Image provided by: The Willamina Museum; Willamina, OR
About The times of Willamina. (Willamina, Oregon) 1972-1974 | View Entire Issue (May 16, 1973)
Fire destroys home; owner saved by pet dog ■ Willamina firemen battle a blaze at 110 Hill Drive A little dog named Bouregard turned into a hero last week when he rescued his master from a burning house. The Willamina F ire Department was called out at 2 p.m. Wed nesday, May 9, to fight a fire at 110 Hill Drive. Ray Schlaepfer, who was asleep in the house at the time the fire began, was awakened by Boure- gard’s insistant barking in his face. When he started awake, minutes after Ray Schlaepfer escaped from the “ I saw smoke all over the room and could see fire coming through the walls,” he said. Without further ado, he was out the door and into the yard, coughing from the smoke and with Bouregard close on his heels. “ I didn’t even have time to put on a sh irt,” Schlaepfer related, sitting on the lawn wearing only a pair of black pants as the fire trucks arrived. A large pillar of black smoke was already pour - ing from the back of the house and the garage was engulfed in flames. The suspense was not over yet, however.. Schlaepfer’s two older children were in school at the time, but his wife, Patricia, had gone shopping and he wasn’t sure if she had the two younger child ren with her. There was no way to get back into the house to see if the children were still there or not, lurmng house. . . But the building is too far gone and even firemen wearing gas masks had to give up the at tempt to gain entry until the fire could be brought under control. By this time, a crowd had gathered and a coat had been found to protect Schlaepfer from the cold breeze. The wind was just strong enough and from just the right direction to speed up the blaze and spread it through the rest of the house. The fate of the children was to be saved and an hour later all that can be done is to see that sparks don’t spread to other houses. still unknown for about ten min Willamina Police Chief Hale, utes until Mrs. Schlaepfer r e who was on the scene almost turned from shopping with both immediately, commended the youngsters accompanying her. Youth Reserve for their quick response. “ They were here al The house itself was totally destroyed. Firemen had a nar most as fast as I was,” he said, row escape when several of them “ and in no time were directing had to jump out of the way as the traffic away from the area. I’m garage collapsed. It took nearly mighty proud of those boys.” an hour to get the blaze under Although the house and its con control, and by that time fire' tents were insured, the Schlaep- had completely gutted the in- , fers are temporarily without many necessities. terior. Kim Greb, Marie Council buys Sheridan ^¡ty CouncjRo hold Vinson top scholars Miller house s p e d ia ^ W b lic meeting Kim Greb riferle Vinson is the 1973 class Valedictorians and Kim Greb Salutatorian for the graduating ' olitsis at Willanjina Union High School. - , MarieVinson, IS, is the dau^i- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Rex Vin son, Rt. 2, Box 67, Willamina. During her high school years, Marie was a member of Girl’s League, Girl’s Athletic Associa tion, French Club and 4-H. She plans to go to OSU this fall with a major in Pharmacy. Pharmacy is a five-year pro gram rather than the usual four. She spent all four years at Wil lamina High, during which time she was out for track, partici pated in intramurals and Powder Puff. She enjoys outdoor sports, working with her hands at crafts such as pottery and is an avid archer. *T’m really thrilled that I re- M arie Vinson ceived such an honor, ’ ’ she said. “ And I’m really happy to have my best friend Kim as Saluta- toriam.” Miss Vinson graduates with a grade point average of 3.72. Kim Greb, Salutatorian, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Greb of 325 Ivy, Willamina. She participated in Girl’s Lea gue, Pep Club, French Club, Thespians, Honor Society, Triple Trio, Student Council, Fun Nite and Powder Puff. She was president of the French club her senior year and served as vice president of the Pep Club. Her favorite activities are con centrated on the outdoors, either camping or just enjoying the woods by herself. She plans to attend Portland State University this fall with a major in Biology and a minor in Business Administration. Bellevue store robbed The F arm er’s Market at Belle vue was the scene of a bizarre robbery Monday, May 7 a t8 p.m. Two men and a woman distracted the teller and made off with the contents of the cash register. Bob Wescott, owner of the m ar ket, saw the trio leaving and feel ing that something was amiss checked the till and finding it empty, ran out and flagged down a State Police car. State Police officer Rex Ander son took off in pursuit and spotted . a car fitting the description of the getaway vehicle at the Dairy Queen. He put in a call for assistance to the Sheridan Police at 8:05, but by the time they a r rived, the thieves were already under arrest and at gunpoint. Officers Martindale andHantze, Sheridan, answered the call. The robbers had hidden the checks and food stamps in the trash cans behind the Dairy Queen where police found them. All of the money was recovered. Police said the method of oper ation used in the theft had been used against markets in Salem, Portland, Astoria and Benton County. One subject would drop a large quantity of coins of the counter after the cash register was open. While the clerk helped pick up the coins, another of the team would scoop up bills, food stamps and checks from the open draw The following business was con ducted at the regular session of the City Council Thursday even ing, May 10: Authorized Cam Steketee, of Westech, city engineer, to en gineer Willamina Drive for sew er. This section, although in the city was not included in the sewer district. Denied Mrs. Estella Bunn a permit to put a trailer house on Lamson Street. Purchased the Miller house for the sum of $16,000. This price being the average of three ap praisals. Passed Ordinance No. 380 per taining to the water bond issue. The election will be June 12, in City Hall. The Mayor and council pro claimed the week of May 20 to be clean-up, paint-up week for the city. Owners are requested to mow thè grass on vacant lots to hel A public hearing deling with the question of eliminating parking along Sheridan Road will be held in the council chambers at City Hall on Monday, May 21st at 7 p.m. At present parking is al lowed on one'side of the street, which is a traffic hazard, ac cording to the police. The police have also received complaints of speeding. Mayor Jordan and the council members urge all re s i dents and interested people to at tend the hearing and voice their opinions in order to enable the council to come to a final deci sion. Among other business to come up before the council at the May 8 meeting was the hazard created by railroad crossings on Bridge St. and nearby Highway 18. Bob Hendricks was instructed to send a letter to the Highway Depart ment requesting drop-gate sig nals for these locations. Bob Jordan, representing the planning commission, said it would take about six months of hard work to bring the city zon ing ordinance up to date and ready for the council’s scrutiny and approval. Largest lumber shipment in one car t the grass on vacant lots to help the appearance of the city and to help eliminate fire hazards. If it has to be mowed by the city there will be a charge of $8 per hour to the owner, with a mini mum of $8. A request, by Mr. Abel to place another trailer on his property on West Main has been turned over to the planning committee. Permission was denied Mr. Wayne Grippen to remodel the Jenne house on West Main, the house being condemned and in an industrial zone. A special council meeting will be held at City Hall on Wednes day evening, May 16, to discuss financing of the $250,000 water bond issue. S ir ■ ........!............_ ■....... ■________ Press Parton and Dave Miller stand in front of Moving van goes into road ditch A Greyhound moving van went into the ditch at the Old Wallace Br. Rd. about one mile east of the Willamina junction on High way 22 at 5 p.m. May 12. Raymond Ziegfeld, driver, had missed his turn and was attempt ing to “ Y” -turn when the van slipped into the culvert. The Bob Knupp family of Salem directed traffic until Mishler Wreckers pulled the van back onto the highway. There were no injuries. Councilman Hebert, chairman of the water committee, said it would be about July, 1974 before the joint water, system with Will amina could be completed. The council voted to charge Cue & Cushion the same license fee as any other similar business. Mayor Jordan said some money had been turned into the City Hall by individuals who expressed a desire that it be used in the Moore Park as a memorial for Norman Agee. Perhaps others would like to contribute to this also. The largest lumber shipment ever made on one car has been recorded by “ The Flying Squad,” otherwise known as the car- loading crew at Willamina Lum ber Company. After suffering through a three month period of car shortages, the company chose to use this method to demonstrate its critical need for shipping space. “ We used every nook and cranny of this monster car,” said Dave Miller, Mill Sales Manager for Hampton Lumber Sales, who a r ranged the shipment in coopera tion with Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company of Phoenix, Arizona. The record footage will provide roof trusses for fifty- bi-tì- :. the largest shipment ever made in one car from Willamina Lumber Co. in recent months. eight houses and consists of 105,- Willamina Lumber Company is 387 feet of Kiln Dried Hemlock. Yamhill County’s largest forest P ress Parton, twenty-year vet products manufacturer. eran shipping clerk at Willamina, “ The Southern Pacific Company planned the load to take full ad has done an heroic job of dis vantage of the huge 89-foot a r tribution with available empties, ticulated flat car. Loading time and has been embarked on a of only 75 minutes was required vigorous car-building program by carloaders Leroy Beehner and for many years, but it is impossi Roy Johnson plus forklift driver ble for them to do the job alone. Walt Reeser. We chose this method to drama Lumber was packaged, steel tize the need for permanent cor strapped and paper wrapped in rective action to overcome this Willamina’s mechanized packag critical problem which has r e ing station. This standard pro curred annually since World War cedure makes loading ten cars or II. It is inconceivable that a more per day possible with prop problem so vital to the National er equipment and this same car- interest is with us year after loading crew, but erratic car year,” said Dave Miller. supply has made this impossible 1
