Thursday, April 28, 2016

4/26/1956

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, April 26, 1956   Vol. C565


LOCAL NEWS


IRON WORKS MAY MOVE


East Farewell- In a shocking and surprising announcement today, the East Farewell Iron Works announced it may be moving its entire operation to new location.  The new location was not officially disclosed but many sources indicated that it will be out of state.  The management has not indicated that the move has been set, it is still in the discussion stages and no final decision has been made at this time.  The management has emphatically stated that these are only preliminary discussions and it is entirely possible that no move will take place.
            The Iron Works has been in East Farewell since the town was founded in the early part of the century.   The Mighty Keystone Railroad first set up the Iron Works to supply rails for its westward expansion.  In 1913 the Iron Works was sold by the Mighty Keystone Railroad to a local business group headed by Francis O’Sullivan.  The business was spun off from the main railroad under pressure from anti-monopoly forces in the government and O’Sullivan’s group received very favorable terms in the sale.  Along with the factory and trained, non union labor force, O’Sullivan received an almost continuous order for rails from the railroad.  The business thrived and expanded through the following decades.  As recently as 1955 work was so plentiful that an extra shift was started and an additional 100 workers were added.
            There are many reasons for the move, all are pure speculation because the management will not comment, range from the increased price of raw materials to labor costs (the labor force went to a union shop in 1947) to local pressure on the quality of Lake Charles water and the air in town.  East Farewell has become an increasingly popular resort town in the past decade and concern for the quality of life has become very important to the local economy and population.  
The Iron Works has been an integral member of the East Farewell community and many families have deep ties to the “Works.”  If the Iron Works were to move a major employer in the town would leave and the town’s economy would be severely impacted.  The Iron Works is also the second largest corporate tax payer in town as well as the third largest land holder.  As of this edition, the Town Council was planning to meet early next week with the Iron Works management to discuss the possible move and what options the town has.

“This could have disastrous effects on the town,” said Tom Connelly, Town Council President. “We cannot afford to lose the essential member of our community.  The town would be pushed to the edge of collapse if the Iron Works were to pull out.”

        East Farewell Iron Works


SPORTS


TRAVELERS START OFF STRONG BEHIND HOT OFFENSE


East Farewell- The Travelers baseball team is off to its best start ever.  They have won eight of their fist nine games and have only allowed seven runs in all eight games.  In their latest win the Travelers bested the Corning CGW 5-0.  The offense continued to display versatility as all nine team members got hits.  Johnny Cloos seems to be back in shape after a late season injury last season.  He had three hits including a home run, his third of the young season.  The defense has been extremely stingy so far this season and this game was no exception.  The super infield of “Mean” Richie Lane, Dale Dunham, Artie Archibald and Bobby Watson continue to stymie other offenses, this season they have already turned 6 double plays in the early season.  There has been a one hitter and three shutouts so far.  The fans have been showing their support by selling out all home games so far this season.  This promises to be record setting season for the Travelers and an exciting and entertaining one for the fans.


 NATIONAL NEWS


SMOKING CAUSES CANCER – CAPITOL RECORDS CELEBRATES 14TH BIRTHDAY - COLUMBIA QUITS ON 78s


Scientists who experimented with tars from burning tobacco say that lung cancer could be reduced by 75% if people did not smoke cigarettes. But a spokesperson for the tobacco industry said their evidence is inconclusive. The scientists served on a panel at the 47th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Atlantic City.

Capitol Records celebrates 14 years and unveiled its Hollywood Capital Tower on Vine Street. Glenn Wallachs, the company’s President said in an interview - “Sometimes it doesn’t seem possible that 14 years have elapsed between the release of the first Capitol record and the opening of the Capitol Tower. Or that it’s been a decade and a half since Johnny Mercer and I discussed our Capitol plans in a Hollywood record store.” “It’s so easy to remember when the company’s floor space was just 40 by 100
feet. But sometimes it doesn’t seem possible that all this happened in only 14 years: that since “Cow Cow Boogie” became a hit, our humble war-born independent has become an international organization, one of the world’s major producers, manufacturers and distributors of phonograph records.”

Columbia Records announces it is pulling-out of making 78rpm records and wants to concentrate on 45’s.  The 78rpm single has been on a steady decline and received a push to oblivion early this year when several record labels, led by RCA, upped their prices on 78’s from 89 cents to 98 cents. Columbia says that no more than 25% of the label’s new single releases will be issued automatically on 78’s and that the proportion would diminish further as the years goes by. All record companies say the decline in 78 sales during the past few years has forced up the cost of production and besides using more raw material - the disks were more difficult and costly to handle because of breakage problems. Besides, radio stations and jukeboxes have virtually completed conversion to 45’s.  One area the 78 single still shines is with country & western and rhythm & blues releases. Here it is reported, the consumer still has the old-fashioned one-speed (78) phono player.




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