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About La Grande observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1959-1968 | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1960)
WIATNIR Baitem Oregon: Fair to night and Saturday; highs 44 St; lew tonight 25-35. 190th Issue 64th Year II WHERE THERE IS SMOKE . . . There was a fire here, an old hay barn, 12 08 C Ave., which poured more smoke than flames. Firemen at bottom are almost obscured bv smoke cloud. Building was saved, however. ' (Observer Photo) Boundary Board Sets May 3rd Hearing For Cove Petitioners By GRADY PANNELL Observar Staff Writer Cove properly petitioners will present (heir case to the district boundary board at a hearing scheduled Tuesday, May 3, it has been announced. Wilbur Osterloh, boundary board secretary, said the hearings will begin at 2 p.m. in the chambers of circuit court. Hearings on boundary petition changes normally are held in Judge Ken McCormick's office, but due to the number of petitioners wishing to annex their property to La Grande District No. 1, larger space is necessary. It is expected that protestants in the Cove district will state their objections to the petition request. 70 Par Cant Property owners. whose assessed valuation totals some 70 per cent of district No. 15. several weeks ago initiated two petitions , 79 names on one and three on (he other. They were accused then of trying to "force Cove school dis trict to annex to La Grande by means of a special second elec tion on school annexation. The district, in a record turnout of voters, defeated the school ballot measure by lt5 to 127. a Iarg. increase by both voting: groups. Just several weeks before. I the school annexation vofe was first deteated. 154-112. I Those in favor of retaining Cove school "at any cost" charged the second annexation vote as "not being democratic." The "any cost" phrase was togged on the opponents of school annexation by the majority of the present proper ty petitioners. They claim this is why. principally, they wish to "pull out" of the district, "a matter of economics only." This is being disputed, however, by some Cove residents and sev eral have voiced their opinions to The Observer that the latest ma neuver was initiated only as a "bankrupt threat." Soma Alarm Although some Cove district resi dents do not like the "bankrupt" phrase, several school oflicials are PARIS DRAGNET KIDNAPER FREES TOT HEIR TO MULTIMILLION FORTUNE PARIS l'PI' Eric Peugeot. 4. was returned safely to his fam ily early today and police, ham pered by thousands of Easter travelers, threw a vast dragnel across Paris for his abducto:s. There was a momentary flurry at midday when the official French news agency flashed an announcement that police had cap tured the boy's abductors two men and a woman. But police promptly denied the report. It appeared the capture report stemmed from the fact that two men and a women had been brought to police headquarters in circumstances suggesting that they were the object of the big police operation. But the official denial said the trip had no con nection with the Peugeot case. Eric, tiny heir to a multimillion dollar French automobile fortune, was released shortly before 12:55 a.m. after hit father paid $100. 000 ramsom in gold coins. How it was handed over remained a secret. LA GRANDE alarmed at what could happen to a 30 per cent district and a high school building that does not quite meet state standards. Tax officials also have stated that any district without at least 50 per cent of its current property valuation would face troubled times. i The Observer, it must be point ed out here, did not and does not imply now that the word "bank rupt" means the individual tax payers would become as such. It is a word used by school officials and tax people who are facing up to the issue, having reference only to the district valuation structure after possible boundary change.) Why does the property group petition for a boundary change of district 1? They give you several reasons, including "a matter of eco nohmics." They refer to this as additional expenditures necessary to get the Cove high school up to state standards, both building-wise and academic. It is expected that at least one and possibly two additional teachers will be added to the staff next fall. This takes money and would increase Pilgrims Gather In Jerusalem For Special Rite JKRl'SALEM. Israel it'PK About 16.000 pilgrims gathered in the narrow streets of Jerusalem's old city today to follow the foot steps of Christ on the path of sorrow. About 1.000 Christian tourists and residents were crossing from Is: ael into the Jordanian sector of Jerusalem to swell the observance marking the opening of the three day Easter weekend. The procession path along the Via Dolorosa duplicated the route Christ took from the Praetorium. where he was sentenced, to Cal vary Hill, where he was crucified. All the pilgrims submitted to smallpox vaccinations because of an outbreak in Jordan. The chubby - cheeked, blond haired little boy was found by a laborer not long after midnight. He was crying, standing in the street in front of a Paris cafe only three blocks from his home in the plush Passy area. Taken inside the bar. the young ster was asked who he was. "My name is Eric Peugeot and I live at 170 Avenue Victor Hugo." The bar patrons burst into spon taneous cheers. The police and his family were notified. The young ster was safe and 54 horns of ter rible anguish were over. The kidnapers, the little boy said, were very nice to him and let him watch a television set "They did not do me any harm," he said. Eric's father, Roland Peugeot, vice president of the vast Peugeot automobile and steel empire, ad mitted he paid money to the kid napers but refused to say how much. Famous Cold Coins Friends sMd he paid in gold pieces the widely famed Louis r: V present millage rates plus the cur rent bonded indebtedness. Academic Choice They claim this is why they prefer annexing to La Grande. although they add that the La Grande schools offer better aca demic standards for their children. There are some 40 children in volved in the outcome. The Cove teaching problem shapes up as almost acute, with the resignation of the superintend ent and principal. Charles Hag- gerty, and several others, an in direct issue to the problem. There is a possibility of a 90 per cent turnover in the teaching staff there next fall. In all fairness to Cove residents who desire to retain and expand their school, It must be noted that their claim of "democratic voting process" is valid. They have de feated "three times" any attempt to change the school. The first vote was participation in county wide reorganization about a year ago. The few spokesmen representing those who wish to keep their school as it is state simply that a majority decision should be recognized. Other reasons include: 1. Community pride 2. Poitiblt change of the present school reorganization law at the next legislative session, 1, Matter of economics. They, too. feel that the new tax burden would be so costly in the long run that the school might have to close its doors. They don't like to look too far ahead, but expect few economic strains over the next two years. Each side can come up with valid points to argue before the boundary board which will not be able to please at least one large segment of the district population following a decision. The board members include Judge McCor mick. Commissioners Ray Baum and H. J. Spcckhart and Osterloh. The latter is county school super intendent. d'Or. which is legal tender in France and beloved of the peas ants and small shopholders who like to keep their savings in gold and hide them from the tax col lector. Tea's of joy streamed down the father's face. He said he had pre ferred to deal with the kidnapers in his own way to get his boy back. The elder Peugeot took his son home to his wife. Colette, who had been near collapse. They had him examined by a doctor, who found him well, and then put him to bed beside his brother. J e a n Pilippe, 7. The ordeal for the family was over. The main task for the po lice began. Look For Man m Cray Gendarme threw a cordon around Paris and set up a light security check at every port, rail road station and airport. Word crackled out over the po lice teletype, ordering all units to search for a "tall man dressed in Eray." LA GRANDE, Hay Barn Fire Is Put Out A barn full of hay at 12(18 C Ave., caught fire Thursday after noon, burning much of the hay and causing approximately S'JiH) Carnage to the building. The fire started in the hav stor ed in an old house which had been converted to a barn. The building is owned by Mrs. George S. Birnie, 504 Fourth St. Mrs. Birnie is owner of half the hay and the other half belongs to Mrs. C. L. Gilstrap. 502 Wash ington Ave. Firemen sped to the scene at t-bout 2:50 p.m. Smoke billowed from windows, the front door and chimney and fire fighters had difficulty reaching the hay which was stacked to (he top of the two-story structure. Building Saved By dousing the interior of the building and forking burning hay outside where it could be drenched, firemen prevented (he fire from destroying the barn. Two trucks were called to the scene and firemen stayed on the job until 4:45 p.m. Mrs. Gilstrap estimated that 10 tons of hay were stored in the burn, intended as feed for horses belonging to her and Mrs. Birnie. The horses are pastured next to the building. BOYS ADMIT CITY THEFTS Two La Grande boys, 11 and 13 years old, have admitted commit ting four break and entries and three thefts recently. City police questioned the pair after uncovering leads in a rash of minor crimes over the past two weeks. The 11-year-old told police he alone broke into four business establishments: Rauwolf's Veltex service station, 2002 Adams Ave.: Ray's Texaco station. 2007 Adams; Zimmerman's hardware Fir Street and Adams; and Cole man's hardware, 1306 Adams. Four bottles of soft drink were taken from the Veltex station, a flashlight and $5 in change from Kay's Texaco, but nothing taken from Zimmerman's. At Cole man's, the boy took .38 and .22 calibre pistols from a display but left them inside the store when leaving. The youngest boy also admitted robbing the coin changer in the Rivers Hotel Laundromat. Together the youths said they stole several bundles of maga zines left at doors of local mer chants and took a number of loaves of bread from a truck parked at Eddy's Bakery, 317 Fir St. The boys also admitted using a glass cutter to cut doorwindows at the Outdoor Supply, 1212 Adams Ave., and Northern Stamp headquarters in the Saeajawea annex. i Police found a cardboard box full of the stolen magazines un- der a trap door in the rear of an abandond building at the north- J east corner of the Fir Street al-1 ley between Adams and Jeffer son Avenues. VANDENBURG AFB, Calif. (UPI) A discoverer satllite rumbled aloft today hauling a 300-pound capsule that scien tists hope to shoot safely back to earth from 200 miles in space. Bulletin EASTER EGG COMMITTEE La Grande Jaycees show off assorted Easter goodies in preparation for sponsoring Saturday's annual egg hunt for kiddies age 6 through 11 at Riverside Park. Shindig begins at 9 a.m. and annually attracts several hun dred youngsters. Twelve prizes will be given by Jaycees. Special hunt is also set for tots up to 5. Members of committee, left to right, Connie Braseth, Bob Wylam, Cliff Woodell, chairman, and Melvin Elder, club president. Other committee member not available for picture is George Bruca. (Observer Photo) OBSERVER OREGON, FRIDAY, APRIL I IT ' i rr- viz (-,-.., ,ai CuMoA t FIELD MAN Ivor T. Jones, Salem, has been appointed as special field representative by Associated General Con tractors oi Oregon. He is former official of State Council of Carpenters. He plans Eastern Oregon tour in near future, with stops at La Grande, Pen dleton and Baker. Concessions Registered For Midway Fire organizations have regis tered concessions in the Pioneer l ow Wow's Midway section, Reg istration Chairman Norma Hunt at the Chamber of Commerce of (ice disclosed today. The five groups, all repeaters f.om last year's Pow Wow, and their concessions, are: Beta Thota chapter. ESA. baseball throw and candied ap ples, chairman to be named; Beta Sigma Phi city council, cotton canity machine, Mrs. Jim Voelz, chairman; Kiwanis club, pronto pups and soft drinks, chairman t'i be named; Cloverleaf Circle Horse Club, horse and buggy ndes, Mrs. Jesse Schaures, chair man, and Royal Neighbors of America. wheel game, Mrs. Fannie McFarland, chairman. Midway Open Midway Chairman Emerson Smock reported he has received rumcrous inquiries from repre Vptatives of various groups en ('favoring In arrange for conces sions on the Midway, which will Le located on Washington Ave nue between the fire house and Fourth Street this year. "A number of groups are .waiting decisions to be made at membership meetings before registering their concessions," Smock said. "We're hopeful that in the next two or three weeks a full Midway will be assured by the participation of community ; nd valley organizations." Midway concessions are avail able to any organized groups, the chairman said, without charge. Registration should be made at the chamber desk in the Saeaja wea. City Purchases Sewer Machines The city commision has voted to purchase power sewer cleaning e quipment from Flexible Pipe Tool Company of Portland for $4,095.45. The flexalile company submitted a bid on the equipment Feb. 17. A lower bid of $.1.4:11 was submit ted at the same time by Air Mac. Inc.. of l'o:tl:ind. The purchase was voted on re commendation of the city manager alter both companies had demon strated their equipment for the city commission and city manager in La Grande. ,' . Sa 4". . "V v - i JH.V 4 T7L1 Coat P. LIBRARY U OF 0 EUGENE, ORE. 15, 1960 Castro ainst Area Fruit Men Wary Of Weather Cherry growers in the valley re main in a state of apprehension alter experiencing borderline free zing temperatures last night. County Agent Ted Sidor report cd this morning that while not too much blossom damage was expect ed so far, growers feared most (hat clouds would disperse and a crystal clear night would drop tempera tures. Low temperature recorded at the State Police headquarters here last night was 33 degrees. Near Freeiing In low valley areas growers re ported that the mercury hovered near 32 degrees all night. A little water was frozen on cherry blos soms. The county agent said the biggest worry from last nig)it is that water filled the blossoms sufficiently to make them drop. Cove area hillside orchards were expected to have come through safely, and higher orchards in El gin should have had little or no damage. Sidor called Pumpkin Ridge or chards a "give and take" propo sition, and similar uncertainty ex isted for other trees in the lower valley floor. Recent storm conditions have probably hindred pollenation, the county agent stated. WW NATO Plans Hundreds Of Missile Stations WASHINGTON (UPD The.slle to A-subs. United States and its NATO allies The proposal to dot Western may station hundreds of Polaris Europe with ballistic missiles missiles across Western Europe in a revolutionary new multi-mil lion dollar defense system de signed to strike back after any Russian attack. State Department confirmation that such a system was under consideration was underlined by the first successful underwater launching of a Polaris Thursday The missile, originally intended to be fired by submerged nuclear submarines, was launched from a underwater tube off San Cle mente Island, Calif. The Navy said "all objectives" were met and described the test as an im portant step in mating the mis- City Waives License Fee For Legion Circus A waiver of license fee for the Kem Jensen Circus to perform in the junior high gym May 3, has been granted. The circus will give afternoon and night performances. The request for license waiver came from Jesse Uosenbaum rep resenting the American Legion. APPROVE PENSION HIKES WASHINGTON (UPD The House Armed Service Committee unanimously approved legislation Wednesday to give 118.000 retired serviceman pay boosts ranging from $4 a year for former pri vates to $4,586 for former chiefs of staff. 3 S Peojos Leads Insurgents CUBAN REBELS HOLDING OUT IN MOUNTAIN AREA BAYAMO. Oriente. Cuba (UPD Four thousand army troops and worker's militia led personally by Premier Fidel Castro were reported today to be swarming up 8,000-foot Turquino Peak in the last stage of a campaign to destroy guerrilla resistance. The guerrillas, an estimated 80 to 100 men led by former rebel Army Mai. Manuel Beaton, were said to be pinned down in their hideouts atop the lofty Sierra Maestra Mountain a- waiting attack. There was no indi cation of how well they were dug in for resistance. Government sources said the army pressure was beginning to tell to the insurgents. They claimed four surrenders in the past 24 hours. Army front line troops being used in the attack were said to number from 800 to a thousand "Barbudos," or beard ed ones, presumably veterans of Castro's own guerrilla campaign from 1956-58. Rebellion Reported Spreadlnt Antigovernment violence was re ported to have spread from Or iente in the east to Las Villas Province in central Cuba. So far this week. anti-Castro forces have been reported on pa trol in the Sierra Maestra and Sierra Crista! ranges of Oriente and the Sierra de Escambray hills of Las Villas. In Las Villas, unconfirmed re ports said dissenters seized and burned several trucks and other vehicles on the South Coast High way between Trinidad and Cien- fuegos. arose irom iears uiai cumi nent's defenses, as presently planned, would be obsolete in a few years. Some military planners were aiming at 1063 as the date for wide placement of ballistic mis siles throughout Europe. That year is regarded as critical be cause of Russia's intercontinental rocket advantage. Advisers of NATO Commander Gen. Lauris Norstad consider it urgent for Europe to be equipped with missiles that could be placed in underground bunkers, on mo bile launching platforms and on barges on the continent's many waterways. One of the problems facing the North Atlantic Council, the NATO governing body, is how to finance the Polaris program, which would cost several hundred million dol lars. As currently designed to fly from Navy submarines with an H-bomb in its nose, the Polaris would have a range of 1,200 miles. NATO would get a modified ver sion with a range of 300 to 1,200 miles for use on land. OLD WARRIOR SPEAKS Truman Certain Of Democratic Victory NEW YORK (UPI) Former President Harry S. Truman broke his silence on presidential prefer ences today long enough to de clare "the Republican papers" want Sen. John F. Kennedy or Adlai E. Stevenson to get the Democratic nomination. But our party is going to nom inate somebody who can win," Truman added. The former Presi dent thereupon resumed his deter mined silence about his own choice for the Democratic nomi nation. There was no further indication from Truman's remarks whether his statement about the 'Republi can papers" meant he himself is cool to Kennedy and Stevenson and the ex-President went right on to deny he has decided for Sen. Stuart Symington. "Demecrars Will Win" Truman said he felt sure the Democratic party could and would win in the November elections because of the terrible record the Republicans have had." Then he got down to names. The former President told re porters, "You know who the Re publican papers would like to see nominated, don't you? Kennedy or Stevenson. 'But our party is going to nom TIMF3BATUC3 Thursday maximum SI; night low 33. Sunset today 4:34 p.m.) sunrise Saturday 5:05 a.m. Winds variablt. Flv Cents Army Weather May Lift By Easter By United Press International The weather man today fore cast a little better outlook for Easter Sunday in Oregon with drier air expected to move intq the state starting tonight. But snow and rain continued Thursday and Thursday night in the wake of Wednesday's damag- Children In the Grand Rondo Valley may be disap pointed with the April weather, but sell conserva tionists and forestry officials re quite pleased with the added soil moisture reserve. Up to four inches of snew foil on high timber eleva tions In the area ever the pes 4S hours. ing western Oregon windstorm. A little snow was reported at lower elevations in eastern Oregon and the Portland area had snowflakes mixed with rain this morning. Nighttime temperatures are ex pected to remain cool with below-freezing readings expected to night in both sections of the state. It's expected to warm up around the first of the week. Mountain passes reported fresh snow with chains a must on some routes. Salem was Oregon's wet spot during the 24 hours ending early today with .! of an inch of rain. Portland Papers Begin Separate Editions Monday PORTLAND (UPD The city council Thursday unanimously ap proved a permit for the Wallace Security Agency to provide guards for the struck Oregonian and Oregon Journal. The two papers start separate publication Monday for the first time since a Stereotypers strike started last Nov. 10. The city council action ended a controversy that began several weeks ago when the Inter Union Newspaper Strike Committee charged that employment of the agency, including armed guards tor press rooms, would constitute a threat to the community. inate somebody who can win." Of a report that California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, leader of his state's 81 vote convention delega tion, would support Kennedy for the nomination. Truman said he had noted that Brown had denied saying so. "I don't think he would lie." the former President said. "I have the utmost confidence in him, he is the boss in California and I know and like him." Comments On Nbten A bystander asked the former President what he thought of Vice President Richard M. Nixon "as a man." "I don't know him as a man," Truman replied. "I only know him from his public career and I don't like it." "His campaigns in California and in 1954 were something out of this world. They were based entirely on character assassina tion. I don't like it," he said again. Keeping up a brisk pace on hit 19-block walk in near 70-degree temperature, the former Presi dent, who is 75, said he intended to keep up his daily walks 'until 1 am 90. and after that if I live longer." O