Little Frank Jeffreys, who has been ill for some days, is able
to be out again.
Col. William Funk, formerly of this county, was elected mayor of
Gassaway.
Rev. Dell Burns will move into the house now occupied by Cicero
Vanhorn above town. Mr. Vanhorn will move to town.
Maud Hathaway of Sycamore, who has been attending her sister,
Mrs. Earl Gates, who has been seriously ill for some time, has returned home.
Mrs. Ray Wilson of Chicago arrived at the home of James Wilson
to spend some time with her new relatives and friends. Ray is in the U.S. Army
and at the recruiting station at Chicago. His marriage will come as a surprise
to his many friends here.
The prohibition amendment bill has passed its third reading and
a “Jim Crow” bill has been introduced by Sen. French.
The three major U.S. auto-mobile manufacturers have decided to
install seat belt hardware on all cars beginning in 1962. It does not include
seat belts. It will be in the form of a reinforced plate on the floors of
cars--to which seat belts may be attached, if the owner so desires.
This is a sensible step toward greater safety on the highways,
although it in itself is a compromise. The attitude of the auto makers is
understandable, since one of the big three, Ford, attempted a few years back to
promote seat belts and the public was largely disinterested.
The only way to obtain maximum safety with today’s automobiles
is through the use of shoulder straps, but the public is more reluctant to use
these straps than safety belts.
It is hoped that the reinforced plates will be suitable for the
installation of both seat belts and shoulder straps. Whatever the manufacturer
does, the obvious conclusion is that only the riding public can achieve greater
safety by the use of devices available, and the public has not been quick to
adopt these new devices so far.