LA GRANDE OBSERVER
WEATHER
Tartly cloudy through Fri
day with chance of a few
scattered showers; high FrU
day 68-73; low tonight 36-42.;
4th luua
64th Yt.r
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PROPOSED .OPTION
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RIGHT NEXT TO THE AIRPORT
This is where La Grande city officials propose to construct contemplated new sew
age treatment plant, subject to a $344,000 referendum here Oct. 2. Violent objects,
however, may delay the hoped-for project and even the voting date. The entire up
per and right central portion of area sketched on engineer's map shows proposed
oxidation ponds.
IT'S UP TO THE VOTERS OCT. 2
Proposed $344,000 Sewage
Vote Somewhat Controversial
(Editor' not The Observ
er new taper Is doing series
in the public interest on the
pending bond Issue Oct. 2
. coneering the praposed
new sewage treatment plant
. to replace fh present one lo
cated about two miles east of
. La Grande. This is the final
of a three-part series.)
. BY GRADY PANNELL
Observer Staff Writer
On Oct. 2 of this year La
Grande voters will decide one
way or the other on a propos
ed $844,000 bond issue suggested
by the city administration for
construction of a new sewage
treatment plant.
This proposed figure, we must
point out, is subject to alteration
between now and the planned
ballot date, but is a certainty
provided that the treatment sew
age site is selected at a strip of
city-owned land at Municipal
Airport approximately four miles
cast of the city.
There are other alternatives,
however, which loom as a pos
sibility on this somewhat con
troversial question.
As pointed out previously, the
city can forget about the entire
matter even before the referen
dum is voted on, thereby making
it necessary for a ballot by lo
cal citizenry; additional lunds
can be raised for reconstruction
of the present sewage plant in
an entirely diifercnt manner by
city fathers; or a new site clos
er in, but possibly more expen
sive, could be selected. 1
"Nothing is definite or final
except possibly the referendum,"
according to outgoing City Man
ager Fred Young. 1
City Engineer Dave Slaght may
have additional and more cur
rent information at a later date,
and which he will bring up be
fore a city commission meeting.,
Slaght along with the city man
ager, has been working very
closely on the matter and also
has been in direct correspond
ence and contact with district
Pondosa House .
Owners Warned
By Health Dept.
The Union County Health De
partment has issued a warning
to those who purchased houses
from the Pondosa townsit? at an
auction earlier in the year.
Investigation has revealed,
authorities point out- lhat tnese
houses are general'y in poor con
dition in regard to wiring and
plumbing.
The departtrrnt has asked pur
chaser! to carefully consider the
requirements for health and safety
in remodelling of the old houses.
No G.I. or F.H A. loans will be
given on houses which do not me
state requirements In regard to
wiring, plumbing nd sewage dis
- posal facilities.
Further information can be ob
tained by calling or writing the
department.
- " C"lj ,RaA
and state sanitarians.
Slaght also has compiled an
extensive engineer's survey of
his own about. the present sew
age plant and the proposed new
one which has been favorably
received by local, state and pri
vate consulting engineers.
His draft of the proposed new
oxidation ponds at Municipal
Airport is 'what the city officials
arc working with on the new
project in mind.
Why Municipal Airport when
this site has been objected to
by various interested persons?
The city owns property (land)
at the air terminal, enough acre
age to more than take care of
present and future growth of
La Grande suitable for this pur
pose. City spokesmen say that, based
on engineering surveys, a lagoon-
Firm Plans
New Office
In La Grande
Pioneer Federal Savings and
Loan Association will open an of
fice in La Grande sometime in
November accordin to Bill
Thomas, chairman of the board
if directors.
The new office will be located
at ill2'4 Adams Ave., with Don
Guyer, formerly of Baker, in
charge.
The Association's home office
is in Baker and has been serv
ing Eastern Oregon since 1901.
The firm currently has loans in
Union County in excess of $900,-
000, Thomas said.
The Association handles home
loans and savings with total as
sets of more than five million
dollars.
Guycr has been with the firm
for 14 years and will move with
his family to La Grande in the
near future. He attended Ore
gon State College and savings
and loan schools.
RESEARCHER DOUBTS 'LAST'
CONFEDERATE VET SOLDIER
WASHINGTON t'PH A
Scripps Howard staff writer re
ported today that a search of gov
ernment records cast doubt on the
claim of ailing Walter G. Williams.
Houston, Tex., that he is the na
tion's last surviving Civil War vet
eran. Lowell K. Bridwcll said that his
research shows that Williams "is
a Confederate veteran only in his
memory-clouded mind."
Records of the National Ar
chives and the Census were ex
amined by Bridwell as the basis
for his story. He said that records
of the Confederacy kept by the
archives fail to back up Williams'
claim that he served in the famed
Trwia lirirnde of Gen. John fl.
LA GRANDE,
PONDS
type or preferably "oxidation"
sewage plant would be the cheap
est, best and most suitable fac
ility for a needed new disposal
plant, and the airport land is the
logical site. .
But there arc objections by
various organizations and persons
to an airport site and this pos
sibility even may stymie an Oct.
2 bond election vote.
Proponents of the oxidation or
"lagoon' type treatment ponds
argue thusly:
1. Special survey conducted
by a competent engineering firm
that has been indifferent to the
"pros and cons' of the airport
controversy.
2. Cost. City fathers are bud
get conscious to the extent that
should the whole affair come to
a vote and possibly pass there
looms the possibility of initial
construction being done entirely
by city workmen and city equip
ment; and, they point out, the
proposed oxidation type sewage
facility is cheaper and is sanc
tioned "all the way" by the
health departments.
Opponents of the proposed air
port site say this:
1. A "lagoon" facility is in
violation of zoning ordinances,
according to the airport zoning
board (joint city-county group)
which is given state authorization
on zoning control, rules, etc.
2. Such a facility would con
stitute a hazard to air flights in
that the ponds would attract wa
terfowl. 3. Union County Pomona
Grange states that the "lagoons"
would destroy value of down
area water wells and would not
be attractive to fish and wild
life. Norm Daniels, chairman of the
ariport zoning board, told the
city officials that his group was
on record against such a located
sewage plant.
The city countered with a rul
ing by City Attorney Carl Helm,
Jr., that "No rule or regulation
See PROPOSED en Page 7
Hood.
Furthermore, according to the
reporter, Williams is 103 years
old instead of the 116 as he claims.
This would have made him 8 years
old at the time Williams said he
was serving with Hood, the story
said.
Williams applied- for a Texas
Confederate pension Aug. 5, 1932,
and in an affidavit said he was a
member of Company C. Sth Regi
ment of Hood's Brigade 11 months
before the war ended.
Bridwell noted that Hood's Bri
gade had been broken up long be
fore Williams "believes he enlist
ed." Williams Is now in extremely
feeble condition nl his Houston
- ' ,-; 1 - I
OREGON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1959
City Dads
Override
Zone Unit
City commissioners, in regular
session last night, voted to go
ahead and use the airport proper
ty as the basis for the engineer's
report relative to the planned sew
age bond election despite objec
tions by th? Airport Zoning Board
The Zoning Board's letter, read
to tl.e commission, objected to
the proposed location on five points
involving airport safety and ex
pansion. The objections, as stated
in the letter, are:
1. It will be possible for fug
to form and restrict pilot vision.
2. Flights of waterfowl may be
attracted to the water and would
creat a flying hazard.
3. The sun reflecting on tin
ponds may cause a glare in the
pilot's eyes.
4. In the case of forced landing,
the ponds would restrict revue
operations.
5. The ponds would restrict the
expansion of present facilities.
The soon to-ret ire city manager.
Fred J. Young, told the commis
sion members lhat the city en
gineer, in drawing the plans, took
possible expansion of the airport
into consideration. The proposed
lagoons would not restrict exten-
tion of the present runways.
Young continued.
Commissioner Merle Becket said.
'I am not impressed by the lett-T.
It reflects the thinking of a special
interest group and doesn't consider
the we'fare of the entire com
munity." Beckett suggested that the com
mission pursue the matter further.
"If every small objection is to
be considered we might as wll
forget the ponds, Ihey won't be
constructed without objections,"
Young said.
City Attorney Carl G. Helm Jr..
when asked what alternatives were
open to the commission, said it
would be possible to take the mat
ter to circuit court.
"No board has the final authori
ty in a case like this. Even
though permission was refused,
you can probably go to court,"
Helm said.
The commission was warned by
Yr tng thdl if t'.r ciiy do-s r..itliing
and the Mate is required to enter
the picture they will be less im
pressed by the objections.
"The stale will insist on better
facilities. They will not neces
sarily require oxidation ponds,"
Young said.
The oxidation ponds are offered
to the taxpayers as a savings,
according to Young. They can be
constructed for less than a chemi
cal plant and the upkeep costs
would be cut from an estimated
$2,000 a month to $2.ooo a year.
The bond issue of 344.0)0 to be
voted on Oct. 2 was based on con
struction cost at the airport. ac
cording to Young. If the ponds
were built closer to La Grand", the
construction costs would decrease
but land acquisition would offset
any savings in cons! ruction, it was
pointed out.
Clarinet, Coats
Are Stolen Here
Two cases of larceny were re
ported to the La Grande police
yesterday.
Carmen Nelson, 14P5 N Ave.,
reported the theft of her clarinet
from the band room of the Jun
ior High School. The instru
ment, valued at $40, has been
in the band room since July 15.
according to police.
Nothing else was reported stol
en and the instrument was insur
ed, police said.
Mrs. IX-Ibert Houston. 1711 7.
Ave., toid police that two wool
jackets were taken from her car
in a parking lot Saturday morn
ing between 11 and 12. The
items were described as a red(
and gray piaia women s jarxci
and a man's dark brown and tan
plaid jacket.
The coals were valued at $20.
home where he is being cn-cd for
by a daughter. Last month, Con
gress passed and President Eisen
hower signed a bill which would
declare the day of the Texan's
death a day of national mowing
with flags to be flown at half
mast.
In 1958, a special federal pen
sion was approved for Williams
and Confederate veteran John Sal
lings, Slant, Va., who died last
March 16. According to Bridwcll,
Sailings apparently was the last
survivor of the war between the
states.
He said the examination of Wil
liams' claim was prompted by a
letter from a Cincinnati woman
who lived in Williams' former
home town of Franklin. Tex.
On Disregard
Rebel Argentine Army
Generals Hurl A New
Challenge At Frondizi
Bl'ENOS AIRES (LTD Argentina's "rebel" generals
hurled a new challenge at President Arturo Frondizi's gov
ernment today, rejecting its dismissal of Gen. Carlos S.
Toranzo Montero as commander of the army.
The Cordoba garrison and the anti-aircraft academy in
the Mar del Plata had proclaimed their open defiance of
the government order, and a "great majority" of the
Enrollment
In Schools
Increases
La Grande city school enrollment
shows an increase of 115 pupils this
year over last year's record enroll
ment of 2.382.
City Superintendent of Schools
Lyle Riggs reported that 2.497
pupils were registered on the open
ing day of school last Monday. It
is expected that this record will
increase with late enrollments an
ticipated throughout this week.
La Grande High School led in
enrolment gains with 58 more
students than last year: while the
junior high school had 48 more
pupils entering classes than the
year before.
The elementary schools had nine
more than last year's opening day
figure, but several more young
sters are expected as probable
cnrollees before week's end.
The high school had 514 stud
ents compared to 458 opening day
boys and girls the year before.
The junior high recorded 609
Monday as compared to 5B1 a
yar afip. The eleniNijary inure
was 1.374 to 1,35. i '
Breakdown in the lower grades
rcvea'es this:
Greenwood el-mentary 273; Ri-
veria, 214; Willow, 176; Acker-
man, 245.
In the hijh school, there are 144
seniors, 192 juniors and 178 sopho
mores. At the junior high: 170
freshmen. 186 eighth grad-rs and
178 seventh grade students.
The largest single elementary
class is the one at Central, with
88 first graders. Smallest ele
mentary class is fourth grade at
Willow. 22 youngsters.
Work Sheet
Hits Peak
Employment in the La Grande
area has reached the highest level
of the year, the peak hitting at
the close of last month.
Ernest O. Burrows, manager of
the state employment offic, loir"
the Observer newspaper today that
emp'oyment trends continued ir
logging, lumbering, transporta
tion and construction, with the
latter mostly on a replacement
basis.
Total unemployment In both
Union and Wsllowa counties was
under last year's figure, with 25T
unemployed persons at the end o'
August compared to 310 in July
and 314 a year ago.
Construction on the $300,000 ele
mentary school building in La
Grande topped this phase of the
r-port. Also under construction
is a large supermarket In Island
City.
Construction also continued on
V S. Highway 30 west of the city,
and railroad officials reported
there has been no freight car
shortage here thus far.
Building permits irsued by the
city total-d J127.570 last month
s compared to $27,660 in July and
$6,930 last year during the same
period.
Area non-agricultural employ
ment is expected to hold at the
prrsent high level through Sep
tember, Burrows said, adding that
som? replacements will bo re
quired arcund the end of this
month for co'lege students who
leave jobs to return to classes.
A decrease in agricultural em
ployment is expected with com
pletion of grain harvest, however.
The harvest was about 85 per cent
complete through August in Union
County and 50 per cent completed
in Wallowa County.
Unemployment claim filings In
Burrows' office totaled 49 In Au
gust as compared to 67 in July
and 1 in a year ngo.
Chief Scores Americans
nation's other garrisons were re-
ported siding with Toranzo.
Gen. Pedro S. Castineiras, cho
sen by the government to replace
Toranzo, said he had no idea how
soon he would be able to assume
command.
Heavily-reinforced guards stood
watch at army barracks in the
Buenos Aires . area, and troops
were reported confined to bar
racks. Unofficial sources said
similar precautions had been or
dered at garrisons throughout the
country.
Fourteen generals who an
nounced their opposition to Toran
zo s dismissal in telegrams to the
provincial garrisons were report
ed under arrest Wednesday night
as a prelude to possible court
martial.
The Cordoba garrison, cradle of
the revolution that overthrew
President Juan D. Peron in 1955,
was the first sizeable military or
ganization to reject Toranzo's dis
missal. Col. Horacio Zanarruza. the
Cordoba commander, denounced
the "unjustified removal" of To
ranzo. He declared lhat the troops
under nis command would obev
only the orders of the deposed
general.
War Secretary Elbio C. Anaya
relieved Toranzo of command
Wednesday, apparently because of
reports that the army command
er planned to dismiss a number
of subordinate generals without
consulting him.
State Water Board
Schedules Meet
Here September 16
The State Water Resources
Board will meet here Sept. 16 at
9:30 a.m.
The board staff will present the
findings and conclusions of the
Grande Ronde river Basin inves
tigation at that time.
It Includes studies of beneficial
uses of water including, domestic,
municipal, irrigation, power de
velopment, industrial, mining,
recreation, wildlife and fish life
uses.
Pollution abatement, drainage
and reclamation also were studies.
MANGLED
V 'II V" ,
, ... i , .
Shown above is the front seat of the late model car in which Lantz Wayne Trump 5
19, Enterprise, suffered fatal injuries yesterday morning near Upper.Perry. Trumii
died Wednesday afternon In a local hospital. Note the twisted steering wheel in the"
upper left corner of the picture. , (Observer. Photo) '
12 Paget
Of U.S.
MAKING OF TOP
U. S. CITIZEN
ARLINGTON, Va. (UPI)
Korean-born Dorothy Lh Drell
ignored labor pains, climbed
out of her maternity ward bed
and appeared in Alexandria
Federal Court Wednesday just
in time to become an American
citizen.
"I've been waitinq for this
day to long I just didn't want
to mitt it," said Mrs. Drell,
2, wife of a school teacher.
She was among 71 pertont
naturalized.
Clutching her citizenship
certificate, Mrs. Drell re
turned to Arlington Hospital.
Wednetdiy night the- gave
birth to a boy.
Enterprise
Youth Dies
In Hospital
Lantz Wayne Trump. 19, Enter
prise, died in the Grande Ronde
Hospital yesterday afternoon of
injuries suffered Wednesday morn
ing in a collision at Upper Perry,
about five miles west of here.
A passenger, James Victor, 19.
also of Enterprise, was reported in
fair condition at the hospital this
morning.
State police said a westbound
Consolidated Freightways truck
driven by Joseph Hienzel of Bil
lings. Mont , was just coming off
the Upper Perry bridge on a curve
when it met tho eastbound Trump
car which police said was in the
wrong lane.
The officers said Trump appar
ently didn't see the truck coming.
Tho terrific impact tore the
wheels out from under the 'truck's!
trailer .and welded the two ve
hicles together. Two tow trucks
were required on the scene of the
4:55 a.m. accident.
BULLETIN
DENVER (UPI)-A gat ex
plotien gutted two ttory
building in downtown Denver
during the noon hour today,
shattering plate glatt windowt
and causing damage at far at
a block and half away.
At least one person was
killed and eight injured, three
of them seriously.
YOUTH ARRESTED HERE
Miles Rodney Schooler. 21 was
arrested by police yesterday
morning for a stop sign violation,
according to police. Schooler,
401 K Ave., was picked up at
the intersection of Y Ave., and
First St., following a violation at
X Ave. and Second St., at 11:51,
police said.
INTERIOR OF
Five Cents
Crime
Hits At
No Man's
Violence
WASHINGTON (UPD-FBI Di
rector J. Edgar Hoover lashed
out today at Americans who stand
idle while criminals turn parts of
the nation into a "no man's land1'
of violence. '
Hoover, writing in the FBI Law
Enforcement Bulletin, described
as "shocking'' the 93 per cent
increase in crime last year. He
noted it was the highest rate in
the recorded history of U.S.
crime. i -J
The FBI chieA said the repdrt
showed that some areas are
veritable "no man's land" whepa
crime is ever lurking. He repri
manded citizens who have a "do
tached attitude towards crime. "J
No One Immune
"This country's citizens," Hoo
ver wrote, "must awaken to thfc
fact that the war on crime is not
just the battle of the law enforce
ment officer. "J
-i
"Every citizen has a stake
when hoodlums prowl the streets
brazenly committing atrocities
which appall even veteran poliee
officers. No one is immune from
the attacks of depraved murder
ers, robbers, sex offenders and
kidnappers." ".'S'-
Hoover said the police officers
are a "small patrol" when con
pared with the "army of law
breakers roaming America.""'-.
Lonely Battle .
"Often the law enforcement of
ficer's battle is a lonely one,", he
added, "and too frequently trie
citizens who should be his allies
are indifferent and apathetic:",.
Hoover noted that the Interna
tional Assn. of Chiefs of Police
hold
their annual convention ia
New York City.,, from Sept.- 47
through Oct. 1.
He called it a "summit meet
ing" of law enforcement officers
and said that citizens should look
upon the meeting with the "same
fervent interest" with which they
view other conferences affectine
their nation's security. '.
Cove High School
To Open Sept. 8
-ve. t special Cove High
School will open Sept. S at 1:45
n. with busses running on the
same routes and schedules as last
year, according to Charles Haggcsf-
ty. principal.
It will be a full any of school
and hot lunches will be available.
New students at the high school
are asked to register either Friday
or Monday afternoons to give them
sufficient time to study their
schedules. ;
DEATH CAR
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