Image provided by: Vernonia Public Library; Vernonia, OR
About Vernonia freedom. (Vernonia, Oregon) 1978-198? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1981)
ft« WKTM t C BEt.tr ïgA ■ & B0Xf13Ö „X Nearly defunct Chamber of Commerce finds second wind The Vernonia Chamber of Commerce, which had considered disbanding late last year, has elected new officers and is looking for support among the community and local businesses. Marv Meyers, chairman of the Chamber for the past three years and a member for the past seven, says he sees a hopeful rise of interest in the Chamber this year. “The Chamber definitely is going to start working now,” he said. “We’ve raised dues from $15 to $20, so we can pay a secretary to take the meeting minutes and do the paperwork,” he added. The council has not yet filled that position, Meyers said, and anyone interested should contact the College Courses by Newspaper Chamber. Meyers remains concerned about difficulties in the life of the Chamber. The most pressing question now is what to do with the Christmas ornaments the Chamber hangs throughout town every year. “We haven’t got a place to put them,” he said. “The place we were storing them is being used this year.” The ornaments, which weight 60 - 70 pounds each, need a dry area with little traffic. “It should be about 20 feet by 20 feet,” Meyers said. Bill Hansen is presently Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. He is interested in discovering how the members see the role of the Chamber. “The Chamber has been involved in a _ _ The Nation's Health Seepa8e3 lot of service club type activities,” he said. “It’s my understanding that the Chamber of Commerce is more involved with business; in working with the business community,” he added. Portland. We have a golf course, bowling, and we have superb hunting and fishing,” he continued. “Maybe a resort, or a retreat, to employ the young people would be ideal,” he added. One of Hansen’s major concerns is the economic health of Vernonia. “We should have on ongoing project in getting people to shop at home,” he said. “One definition of advertising is giving people a reason to buy. For this town to prosper, our money should be circulated at home,” he continued. “Then we could work on attracting new industry or business - whatever the people want,” he added. Hansen believes that the Chamber can be a listening post, and an aid to businesses that must sell and move out. “We need business here,” he said. “If businesses are moving out, we can find out why and what we can do to help them stay,” he added. Hansen sees many options for Vernonia in the area of new commerce. “It may be tourism, ultimately,” he said. “People who want to get away may stay closer to “I think a special commendation should go to Marv Meyers, who worked so hard for the Chamber,” said Hansen. “Also, to Agnes Wuest, who took on the job as secretary, free* gratis, and has done so well, and to the others who put a band-aid on the Chamber and held it together,” he added. INDEX Public Porum........................ 2 The Nation's Health........................ 3 Church Directory..............................4 Jewell News............ . ........................ 4 Notes on Folks................................. 4 Classified Ads................................... 5 Regular Meetings.............................. 6 Rare collector's car lends touch of class to Vernonia streets by Lono Waiwaiole Although his pace is fairly sedate, Ed Evans of Vernonia travels in fast company. Ed owns a Duesenberg, which qualifies him for one of the world’s most exclusive clubs. There is only one other Duesenberg owner in Oregon, and fewer than 500 anywhere—which is not too hard to understand when you consider that fewer than 500 Duesenbergs were ever built in the first place. So what the deuce is a Duesenberg? “The finest car ever made in this country,” Ed says without hesitation. “The Duesenberg brothers set out to produce the best possible automobile, and they did.” That statement might be open to challenge, of course, but Ed is not easy to debate. “They quit making Dueseys during the Depression, because no one could afford them. Mine was built in 1929, and it took about $8,500 to buy it then. And that’s just for the chassis and frame—you had to have the body custom-made, which was another $812,000! ITS A BEAUTY—Ed Evanspauses during conversation to admire the beauty of his collector’s automobile. “Remember, this was 50 years ago. We’re talking about a lot of money. Shoot, you could get a Cadillac in 1929 for $1,200 or so—and that’s for the whole carl” Ed is a big man, and his enthusiasm matches his size. “Ed loves to talk about his car,” says his wife Edna impishly. Ed lets that pass with a shrug. “Hey, it’s one heckuva car. We’ll never see the likes of it again, that’s for sure. Someone tried to reproduce it a few years ago, but gave up after he finished the engine. It ran him about $40,000 to get that far. “Did you know my car has hydraulic brakes on all four wheels? Sure! Old August Duesenberg invented hydraulic brakes. And it has an lubrication automatic system—you push one button to lube the whole car. “And a goer? The Duesenbergs were always goers—won the Indianapolis 500 something like 27 times in 31 tries. My car is still a goer—that engine is virtually indestructible. I’ll take you for a ride pretty soon, and you’ll see what I mean.” The thought of firing up his Duesenberg seems to brighten the gleam in Ed’s eye, and he heads out to the barn he built for the car. “Tell him some of the people who owned Duesenbergs,” Edna shouts after him. “Wasn’t there a shah of something?” “I think it was a king of something,” Ed says. “Then Gary Cooper had one, and the big television producer—Silverman, his name is—he has one. “I’ll tell you, not many retired Air Force officers have Duesenbergs in their bams! Most of the people who have them can spend $10,000 like it was nothing, you know what I mean? When it comes to fixing up a car, there’s no way you can compete with those guys.” However, Ed is in competition with only his dreams—and he’s winning. “I’ve wanted one of these cars since I was a kid. This is my second—I traded my first one because this one is more rare. That was in 1953, and I’ve slowly been accumulating all the parts I need. I even gave up Havana cigars so I could spend the money on parts for the car. r GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN—A close look at the engine Ed Evans says couldn’t be built by today’s auto industry. “It has been a little frustrating at times. Up until I retired from the Air Force about four years ago, the car was in storage most of the time. You know, I was all over the world in the service. “But the biggest frustration has continued on page 6 SITTING PRETTY—Ed Evans behind the wheel of his classic ’29 Duesenberg. A CURE FOR EVERYTHING The Nation’s Health Have new drugs, technological breakthroughs and advanced surgical techniques created an American expectation that there’s a medical solution for every health problem? Some medical authorities think so, and caution that—medical miracles notwithstanding—there are limits to what the health care system can be expected to accomplish. For an examination of how medicine can help you to live longer and feel better—and how it can’t—turn to page 3 and read “The Medicalization of ^nerican Society,” the third in a 15-article Courses by Newspaper series entitled “The Nation’s Health.”
