalay. The government, meanwhile, announced its acceptance of recommendations for the creation of a separate Karen state within the Burma Union. "Cabot Strait" At Argentia The Cahot Strait arrived at Port-aux-Basques 8 o„'clock Monday morning and, after discharging- a mail and express cargo and a number of passengers, sailed around the South Coast to connect with the train at Argentia. After discharging a similar cargo there and obtaining mail, freight and passengers from the East Coast, the ship will proceed back to Port-aux- Basques. Will Not Discuss Atom Bomb LONDON. March 14 (CP)- The Atom bomb will be taboo as the subject for discussion when three hundred world scientists, all experts in atomic energy, meet in Britain at the end of March. Their talks will be confined to the use of atomic energy in chemistry.Professor Otto Hahn, first to split the Uranium atom and once Hitler's leading atom scientist, will be among the fifty experts from abroad. Northern Doctor Has Narrow Escape From Drowning  Snowmobile And Horse-Team Plunge Through Ice In Notre Dame Bay TWILLINGATE: (From our correspondent)— Another thrilling story of unselfish devotion to duty and of the rigors of winter travel in rural Newfoundland, was unfolded her«> on Sunday night when Doctor Olds, Superintendant of the Memorial Hospital, returned to his home, tired and weary, after two narrow escapes from drowning, while returning from an emergency call to Joe Batt's arm. As he went quietly; about his duties in the hospital, just twelve hours after his harrowing experiences, the doctor was reluctant to relate the full details of his adventures. But after much persuasion your • correspondent j was able to gather the following story! In the height of last week's severe storms, the doctor left here in a snowmobile for Joe Batt's Arm, to attend a woman in confinement. He had to return some hours later as the driver went astray on Stag Harbour Run and could not risk proceeding further on the unsafe Bay ice. Another attempt was made later and the destination was safely I reached and the patient cared for. Harrowing Experience On the return trip the snowmobile broke through the ice near Seldom and plunged to the bottom of Notre Dame Bay. It was only with the greatest difficulty that the Doctor and Captain Ned Claifke, the driver of the vehicle, were able to crawl from the chilled waters to the surrounding ice flow. After a brief rest at Seldom, another attempt was made, this time by motor boat, but once again they had to abandon the idea, and land at Island Harbour, as the ice was too heavy to force through. The final try was successful though the good doctor had another narrow escape from drowning. He left Port-Albert bv horseteam on Sunday afternoon but hard luck again struck when, nearing Twillingate about midnight, the team plunged through the ice, giving the doctor and his driver another icy dif. With great difficulty they were successful in removing the harness from the horse and by breaking the ice, managed to get the animal on shore at Ragged Point. This story could be related in greater detail, but the good doctor is not a person for publicity. He regards this as just another incident in the lives of those whose duties require them to travel around on the hazardous Bav ice during the winter and spring seasons. Both the doctor and Captain Clarke recovered immediately from their icy dips and are feeling none the wfcrse from their trvin«r experiences. New Process May Cut Newsprint Costs By $5.50 ROCHESTER, N. Y., Mar. 14 (CP)—Savings amounting to alxmt $5.50 per ton in newsprint manufacturing costs jan be realized through a new pulp process which was discovered accidentally at a Rochester firm, says Arthur H. Ingle, President of the Consolidated Machine Tool Corporation here who announced the process yesterday.It is called the "curlation process", he said. No mention is made of any immediate effect on the price of newsprint to users. Ingle explained that the process cuts costs by obtaining about eleven percent more sulphite pulp from each cord of pulpwood. The process makes the newsprint whiter, softer, yet gives it increased stretching quality and better resistance to tearing and breaking, he added. Ingle said that although the process has been confined to newsprint, similar savings probably will be possible in the making of other paper products.Consodidated develops heavy machinery needed for the process but the manufacture of this machinery has been assigned to Curlator Corporation, a new firm. Units Being Manufactured Five units totalling more than 200,000 pounds, will bt delivered next May to Price Brothter Company Limited. Quebec, Ingle said. The process was discovered when Dr. H. S. Hill, and Dr. J. Edwards, Price Brothers scientists, interrupted a routine experiment to attend s dinner party, Ingle said, who way: Scientists cooked some way: Scientiests cooked some wood chips in the laboratory at Kenogami, Quebec, skip ped over the routine hour-lonp washing procedure in ordei to get to the party on time They washed the pulp in running water, squeezed it gently, put it in a jar to keep moist for tests the next day. They found that on the following day the pulp's qualities had changed. They figured that squeezing had somehow changed the fibres and set out to duplicate the accident by the use of machines. Later QUEBEQ: The new process for making newsprint will enable its manufacture from inferior pulp, but the estimate that it will reduce production costs by $5.50 per ton are out of line, a paper - company spokesman said here today. Price Bros, who are installing a machine to test the new process stated today, "until the new machine has been paid for, there is no question of immediate benefit to newsprint consumers". Rail Washout At St. Fintan's Now Repaired Following closely after the news that the Trestle spanning the South West River, near Port Blandford, has been swept away by floods on Friday night, the Railway announced that another serious situation had occurred near St. Fintan's. Though not as serious as the Port Blandford damage, authorities stated that heavy rains had caused the collapse of an embankment East of St. Fintan's, "which left a deep gorge in the main line measuring 70 feet across and nearly 100 feet in depth. Wrecking crews were rushed to the scene * immediately and by last night traffic was again moving from Port-aux- Basques, towards Corner ; Brook. It is understood that the | East bound express, which Dassed through Corner Brook > last night, will proceed as far as the river at Port Blandford.Two Washouts Disrupt Railway Service Large Bridge Destroyed At Port Blandford Ties Traffic A Week St. Fintan's Slide Now Repaired ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) Two major washouts have disrupted the Railway service from St. John's to Port-Aux-Basques and it looks as though such conditions will prevail for possibly five days more. A big washout occurred at South Brook, about one mile East of Port Blandford, early Saturday morning. Ice rafted on the brook about one mile above the bridge and when it broke loose suddenly it roared down the river and swept away the 250-foot triple-span steel structure. Tons of ice and water hit the bridge with terrific force and tore it from its granite piles. Wrecking crews under the direction of A. R. Penney, with all available pile driving equipment were rushed to Port Blandford for the purpose of erecting a temporary bridge across the brook. It was impossible to begin pile driving yesterday because of the fact that the waters are still very high and there is considerable ice to be blasted away. It was expected that the river would be cleared of ice today and the water receded sufficiently to enable the repair crew to begin the erection of the temporary crossing. Almost one hundred feet of the road l)ed at St. Fintan's was also destroyed by heavy floods but it is expected to have repairs effected Tuesday. All express trains are cancelled for an indefinite period and to maintain railway transportation as close to normal as possible arrangements have l)een made for S. S. Cabot Strait to call at Argentia bringing passengers' and freight for the East Coast, from North Sydney to that port. Passengers for the West Coast will travel through Port-Aux-Basques as usual. H.M. King George Is Now Resting After Operation LONDON, March 14 (CP) —H. M. The King is more comfortable and his general condition remains satisfactory, his doctors reported toiay.The Sovereign underwent a * elicate nerve operation Saturday. The nerve centre near his *pine was cut in an effort to increase the blood circulation in his right leg. The King vho is 53, has been suffering rom faulty blood circulation n the legs since last Novem>er.The bulletin was issued rom Buckingham Palace this norning and said, "The King >lept for a greater part of the night. His post-operative discomfort is lessening and his Teneral condition remains satisfactory." The bulletin was signed by Professor J. R. Learmouth who performed the operation, and five associates.To Establish Military Units In Nfld. ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) Canadian Defence Minister Hon. Mr. Claxton, is the authority for the statement that Canada will establish reserve units of the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force in Newfoundland.According to Mr. Claxton*s statement, the services mentioned will include (1) a naval reserve division of which there are already some twenty acres across Canada ranging in man power from fewer than 200 to 750; (2) Royal Newfoundland Regiment—one with battle laurels from two wars which may have both infantry and artillery components; *3) R.C.A.F. auxiliary unit, the size and nature of which will depend on recruiting reaction. As is the case in other parts of Canada, regular officers will administer and have charge of all units. Rear Admiral E. R. Mainguy, the Navy's Flag Officer on the Atlantic Coast, is now in St. John's but his visit is described as largely personal and informal. It is considered likely, however, that he will have a look at naval installations. These include the baso known as Buckmaster's Field at St. John's, wartime Canadian and British Base, which will be the headquarters of the new reserve division, Britain-Russia To Talk On New Trade Agreement LONDON, March 14 (CP) —Britain and Russia will talk over a new one-year trad-* pact. The Board of Trade saiu last night it had accepted a Russian suggestion to open talks. The previous pact was agreed on in Moscow after a hard bargaining l>etween Harold Wilson, Board President, and A. I. Mikoyan, former Soviet Foreign Trade Minister. Talks on a long-term trade treaty bogged down last year. The spokesman for the Board of Trade said that the goods exchanged between the two countries under the previous agreement, were valued at between $ 160,000,000 to $180,000,000 for each country. Russian wheat, barley, corn, fish and timber were exchanged for British machinery and steel and commodities such as rubl>er, coffee, tea and cocoa from British possessions. Another Soviet Official Freed Of Duties MOSCOW, March 14 (CP) —Nikolai Voznesensky, member of the powerful Politburo.' has been freed of his dutic.s a» chairman of the State Planning Commission and "Deput, Prime Presidium, the Supreme Soviet announced today. The announcement was made by Alexander Gorkin, Secretary of the Presodol, Soviet. Voznesensky was appointed to the Politburo in February 1947 and is thus unong its newest members. Today's announcement made no mention of Voznesensky \s l>ost as a Politburo member and thus it is assumed that he will continue in that job. The action freeing him of the vice-chairmanship on the Council of Ministers and from the State Planning Commission chairmanship was taken on March 5 at the same time V. M. Molotov was relieved of his duties of Minister of Foreign Trade. Gorkin announced at the same time the decree of the Presidium appointing M. Z. Saburov, also Deputy Prime Minister, to the Plan, ning Commission pout. LOCAL EDITION Published Every Tuesday