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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2017)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 40 SECTION A JULY 7, 2017 $1.00 Re-enactors fi nd connections, lessons in Civil War stories By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Joe Cross stepped away from his modern life and comforts over the long Fourth of July weekend to play the role of a Confederate surgeon at the Northwest Civl War Council re-enactment, but the things he's learned while researching his role have had far-reaching effects on his personal life. Cross joined a legion of fellow history buffs for the annual re-enactments at Powerland Heritage Park in Brooks July 1-4. Last year, Cross had one of his legs amputated and struggled to adapt to his new circumstances even with a modern prosthetic. “I was going through a period where I thought I should be walking by now, I shouldn't have a problem,” Cross, a Portland resident, said. His struggles weren't helped by a tidal wave of media portrayals showing athletes and military veterans doing any number of things on prosthetics not much different from his. Then a friend in the re-enactment community brought him a letter from a Civil War soldier struggling with an amputation and prosthetic, which, in the 1860s, would have been porcelain wrapped in rope and strapped to the man's leg. “I read his account and realized I wasn't the fi rst one to go through this. He picked himself up and did it. It gave me inspiration to keep going and working at it. I still have to use a walker to walk, but this time last year I couldn't even stand,” Cross said. Cross has been taking part in re-enactments for more than 40 years and had roles in Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and medieval productions, but the Civil War is the one that keeps pulling him back. “I think it was the most Volcanoes bullpen disappoints PAGE A10 ABOVE: Joe Cross wuth some of the tools of hus trade as the Confederate surgeon un the Northwest Cuvul War Councul re-enactments at Powerland Herutage Park (photo by Eruc A. Howald). LEFT: Tum O'Neal crafts a puece of a Cumberland pontoon, a foldung brudge (photo by Random Pendragon). “ I thunk ut was the most defi nung moment of thus country. You wull have a hard tume fi ndung a war as devastatung as thus and yet the natuon healed utself and became one agaun.” — Joe Cross defi ning moment of this country. You will have a hard time fi nding a war as devastating as this and yet the nation healed itself and became one again,” Cross said. Crediting Abraham Lincoln elicits a hiss and jeer from a passing Confederate friend, but Cross is adamant. “(Lincoln) had such forethought and never wavered from what he felt needed to be done,” Cross said. Cross started as infantry, and worked his way up to fi eld command and running the artillery before strapping on a bloody surgeon's apron and beginning to assemble a macabre collection of tools used in the fi eld for everything from fi rst aid to surgery. While the tools look Portable magic What Keizerites are reading this summer With the lazy days of sum- mer still ahead, Keizertimes asked some of the city's local dignitaries and public fi gures which books were on their nightstands this summer. If you're looking for a good book to curl up with in the sun, this list has a wide array of starting points. JEFF AUVINEN, McNary High School teacher/head football coach Recommendation: Unstop- pable by Anthony Robles It's the story of an amazing young man and the challenges that he faced growing up and becoming an amazing wrestler and national champion despite being born with only one leg. I heard him speak at the AVID conference in Denver in 2015 and he was the most motivating speaker that I have ever heard. The book is not nearly as riv- eting as his speech was, but it is still an entertaining story, es- pecially if you like sports and wrestling. D E B B I E L O C K H A RT, Keizer Deputy City Recorder Recommenda- tion: The Golem and the Jinni, by Helen Wecker It is a fantasy/ historical fi ction book that takes place in old New York’s tenements. I loved the book and was disap- pointed to fi nd that she has not written any oth- ers, but her web- site says she's working on a se- quel. Also recom- mended: The Short somewhat threatening, Cross himself is a font of knowledge regarding techniques of the day and how each of the implements was used. He had several bundles of horse hair on display that were used for stitches. Surgeons of the time boiled the hair which strengthened it and gave it elasticity. “After a while, they realized there were fewer infections when they used the horse hair. But it took them even longer to realize it was because they had sterilized it before use,” Cross said. Amid the knives and saws are some more unusual items like a large funnel used to administer chloroform by covering the nose and mouth. Cherry City Waxworks now open PAGE A2 Excahnge student heads home PAGE A5 Please see WAR, Page A3 Drop by Matthew Fitzsimmons, The Bill Hodges Trilogy (Mr. Mer- cedes, Finders Keepers and End of Watch) by Stephen King, and The Client and The Juror by John Grisham. JEFF KUHNS, Keizer Dep- uty Police Chief Recommendation: How To Be A Bawse – A Guide To Con- quering Life by Lilly Singh I read the book because my son, Kyle, who lives and works managing artists in Hollywood, is the day-to-day manager for Lilly who released her fi rst Please see READING, Page A8 Knock Knock . Who’s there? Hoopsters in Spokane PAGE A11 Come see the entire LG Black Stainless Steel Collection… Technology is, that’s no joke — Say hello to InstaView ™ Door-in-Door ® by LG $ 2649 LFXC24796D 00 This price ends 7-12-17. LG Black Stainless Steel Series 24 cu. ft. InstaView ™ Door-in-Door ® Counter-Depth Refrigerator InstaView ™ Door-in-Door ® refrigerators have a sleek glass panel that allows you to see inside the easy access door without letting the cold air out. Simply KNOCK TWICE on the glass to illuminate the contents within. 4101 River Rd N (former Knecht’s) 503.390.0161
