European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. October. 1987 the stars and stripes Page 5 earliest snowstorm hits Northeast up to 20 inches recorded in some areas new York tin i news service the earliest snowstorm on record struck new York and parts of new eng land sunday burying Tome areas in up to 20 inches of Snow closing roads and air ports knocking out Power to More than 300,000 Homes and timing russet autumn to wintry Solitude. The storm caused by a collision of cold and soggy air mosses was the earliest in the Region since the army Sig Nal corps began keeping weather records in is70 and even toppled the 150-year old unofficial record a blizzard that almanacs say hit on oct. 6,1336. The previous earliest official Snow. Storm was on oct. 10,1929, coastal areas of new York new Jer sey and Connecticut were lashed by rain but were spared Tram the Snow Hal fell heavily Over a wide band of colder mountains and Hills in the Northeast. The National weather service report cd Snow accumulations of up to 20 inches in upstate new York 18 inches in Western Massachusetts 12 inches in ver Mont and 9 inches in Connecticut. The Northwest Corner of new Jersey had 3 inches. The Snow caught the Region by sur prise. Forecasts had called for unseasonably Cool weather and Snow showers Over parts of new York and new eng land but there had been no prediction of a big storm. Temperatures in fact skidded to new lows along much of the Eastern Seaboard and records were tied or broken in 37 cities. From the catskills and Berkshire of upstate new York and Western Massachusetts to the Green and White mountains of Vermont and new Hampshire the Snow transformed the landscape Iso lating entire communities and cloaking valleys and slopes that had just begun to Blush with red Orange and yellow. All hell is breaking Loose said Wil Liam Kraus a Putnam county. N.y., Deputy sheriff As the flakes came Down. There s Snow on everything and Trees and wires Down. We be got Road Block Ages and grass ires and Brush fires started by broken wires. I m telling peo ple to stay Home for thousands of people it was a Day to go nowhere and to do nothing a Day without Power heal television or Visi tors with time id look out the Ivi Dowal falling Snow and silent Woodlands. Across much of new York state and the Northeast Leal Laden Trees caught falling Snow and the weight snapped branches and toppled Trees across Power lines and roads. Many highways and a 26-mile stretch of the Thomas e. Dewey thruway were closed and Power failures hit 230,000 Homes in new York slate 77,000 in Connecticut and 10,000 in Massachusetts. At least two deaths were attributed to the storm. Both victims were Columbia county men one in Chatham and one in Copake . Sheriff deputies reported the victims were killed by falling Trees. Names were not immediately available. Scores of minor traffic accidents were reported throughout the Region and motorists were warned to slay off roads. Emergencies were declared in some communities in the Hudson Valley and thousand of people were stranded at Homes and weekend retreats. Crops of apples peppers eggplant and Sweet com were reported damaged. The Albany county Airport was closed for much of the Day and because of a Power failure that was expected to last until monday later flights were de poured to other airports. The Snow began falling late saturday night in Many areas and continued through sunday morning before tapering off in the Early to Middle afternoon. Moderating temperatures late in the Day began melting the Snow in Many sections leaving slush and soggy terrain. Chicago Little Rock teachers approve new 2-year contracts dressing for the part new Jersey Coy. Thomas Keats pulls on Farmer s Overall with the help of state sen. John Ewing in preparation for groundbreaking ceremonies of the agricultural museum it Rutgers University in North Brunswick n j. By the associated press teachers in Chicago and Little Rock ark., returned to the classrooms monday ending strikes Hal had kept schools closed for weeks. Representatives of the Chicago teachers Union late sunday approved a two year contract that ended the four week strike the longest in the City s history. The 563-95 vote by the Union s House of delegates guaranteed thai the system s 25,000 teachers and other employees would be Back at work monday said Union spokesman Chuck Burdeen. The contract will be submitted to rank and file Union members Over the next few weeks Burdeen said. The system s 430,000 students were to return tues Day officials said. Teachers went on strike sept. A their ninth walkout in 18 years. The proposed Chicago contract tentatively agreed to saturday called for a 4 percent pay raise this year and a 4 percent increase the next year with the second year increase depending on additional stale funds. The contract also called for some reductions in class size. The Board of education which has insisted it had no Money for raises planned to finance the 143.8 Mil lion package largely through layoffs including teacher layoffs said Board spokesman Robert Saigh. He estimated that 1,300 full time and 300 part time positions would be Cut because of the new contract Many of them classroom teachers with the least seniority. About 100 people would gel Layoff notices this week he said. Despite the proposed teacher layoffs Saigh did not expect overcrowding to Worsen. The proposal called for classes to be reduced by two students each in kindergarten through 3rd Grade in 36 of the City s most overcrowded schools he said. It also would Cut kindergarten through third Grade class sizes in 100 schools where students arc achieving below a ire shuts Down Colo nuke Plant Platteville Coto. A a 15-minute fire in a Turbine building at fort St. Vrain nuclear Plant could Cost Public service co. Of Colorado and its shareholders As much As i1 million a week an official said sunday. The fire could Force the Plant to remain closed for weeks or months said us Hawk a spokeswoman for pc which operates the Plant 40 Miles North of Den ver How much the damage is is anyone s  Bui she estimated the weekly Cost of running the Plant at $1 million. While the Plant is shut Down we won t have any Way to offset the costs she said. Hawk said pc engineers continued efforts sunday to estimate the damage from the fire which occurred in a 20-Square-Fcwi area. The estimates Are expected later in the week. Officials said the Plant s reactor was shut Down manually and no radiation was released during the fire which started when Hydraulic Oil sprayed onto hot steam pipes. One employee was treated for minor smoke inhalation but no other injuries were reported authorities said. Damage and delays from the fire will not Burden Consumers who Are charged for fort St. Vrain electric Ity Only when the Plant runs. The Cost of delays from equipment and other prob lems i paid by the company and those who hold us 52 million outstanding shares. Hawk said. Inspectors from the nuclear regulatory commis Sion Are investigating the cause of the Blaze. The Plant has the Only helium cooled nuclear re actor in the United slates and began operating in 1979. Saturday s fire was the latest in a series of prob lems at fort St. Vrain. The Panl had been closed since july to replace a helium circulator and had reopened Only last week. Tonal norms he said. In Little Rock the school District and ils teach ers reached agreement on a two year contract to end the first teachers strike in Arkansas. More than 1,400 teachers had been on strike since sept. 25. The 26,000 students in the District the stale s larg est were Back at school monday. The school Board approved the contract unanimously Al an emergency meeting shortly after negotiators for the strikers and the District reached an agreement. Members of the cat which represents 1,400 of the District s 1,650 teachers approved the proposal less than an hour after the school Board did. Teachers Are jubilant said Grainger Ledbetter president of the cat after the vote. A said the new contract will provide raises of about 11 a percent Over the two year term. The old contract which had been extended expired sept. 23. The cat had asked for a 10 percent across the Board raise giving teachers raises of 12 percent to is percent. The Board had offered a 6 percent raise this year and a 5 percent raise next year. First year teachers now earn s14,327 a year after 12 years teachers earn $20,632 a year. Teacher strike were continuing this week at Eliza Beth n.j., and at two Small districts in Pennsylvania. Sands or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Oct. 6, 1947 communist parties of nine euro Pean nations meeting in London called for a rebirth of the communist International to Lead the Takht against the front of anti democratic imperialistic forces led by the United  30 years ago today. ,. Oct. 6, 1957 socialist Guy Mallet gave up his attempt to form France s 24th postwar government and break the 5-Duy-old governmental crisis. He blamed right Wing independents who threw him out of the Premier s Post. 20 years ago today. Oct. 6, 1967 astronaut Clifton Williams who never got to make a space flight was killed when his plane crashed and exploded near Tallahassee Fla. The 35-year-old Marine was the eighth astronaut to die since the . Space program began. 10 years ago today. Oct. 6, 1977 israeli foreign minister Moshe Dayan announced he and president Carter had agreed on a tentative formula for holding a Middle East peace conference in Geneva