Above the fold in the March 11th, 1962, Reading Eagle.
Berkshire Knitting Mills Building 202 – better known perhaps as the “clock building” – has been sold to Schoener Candies, Inc., 216 Buttonwood St., it was announced yesterday by BKM. The building faces Reading Avenue in West Reading and will be occupied by the Schoener firm in mid-summer, with more than 200 persons being employed there, it was disclosed. BKM said that since seamless hosiery knitting machinery requires less space than full-fashioned machinery, the building has not been needed by Berkshire for several years. It had been leased previously by Hershey Chocolate Corp – Eagle Photo
Mrs. Albert J. Lauter Jr. of Five Points, Reading, Den Mother to Den No. 5 of Mount Penn Pack No. 158, reviews a scouting achievement book with two of her Cubs, Daniel J. Essig, left, and Daniel F. Metzler. She is one of 630 housewives who serve as Den Mothers to 3,642 Cub Scouts in the city and county.
Al Paris gained national fame when footage of him directing traffic at 4th and Penn aired on Candid Camera on March 11th, 1962.
Two earthquakes – the first measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale and the second recorded at 4.6 – shook the Berks County area Saturday night. The quakes are believed to be the largest ever recorded in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, according to officials.
The Associated Press reported that shocks from the second quake were supposedly felt as far north as New York City and as far east as Philadelphia and as far south as Baltimore.
Officials said the first quake hit about 7:43 p.m., and the second struck at 8:49 p.m. The epicenter of both is believed by officials to be in the Wyomissing Hills area. Waverly Person, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center at the U.S. Geological Survey in Boulder, Colo., confirmed that instruments recorded the 4.6 figure.
His colleague, John Minsch, said the same instruments got the 4.0 reading on the first quake. Minsch said Saturday night that Berks residents could expect several aftershocks.
The first quake caused a water main break at the Victoria Crossing development in Spring Township. The second triggered a reported water main break in the Kenhorst area.
UGI Utilities Inc. officials reported responding to a minor natural gas leak in the 1300 block of Garfield Avenue in Wyomissing.
Streets department crews in Reading said they found a crack in the 1700 block of Fairview street and one in the 600 block of Clinton Street.
Several residents in the western sector of the county reported cracks in ceilings, furniture moving, dishes falling from china closets, and pictures dropping off walls.
In the downtown area, tall buildings shook, including the Berks County Courthouse, where dispatchers for the Berks County Communications Center on the 18 th floor were flooded with calls on the 9-1-1 emergency system from people clamoring for information.
City and Wyomissing police departments also reported that their phones were jammed. Several area telephone exchanges were slowed by thousands of callers trying to reach loved ones or friends.
The second quake hit with more intensity than the first, according to Dr. Charles K. Scharnberger, a Millersville University geologist, who reported that it knocked the pen off his seismographic equipment at the Lancaster County campus some 35 miles from Reading.
“We really didn’t get a good record of it,” Scharnberger said. “We had about the first 30 seconds of it and then the pen hit the edge of the drum and went off the paper.
“I’d say it was at _least 4.5 to possibly 5.0.”
Scharnberger said his seismographic instruments measured the magnitude of the first quake at 4.5 on the Richter Scale.
He explained it is difficult to determine the intensity of the earthquakes until a day later because those living near the suspected epicenter have to be interviewed about what they felt and the extent of the damage.
A May 10 earthquake, measuring 2.5 on the Richter Scale, shook the Wyomissing Hills-Spring Township area and was followed by several temblors.
Thanksgiving Day also fell on November 28th in 1974. Here is a look at that day’s Reading Eagle:
Walter S. Shearer, who owns a poultry farm in Sinking Spring R.D. 6, holds one of his flock. To find out what eventually happened to this turkey turn to page 31 – Eagle Photo
That homemade taste of goodness was plentiful in Berks County today as thousands celebrate Thanksgiving with families and friends. And, of course, Thanksgiving means turkey time for many. Mrs. Donald E. Horning, above of 25 Larchwood Road, Wyomissing, is delighted with a turkey she selects at the Shearer poultry stand in the Shillington Farmers’ Market. Helping her with the selection is Carmen S. Rolinski, son-in-law of Walter S. Shearer, owner of the Sinking Spring R.D. 6 poultry farm. Mrs. Horning, right, gives her husband a sneak preview of things to come while, below, Mr. Horning reacts to that stuffed feeling of Thanksgiving feast. – Eagle Photos by Richard T. Miller
Demolition Under Way
The former fire damaged Reading School District supply house at 933 Walnut St. is being demolished by Rossi Welding Inc., 316 Franklin St., which will use the area for a parking lot. The firm purchased the structure for $9500. -Eagle Photo
Santa at the Berkshire Mall
Santa Claus will make his magic entrance tomorrow morning at 9:30 on our 2nd level then wisk down the glass elevator into his snowy Christmas Village in the Center Court. The first 1,000 children to greet jolly old St. Nick will receive a special gift box of Christmas Candy to sweeten their Holiday spirits.
Santa’s whole gang is back this year including his elves and his giant toy soldiers and his train and workshop and reindeer barn and a whole mallfull of splendid holiday trimmings. So we sure to get the kids up early tomorrow and plan to spend the day shopping through beautiful Berkshire Mall where 87 fine stores are busting and brimming with holiday values for all.
A water pumping station along Old Lancaster Pike in Cumru Township owned by Citizens Utilities Water Co. was destroyed in an explosion Tuesday night, leveling the structure to concrete slabs. The force of the explosion, heard up to five miles away, blew the doors off the building through the containment fence.
Click to enlarge
“Fearing that the blast had triggered a chlorine leak, police evacuated some 200 residents from about 40 homes after the 10:15 explosion. Police told residents to leave the area for a brief time. No Injuries were reported. Residents were allowed to return a short time later after officials determined there was no chlorine in the station.“
“Cumru Township Fire Marshal Timothy M. Dougherty said the explosion may have been sparked by a malfunction in either a gas generator or furnace operating inside the 30-by-30-foot concrete pumping station near Trusty’s Lawn & Garden Equipment along route 222.“
Future site of Western Electric purchased in Muhlenberg Township
Nov 18th, 1959 Reading Eagle
TV Stereo Advertisement from Pomeroys
Dance to your favorite records plated on the 4-speed automatic record changer or simple add the space-saving stereo amplifier unit and enjoy life-like realism of stereophonic sound. Or just relax and enjoy this big-screen TV. Yours now for the first time at this low, low price.
Costa Rican Group Visits Textile
Harry Swartz, atop stairway, apprentice supervisor for the Textile Machine Works, points out the working of a machine to a Costa Rican apprenticeship team that visited the local plant today. Left to right, are: Manuel Maria Granados, labor inspector II, Ministry of Labor; Roberto Fernandez, manager of the Rupublic Tobacco Co. in Curridabat, office, Ministry of Labor; Antonio Gonzalez, cheif vocation education secretary, Ministry of Education; Shwartz; Adolfo Bagnarello, chief mechanic I, Ministry of Public Works; Alfredo Rodriguez, director general, Ministry of Labor, and John Moyer, an employee of Textile. (Eagle Staff Photo)
