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"Serving The Chain-O-Lakes Region Since 1875" Volume 85 -- No. 3 -- 3 Sections McHENRY, ILLINOIS, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1959 22 Pages -- 10c Per Copy FIREMEN SAVE HISTORIC OLD HOTEL Meanderfy With the approach of Poppy Day, we are inclined to give greater thought than usual to the men and women who are helping to lighten the very great load which is still being csAied by hospitalized veterans qipast wars. Appreciation for what many of our neighbors are doing became clearer after our own, first trip to Downey veterans' hospital last week. Seeing the pitiful plight in large wards, where men of various ages either sat in wheel chairs or lay in a seemingly endless row of beds, made us realize the vfflke of any kind of help. Not enough of us feel we have time to ^give an occasional evening to brighten their very drab existence. Our hats are off to those who regularly put this task above something which might well be more pleasing tothe individuals themselves. Entertaining these veterans, njn; plri of performance. It isn't good for one who must hear applause for reward, for here there is only the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have contributed, even though in a very small way, to brightening their day. Poppy Day is important to those who are frequent visitors w%i hospitalized veterans, for only they can know how much the contributions mean. Those who haven't had an opportunity to visit them can make up in some measure by doubling the amount they drop in the poppy container next Saturday. many of whom have lost all siOTit, is unlike any other type M.C.H.S. juniors and seniors and their guests enjoyed what W® described* as" one*"of" the" school's best proms last Saturday night. The spacious gym was beautifully decorated in keeping with the theme, "Fathom Fantasy". The weekend schedule of almost everyone of these 'teenagers made us realize we aren't as young as we thought. In most cases, a full day of work OBi.Saturday was followed by tire prom, an after-prom party which extended through the breakfast hour, and topped off by an all-day picnic on Sunday. Most of them appeared at school Monday morning, some not as alert as usual, but able to carry through until dismissal bell at 3:20. Thinking the situation over, we're sure we vd^ild have fallen into the arms of Morpheus somewhere in the early hours of Sunday, never to have known the pleasures (?) of the next two days. Paul Nelson of Woodstock has been named winner of the annual Woodstock Elks leadership contest. He is a senior in St. Mary's high school. Two McHenry youths received hor> offble mention, A1 Cajthaml and Matt Eichinger. The contest is held to recognize those students who possess the qualities of Americanism, citizenship and resourcefulness, among others. A drawing by Donna *Wlih- (Continued on page 8> LOWER TAX RATE IS SET M McHENRY Valuation Of Community Second Among Townships McHenry residents heard the good news this week that they will have a lower tax rate, 2.954 as compared to 3.447 last year. Other local rates include Lakemoor in McHenry Township, 2.946 against 3.409 and in Nunda township 2.941 against 3.405. McCuliom Lake has 2.919 against 3.377; Sunnyside, 2.868 against 3.183; Island Lake in School Districts 15, 118 and 156, 3.017 against 3.373. In Districts 86 and 118 it is 3.666 against 3.342. The tax rates for cities and villages in the county were released by County Clerk Vernon W. Kays. Rates in ten of the municipalities show an increase, while in fifteen others the rate is down. Rates in the county compared to the previous figure include Woodstock for Dorr township taxpayers, 2.888 against 2.885, and in Greenwood township School District 10 and 15, 3.108 against 3.027. In Greenwood, in Districts 72 and 152 it is 2.982 against 2.978 last year. In Crystal Lake, in Nunda township, it is 3.174 against 3.545 and in Algonquin township, 3.037 against 3.486. County Valuation Earlier in the week it was revealed that total valuation of all assessed property in McHenry county had increased $101,384,085 over last year. The information came from the office of County Clerk Vernon W. Kays, who received the information from the state revenue department which approved, the equalized valuation ag fixed by, the county, kgafg of review and set the factor for the county at one. This means that taxes are being extended on the valuation as set by the board of review. In 1957, total assessed valuation of all property was $239,- 862,225 as set by the board of review but equalized by the state revenue department on last year's factor at $267,144- 422. This showed that the factor increased the valuation $27,287,197. The total valuation this year is $341,247,310, which was not changed by the state revenue department. This is -the highest valuation in the history of the county. The total valuation in each township has increased this year over last. Algonquin tops the seventeen townships with $76,348,050 against $49,571,- 385 last year. McHenry is second with $58,531,515 against $41,818,478 last year. MAYOR PRESENTED POPPY Kotalik Studio Photo June Schmunk, second from left, of the V.F.W. auxiliary is shown pinning a poppy on Mayor George P. Freund as Roy E. Bradley of the V.F.W. and Frances Matchen and Gail Shannon of the Legion auxiliary and the Legion post watch. VETERANS' GROUPS ASK SUPPORT OF PUBLIC AS McHENRY OBSERVES POPPY DAY SATURDAY. HAY 8 BAKE SALE The McHenry County Home Bureau is sponsoring a bake sale Saturday, May 23, starting at 9 a.m. at the Justen f u r n i t u r e s t o r e on G r e e n street. Proceeds will benefit the 4-H club. NOMCE It has been recommended by the retail merchants' committee of the Chamber of Commerce that McHenry stores be closed on Saturday, Manorial Day. EXHIBIT PHEVIEW 'Four Country Art Fair committee members are shown %ere at a recent publicity rally. Pictured are, Mrs. Richard Wilhelm, artist registrar; Mrs. Lee Gladstone, general chairman; August Uttich. publicity; and Mrs. Fred Bond, president of the women's auxiliary to McHenry hospital, sponsor of the fair. In the background are some of the pieces to be put on exhibit at the fair June 19, 20 and 21. Six representatives of the McHenry Legion and V.F.W. posts and their auxiliary units have been named to head the committee for Poppy Day, which will be observed in the city Saturday, May 23. The six are Roy E. Bradley of the V.F.W., June Schmunk and Bernadette Cisewski, cochairmen for the V.F.W. auxiliary; Gail Shannon of the Legion post and Frances Matchen and Lauretta Homo of the Legion auxiliary. Next Saturday, members of the local veterans' groups will approach the public in a fund raising appeal for the benefit of needy and disabled veterans and their families. Each person .asked jtp remember, ^as they ptrtrtheir eoiiiiriri the poppy containers, the men still in hospitals disabled for many years after the fighting has ceased. The poppies are not donated to these organizations, so the public is asked to be generous in their contributions. It is interesting to know that this year 15,000 hospitalized vets have made over 1,947,000 poppies. Aid State Vets Money raised in the Poppy Day sale is used to help needy disabled veterans and their families in Illinois. Part of the funds is used to take care of •he every-day comforts and needs of the hospitalized veteran, for which there are no other adequate provisions. They are insurance against any h o s p i t a l i z e d v e t e r a n h a v i n g the demoralizing experience of "being forgotten". These funds also provide resources for temporary relief work among immediate members of the disabled veteran's family, including such basic items as food, rent or medical expenses. The job of assembling the poppies also provides the opportunity for the disabled veteran to earn money while hospitalized. The Legion pays the men for the poppies they make. For many of the veterans, it is the only chance they have to earn money for their families. Join with those who help the veterans and buy a red, cloth poppy in remembrance of American men who gave their lives in the service of their country. LARGE CROWD ENTHUSED OVER AUXILIARY REVUE SENATOR B0UGLAS DEMOCRATIC CLUB LUNCHEON GUEST Senator Paul Douglas will be guest of honor at the spring luncheon of the Democratic Women's club to be held today, May 21, at 12:30 o'clock at the McHenry Country club. Another guest speaker on the program will be Judge Helen Kelleher, associate probate judge of Cook county. A graduate of DePaul university, Judge Kelleher has been an outstanding woman attorney in Cook county for many years. CRIME STOPPERS MEET A notice is given to members of the Crime Stoppers club that a magic show and movie will be enjoyed Monday. May 25, starting at 6 p.m. at St. Mary's gym. One of the year's biggest social events, the second annual style revue sponsored by the McHenry hospital auxiliary, proved a big success on Wednesday evening of last week. It drew a large crowd at the Wing 'n Fin lodge to enjoy dinner, a fine program presented by the Northwestern university Eligibles and a showing of the very latest in attire, hair styling and accessories. Mrs. Richard Matt and Mrs. Frank Gregory acted as narrators andAliceBarWanand Charlene Freund provided appropriate background music as the adult and toddler age models made their way to the lighted platform to display their attire. Hearty applause greeted the appearance of the Eligibles, featuring three soloists, one of them, Dennis O'Brien, tenor, from Crystal Lake, in two solos, the soliloquy from "Carousel" and " "nil There Was You" from "The Music Man." The congratulations of the entire crowd went to Dorothy Miller and Georgiana Thornton, co-chairmen of the revue, for the excellent prograih provided. Proceeds of the show will be used to benefit the McHenry hospital. Pkdndealer Will Be Printed Early Next Week The Plaindealer will be printed one day early next week, on Wednesday, May 27, so that all readers may receive their papers well in advance of Memorial Day, Saturday, May 30. Deadlines will be. changed next week. Display advertising will be accepted until Monday noon, classified advertising until Tuesday at 10 o'clock and general news until Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock. All correspondents' copy must be in our office a day earlier than the usual deadline. ESTIMATE S5M00 DAMAGE IN FRIDAY FttE: FUMES DESTROY ONE APARTMENT AND UPPER HALL ARRANGE FOR LOAN EXHIBIT AT AKTFAR County Artists Assure Popular Local Showing Exhibit "A" gallery of Chicago, it has been announced, will supply the loan exhibit at this year's Country Art Fair. The gallery has generously offered to send representatives to help viewers become better acquainted with the pieces exhibited. The Country Art Fair, scheduled this year for June 19, 20 and 21, at the McHenry Junior high school, draws, of course, on the numerous artists of McHenry county for its popular "local show". Exhibit "A" is a cooperative art gallery begun about two years ago. It is operated by the artists themselves, who now have a smooth running, well knit organization. In this short time it has blossomed into one of the outstanding showcases of modern art in Chicagoland. Various Media Artists of Exhibit "A'^ work in a variety of media and produce pieces, ranging in style from realistic to abstract. Two of"1 tfie-Exhibtt" ""A" ^gallery's nrtists whose names are familiar to art lovers throughout the country are Andrene Kauffman and Arthur Rissman. Both work in oil. The loan exhibit has been a feature of the Country Art Fair every year and has been found to add variety and depth 1o the annual exhibit. It is one of the features that has made the fair an outstanding cultural event in the county and beyond. Loan exhibits the first two years were assembled by the Fairweather-Harden and Charles Feingarten galleries. GEORGIA WXEDRICH DIES FOLLOWING LONG ILLNESS Mrs. Georgia Wiedrich, wife of Fred Wiedtich, Jr., of Ringwood and daughter of the late, well known county auctioneer, George Vogel, died at her home early Monday morning, May 18. She was 68 years of age. Death ended a long illness, during which she remained cheerful, devoting her interest to her family, as she had done throughout her lifetime. She was born June 25, 1890, in Solon Mills and had lived all her life in this area. Survivors include her busband; four daughters, Georgia Saunders of Sycamore, Helen Winn of Richmond, Betty Leonard of Lake Geneva, Wis., and Mary Ann Wegener at home; three sons, Charles, William and Robert Brennan, all of this area; two brothers, Charles Vogel of Brodhead, Wis., and Edwin Vogel of Solon Mills. The body rests at the George Justen & Son funeral home, where services are being held at 2 o'clock this (Thursday) mornihg, with Rev. Fr. Vincent Fish of St. Paul's Episcopal church officiating. Burial was irt Ringwood cemetery. Smith-Craft Has Grand Opening i --*-- J C. E. Smith announces the ' grand opening of his new busi- , ness, Smith-Craft, Inc., furniture ahd carpeting, at 133 N. Riverside Drive, McHenry, on Friday and Saturday, May 22 and 23. Hours will be noon to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. A baby orchid will be presented to the first 800 ladies who visit the store1 on grand opening days. There will also be other prizes. Mr. Smith has recently moved to Pistakee Bay from Chicago, residing here with" his wife and her mother. The new store owner has had twenty-two years experience in the furniture business on Michigan avenue in Chicago, selling to homes, business firms and institutions. A complete line of furniture of all kinds and carpeting will be handled in the new and spacious store. UNITED RENT-ALLS TO HAVE OFFICIAL OPENING FRIDAY United Rent-Alls officially opens jts doors to McIIenry and the surrounding area Friday, May 22, at 542 Main street (next to the Northwestern station). This is a locally owned store affiliated with a nation-wide organization with more than ten years of experience. United Rent-Alls is a service biisiness designed to rent various types of equipment which you occasionally need but do not wish to buy. Raymond T. Grote, 416 Home street, Lakeland Park, has been named manager of the McHenry store. VANDALS DAMAGE MACHINERY AT NEARBY LAKEMOOR D a m a g e r e a c h i n g s e v e r a l hundred dollars was reported this week to machinery owned by the <.Geneva Construction company of Aurora, which was stored in Lakemoor. Investigation is being carried on by the sheriff's office in an effort to find the vandals. On a back hoe, the oil cap and dip stick were missing, distributor wires pulled out, coil wires cut, a sediment bulb broken and oil pressure cut. Other expensive machinery was also damaged extensively, preventing work from continuing for several days. NOTICE The McHenry Savings and Loan association will be closed on Wednesday, May 27, and also on Saturday, May 30, which is Memorial Day. McHenry Shopping Center Merits Support Of Public A number of local business firms are sponsoring value demonstration days in McHenry Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 21, 22 and 23--their way of acquainting residents of the area with our city as a growing shopping center. How long has it been since you stopped to make a count of the many businesses, in all lines, which are serving you in McHenry? A survey proves interesting, disclosing, among others, ten grocery stores, four drug stores, seven apparel shops, five barber shops, five television and appliance firms, five cleaning and four laundry establishments and four home furnishing stores. These and many other McHenry businesses grow in number, and are offering the buyer top quality merchandise and service. The money you spend locally has innumerable indirect benefits which make our community continue to prosper and remain the kind of city we are proud to call home. Continued support of McHenry businesses will assure it remaining a source of pride to all of us. OPEN NEW SUBDIVISION Hillview subdivision, located on.High*va$ 12, on the south edge of Ridhmond, will have its grand opening on May 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. A. N. May Builders, Inc., developer of the sixty-lot addition, announces that Hillcrest model home will be open for inspection. NOTICE The McHenry State bank will remain open on Wednesday, May 27, and will close on Saturday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day. 300 To Present Spring Festival About 300 members of the instrumental and vocal departments of the McHenry high school will unite efforts next Sunday evening, May 24, at 8:15 o'clock to present their annual spring music festival. The school's orchestra, one of only a few in this part of the state, will open the program with "Larghetto", Schubert's "Ave Maria", with Mary Etheridge as vocal soloist, and "On The Trail" by Grofe. Vocalists, will Jfollow, with a girls' ensemble singing "Star Dust" in a specially lighted scene. The choruses will then sing "Good Christian Men", "Madame Jeanette", "Hunter's Moon" and "Good News", concluding with the massed group of 230 in "Deep Purple". The band will then take the spotlight for a march, "Colonel Bogey", a waltz from "Eugene Onegin", a rhumba, "Relax", an overture, "Eroica", "P a n American Heritage". (Continued on Page 5) The historic Riverside hotel, for more/ than, a century a landmark on the Fox river in McHenry, escaped total destruction through the efforts of firemen from the three stations-- McHenry, Joh n s b u r g and Lakemoor--last Friday morning. Residents of the hotel residing on the third floor, where the fire started, fled the building upon learning that flames were spreading, but none was reported injured. The fire was discovered about 8:15 o'clock by Larry Brusso, an employee of Holly's service station, across the highway from the hotel. As a car pulled into the station for gas, the driver commented to Brusso that residents of the hotel must be cold, judging by the amount of smoke arising from the upper part of the building. Turns In Alarm Brusso, on seeing the smoke* realized that it did not result from the hotel's heating unit but from fire, and he turned in fhe alarm immediately while Warren Holly notified hotel employees. Within minutes, members of the three stations arrived on the scene to get the fire under control. In the meantime, many residents from throughout the community had been attracted by the clouds of dark smoke emanating from the century old building. Jerome Buch, a fireman, carried Mrs. Lucy Dowe from the building. She had inhaled considerable smoke but recovered quickly on reaching fresh air. The original fire was brought under control in about forty minutes, but department^members were called back "a second time to extinguish some smoldering debris in a closet. The flames are believed to have started on a dresser in the apartment of James Selsdorf, who had left for work Chicago some time before^ Water Damage Much of the building which was not damaged by fire suffered from water and smoke. Total damage was estimated at about $40,000 on the build- (Continued on page 8) MOMENTS Kotalik Studio Photo As crowds gathered and waited anxiously to learn the fate of the Riverside hotel, dark clouds arose from the century old brick building about 8:30 last Friday morning during the height of the fire which destroyed one third floor apartment and part of the third floor hall. Extensive damage was reported from water and smoke to other parts of the building. OBSERVE POPPY DAY IN CITY MAY