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About Roseburg news-review. (Roseburg, Or.) 1920-1948 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1943)
, -1 fcDfo) Ul IU1 inj N MB mm Our Job Is lo Save Dollars Buy War Bondf f Evtry Pay Day VOL. XLVII N0.229 OF ROSEBURG REVIEW RAMPANT WILLAMETTE SWEEPING CLOSE TO COG ULIS, ALBANY, SALEM; OHIO RIVER R JTS 50,000 RESIDENTS Water Inundates All Major Highways, Great Farm Area; Toll of Lives Reaches Six PORTLAND, Ore.. Jan. 2. (AP) An unseasonal flood surged toward the major cities-of the Willamette river today, leaving six dead and costing uncounted millions in damage in the upper valley. ) Past the Eugene area, where damage was estimat ed at $5,000,000, the flood crest swept toward Corval lis, Albany, Salem, Oregon City and Portland. Water covered all major highways and swirled over farm lands. The cities themselves, on higher ground, have not been touched by flood waters in years, but the Willamette lapped perilously close to city streets at Corvallis, Albany and Salem early today. Hundreds wore evacuated from i ' lowlands. At West Springfield I . . .... alone in the EuRene area nearly 900 persons were removed. Many others were taken from small communities and isolated farms. Rescues were carried out hy soldiers and civilian defense workers amid extreme dangers. Trees and small buildings were wept down on rescue craft by swift water. Several were over turned, but the rescuers, expert swimmers, prevented any further loss of life. Of the six lives lost, three were Vy drowning, following automo bile mishaps. One vehicle skidded Into a creek near Cottage Grove, drowning a woman, and another slipped into a flooded ditch neat Albany, drowning a mother and her five months-old son. Mills, Farm Flooded The river dropped steadily at Eugene although it still was almve flood level this morning. Downstream it rose just ps steadily, reaching unpredicted (Continued on page 6.) In the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS BY this time, you're familiar with the importance of BASES in modern warfare. Kotelnikov ski, just taken by the Russians, was an important German base. Huge supplies of war material were accumulated there and fed out to the German forces op erating against Stalingrad. These supplies came to Kotelnikovski by way of a rail line leading out ot Rostov. The Russians have now CUT this line, shutting off the supplv flow. BEFORE the present Russian offensive, the German opera tions against Stalingrad and the Volga were fed by two rail lines the one just referred to, leading through Kotelnikovski, and an other one, branching eastward from the main Rostov-Moscow line at Likhaya. f BOTH of these lines have now been cut by the advancing Rus sians. LONDON military authorities think the cutting of these sup ply lines virtually seals the doom of 22 German divisions (about 300,000 men) now trapped before Stalingrad. This opinion is based upon the fact that modern armies can't op erate without adequate supplies. THE Germans have been using transport planes heavily in getting reinforcements and sup plies to their forces before Stalin grad, but with all their speed transport planes can't take the place of railroads in moving the kvast volume of supplies needed "by modern armies. They can only supplement them. And the Russians have been (Continued on page 2) XftflV M WAIIian VMj VI II VIIIHII In Pass Creek Wreck Recovered The body of Mrs. Helen Skre bensky, 47, of Portland, who was drowned in Pass creek, near the Douglas-Lane county boarder Thursday night, after the auto mobile In which she was riding with her husband struck a slide on the Pacific highway, was re covered yesterday, Coroner H. C. Stearns reported. The body was taken to Cottage Grove. Mr. Skre bensky, who was driving the car, managed to save himself without injury. Mrs. Skrebensky's death was one of six attributed to the heavy storm and attendant floods in western Oregon. Two loggers, J. W. Thorn, Cottage Grove, !nd Archie Brooks, Wendllng, died in a mud slide near Wendling. Near Albany an automobile slipped into a flooded ditch, drowning Mrs. Marvin H. Smith, 25, and her five-months-old son. At Springfield an elderly wo man, Mrs. Josephine Lee, evacu ated from her flooded home near Glenwood, died of shock. Drives at End Until April, Treasury Says WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (AP) Treasury Secretary Morgcn thau announced today that there would be no more special drives for funds to finance the war until early April because the treasury had borrowed an historic total of S12,!)06.000.000 during December through its victory fund cam paign. The original December goal of $9,000,000,000 was overreached by -13.3 per cent. The actual total of money brought into the treasury last month was $15,000,000,000, be cause of 52,700.000,000 received in taxes and other collections. Oregon Far Over Top In '42 War Bond Quota PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 2 (AP) Oregon exceeded its S100. 000,000 1912 goal in the war bond campaign by S500.000. the state war bond staff reported in Port land today. Oregon's mark is 103 per cent of the state's official treasury de partment quota. The state ranks with the top three states in the union and leads the Pacific coast with a comfortable margin. Pursuit Plane Overdue On Trip to Pendleton PORTLAND, Jan. 2 (API -The army searched today for a pi.rvuit plane more than 36 hours e'crtjc on a flight from Port i.Td to Pendleton. The army air t.ise hern said the rhip stopped In Portland br-ellv en route fiom Mr-Chord field. Water Backing Into Reedsport Takes 5 Houses (By the Associated Press) i The rain-swollen Umpqua river ran into a high tide at Reedsport and backed into city streets. Five houses were swept away and low land farms and lumber mills were inundated. It was the worst flood there since 1927, and business men brought out boats to get around the streets. The water did not damage store stock, however, and receded as the iide turned, even higher tides were predicted today and Monday. Cattle were trapped by waters, and some were saved only by be ing lifted Into hay lofts. Families were evacuated from lowland areas, which remained under water. Extensive damage was done to log booms, many of which were broken up by the surging river. Roseburg Groups Perform Rescues Roseburg rescue groups per formed timely service last Thurs day while the Urnpqua river flood was at Its most dangerous stage. A man residing on Elk's island, which bisects the river here, was taken off in the city fire depart ments's boat hy the depart ment's rescue squad, comprised of Earl Powell, Bud Ellison, Luther Ellison, Bill Unralh, George Singleton and II. V. Pinniger. Responding to an aiil call from the Curry estate to the county court, a civilian defense unit, using the fire department boat, rescued a family of six, including two measles-stricken children, from their imperiled home in Garden valley. The family dog, cat and a flock of poultry were in cluded in the rescue, which re quired portaging of the boat over five stretches. The home fortu nately was not washed away. Douglas County "Lifer" Will Receive Freedom Robert Moore, sentenced to life imprisonment for assault about 10 years ago from Douglas county, will be released from the state prison this week, Governor Sprague said Wednesday in an nouncing that he had given Moore a commutation of sentence. Moore was arrested March 13, 1933. He gave his age then as 41 and stated he was born in Idaho and had resided in Oregon 11 years, the two last months of that period in Roseburg. He was sen tenced to life imprisonment two days after his arrest. War Bond Quota for Douglas Again Exceeded The war bond quoin for Doug las county for the month of December was set for S101,2r0 and the incomplete returns for the first three weeks of the month reached the total of S112, 4T0, according to an announce ment made this morning by H. O. Pargeter, county chairman. Pargeter stated that Douglas county is the only county in the state of Oregon that has over subscribed its quota for eight con secutive months. Slugging, Theft Reported By Myrtle Creek Man State police are Investigating the report of a Myrtle Creek resident named Marcy that he was slugged unconscious and rob bed of $10 by a stranger whom he met by chance while hiking to his home town from Roseburg. in the absence of flood-halted transportation. Marcy said the slugging occured about 3 o'clock this morning at the railway cut about 2 miles south of Roseburg. mmmmv r . imr u u r u THrOOUGLASrCOUNTY DALY ROSEBURS. OREGON, SATURDAY, Portsmouth Battling to Stem Flood Towns of Procforville, Point Pleasant, Others In Kentucky Inundated PORTSMOUTH, O., Jan. 2 (AP) The Ohio river hurled Its full flood fury at this industrial city of 40,400 Inhabitants today after driving 40,000 to 50,000 per sons from their homes upstream and causing damage that may reach $3,500,000. The residents crossed their fingers and hoped against fresh floods as a company of army en gineers helped fill 20,000 sand bags to bulwark n 62-foot flood wall. Scores of families were re moved from unprotected outlying communities. The river, running out of ils lhanks for 7G0 miles from east Liverpool, O., to below Evans ville, Intl., was expected to crof here lale tonight or Sunday at 61 feet, 11 above flood stage. It was at CO today. Throe engineers wore killed and four trainmen Injured neat- New Philadelphia, O., in a col lision of two freight trains which had been rerouted because of the flood. Peril Eased Elsewhere. Upstream, the water had drop ped below flood level in Pennsyl vania, and was receding between East Liverpool and Point Pleas ant, W. Va. Marooned workers prepared to return to war plants in East Liverpool, Wellsville, Steuben ville, Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, Bellaire and Marietta, O., and Weirton, Wellshurg, Wheeling, Moundsville, New Martinsville and Parkersburg, W. Va. The Ohio's crest hit Point Pleasant, 90 miles north of here, 'last night, reaching 15 feet above flood level. Eight feet ot water covered half the town, whose 3,500 population has been doubl ed by new war workers. A thou sand were made homeless. Huntington, W. Va., a city of 90,000 between here and Point Pleasant, was safe behind an m,000,000 72-foot wall complet ed last month. The river was expected to crest at 61.5 feet, 11 above flood stage. At Proctorville, O., however, 400 of the town's 950 residents were evacuated, some to Hunt ington. Hundreds of homes were flooded at Ashland and Catletts burg, Ky., and water ran seven feet deep in the Catlettsburg business district. Semi-paralysis of production spread southward, while thou sands more folk In Ohio and Kentucky scurried to higher ground. Youth, Girl Wounded by Gun User Improving PORTLAND, Jan. 2-(API-Hospital attendants today report ed the condition of two youthful gunshot victims had improved. They are Ethel Santel, 20, and John Guymup, IS, who were shot by Myrl W. Thompson, 57, Miss Santel's former employer, as they returned from a movie Thursday. Both remain in seri ous condition. Thompson afterward took his own life. Chocolate Shop Loses About $80 in Robbery Robbery of about SS0 from the cash register of the Chocolate shop. 229 North Jackson street. Roseburg, was reported to the local authorities today. Entrance to the place was effected by smashing a rear window be tween 1 and 2 o'clock this morn ing, according to the report of Night Patrolman William Long. JANUARY 2, 1943. Grain of U. S. Assures Food For Europe Increased Uses of Corn Shift Major Surplus to Huge Supply of Wheat CHICAGO, Jan. 2 (AP) -Like a teeter-totter, the nation's ever normal granary, w hich may some day soon help to feed a war stricken world, is shifting from an overabundance of corn to an overabundance of wheat. Grain trade statistics today showed the evernormal granary, now ten years old. holds supplies of sufficient size at least to make a good start on the task of feed ing Europe. However, the war has brought striking chances in its i'content. In the spring of 1911, when the United States began to take up the burden of supplying food first to Britain and later to others of the united nations, stocks of corn In the granary were at n peak, totaling in excess of 500,000,000 bushels. Wheat stocks were about one-half that total. I.end lease demands, however, have called for greatly increased livestock consumption of 'corn, as well as industrial products made from corn such as starch, sugar, oil and alcohol. The gran ary's supply of that cereal has been reduced to less than 200,000, 000 bushels, and a large orllon was In position for immediate farm consumption. Wheat Volumne Expands Meanwhile, the granary supply of wheat has expended more than threefold. By the time farmers complete the sealing of 3912 wheat under government loans, the total In the granary may ex ceed 700,000,000 bushels. Already It Is estimated above 600,000,000 bushels. Tills amount of wheal is over and above normal domestic re quirements. In fact, according to current estimates, the United Stales may have on hand as sur plus more than 850,000,000 bush els of bread grain by the lime the 1913 crop is ready for harvest next summer. This will he more than 200,000,000 bushels in excess of the record carryover last sum mer and about quadruple what is normally considered a "Safe" National reserve. Before the war average annual wheat imports of Europe amount ed to about 400,000,000 bushels, (Continued on page G.) Bay ot Bengal IJap Basel Scat, ot Miles Gulf INDIA J (j$A Wa.ll'imon fMowloik f II I Bum,, coast f ""ST M 'V'-f " ? II ) Ll . I -V; .ti- l',,v- Hro Chungking Y fMi:i '&' I ' S vushio? IMANDALY!ym'' I )1lf?feB';UR Ml AA . MSV', Jf f rf 1 tomb.it raid SandawoTfe AV'T' ll'S t St ' U ?:! U & 3v War has come back to Burma with British troops on the of fensive to retake part of the area wrested from them by the Japs nine months ago. The British drive on Akyab and R. A. F.-U. 8. bombings of key Jap bases may culminate in a campaign to regain all of Burma and the vital supply link to China. Immediate aim of the allies is to gain control of Akyab, from which the Japs ex ercise control over the Bay of Bengal, enabling them also to use it as a base of operations against India. W V SPVV vv w VOL. XXXI NO. Chief Rationing Da'tes Listed by Federal Office WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (AP) The office of price administration today listed important rationing dates as follows: COFFEE Jan 3.- Last day for using coupon No. 27 In war ration book 1 for purchase of coffee. Coupon No. 28 becomes valid Jan. 4. It will be good for one pound of coffee and valid until Feb. 8. SUGAR Jan. 5 - Last day on which institutional and Industrial sugar users may register at ra tion boards for January and Feb ruary allotments. Jan. 31--Coupon No. 10 in war ration book 1 is good for three pounds of sugar through this date. MILEAGE, GASOLINE AND TIRES Jan. 21 Last day for us ing No. 3 couons in "A" books. No. 4 coupons become valid Jan. 22. Jan. 31 -Last day for tempor ary "T" coupons to be Issued directly hy ration board. Begin ning Feb. 1, "T" rations will lie Issued on the basis of ODT certi ficates of war necessity. All mo torisls must have tiros Inspected by this date. FUEL OIL Jan. 1 No. 3 cou pons valid all month and first part of February, dates varying among four zones. CoiiKin No. 2 remains valid until about Jan. 25, exact dates depending on zones. TYPEWRITERS Dec. 31 -Last day on which holders of typewrit er certificates could purchase ma chines. WAR RATION BOOK 1 Jan. 15 - Last day for obtaining this book. Book No. 1, originally Issued for sugar but now good also for coffee, will be used ill obtaining subsequent books. Los Angeles Harbor Fire Destroys Fish Canneries SAN PEDRO, Calif., Jan. 2 -(AP) A spectacular fire In the heart of Terminal island, restrict ed military area In Los Angeles harbor, today destroyed two fish canneries and threatened to spread to other Installations. Deputy Fire Chief F. H. Roth ermel said the loss would total several hundred thousand dollars. There was no statement to in dicate how the haze started. Canneries of the French Sar dine Co., and the South Coast Co., were destroyed. Firehoats and all available motorized equipment battled for two hours before bringing the outbreak under control. of Maitaban 209 OF THE EVENING NEWS Australia's Leader Urges Aid Increase Pacific Strength Still Inadequate for Total War Effort, Assertion (By the Associated Press) American warplanes, smashing at Japan's Invasion armies from Kiska island In the Aleutians to the Solo mons, were officially credited today with dealing heavy blows to the enemy. A navy department com munique said U. S. air force fliers yesterday attacked Jap anese ships In Klska harbor, bombed the vicinity of Ko kumbono "where Japanese headquarters on Guadalcanal island are believed to be located," and blasted the Munda area of New Georgia Islands in The Solomons. (By the Associated Press) Australia's Prime Minister John Curtin has urgently appealed "to the proper quarters" to strength en allied forces in the Pacific and drive back Japan's far-flung In vasion hordes, it was disclosed to day. Curlln's representations follow ed n statement on Thursday In which he declared that the "unit ed nations In the Pacific area are being denied resources for their total war effort." The prime minister had also asserted (hat Japan was con solidating her conquests and that "delaying an offensive against her makes it certain that the of fensive when undertaken will experience greater resistance." Japs Freshly Mauled Curlln's argument was under lined by the continued difficulty of Gen. MacArt bur's expedition ary force In wiping out the last stubbornly defending Japanese troops in the Buna sector in New Guinea. "Fighting is savage and des perate and is continuing," the latest bulletin from MacArthiir's headquarters said. Official dispatches said allied troops had driven another wedge into Japanese positions along the narrow Papuan beach corridor, with tanks and artillery cutting a path for the new thrust to the sea. Strongly entrenched, the Japan ese apparently still held footholds at Giropa point and Buna govern ment station. Meanwhile, Mac Arthur's uir men raked Japanese bases In New Britain, hitting an enemy sub marine at Wldebay and leaving three big ships aflame at Rabuul. Two of five Japanese planes which rose to challenge the raid er were shot down. Allied fliers also rained 1,000 pound bombs on the Japanese alr- (Contlnued on page 6.) Bodies of Flying Boat Crew Sought WALDPOUT, Ore., Jan. 2 (AP) - Coastguardsmen searched today for the bodies of seven men missing after a navy PBY flying boat crashed in the surf near here. One survivor, an Ensign Brush, was found on a rliff ledge five miles south of Waldport. He said the crash occurred Thursday night, but was in a semi delirious condition and was unable to give details. Brush told Seaman Dave Roger of the Waldport mast guard station that he and another member of the flying boat's crew climbed on a life raft. The other crew members were on another raft, he said. His raft overturned in the surf, and the next he knew he was washed onto a beach, Brush told Roger. From there he evidently crawled 25 feet up the cliff to a ledge. Coastguardsmen heard his moans and found him there. "How he ever got on that ledge, I'll never know. He probab ly would have drowned at high tide if he hadn't, because the beach is covered at that point," Roger said. His raft was discovered, but there was no trace of Brush's companion. The other raft and a life preserver also were found. There was no trace ot any survivors. Nazis Claim ; Cruisers Of Foe Damaged Each Side Admits Los$ Of Destroyer in Fight Reported Continuing (By the Associated Press) Against the black tidings from the Russian front, the German radio today sought to bolster home morale with reports of pur ported allied losses in a naval battle In the Arctic sea, off Bear Island. An official nazi account assert ed that several "enemy" cruisers were damaged, a destroyer sunk: and four merchant ships torpedo ed in a running sea battle which began Thursday morning when German warships and U-boats in- . tercepted a convoy. One nazi de stroyer was listed as sunk. - The British admiralty announc ed Thursday that British war ships had contacted German naval forces in northern water and that the action was continuing. Tho admiralty said a German cruiser was uamaged and forced to re treat and a nazi destroyer was seen in a sinking condition. Bear Island lies about midway between Spftzbergen and tho northern tip of Norway. There was no confirmation of! the German claims, however, , which bore at least " surface evidence of covering a nazi naval failure. It was noteworthy that the German statement claimed destruction of none of the cargo ships of the convoy presumably bound to or from Russia and only claimed torpedo hits on four. The British announced last night the loss of a destroyer, the war-built HMS Blean, but told neither tho time nor circum stances of her sinking. On Russian Front Adolf Hitler's command ac knowledged today that German troops had evacuated Elista, capital of tho Kalmyck region in the Caucasus, but denied soviet claims that the triumphant red armies had won the key nazi stronghold of Velikio Luki, 90 miles from the Latvian frontier. The Germans said Elista was evacuated after the - town ' had ' been destroyed. The Germans admitted on Thursday that Vellkle Luki was virtually surrounded, with the Russians attacking "from all sides." Soviet dispatches said the fall of the nazl beld citadel, 260 miles northwest of Moscow, laid open the heart of an important Ger man transportation system and. climaxed a long and bitter siege. "The German garrison In the town, which refused to lay down Its arms, was wiped out," the Russian high command announc ed. The Russians declared that Hitler's invasion armies were In harried retreat across a 1,000 mile front, abandoning vast (Continued on page 6.) New Year's Fete Tragedies Decline (By tho Associated Press) Deaths In the nation over tho New Year's holiday resulting from violent causes automobile accidents, drownings, fires, shoot ings, stabbings, etc. numbered at least 115 today almost two thirds below the total for tho same period a year ago. The recent trend showing a 50 per cent reduction in motor vehicle deaths was Indicated in the number of traffic fatalities re ported since New Year's eve. An Associated Press survey showed that 7l of the total violent deaths since New Year's eve resulted from automobile accidents. Of the 2t5 violent deaths re ported on Jan. 2, 1942, automo bile accidents accounted for 171 of the total.. Principal factors for the decrease in automobile deaths were gasoline rationing and ob servance of the lower driving speed law. More than 400 violent deaths were reported throughout tha country In the extended Christ mas weekend holiday of 1942, and of tho total, 250 were listed as traffic fatalities. Fir Price Schedule Put On Plywood Material WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (AP)' The office of price administra tion yesterday placed Douglas fir lumber produced as a by-product in plywood plants under the same schedule of dollar and cents prices which control Douglas fir lumber produced In lumber mills. Previously most plywood plants did not qualify as lumber mills because the precentage of all logs received at their plants cut into lumber was below the re quired 50 per cent.