 

(INS) — Six persons were
killed, 15 injured and an un-
determined nuruber are mizsing
in the collapse of the First Na-
tional bank building during a
rush hour today, The death tolt
may rise as three hours after
the crash workmen had been
able to clear away the debris
only at the edge of the build-
ing.
e . e
SHELBY, N. C., Aug. 28—(AP)
—Four peopis were known to
have been killed and an unde-
termined number fnjured here te-
ay when three buildings in the
business district collapsed. The
dead are: Miss Gra Eskridge, a
clerk in the First National bank;

one unidentified white man and

two unidentified negroes.

| The buildings that collapsed

were ths First National bank, in
temporary, quarters; Goodes grec-
ery store. aid &, tailér. shop” No
cause for the collapae wat given
witho workmen were said to have
been excavating under, the buiid-
Me. : My

George Blanton, acting vice
[president of the bank, escaped
with «minor injuries, as did“ For-
est Eskridge, cashier. Ciarencs
Mull, assistant cashier, was sert-
ously injured.

"Two other clerks were sald to
have been buried in the debris.
The proprietor cf the tallor shep
was missing and was reported to
have been buried in the ruins ot
his shop.

Four bank clerks were unac-
counted for but {t was thought
‘| possible. that they were in the
| crowds about the scene. A physt-
cian climbed thru dangerous orer-
| banging walls to treat 2 woniad

bank clerk who was pinned under
twisted steel and brick. a
‘ ‘Tle two dead negroee were
members of the excavating crew
‘at work under the buildings
Others of the crew are missing.

Construction gangs from al
parts of the city were workin
desperately to clear the wreckag:
and extricate those who may atil
be allve. Physiclans from all cit:
hoenitals were called.

 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
   
   
 
WASHINGTON (UPD —
President Nixon and Soviet
Yeader Leonid 1. Brezhnev
pledged today to avoid military
confrontations and threats of
force that might lead to nuclear
war between their two nations.

In a poucy declaration, the
leaders of the two nuclear
superpowers agreed to “‘im-
mediately enter into urgent
consultations with each other”
 should the risk of a nuclear
conflict arise.

Nixon and Brezhnev signed
the agreement —the eighth
since the start of their summit
talks —in a ceremony in the
East Room of the White House
a few hours before their
scheduled departure aboard the
presidential jettiner for San
Clemente, Calif., fot the conclu-
sion of their week-long con-
ference.

In the agreement. the two
 leaders promsed that the
United States and the Soviet
Union “will act in such a
Thaoner as to prevent the
development of situations capa-
ble of causing a dangerous
exacerbation of their relations,
as to avoid military confronta-
tons, and to exclude the
outbreak of nuclear war be
tween them and between either
of the parties and other
counties.”

The accord also calls for the
 signatories to proceed from the
premise that each will refrain
“from the threat or use of force
against the other party, against
the allies of the other party,
and against other countries, in
circumstances which may en-
danger international peace and
security.”

In advance of the signing,
Nixon briefed congressional
leaders of both parties on the
declaration, which 1s a state

{Continued on Page 10, Col. 1)
 