1 WWE WS$3SfflB8& BHB Ft
Farming Income
In Drastic Drop
(Editor's Not: This it th
tint of a two-Mrt series dial
ing with Unlet, Couaty farm
Incem during; lfS. Tha art.
cles ara bated iifarmation
released teeay by th Union
Cointy Vtnsij (rvic.)
By (ILL OUT
Observer Staff Writr
Union County's gross farm in
come for 1959 has dipped below
previous years despite bumper
crops in some areas of the county-Total
farm income for the
year is $11 044.890, a drop of
Si33.290 from the 1958 gross in
come figure cf $11,278,180.
Increased production, as a re
sult of greater efficiency on the
farm, has failed to halt the down
ward' trend which started in 1949.
Since 1949, gross farm incomeiper acre.
in the county has steadily de in ,e livestock field, a total
clincd from SI2.093 000 to tlioj 0f f3.434.015 was returned to the
1959 figure a loss of more than
a million dollars.
The outlook for 1960 gives the
farmer little hope for an upward
trend.
Ted Sidor, Union County Exten
sion agent, said new outlets will
be necessary tor Union County
crops if farmers arc to hold their
own.
"Unless we can find new out
lets for present crops or bctyn
producing higher return crops,
the downward trend in gross in
come will continue," Sidor said.
Vegetable Crops
Some farmers in the county arc
currently experimenting with
vegetable crops as a possible
solution to some (. the county
farm income problems.
There is a possibility that veg
etable crops for human consump
tion, and seed, may improve the
local farm picture if experiments
prove to be successful, Sidor
pointed out.
Increased livestock production
in Union County is seen as one
encouraging trend by the county
agent. He pointed out that meat
and meat products are easily-
transportable an important fac
tor in the farm income picture.
Cost of shipping of county
products puts area farmers in a
difficult situation market-wise,
in 'many cases.
Specia'ization may be the ans
wer if the downward trend con
tinues, Sidor declared. He said
specialization may enable the
small farmer to remain solvent
despite declining markets.
Union county gross farm in
come for the year is in line with
the national downward trend.
Lower Prices
Farmers are receiving lower
prices for their products but
they must pay more for products
which they purchase.
Farm product purchasing pow
er lost additional ground during
the year with the parity ratio at
77 in November, two points be
' low October, five points below
November 1958 and the lowest
since August 1940.
When all accounts are added
up, this year's net farm income
nationally may fall below last
year's by as much as 15 per cent,
accprding to figures released by
the Department of Agriculture.
Biggest reason fcr the nation
al drop in farm income are low
ered cash receipts and a higher
DISPLAY OF CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Jail Inmates, Guards In Tour
Of Stores Singing Yule Songs
R1VERHEAD. NY. L'PI)
Twenty-seven prisoners from the
Suffolk County jail have been
mixing with some of this exclu
sive area's most distinguished
citizens in a rare display of
Christmas spirit.
For the last week, the 27 pris
oners, along with six of their
guards, have been making the
rounds of the area, singing
Christmas carols before service
organizations and other groups to
the musical and spiritual satis
faction of both the listeners and
the carolers.
In addition, Christmas carol
recordings by the choir being
played over loudspeakers at the
jail are serving as background
music for Christmas shoppers at
nearby stores and to th.; jail'.s
inmates. ,
Formation of the unusual choir
' came about several weeks ago
operating bill, the L'.S.D.A.
port indicated.
Field crops led the field
come for Union county
1 !.!( with a Rross income figure
.if $5,237, 957.
Wheat is still the leader in the,
.'aunty in gross returns for a
single crop. The 1959 w heat crop
totaled Sl',515.947. Wheat yield
per acre increased ty seven
bushels per acre over 1958.
Wheat farmers this year were
paid $1.66 per bushel for 1,515,-
nil ousncis as compared to last
viar's $1.79 for 1.295.494 bush
els.
The yield increase in wheat is
attributed to better growing con
ditions less disease and insect
troubles.
There were 37.000 bushels as
compared to last year's 35.841
acres with a yield of 33 bushels
producers. Total value of 8.118,-
0O0 pounds cf beef for the current
year amounted to $1,986,150. The
same figures for beef were re
corded for 1958.
Dairy products in 1959 were
even with last year's totals of
$683,127 for 18,378.500 pounds of
milk.
Sheep producers suffered from
lower prices in 1959 as lamb
prices dropped from 19c cwt.
in 1958 to 16c this year.
Total income from sheep k
and wool was $197,325 for
848.000 pounds as compared to
last year's $193,863 for 795,000
pounds.
Hog producers were the hard
est hit by lower prices this year.
Prices dropped from 19c cwt. in
1958 to 14c this year. Total in
come from swine in the county
was $346,254 for 3.212,000 pounds
as compared to last year's $427.-
196 for 2.920.000 pounds.
The sweet cherry industry was
hardest hit in total income this
year. Frost damage dropped in
come from $279,635 in 1958 to
$72,408 this' year.', t
Poultry dropped from $287,142
in 1958 to this year's total gross
income of $184,574. Chickens in
1938 brought 37c per pound for
253,125 pounds and in 1959 the
figure dropped to 20c per pound
for 225.000 pounds.
Eggs were down to 25c a dozen
as compared to last year's 45c
and production dropped from 547.
000 dozen to 486.400 dozen.
Next Seed and field crops.
Pistol-Whipping Duo
Nabbed By Policeman
OAKLAND, Calif. (UPH Police
said today a pistol-whipping hold
up team was broken up when an
ex-convict sought vensence for the
way his arm was tattooed.
"You put this thing on me three
years ajo and the curves are all
out of proportion." Larkin Mur
retl. 31. told tatoo artist Gene
Smith Wednesday pointing to an
arm tattoo. -Then, as his com
panion, 22-year-old Mrs. Corinne
Wieland, held back the manager
of the amusement center in which
Smith's parlor is located, Murrell
beat the tattoo artist with a pistol.
Smith fought back and Murrell
yelled. "I'm going to kill you."
But patrolman Stanley Vares
said he broke up the fight and
arrested Murrell and the woman.
when Stua t Gracey, publisher of
the Port Jefferson (N.Y.I Record
and a former concert and opera
singer, suggested the idea to
county Sheriff Charles Dominy. a
close friend. Dominy in turn ad
vanced the suggestion to the en
tire inmate population in the jail
mess hall, and the following day
27 prisoners ranging in age from
18 to 50 and seven guards signed
up. None had any professional
sirging experience.
A few days later, rehearsals be
gan under Gracey's direction.
Word of the choir's existence
and fine harmony soon leaked
out and. in short time, requests
for outside appearances began to
pour in. Dominy, Gracey and
county officials agreed that out
side appearances would do no
harm and, if anything, probably
would be spiritually beneficial to
the inmates.
LA GRANDE OBSERVER
95th Issue
64th Year
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OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL'
.The religious significance of Christmas is reflected in the faces of these three La
Grande youngsters who join in song to honor the birth of the baby Jesus. From
left to right are Marlene Wylde, 11; Paul Tomeraasen, 13, and Sarah Tomeraasen,
11. Altar in the background is symbolic of the meaning of Christmas which will be
celebrated in cnurcnes inrougnoui me wona. Aoove pnoiograrm was unu'ii in imoi.
Peter's Episcopal Church.
Salvation Army Lauds
ITU Christmas Gift I
The Salvation Army issued a
Certificate of Appreciation to mem
bers cf Typographical Union No.
683. Baker and La Grande, for a
$30 donation to the Christinas fund.
The Union in La Grande in
cludes members of The Observer
composing room and Ilappersett's
Quick Print Shop.
The officer said Murrell. who has
a long police record, tried to shoot
him but his gun misfired.
Mrs. Wieland told police she,
Murrell and R'chard Dublinski. 27.
also an ex-convict, rolibed 12 per
sons in two taverns Monday night,
pistol whipping their victims. She
said Murrell critically injured
Mrs. Marjorie Nowell. 45, an at
torney, when he alternately beat
and kissed hep during one of the
robberies. r
"1 could feel the cold metal on
my forehead," Vares said. "The
gun was cocked, his fingers on
the trigger. I swung at him hard
with my fist and grabbed the gun
at the same time.'
The gun s hammer fell, but
Vares said there was only a click.
They have indeed, not only to
the inmate carolers but also to
their listeners. Many have been
moved to tears by the sight of
the carolers, in their jail uni
forms, singing the standard carols
and other popular Christmas fa
vorites. The most open display of emo
tion occurred last week when the
choir performed at a "ladies
day" lunch of the Rotary Club
of Southampton, one of the na
tion's swankiest communities.
Tears flowed freely from the eyes
of both the urbane members and
their wives.
Most of the carolers are "short
termers," serving sentences rang
ing from 30 to 90 days. .AH were
convicted of relatively minor
charges. Gracey's daughter. Mm.
Honor Kopcienski, who provides
organ accompaniement, is the
sole "outsider."
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nronmc Of White Christmas
Here Unlikely,
By GRADY PANNELL
Observer Staff Writer
I'm dreaming of a while Christ
mas may be confined to the words
and music only of the song hy the
same name for the Grande Monde
Valley area tomorrow.
Although the old gent with the
while whiskers promises the usual
Yuletide bit of cheer to youngsters
and oldsters alike, the wcjther
man is not quits as generous in
his predictions.
A weak storm developed o.'f the
Pacific Northwest earlier in th'
week but fai'ed to deliver the an
ticipated white Christmas punch
to the inland regions.
All the wm can promise as far
as anything resembling the whit -l
stuff is an occasional flurry of
snow tonight and possibly on
Christmas day itself.
More remote areas of Eastern
Hitchhiker Tabs Man
As Killer Of Touhy
LINCOLN. III. (UP1. A teen- The man. Locl-.port sources said.
aged hitchhiker told police today
a man who picked him up boasted
01 Killing noger louny ana v.ni-.
cago police sent two detectives
to question both. '
The hitchhiker identified him
self as George Green, 17, and said
he was en route to visit his moth
er in Dallas. Tex. He said he had
worked in Chicago since April and
Chicago police confirmed this.
Green gave a statement to po
nce nere mai uic unti-i iuhiiwi;
to have shot Touhy. 61, prohibi -
lion era gauged . iuuhj
shotgunned in an ambush in front
of his sister's house in Chicago.
A .12 guage shotgun, the same
guage that killed Touhy, was
found in the man's car. Chicago
police sent Detectives Marshall
Carroll and Robert Noonan to Lin
coln to talk to the man and to
Green and to bring back the gun
and shells for laboratory analysis.
The man is a resident of Iock
port, III., a Chicago suburb. Lock
port sources said he had been in
volved in two recent scrapes with
the police there. On one occasion
he is alleged to have produced a
shotgun in an argument with his
wife. Also, there is a charge
against him of having an open
bottle of liquor in an automobile
He has been a patient in a Vet
erans Administration hospital and
has been a truck driver and a gas
station attendant.
LA GRANrr, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1959
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Says 'WVV
Oregon, however, C3n looK lorward
to S'me snow, but not much.
Ilih winds in the La Grande
area last niuht and early this
morning simmered down and did
bring in some light rain, mix-d
with sleet and snow in the higher
elevations.
La Grande folks can expect just
abcul th? same pattern weather-wis-
as wi'l most of the nation to
morrow, overcast skies and some
snow patches.
The grey clouds should not r fleet
the ft-eiing of Americans, however,
as the gift of giving and receiving
will follow the same Christmas
day pattern as in th years past.
Library Closed Tonight
.a Giande Public Library will
j close this evening at 5 o'clock
This time change is for tonight on-
ly. Th -y will be own regular hours
' again on Saturday.
w.as believed to be on a hunting
j lrjn
He ran his car into a ditch on
I'. S. 66 on the outskirts of Lin
coln. State police said he was
trunk and unconscious when a
trooper arrivel at the accident
scene. He was taken to a hospital
overnight but later was moved to
the jail here.
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Tha fre Christmas day din
ner and party planned by
Dail'i Steakhoin hart will be
held at tha La Grand Armory
due to the overflow crowd an
ticipated. Th affair gets underway at
2 p.m. Friday. Dinner will b
srvtd, turkey and all th
trimmings, between 3 and 3:39
o'clock, and Dail'i Is even pro
viding transportation for th
eldr folks.
Albertson's, Eddy's Bakery
and Papsi Cola ar assisting
by providing candies, nuts,
oranges, rails and pastry and
bavrragas.
i
fear High
Toil On Hig
:no observer
ON FRIDAY
Th Observer will not publish
on Christmas day, but today
combines various Christmas
glorias and advertising inte a
1a-pag Christmas edition.
Saturday's edition will carry
th usual Friday farm pag
news and roundup. Th Ob
server wishes its readers a
vary Merry Christmas.
Hot Fight
On Steel
Strike Poll
WASHINGTON (l'PI A hot
behind-the-scenes clash developed
today over methods of conduct
ing the government-run poll on
management's last oiler in the
steel dispute.
Informed sources said the con
troversy centered mainly on how
the vote among the 500.000 Steel-
workers involved should be taken,
tabulated and announced.
Stuart Rothman, general coun
sel of the National Labor Rela
tions Board, announced Wednes
day the balloting would take
place Jan. 11-13 if there is no
settlement by then.
Induy-wid negotiations, now
in recess until Sunday, ire cnm
pleteiy deadlocked after three
days of meetings under the aus
pices of the ! Federal Mediation
Service.
To Ask Caurl Ruling
The Steelwoikera planned to
ask a federal judge in Pittsburgh
today to direct 95 steel companies
to pay union members a four-
cent hourly cost-of-living wage
increase.
Arthur J. Goldberg, Steelwork
ers general counsel said the un
ion would ask U.S. District Judge
Herbert P. Sorg to make first
year benefits' under any new con
tract retroactive to Nov. 7 the
date the union resumed work
under the 80-day court injunc
tion. The argument ovpr polling the
enters on me last management
o.'fer boils down to this:
The union insists that employes
oi eacn steel company be lumped
together in voting on a single of
fer hy the company. This is the
procedure required by the Taft
Hartley law, union attorneys con
tend.
Birth Of
Christ Is
Celebrated
JERUSALEM. Jordan (L'PD
Hundreds of Christian Arabs
crossed through Jerusalem's an
cient Mandelbaum Gate from Is
rael to Jordan at dawn today to
celebrate the birth of Christ in
Bethlehem.
As is the custom each year,
Israel and Jordan relaxed tense
relations long enough to permit
the pilgrims to cross through the
gate to pay homage to the Nativity.
YANK AIRMAN PLAYS SANTA
TO ISOLATED SPANISH TOTS
SEVILLE. Spain (CPU -Chil
dren in the isolated outback areas
of southern Spain peered anxious
ly into the skies today, awaiting
the appearance of Santa Claus.
Not for them, a whiskered fat
old merry chimney climber on a
sleigh pulled by eight tiny rein
deer. Their Santa is a U.S. Air
Force pilot from the Strategic
Air Command's 16th Air Force.
He is Cant. Jack II. Capers,
of Apple Valley, Calif., and the
drone of his L-20 light plane is
more musical to the children's
ears than the ringing of sleigh
bells.
Patrols Pipeline
It all began back in early 19f8
when Capers was patrolling the
16 Pag
MILLIONS OF
OUT FOR THE
By United Press
Millions if Amcru ntis took,
day at tho shirt of the most
of the year, ami police were
the traltic MatiKhlcr.
The National Safety Council refused to predict the num
ber of persons v ho would be killed in auto crashes during
the 78 lioiii' holiday, hut said the death toll could reach 530
between K p in
tonight a id ini-K I
night Sunday.
Many stales anmitnied llu-y
would use National Guardsmen,
roadblocks, pocket diink-o-nieters
and helicopters in an eflort to cut
the a'limal highway carnage.
Indiana officials planned to
double usual law enforcement
with National Guardsmen. Michi
gan Guardsmen were to act as
the second man in state police
car.s.
In Rhode Ishrui. officials en
listed the aid of news media and
clergy in an all-out safety drive,
and Gov. (.'hriMopher Dei Sesto
said he would call out the Na
tional Guard if necessary.
State police in Iowa, rlonda,
Indiana and Missouri will take to
the air in airplanes a.id helicop
ters. Their birds'-eye, view will
enable them to spot traffic viola
tors and radio information to col
leagues in squad cars. ,
Most states said they would
keep a sixi'iul lookout for the
drunken drivers ieuung office
parties. Massachusetts, Maine
and Oregon police planned to set
up spot roadblocks to nab drunks
Hi U spot.
BAH, HUMBUG Nikita
Khrushchev who
doesn't believe in Christ
mas, Christianity and
other thiags has accused
the U.S. of distorting un
dergroamj nuclear test
data at the Geneva talks.
SNtTHtn.
iiapnGiiTfB J
Christmas seals
fuel pipeline running from U.S.
bases 'near Seville to Rota in the
south.
While hedge-hopping along the
line checking for possible leaks or
other damage, he struck up a
waving acquaintance with the
children of the more than 120
families that live along the iso
lated route.
"Captain Jack," as he became
known to his little friends, began
filling the pockets of his flying
suit with candy and other sweets.
Then as he buzzed along the pipe
line, he dropped the precious tid
bits to the eager children.
Buy Candy And Toys
Last Christmas. Caiers' com
rades of the 3977th Simply Squad
ron at Moron Air Force Base
W
Five Cants
aid
Death"
liways
DRIVERS
HOLIDAYS
International Z'.
to the nation's highways to
accident - prone holiday period
out in full force to hold down
Elks
Kids
Treat
Here
Christmas
La Grande Elks will observe
their traditional Christmas giving
to youngsters, rest home oldsters
and hospital patients here and at
Mt .Emily camp, Perry and Union
on Friday.
Following dismissal of local
youngsters at the special 11 a.m.
La Grande theatr show. Elks
committee workers and the kiddie
will gather at the big Christmas
tree erected at Washington and
Depot Street where Canta Claui
will hand out the goodies.
Many Ceedi
Approximately 1,050 sacks oi
goodies have been prepared this
year by the Elks. Gifts will go also
to the Hot Lake rest home and
to Ward Miller of Union who will
distribute to that town's small
fry.
Verne Pieper is fclks chairman
of tha "sacking committee." As-
staring him are Chuck Wing, Norm
Daniels, Don Caldwell, Robert ,
Fallows, Jack Hermann, Mel Plass,
Basil Bontting, Allen Keffer. Don
Ragsdalc, Kenneth Workman, Mar
vin Mortensen and Ed Hulf.
City, Police
Issue Safety
Reminders
La Grande city, officials have
joined with Oregon Governor Hark
0. Hatfield to ,urge drivers to
exercise extreme caution while
on the streets and highways over
the holidays. '
City Manager Dave Slaght said
the month of December sees more
accidents than any other month,
undoubtedly due to congested holi
day traffic, early hours of dark
ness, weather conditions and driv
ers who have been drinking.
"Citizens of La Grande can do a
great deal toward preventing un
necessary accidents and possible
death if they will practice courtesy
to other drivers and pedestrians,"
Slaght said.
Oliver Reeve, police chief, is
su"d an appeal to holiday hosts
at office parties and private cele
brations to make their guests
aware that a party can be enjoyed
without over-indulging in intoxi
cants. The chief added that La
Grande police officers will not
let holiday spirit deter them from
strict enforcement of traflic laws.
WEATHER
Snow flurries tonight and,
Friday with grtil clearlngr
a Friday; high Friday 34-41; hnr
tonight 24-32.
chipped in to set up "Operation
Gumdrop."
They bought toys and other
novelties out of their own pockets
for Capers to drop along with bis
gumdrops to his little friends. .,.
"But after I explained to taw
boys how happy these meager
presents made the little kids,''
Capers said, "our operation this
year is far bigger. Gifts
base personnel and civilian '
ers have poured In.
Capers today will drop
than a sleighful of red stockings,
filled with toys and other goodies
to delight the hearts of the youna
sters. from his small silver Bias
now christened "The Spirit f
Christmas."
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