European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday december 25. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 Row House Home of yes virginia1 trapped in Legal entanglement new York a the red Brick Row House is still standing where Little Virginia o Hanlon lived where she penned the letter nearly a Century ago that implored a newspaper editor to Tell her the truth docs Santa Claus exist but no one lives at 115 w. 95th St. Anymore. And Santa Claus would find no stockings Hung by the Chimney with care. He would find bearded up windows a gutted Interior and a flock of pigeons. In a neighbourhood that has had hard times Only to rebound into affluence in a City that cries out for housing the vacancy of Virginia o Hanlon s four Story House and five others on the Street has caused controversy. Virginia is All but forgotten in the dispute. But at least one person remembers. Last Christmas someone pinned an unsigned Christmas card on the door along with a clipping from a newspaper that reprinted Virginia s letter and the response. Please Tell me the truth is there a Santa Claus Virginia wrote she was 8 years old. And some of her classmates were sceptics. In an editorial published on sept. 21. 1897. In the new York Sun. Francis phar Cellus Church re plied yes Virginia there is a Santa he exists As certainly As love and generosity and Devotion exist Church said. How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be As dreary As if there were no Virginia o Hanlon Douglas died on May u.1971. A decade earlier she had reaffirmed her be Lief in the Sania c Laus spirit saying it stands for love and sharing the Joy of giving and the Extension of it to All but at the time of her death her childhood Home already had been vacant for about five years recalls Jeanne l. Beatty president of the West 95lh Street development corp. Which holds the House s title. And now Santa himself probably could t find Virginia s House the St act numbers Are wire blocks the Entrance. Someone has scrawled aids housing now in red on the door. Not Long ago a human body was drawn on the sidewalk out front with he caption homeless people arc freezing to death and this building stands the non profit West 95th corporation developed five houses on the Street and was supposed to arrange the refurbishing and development of six others including Virginia s Home which was toehold five families but the corporation instead became involved in a Legal snarl in which the City and neighbors arc try ing to get Back the houses claiming Beatty is hold ing the property until prices Rise. She says the Legal Battle has Preu mid her from refurbishing the buildings. The fight has dragged on. For the last 10 years the corporation has acted in a totally illegal manner by having no Board of directors no bylaws no annual meetings or any other kind of control beyond the one woman control of Jeanne Beany lawyer and neighbor Law rence j. Gross charged in a letter to the state attorney general s office. He estimated the six buildings once Worth about $20,000 apiece Euld now bring several million dollars. But Beatty says she s no Scrooge. My Money is silting there and has been earning All of this. I m the one who s been going through All the stress. It has impeded my health and career. It s the Home of Virginia o Hanlon Douglas is now the subject of a Legal squabble Between a non profit development corporation House und the City of new York. Been bleeding me. Frankly. The Money i d been making in real estate is gone she said. Beatty said the buildings must be totally refurbished except for Walls and ceilings. Much has changed since Virginia wrote her let Ter but Beatty insisted the Christmas spirit lives on West 95lh Street. It s in mourning really she said. Perhaps 1 should put a Wreath on the door this year. We Hope in 1990 it will be occupied and lights on again in the window and laughter and cheer for the next Holiday. And Carlers can Stop Sands of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Dec. 25, 1949 the United states and Yugoslavia reached a provisional agreement at Belgrade allowing american civilian airlines to Fly Over that country s territory and land at its airports. 30 years ago today. Dec. 25, 1959 president Eisenhower asked fellow americans to be generous in helping less fortunate Peoples realize the Good life for in a Christmas message carried around the world the president characterized the help As no a matter of Charity but As a Means to express and preserve Freedom. 20 years ago today. Dec. 25, 1969 the air Force announced it had chosen the Mcdonnell Douglas corp. Of St. Louis to develop and build the f-15 tactical Jet fighter. The first contract for 20 aircraft development and testing had a target Price of $1.146 billion. To years ago today. Dec. 25, 1979 the 50 american hostages prepared to celebrate Christmas atthe american embassy in Tehran amid rumours that some of them might be released for the holidays. The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared that the Only Way they would be freed was for president Carter to hand Over the Shah. Talks to resume in 9-month-old . Coal strike Washington a the United mine workers Union and Pittston co. Failed saturday in a last ditch Effort to reach a pc Christmas settlement in a hitter nearly nine month old strike by 1,700 Coal miners in three states. Negotiations recessed saturday evening with an agreement that both sides would return to the bargain ing table wednesday. Government appointed mediator . Usery. Who had said he wanted to end the strike by Christmas told both sides he expected to Settle the dispute by Friday according to sources familiar with the talks. Usery hoping to meet his goal had the two sides atthe table virtually around the clock All week. He called a break at Midnight Friday but then ordered negotiators Back to the table saturday morning. Considerable Progress was made in the past few Days the sources said. But Usery decided to recess the bargaining because it was Clear that an agreement could not be reached drafted and approved in time for the bar gainers to make it Home for Christmas. The possibility of a settlement kept labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole who appointed Usery in Washington delaying a trip she planned to North Carolina for Christmas. The nearly 1.700 miners struck Pittston s Coal subsidiary on april 5, walking off the Job at mines i Virginia West Virginia and Kentucky after working 14 months without a contract. Wages never have been a major sticking Point. In Stead the walkout was prompted by Pittston s refusal to participate in an Industry agreement on How to fund miners retirement and health plans. The strike has been costly for both sides. The Union has paid the strikers about $200 a week in benefits and is facing fines of about $63.5 million for violating court orders limiting picketing and other strike activities. As for Pittston. Its production is Well below pc strike Levels although it has hired replacement work ers. And the company has said special Security require ments to protect replacement workers and equipment has Cost More than $ 10 million. . Man gets stuck in Santa Glaus entry los Angeles a firefighters insist the Man they pulled out of a Chimney saturday was t audition ing for Santa Claus Job but trying to get into his locked Home in time for Christmas. The 20-year-old Man and his family were locked oui of their Sherman Oaks residence in los Angeles. They decided that the Best Way to get inside was for him Togo Down the Chimney said City fire department spokesman Jim Wells. The victim who was not identified was Aboul half Way Down when he got stuck. Wells said. Firefighters used a sledgehammer and a battering ram to poke a Hole in the Chimney then pulled him out the spokesman said. The Man escaped with minor scratches. Bush at Camp David Retreat Panama and Romania warrant it. Bush flew to Camp David after he and his wife had an emotional visit with aids patients at the National institutes of health. In a speech at the research Hospital to doctors patients and their families he stressed the need for understanding and compassion for the victims of the deadly infection. Since sending troops into Panama on tuesday and wednesday with the expressed intent of protecting american lives and to capture Noriega Bush has had Little sleep and is suffering from stiff neck and a touch of laryngitis Caus ing a hoarse said Bush would go ahead with his original Holiday schedule which includes Christmas with his family at Camp David and a trip to Texas wednesday for Quail shooting at his Friend will Parish s ranch in Leeville. Texas. Washington up president Bush is spending the Holiday weekend at the presidential Retreat at Camp David in the Maryland mountains the White House said. While House press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said Friday that while sporadic fighting continues in Panama and the country s deposed dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega has remained at Large Ameri cans understand that Christmas is a time to be with family and the president is no exception. At the same Lime Fitzwater said the White House is wherever the president is and Bush is in direct communication with All his top advisers. With temperatures dropping below Zero Bush and his entire clan gathered Friday at the rustic Mouru Kintop retreating Western Maryland. But Fitzwater said the president stands ready to change his Christmas vacation plans if events in
