iHanrliPBtfr Cool Clear, cool tonight; sunny WEATHER Saturday. Details on page 2 Vol. XCIX, No. 299 — Manchester, Conn., Friday, September 19, 1900 YOLK HOMETOWy yEWSHAPER • Since 1881 • 20ii; Blast rocks Titan missile site DAMASCUS, Ark. (UPI) - An The explosion jarred the area near set up three evacuee centers at tgxjc fumes in the atmosphere. explosion rocked a TiUn II missile the small town of Damascus, popula­ Conway, Clinton and Morrilton. "The fuel is liquid when it’s under silo early today, shaking the Arkan­ tion 225 about 3 a.m. CDT and Even if the missile were armed, pressure but when it (a fuel tank) sas countryside, lighting up the pre­ followed a night of worry over a fuel Fullerton said, "there is no way you ruptures it becomes a gas, a heavy dawn sky "like daylight” and in­ leak that had caused an earlier could get an accidental nuclear vapor and there are toxic fumes juring 10 Air Force personnel. evacuation of about 100 people within detonation from it. You could get floating around up there,” Fullerton The Air Force would neither con­ a one-mile radius of the site. some burning of material and a said. firm nor deny the presence of any The missile silo is about four miles scattering of radioactive material A fuel leak at the site was reported nuclear weapons at the site in central north of Damascus and 45 miles but there is no way you could get a about 7:15 p.m. Thursday and a dis­ Arkansas, but toxic fumes did pre­ north of Little Rock. nuclear explosion.” aster team was sent from Little Rock sent a hazard for nearby residents. "We are already evacuating as In Washington, a Defense Depart­ Air Force Base. The explosion oc­ An estimated 800 to 1,000 people were * much as a 10-mile area,” said dis­ ment spokesman said, "We’re not curred while a maintenance crew evacuated. patcher Jack Ward of the Van Buren confirming or denying the presence was trying to neutralize the fuel leak John Fullerton, operations super­ County sheriff’s office. "We did have of a nuclear weapon at this time.” in the missile’s first stage, the Air visor of the state Office of Emergen­ an explosion down there. One or two At Strategic Air Command Force said. cy Services, said, "I don’t know if it explosions. We’re evacuating headquarters in Omaha, Neb., Lt. had a nuclear warhead on it. The Air everything (within) as much as a 10- Col. Richard Kline said it was Air Force won't tell you because that’s There are 54 Titan silos in the mile area. We may have to go Force policy neither to confirm or United States, 18 of which are in classified but I assume it did.” farther.” deny the presence of any nuclear Air force maintenance men, suf­ Arkansas. The silo near Damascus is The explosion "shook the ground weapons anyplace. He also would not a unit of the 308th Strategic Missile fering from burns and inhalation of and the area lit up like daylight,” a comment on the threat of any danger toxic fumes, were hospitalized in Lit­ Wing. spokesman at the state Office of of radioactivity in the area. The Titan II missile is an intercon­ tle Rock and Conway. They were not Emergency Services said. Fullerton said the injured suffered immediately identified and the ex­ tinental ballistic missile that is 103 OES supervisor Fullerton said mostly from burns, although some feet high and 10 feet in diameter. It tent of their injuries was not im­ everyone in a five-mile area south of suffered from inhaling toxic fumes. mediately disclosed. can deliver a nuclear warhead the site was evacuted. The office also He said his principal concern was anywhere in the world. Writ asks for tax vote By MARY KITZMAINN Since he will have to testify as a although O’Brien’s ruling on its il­ expressed confidence in the town witness, O’Brien said he wanted legality was already given, and a Herald Reporter winning the case. The town attorney another lawyer to handle the case. rejection was expected. When the 45 will have to show cause why the ac­ MANCHESTER- The town at­ "It’s hard to remain objective when days expired, O’Brien ruled the town tion requested by the writ should not An explosion ripped through a Titan missile silo early this torney has been named in a writ of you’re so involved,” he said. did not need to accept or reject an il­ be performed. He said Shea will morning. A similar silo is shown in this file photo. (UPI) mandamus obtained by the The writ was leveled at O’Brien, legal petition. probably argue he cannot be forced Manchester Property Owner's who was representing die town when The MPOA, which had been to perform an improper action, ac­ Association. he ruled in March that khe petition waiting for an adverse ruling to begin cording to the Town Charter. O’Brien The writ, and complaint, was circulated by the MPOA ‘did not legal proceedings, sought the writ also noted that attorneys are allowed Bolton estimates served upon Kevin O’Brien, town at­ require a town referendum. The peti­ regardless of the town’s inaction and a greater margin of discretion in torney since last December, on tion submitted to the Town Clerk’s directed it toward O’Brien. public actions than other public of­ Wednesday. The writ seeks to force Office, signed by about 1,8(X) persons, A writ of mandamus is a court ficials. asked for a referendum on a tax order, in the absence of any other school costs O’Brien to change his ruling that a The association had hoped to set petition circulated by the MPOA is il­ freeze. The MPOA seeks to limit in­ legal remedy, to require a public of­ the referendum for the November Story Page 17 legal. creases in the mill rate solely to in­ ficial to perform a public duty. presidential election, avoiding the The action by the citizen’s group creases in the Grand List, keeping The writ is b a s ^ on the Town cost of a special vote. The legal was expected for some time, but present property owner’s taxes at the Charter Section 3-10 which requires proceedings and town’s 45-day wait, there had been speculation the writ same level. the town to review any petitions sub­ pushed it past the date referendums would be served upon the Board of Petitions signed by about 1,4(X) mitted for referendum. could be scheduled :rtops Directors or the town clerk. voters, must be schedule for a The section requires the town at­ Betty Sadloski, president of the Grasso tests O’Brien, confirming today he was referendum, according to the Town torney to correct any illegality, MPOA, has charged the town with ountertop served with the writ, was not sur­ Charter. clarify problems, or unneccessary “dragging its feet” on the petition. r and In a prised he was named as the defen­ However, last March OTrien ruled wording. She says the town must bear respon­ i new and dant. "I think this is the action they that the petition was illegal. He Since O’Brien has ruled the peti­ sibility for the cost of the special found clear have to take, if they want a ruling,” maintains, according to his inter­ tion is invalid, for him to correct it election, amounting to about $10,(KK), would change the petition’s focus. HARTFORD (UPI) - Gov. Ella he said. pretation of the Town Charter, that since it delayed. the past several weeks included a The court hearing will revolve Grasso’s doctor says the latest tests 90" mitre Itje writ and complaint sets a Sept. only the Board of Directors can set A similar ordinance to the one complete body CAT scan and ul­ 1 around, and decide whether, O’Brien on the governor, who was operated rge Is 4’ 29 cSurt appearance in Hartford the mill rate and act on fiscal policy. sought by the MPOA has been trasound studies; an intravenous SuperiV Court. O’Brien, however, When the MPOA gave the petitions to can be ordered to perform the task, on in April for ovarian cancer, show enacted in several towns, including no evidence of any new tumors. colangiogram; upper and lower GI said he has a conflict for that date. the town clerk, the Board of Direc­ subsequently deciding the petition’s Woodstock, the MPOA is repi'esented But the governor still is suffering series; and blood profiles, including But he directed questions on another tors, acting on O’Brien’s advice, legality. b‘y Carl Neilson, who won the enzyme studies. While noting he could not predict from gastritis. Dr. Joseph Russo, a date to William Shea, assistant town required a 45 day wait before any Woodstock ordinance in a court bat­ Press secretary Larrye deBear ruling. The wait was required the judge's decision, O’Brien Hartford gynecologist, said IAIN-4-CfNTtS attorney. Shea will be representing tle. Thursday. said the governor’s weight loss, O’Brien in the case. •5 2 0 Mrs. Grasso, 61, was in Hartford which has become very noticeable in ^ Hk 5M 05 Hospital Thursday morning for a recent weeks, was a result of the gas­ barium enema and a large bowel tritis. He said the governor refused series, which is an X-ray of the to say how much weight she had lost.