The Conshohocken Recorder, April 26, 1962

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:onsi)ol)orhen Recorder Serving All
Conshohocken,
VV. Conshohocken,
Plymouth & Whitemarsh
92 Yaara ol Continuous Publication Conshohocken. Pa.. April 28. 1962 7c A COPY BR 9-0950
GOP Race Grows
'Hot' as Hopefuls
WooPrimary Votes
15 Arc Appointed Couchara Named
Satue" {Technician Dies in Plunge
To Citizens Unit
By R. J. Bulera
A 15-member Citizens Committee
*:s announced today for Robert J.
Butera, a Republican candidate for
nomination :<s 2nd District As-srmblyman.
•
The committee of civic and busi-ness
leaders will aid the campaign
of the West Nomton attorney as
the pace Quickens In the remaining
few weeks before the May 15 pri-mary
election.
Butera Is one of four Republicans
seeking the nomination. He and
Mervln O. Sneath, also West Norri-ton.
have developed as the two
front-runners.
The others seeking .the nomina-tion
are Dr. Henry J. Olssta. Con-
Miohocken. and Horace A. Daven-port,
Norrlstown.
Richard S. Lowe, an attorney and
already named as Butera's cam-paign
manager, announced the
other 14 members of the committee.
Butera, meanwhile, appeared yes-terday
for seven speeches and cof-fee
klatches In the District which
consists of Conshohocken, Plym-outh,
Norrlstown, and East and
West Norrlton.
The other committee members
v.<■■<• announced as:
T. Allen Glenn, president of Peo-ples
National Bank; Dr. Paul Mi-
>.igua, Conshohocken physician;
D. Rae Boyd, Norrlstown under-taker.
Benjamin Hannum, Conshohock-en
insurance agent; Walter M. Un-cerleldcr,
Norrlstown stock broker;
Theodore Heske, Jeffersonvllle busi-
DQlfl executive; Harry Sacks, Jr.,
Norrlstown tax collector; Wmfleld
C Cook, Plymouth business execu-tive.
Elgin H. Lenhardt Sr., Norrlstown
Insurance 'woker; Curtis O. Camp-man,
County Director of Roads and
Bridges; Dr. Thomas J. Natoll, Nor-rlstown
physician; Dr. Maurice
Tronclimi. Norrlstown surgeon;
Ralph Rhodes, Plymouth Industrial
a; Vincent Farina, a school
principal: Louis Schafer. Norrls-town
cleaning plant proprietor, and
Anthony Greco, Plymouth business
executive.
By Sneath to
Head Committee
Vincent A. Couchara. an assistant
district attorney, today was named
a.s chairman of Cltlsens tor Merv
Sneath.
The appointment of Couchara. a
Norrlstown lawyer, was Sneath'.-.
To Build Plant
Whitemarsh Renidenta
Win Court Cane as
Judge Reverses Board
A group of Whitemarsh Tup.
property owners today won a Court
battle to prevent a central-mix con-crete
plant from being erected in
their neighborhood.
Ruling on an appeal of the resi-dents,
Judge E. Arnold Forrest re-versed
a previous decision that
would permit construction of the
installation on Summit Ave.
The township zoning board
Of 75 Feet from Plant Roof
latest move „'hi campafcrT for *~ »■ >»«1 uphe.d the bmldln..
nomination as 2nd District Assem-'''>**?'" ln ".? ,re'1!"1 '° »r»n' »!
blyman on the Republican ticket ^"""'"K P"mlt t° the Warner Co..
Picked up steam, ,or construction of such a plant .
~ ,K .„,..,, I At that time, the board ruled thnt
Sneath a West Norrlton limnr-l, concrete mlxlnit plant was not<
ance broker, began swinging Into. am011f tl,e „«, permitted In that,
section under zonlntr regulations.
After an appeal by the Warner
Co.. the Court returned the Issue
to the zoning board for ■ further
study.
On Nov. 15. 1961. the board re-versed
Itself, and directed thnt 0M
permit be issued. This resulted In n
second appeal, this time by the
property owners. Mr. and Mrs. Ed-ward
C. Peterson. Mr. and Mrs. Ed-
I ward R. Sage. Frederick J Mayer.
[Mr. and Mrs. Perclval Theel and
Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Clavarelll.
Company Intervened
Their action was directed against
the township zoning board. The
Court permitted the Wnmer Co. to
Intervene.
In the opinion. Judge Forrest
emphasized Warner did not seek a
variance to permit erection of the
central-mix plant, but "unwed the
' case as If it is entitled to a building
permit as a matter of right, with-out
the granting of a variance.
"Accordingly, we shall not treat
this case as If It were an applica-tion
for a variance."
The Court was told that on Jan.
23. 1956. Michael J. Laputka, secre-tary
of the Board of Supervisors,
issued a notification that part of
the land Involved, then occupied
by North Penn Lumber Company.,
was soiled for Industrial purposes
and part of It for business.
Bought la 1956
Warner purchased the tract July!
2 Acquitted
OnGunCharge
At Quarry
Judge David E. Oroshens yester-day
• oqultted two men who stood
trial without a Jury on charges that
they lire-' rifle shots at a group of
teen-age swimmers In an Upper
Merlon Twp. quarry.
The defendants were George Ro-kita,
30, of 118 E. Elm St., Con-shohocken.
and Stanley Wlsnlew-rid,
26, of 206 Front St.. West Con-si
lot.ocken.
Judge Groshens ssld there was
11..sufficient evidence presented to
warrant a guilty verdict. Howeve
be ordered eacn defendand to pay
half the costs of prosecution.
They were arrested by Sgt. Jack
Brennan and Officer John Dunlevy,
or Upper Merlon Twp.. after com-plalnts
were received from the ba-thers
who said they had been fired
upon while swimming In Jones
Quarry, near Gulph Hills, June 11,
1961.
Witnesses called by the prosecu-tion
Included Edward Hughes, Frank
Splnelll and Larry Westover. mem-bens
of the group; Sgt Brennan and
Officer Dunlevy.
VINCENT A. COUCHARA
the Conshohocken - Plymouth area
to pick up votes for the May 15
primary election.
Couchara's appointment was being
studied by political observers for
its significance, because of his
Court House connections.
Active ln Young Republican cir-cles,
Couchara Is a graduate of
West Philadelphia Catholic High
School, Temple University and Tem-ple
University Law School.
The lawyer Is a member of the
Montgomery and American Bar As-sociations.
He Is a member of Lodge
Antonio Meuccl and Is active ln
civic and charity work.
Couchara Is married to the for-mer
Elaine J. Vassallo. They are
parents of a son, Philip C. 10
months.
In other campaign activities,
Sneath announced that his "Mcrv-mobile"
will be touring all com-munities
In the 2nd District on a
dally basis. The "Mervmoblle" is a
station wagon converted into a mo-bile
neadquarters.
Sneath said that his Norrlstown
office is the coordinating center for
Ids field activities.
Tve been very encouraged by the
respoase I've obtained ln visiting
homes 1 nthe communities that
make up this district," he said.
Sneath said that he rert that Re-publican
voters were concerned with
nominating a candidate who can
carry va fighting; campaign" In
November against the Democratic
Incumbent.
GRIM DITTY—Frank Ingram, on ladder, and Frank
Altcmut*. on roof, aided in removing body of Frank Pre-sock,
*of King of Prussia, who plunged to his death from
75-foot tower yesterday at Lee Rubber and Tire Corp.
plant, Hector St. and North Lane, Conshohocken. Body
landed on auxiliary roof of old water tower converted
into offices and clock house.
fPholo by Anthony)
Electric Co. f Daylight Time
In £/,
6. at which lime mw of «M |e-^1lOnf0a4 Its
imgulmrly shaped tract was ln anilsXlCarCU in
Industrial district.
On May 1, 1958. the Industrial
portion was resoned to "Limited
Industrial" which, among other
things, excluded uses for "cement.
(Continued on Paqr Three)
y County Judge,
DA Honored
Plagues Presented
By FOP Lodge 14
THE WEATHER
IS TURNING
WARMER
Soon Summer will be here. It
Is Just around the corner now.
And vlth Summer, will be
warmer weather. And wanner
weather always brings out the
bargain hunters.
Most of these bargain hunt-fin
are readers of the Classi-fied
Ads.
If you're a bargain hunter,
vou read the Classified Ads.
But if you nave something to
sell you'll want to reach these,
bargain hunters.
So reach them on the Classi-fied
Ad pages.
You can have 12 words for
only $2.
Just telephone today:
TA 8-4600
BR 9-0950
WE ALSO PRINT
Banquet Programs
School Papers
Church Bulletins
Wedding Invitations
Man's Death
Eilwaril Jablonxki
Fell Off Rocky
Embankment in 1959 Twp. Jaycees
Install Staff
For 1962-63
Officers for the 1962-C3 terni were
installed last night by the White-marsh-
Plymouth Junior Chamber
of Commerce.
Rauph E Peters, past state pres-ident
and past national vice-pres-ident
of the Jaycees. was guest
speaker at Chick's Baum Gardens,
Ridge Pk.
Ouldo A. Festa. of Galahad Rd„
Plymouth Hill, was metalled pres-ident;
John W. Kir:!. Thompson
Rd., Lafayette Hill. Internal vice-president;
Charles Hauer. Galahad1'01" lhe m08t Part- on *°P of ft nat
Rd.. external vice-president: Bruce'plateau, with a 30-foot embiink-
Hausser. Cedar Grove Rd.. Conslio-' ment dropping from a rocky ledge
hooken, treasurer; James Over- along the entire front to the level
street. Sierra Rd.. Plymouth Meet-1 of Front St. Access to the plateau
Effect Sunday
dents of (Me area will lose
■^\u\ hour's sleep, aeooroing to
tradition and Father Time, this
Sunday morning.
Clocks wll] be turned ahead
one hour, beginning at 2 A. M.
Conshohocken. West Consho-hocken
and Plymouth. White-marsh
and Upper Merlon town*
ships officially voted ln their
rospectlve boards and councils
to adopt daylight saving time
on the above date, ln accord-ance
with a request of the Penn-
Judge E. Arnold Forrest, In a de- sylvania Chamber of Commerce.
cision today, ruled out negligence
by the Philadelphia Electric Co
as a cause in the accidental death
of 23-year-old West Conshohocken
laborer over three years ago.
The utility is one of two defend-ants
being sued by Jennie Jablon-'
ski. administratrix, of the estate of
Edward Jablonskl, who was killed j
Feb. Feb. 7. 1959, when he fell off'
an embankment near his home at |
164 Merlon Ave.
The other defendant is Rose
Sarro. of 145 Front St., West Con-shohocken.
The action came before Judge
Forrest at this time on motion of
the Electric Co. for Judgment onloiub at a dinner Tuesday at the
the pleadings. Iv-fon Wheel Inn, Harmonvilie.
Pat Hello
Heads Lions
Officers Elected
At Dinner Meeting
Pat Bello, well-known buiidins
contractor and proprietor of a Con-shohocken
tavern, was elected pres-ident
of the Conshohocken Lions
Mrs. Sarro's property is situated.
ing Park, secretary.
Directors are Robert Plotcher.
Plymouth Meeting Park; Edward J.
Meadoworoft. Lafayette Hill; John
D. MacDonald. Conshohocken. and
Bmil R. San souci. Lafayette HIII.
Imedlale past president.
The club is sponsoring a four-
|weefc tennis clinic at the newly-
Judge Robert E. Honeyman and
District Attorney Harold W. spen-cer
were honored for meritorious
service to law enforcement by the
Montgomery County Lodge No. 14,
"?.,, ,w- T v ti.u itL,,-, -„J nLs court*. The ohnpter Is currently
The judge and district attorney mlB> couree for 10° children.
were cited for their "recognition of
police departments in a dignified
and fair manner" and for their
■'cooperation in assisting the police
In law enforcement/*
Robert E. Murray, president of
Lodge No. 14, presented an honor-ary
life membership and a plaque
to Judge Honeyman. Francis Wack,
past president of the lodge, pre-sented
an honorary life membership
and plaque to District Attorney
spencer.
Thomas Norris, state secretary of
the FOP; Chief of Police Charles
Marwood, Conshohocken. chairman
of the dinner; Mrs. Mary Benson,
pest president of the lodge auxiliary,
and Wack also received gifts.
U. 8. Congressman Richard S.
Schweiker, of Montgomery Coun-ty,
one of many speakers, told the
more than 300 members and guests
of President Kennedy's decision to
resume atomic tefttlug
"I am 100 prevent In favor of
Kresldtyit Ktmnedy's decision, re-gardless
of fiiv differences* With bfti
party ana policies during my term,"
Schimkar declared
Heferring <• Russia's attempts to
DlUff US UltO UlsruntiininiK th§ tflBttl
he said. "The ajUBD WMponi tt*J
want ua to put away nre What we
really need to remain as we are,
stilt ing here as a free people.
"As a matter of aelf-survival and
.sell-defense, the President had to|
make his decision to resume nuclear j
testing.
"But. let us not get too excited,
(Continues on Fags Two) |
from the street Is had by concrete
steps.
The Electric Co. maintained a 40-
foot high wooden pole on the prop-erty,
with the base of the pole in
the pavement adjoining Front St.
The utility maintained a guide cable
from the middle of the pole to a
point in the embankment.
About 11 P. M., Feb. 7. 1959. Ja-blonskl
was walking across the
plateau section of the Sarro prop-
(Continued on Page Nine)
Other officers elected are Edward
F. Moore, first vice-president; Ed-wnid
Bowe. second vice-president;
Hatty At.klii.son. tail twister, and
William A. Moore, lion tamer.
Dlreotors are Jerry Cardamone.
Ralph Woerner. Stanley Marchak
RJKI RuescU Krtebel.
James P. Meaney was renamed
secretary-treasurer, a post he has
held several terms.
Chib members toured the Phila-delphia
Post. Office under the direc-tion
of Moony, who Is Consliohoc-ken
postmaster.
The chib will meet May 8 hi a
Joint meeting with the Whitemarsh
Lions Chib.
Conshohocken Faces the Future: Part 2
Borough Population
Shows Little Growth
In Past Thirty Years
(The Conshohocken Recorder today present* the sec-ond
of a series of 12 exclusive articles dealing with the
borough's forthcoming Comprehensive Plan. Today's article
discusses population status and its significance. The writer
is chief of Montgomery County Planning Commission's
Planning Section.)
By Howard J. Grossman
In tracing the hfc-ory of popula-tion
growth in Conshohocken, we
find that in 1920 the population of
the Borough was 8481. In 1930 this
had increased to 10315. and since
that date there has been relatively
little change.
At the present time, as of April
1960, according to the Federal Cen-sus
of that year the Borough's pop-ulation
was 10.259 which made Con-shohocken
one of the few munici-palities
In Montgomery County to
lose population between 1950-1960.
Some other Interesting statistics
concerning the borough include the
fact that Conshohocken has an area
of 1.03 square miles with a popula-tion
density of 9960 persons per
square mile.
In 1950, the Borough ranked first
out of 62 municipalities in Mont-gomery
County as far as density of
settlement was concerned <persoru>
per square mile>. In 1960, the Bor-ough
of Norrlstown ranked first
with Conshohocken being second ln
this category. With regard to popu-lation
rank, the Borough ranked
seventh out of 62 municipalities
In 1950, and in lf»60 the Borough
'Continued on Page Nine)
Norristown Man
Given 3 Months
A Norrlstown man, arrested by
Conshohocken police, was given an
opportunity by Judge David E.
Groshens yesterday to hava his
prison sentence cut sharply.
The defendant, Marshall R. Beat-ty.
pleaded guilty to hit-run and
drunken driving charges.
After weighing the testimony.
Judfip Groshens sentenced Beatty
to serve three months ln the Coun-ty
Prison. However, If he reim-burses
the owner of another ear
that he struck, Beatty can be re-leased
In 30 days.
He was arrested Jan. IS after he
was chased by the driver of the
other car, Douglass Knoaller, of
117 W. Eighth Ave.. Conshohocken.
Knoeller said the accident hap-pened
at Third Ave, and Fayette
St. and he followed Beatty to Ridge
Pike and North Lane when the de-fendant
stopped.
Sgt. Raymond Alexander and
Officer John A. BooceUa made the
arrest.
Victim's Job
Took Him to
Former Tower
Aerial Ladder Used
To Remove Body at
Conshohocken Factory
A 30-year-oM King of Prus-sia
man plunpred to his death
from a 75-foot tower at the
Lee Rubber and Tire Corp.
plant, Conshohocken, shortly
before 1 P. M. yesterday.
Frank Prtsock. of 301 Spring La.
was pronounced dead at the scene
by Dr. Paul B. Mlraglla, of Con-shohocken.
Preaock was employed as a lab-oratory
technician by the Lee firm
and was presumably making a
check on tires on the roof of the
building-, formerly o water tower,
which features parapets ln the na-ture
of a medieval castle.
The dead man's Job Included cut-ting
away pieces of tires left on
the tower roofs of the many build-ings
that make up the sprawling
Lee plant. It was reported by an
official of the firm Ihat Presock
climbed the stairs inside the tower
to the roof to cut away a piece of
tire for laboratory testing.
The Coroner. Dr. John C. Simp-son,
after examining the body, said
Presock had deep lacerations of
the throat and multiple fractures
and Internal Injuries. He Issued a
certificate of d^ath by suicide.
Police said the man slashed his
throat with the knife used for cut-ting
away th? tire material and
shortly after plunged over the para-pet
to Us Instant death.
Hit Aaxlllary K....I
The body struck an auxiliary
roof »bout 1» feet from the ground
at the entrance to the tower build-ing.
The former water to»er WM
converted to offices for the per-sonnel
manager, security guards,
locker rooms for the gua ds and as
a time clock room for the employes.
Washington Fire Co. rescue squad
Conshohocken. removed the body
from the roof by using lt» 75-foot
aerial ladder truck. Dr. Mlraglla
was assisted ln climbing the lad-der
to reach the body, which had
struck the auxiliary root with
enough force to smash its plank
covering.
Employes and office personnel In
rooms within the tower at the
time of the body's crashing on to
the lower roof were Jolted by th*
Impact.
A workman who was leaving the
plant was asked to Investigate the
source of the loud thud. He scaled
a small ladder to a lower level of
the roof and aaw the body.
At the time the body crashed to
the roof, several workmen went
having lunch outslr'e In the sun-shine
and the security guard, per-sonnel
manager and office employes
were In the first floor rooms.
Rescue Kou.irf Called
Frank Houdlnl. personnel man-ager,
called the rescue squad and
police. The company nurse ascended
a ladder to examine the workman
(Continued on Page Three)
'SesqnP Group
To Visit Area
More than 50 cars carrying offi-cials
of the Norrlstown aesqul-cen-tennlal
celebration and a sound
truck will tour Wee* Conshohocken
on Saturday.
The group will arrive from Dp-per
Merlon Twp. at 5:15 p. M.. and
will be met by Chief of Police
Albert Slater. A barber shop quar-tet
will present a program at Bor-ough
Hall.
Five in Burglary Ring
Plead Guilty in Court
REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS—Congressman William
W. Scranton (second from 1.) visits with County GOP
officials in Court House at Norristown. (L. to r.) Elkins
WethehU, president of the County Commissioners,
Scranton; James K Staudinjror. chairman of COP Coun-ty
Committee, and Warren M. Cornell Jr., county com-missioner.
\
A jury today deliberated the
late of three members of a Mana-yunk
burglary ring which preyed
on stores In the County Including
those ln the Plymouth-Whlta-marsh
area.
The first trials began Monday ln
the Court House at Norrlstown.
Five members—hah* of the ring
—already have pleaded guilty to
some 200 thefts ln the County over
a two-year period ln -which loot
was estimated at $100,000.
A ninth member of the ring
stood trial without jury before
Judge David E. Groshens. The tenth
member Is a Juvenile who la in
custody In Philadelphia.
Sentencing of those pleading
guilty and standing trial wlabout
Jury has been deferred.
Two of those whose fale Is being
pondered by the Jury are girls
The five who pleaded guilty are:
John (Fafp Peto Peters, 31, TJm-bna
Si. near Fountain; his brother,
Edward J., 35, of the same address:
FUchard C. (Chirpy) Ameye, 19, of
Fountain St. near Ogle; Thorn**
• Black: Cat* Handzu*. 18. of Aldon
Ava near Umbria. and Alfred 'Ot-to
• Jon«, 33, of Umbria St. near
Fountain.
A fifth suspect stood trial with-out
Jury Tuesday afternoon. He la
Arnold Nelson, 23, of Umbria St.
near Fountain.
Standing trial were Florence
Wallace, 18, and Gertrude (Trudy)
Messing, 19, both of Ogle 5
Fountain. The man standing trial
was Philip Clark. 5., of Umbria
St. near Fountain.
Named as the tenth suspect was
Michael Lucajko, 17, of Ogle 8t„
who waa a soldier at Fort Dlr, N. J.,
along with Ameye. Philadelphia
authorities. Chief County Juvenile
Probation Officer Peter J. Frasclno
said, are holding the Juvenile for
a crime which occurred before th*
County thefts^
Investigation by police from eight
local areaa, state polic. and t'uunty
detectives was climax**! with the
arrests ol the 10 pal . sartj la
January
The first trial |nvol< a\ "\? two
girls and Clark suirtrd Monday be-for
a Jury ol four men and eight
women.
Three of the four men who
pleaded guiltv to paitieipation In
the burglaries twined ("r the pros-ecution
at th« opening an
(Con.»u.ed on Pegt Seienj