'" 8 ,lUi
960?
69
WEATHER
Sca'tered (new ihewtri tonight
and south area Friday; hifll.S S
35; low 1-11 with itro temt vtl
leys. LA GRANDE OBSERVER
100th Issue 64th Year
LA GRANDE, 0R:ON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1959
8 Pag as
Fiv Cento
7 v
7m T ' . "
Downtown fires in La Grande this year received their
play of the news headlines and figured near the top in
this area's major news stories. This picture shows four
' downtown stores being consumed by flames during a
CAR WRECKS, FIRES,
MADE HEADLINES IN
- ,'. By BILL BBBOUT - ;
Ofctervtr Staff Writ.r
Another year, is drawing to a
close. The world will soon welcome
1960. Now is the time for re
flection on the big sto.ies and ev
ents in Union County which made
headlines in The Observer during
1959. '
Fatal car accidents, two major
fires in the city and a record
number of hunting fatalities were
the big stories ill the Grande
Ronde Valley during 1959.
Despite repeated warnings and
tougher law enforcement policies
by police agencies,' ten persons
died as a result of carelessness
with firearms and 13 persons were
killed on highways in Wallowa
and Union counties.
Two fires within a week caused
damage totaling more than a half
million dcl'ars in La Grande dur
ing February.
But the year's news files had a
brighter side.
OUTER SPACE BATTLE FOR 1960
Predict Soviets To Hold Lead
In Rocket Space Explorations
WASHINGTON 'UPP A U S
space official says Russia's "clear
lead" in rocketry will enable it
to pull farther ahead of this coun
try In the exploration of outer
space.
This forecast is evident in a
study of V. S. and Soviet space
programs made recently by Dr.
Homer E. Newell Jr.. assistant
director for apace sciences of the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration iNASA'.
According to Newell, the two
countries are running about even
in scientific investigation of near
by space.
But "in deep space probe
work." Newell said, "the U.S.S.R
has definitely taken the leal This
is directly attributable to thei'
clear leaH in vehicle technology."
Similar Advancement
Russia's rocketry lead has been
variously estimated at 2 to 10
years. Newell mentioned no time
figure. But he said: .
"The-side that has the more ad
vanced technology in the way of
paylcad capabilities, guidance,
etc.; will have the distinct edge.
SEAMEN TO GET WAGE HIKE
NEW YORK lUPH-Abut 10.
000 seamen will get a 4 5 per cent
wage boost Jan. 1 under contract
terms agreed updh Tuesday by
the National Maritime Union and
39 tanker companies.
FIRES PLAYED BIG PART
La Crande .and Union County
joined in Oregon's Centennial Cel
ebratiori with a locally written
play, the world premier of a folk
opera, and a visit from the Cen
tennial Wagon Train. ;
Farm Programs
Farm income dropped during
1959 but county farmers continued
to work with Extension Service
specialists and the Agriculture
Stabilization and Conservation of
fice to get Union County agricul
ture back on the track.
In May, the auctioneer's chant
signalled the end of Pondosa and
a wind whipped blaze, less than a
month later, le't the historic old
logging town a smouldering ruin.
Plans for new sewage disposal
facilities for La Grande stirred up
resentment among Island City res
idents in November with the city
! comm.ssion - sponsored S30O.OOO
bond issue going down to defeat 1
by an cverw helming margin.
Union County's school reo;gani -
and by virtue of the increased
flexibility and capabilities pro
vided by the more advanced tech
noloijy will forge steadily ahead.
"Thus, one may p-edict a time
lead in vehicle technology will be
transformed into a corresponding
time lead in the exploration and
investigation of outer space."
Newell scid the two countri-s
"appear to be at about the same
staqe of advancement in upper air
research" and in scientific "stud
ies of the earth's environs." He
said "their instrumentations are
roughly equivalent."
The Russians have "done far
less on solar radiations" than the
United States but have accom
plished "much more" in experi
ments with animals in space.
t Sights Soviet Achievements
The United Stales may have a
"slight edge" in close-in space in
vestigations and in instrument de
signs, but the Russians are super
ior in rocket power, maneuver
ability, and size of their scientific
packages.
V. S. cxplo-ation of the moon
"is yet to begin" whereas the
Russians have "already achieved
significant steps" in lunar investi
gation. As for exploration of the
planets:
The United States, Newell said,
"has minimal capability in this
area at present, and on the pres
ent schedule planetary work is
preceeding at a very, slow pace.'
period last February when fire losses here totaled al
most a half million dollars. Fire loss from these busi
ness establishments added up to 3265,000.
HUNTING DEATHS
AREA DURING '59
aatfon committee took its lmriris as'
county voters rejected the com
mittee s plans for reorganization
Snow Closet Schools
Some of the other significant
news stories of 1959 on the local
scene are listed below.
January Vcster O. Varney, Jos
eph, dies in car crash; heavy snow
forces closing of Elgin and Imbler
schools; Company E, Oregon Nat
ional Guard, receives superior rat
ing in federal inspection: Dr. Gor
don Clarke named city commission
president; Elks hold annual state
winter meeting here; Edgar Allen
Gilde.-sleeve, Enterprise, killed in
car wreck: Nobel Prize winning
chemist, Linus Pauling, speaks at
EOC.
February Four L a Grande
stores go up in flames with loss
estimated at $265,000: Grande
Ronde Apartments destroyed by
$300,000 fire; Bill Lee. 17. receives
Silver Award as Explorer Scout :
La Grande Observer purchased
In r. : .i
2D
1
PREPARE STRATEGY FOR
Rep. Don McKinnis, right, and Honce Snodgrass, Chamber of Commerce manager,
discuss plans for hearing of the State Water Resources P.oard in Salem next Tues
day. Chamber representatives will attend the meeting to urge board approval of
Pacific Northwest Power Company's request to construct High Mountain Sheep
Dam on the Snake River. The chamber membership is on record in favor of the dam
construction. (Observer Photo)
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from Ray Anderson and Fred Wey
bret by Riley Allen, Robert W
Chandler and J. M. McClelland
Jr.; EOC faculty protests "dis
claimer oath" on federal education
loan fund applications: Elgin ini
tiates new $150,000 Coliseum with'
ball and pageant.
March Pondosa mill closed hy
Mt. Emily Lumbr Co.; Kristal
Tomjack. 16, elected president ot
Oregon F.H.A.; Fire Chief Ray
Snider recommends new, central
ly located fire s'ation: Oregon
National Guard reorganized with
Col. David C. Baum as Battle
Group commander.
3 Die In Wreck
April Sec. of State Howell Ap
pling addresses Chamber of Com
merce; Lawrence William Wil
son, Frederick All"n Leslie and
Wesley Ernest Andrews die in car
See CAR WRECKS Page t
Four Poisoned
By Radiation?
OAKLAND. Calif. (UPI) A
man and three women today
awaited results of Navy medical
tests for radiation poisoning be
lieved to have come from han
dling radium salts.
Fred Webb, 26, said he has
been gradually losing his hair,
has developed rashes on his
hands and arms, and has suffered
other symptoms since an acci
dent at the Oakland Naval Sup
ply Station six months ago.
i i j J wk.
regon Posts
Number Of
w tm u
NEW MARK OF 486 BREAKS
; :432 FIGURE SET IN 1946
By United Press International
Oregon's official all-time
highway death toll mark
WoS broken Wednesday, the
nexf ,0 ,h8 ,a,t daf of 1959-
Tillamook residents
c rvnitu ill a iwu'tdf cur
Iision near Lebanon; a seven-1
f" wy uita arier oinq i
(.,. . l iv . .. - -i i
iiruiiuT hoy. 11, died in Ilillsboro
lm injtirus suift-red earlier in
Ti:.i! brought the loll for the
our to -Mi. accc
ltallic Safety (.onimission
't''-v The previous mark w
1,1 11 P t-war ear of vm
'onimission in Sa-
as sot
1MB when
I'Cim)'s Inst their lives in Iral-
!ie ai- ule.its.
Deceirber Toll High
Willi one day lo k Deeem
I tr lull was 55, compared to 37
on Die s.mie (lute lat year.
Hi cut Young. 11, Crescent City.
C.il.f , died in a Ilillsboro hospital
U 'tin s,!ay from injuries suffered
(i the Sunset highway Monday in
i lvo-rar collision. Mis parents,
Mr and Mrs. Benjamin Young,
a id a brother were injured.
Kilkd in the collision near Leb
anon Wednesday night were Joe
I., llcnmtt, 2(i, and r.unice Violet
t:,-iinicneRcr, 48. Three other
persons were injured.
lawrcnce Flock, young son of
S-Sgt. and Mis. Norman V. Klock,
Kelso. Wash. died in a Klamath
Kails hospital1 Wednesday from in
car on a bridge at ' Keno. Thef ckground otqmlment ex
Snow, Ice On Oregon
Roads Present Hazards
SALEM UPI The Highway
Department ' reported dangerous
road conditions at many spots in
the state today 'due to ice and
snow
Packed snow was rcorted at
Government Camp, Warm
Springs Junction, Sunset Summit
Detroit, McKenzie Pass, Tiller
Trail, Siskiyou, Green Springs,
Prospect, Diamond Lake, Maupin,
Shaniko. Dend, Santiam Pass,
Ochoco Summit. Brothers, Lapine.
Silver Lake. Madras, Willamette
Pass, Klamath Falls. lily. Quartz
Mountain. Lakeview, Paisley,
Meacham. Ontario, John Day.
Austin, Seneca, Burns and
3asque.
Icy spots were reported at Wil
son River, Astoria. Tillamook,
Corvallis, Salmon Kiver, Camas
Mountain, Grants Pass, Medford.
Cave Junction, Carpentcrville, Sis
ters, C'hetnult, and Ontario.
Boy Scouts Pick Up
Yule Trees Saturday
La Grande residents are asked
to put their discarded Christmas
trees on the curbs Saturday so
members of Boy Scout Troop 109
may pick them up. Troop members
will cover the city in the annual
P'oject in La Grande.
,f.f 'roc
1 lMiL
- ( '
HEARING
father is stationed at Kingsley
Air Force Base at Klamath Falls.
Another accident Wednesday
night saw seven cars and a Grey
hound bus skid into the ditch near
Willamette pass after two refrig
era. or trucks jackknifed on the
icy highway. Two jiersotis were
injured.
More Passenger Miles
The Traffic Safety Division said
that in 1946 when the previous
high was set about 4.500.000 pas
senger miles were traveled. The
figure this year will be about
7,500.000 passenger miles.
Also, In 1946 there were 470.154
motor vehicles registered com
pared to about 875.000 this year.
The 1958 death toll was 449
while 468 died in 1957. now the
third worst year on record.
The department confines its fig
ures to traffic accidents occurring
on, a "Irafficway" or public road.
It does not include accidents
which occur entirely on private
property.
Leaden Clouds, Snow
To Usher In New Year
By GRADY PANNELL
Observer Staff Writer
Leaden clouds and sifting snow
will usher in New Year's in the
Grande Ronde Valley to the tune
The La Grande Observer
wishes everyeno a very happy
New Year. Today's edition is
me New Year's publication.
There will be no Observer pub
lished Friday.
special emphasis on New Year's
eral cocktail lounges here planned
tending over from celebrations lu
night. Various organizations and sev-
City Officials
Accept Sanitpry
Sewer Petition
A petition for Sanitary Sewer Im
provement 3-23 was accepted and
placed on file in an action taken
by the city commission at its Wed
nesday night meeting. The district
will cover property not now served
or within another sewer district
that abuts Cedar Street between A
and B Avenues,
The petition carried the signature
of more than 67 per cent of the
property owners in the proposed
district. 1
Commissioners also approved an
application from the firm of Bur
ton and Miller, Elgin, for a "mas
ter" Amusement Devices License
for I960. The commission acted on
the recommendation of Police Chief
Oliver Reeve.
Reeve also approved a devices
license for the Elgin company
which does not have to come before
the commission.
Intrigue Shadows International
Search For
NEW YORK UPI - An in
ternational search was underway
today (or a 22 year-old girl and a
mysterious colonel on whose miss
ing yccht she said was "first
mate."
Authorities sought to learn if the
beaten, st'angled and decomposed
corpose of a young woman found
in Tangier, Morocco, could be
that of Harriet Elizabeth Benton,
Ogdensburg, N.Y., or of another
missing American.
Rep. Clarence E. Kilburn IR
N.V.I said in Washington that
meager details of the willowy bru
nette s disappearance have all the
earmarks of international intrigue.
Miss Benton abandoned a prom
ising advertising career with a
Boston agency last summer to
seek adventure abroad. Against
the advice of relatives, she left
with $1,000 last August on a sight
seeing tour of Europe.
Harriet's Syracuse University
classmate, Patricia Grant, 23,
Grim
Auto
RUSSIAN LINQUIST
Mrs. Lucille F. Ijtmor
eaux, teacher of the Rus-.
sian language for the
past five years in Cana
da, next week will con
duct a course in begin
ning Russian here. Her
classes will be held on
Wednesdays and Thurs
days from 7 to 0:45 p.m.
in room 23, administra
tion building, Eastern
Oregon College. Mrs.
Lamoreaux currently re
sides in Enterprise.
Eve parties for tonight. The stroke
of midnight will be the "witching
hour" when the weary old man
bows out in traditional ceremonies.
Inr addition to the club parties,
there will- be1 next-door neighbor
hood gatherings, and much of the
discussion will center about to
morrow's annual football bowl
games.
Police Warn Drivers
The television set and the color
of the grid bowls loom as the best
curative measure Friday for minds
a bit soggy from' the punch bowls
of the night before.
In keeping with the spirit of
New Year's Day, the police de
partment here wishes ail a happy
day, but there is a firm reminder
by Chief Oliver Reeve to motorists
that they might be better off at
the home firesides than on city
streets. His two reasons were
simple and terse:
1. Slippery streets and hazard
ous driving conditions.
S. If you have been drinking.
don't drive.
Checking Points
The same warning has been is
sued by State Police. They will
be out in form and wil enforce
"to the letter" the laws of driving.
Various check points will be
manned by the highway patrol
units in Eastern Oregon.
La Grande's Public Library will
be closed this evening at 5 o'clock
for New Year's Eve and will not
be open until Saturday at the
usual hour.
Tomorrow also has a religious
significance for Roman Catholics.
A - Holy Day of Obligation, Our
Lady of the Valley has scheduled
Masses at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The usual holiday Friday also
means that federal, state and
local municipal buildings will be
closed. For some, it means an
other long holiday period.
Missing U.S. Girl
Maplcwood. N J . said today she
was to meet Miss Benton in
Gibraltar in September, but Har
riet 'missed the rendezvous. The
last Miss Grant heard from her
was a letter she received in
Madrid Oct. 8.
"It's foolish of me to want to
go halfway around the world with
a man I met yesterday.. .but we're
sailing tomorrow," Harriet wrote
from Gibraltar. "I've had a taste
of Morocco. It was thrilling. I'm
go.ng back, then on lo the West
Indies."
She said she had found passage
on a yacht bound for the West
Indies and referred to the man
as "Collin." In a postcard mailed
Oct. 8 from Gibraltar, Harriet
told her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
E. P. Benton, she was employed
as "first mate" on the yacht
Raider, bound for the Canary Is
lands and the West Indies.
Kilburn said Scotland Yard
pinned down the owners of the
Record
Deaths
Mishap
Delays
UP Train
Union Pacific Railroad's stream
liner, the Portland Rose, was de
layed two hours this morning
when two pair of wheel trucks
on two loaded boxcars derailed
on a west-bound freight train this
morning at the Hilgard siding.
Railway officials said both cars
remained upright on the tracks
and were removed to the sid
ing by a derrick from La Grande.
No one was hurt
The Portland Rose arrived m
La Grande two hours behind
schedule and mail on the US ear
freight was delayed by the de
railment. No cause for the accident has
been I determined, the Portland
UP office informed The Observer
shortly before press Uma.
Engineer on the freight wis H.
Deaton, La Grande, and conduc
tor was Dwight Mahoney, also of
this city.
Skier Huriy
Freezes In
Position
WILLIAMS, Arit. UP11 j
George bUttta. , hroat a saVr. i
shoe coming down from .100-foot
Bill Williams Mountain. Hit feet
froze to the hard-packed snow;
his knees were literally (rosea
stiff in a standing position.
Rescuers found him Wednesday
leaning weakly against a tree.
They had to summon a helicopter
to lift his rigid body and end his
18-hour ordeal.
Degele had accomplished his
mission on the mountain. He had
found and repaired a lightning-
caused break in the cable that
carries television into Williams.
In a local hospital, Degele was
under treatment for severe frost
bite of both feet and legs, but
attendants said the husky former
Marine was in amazingly goad
condition.
Degele was only briefly out ot
contact with others, but heavy !
snows ana intense cold slowed
rescue operations to an agonizing
crawl.
He had been trying since Satur
day to reach the broken cable.
Thomas Booher :,
Dies At Hospital
Thomas H. Booher, RL 2, La
Grande, died in the Grande Ronde
Hospital this morning. Death
was believed caused by a heart
attack. - p
Booher suffered thr attack ajt
the scene of a car accident at
Upper Perry at about 10:30 a.m.
He was not in the accident but -spectators
said they thought a
member of his family was in
volved. There were no Injuries report,
ed in the mishap and State Police
are investigating.
Raider as one Col. M. J. Gallon: '
who carried a British passport.'''
Neither Harriet, Gallon, nor the
yacht have been seen since.
Dental Char Ixaminatlesi
Officials said the State Departs
ment. Coast Guard. Navy, Kkf
Force, the FI, Scotland Yard
and police units around the world
are hunting for the New York
girl and Gallon. m
A diplomatic courier was re
ported en route from Tangier I
Washington with a dental chart ef
the teeth of the young woman nas
lieved murdered there and her
corpse thrown in a sack eel the"
outskirts of the city m October
or early November.
The chart will be shown dentists!,
who treated Mist Benton aadj
Helen Mueller, 19, New York, wist
also went abroad last summer mm
seek adventure and who vanishes!
in Tangier in early Novemhef
leaving her belongings In her
hotel room,
1