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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
Founded in 1873
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
Big gifts can
be game
changers
M
useums are like universities. Their
level of excellence depends on
funding.
Since its founding in 1962, the Columbia
River Maritime Museum has been a blue-chip
organization. The museum’s progenitor, Rolf
Klep, laid that foundation. To build the nest egg
for the budding collection of maritime objects,
Klep pursued and haunted Portland’s monied
class.
Even within the context of such a well-funded
institution, Peter Brix’s recent $1.5 million gift is
a game changer. Executive Director Sam Johnson
called the Brix donation “truly transformative.”
Brix’s gift contains two directives. One is to
create exhibits of regional, national and inter-
national significance. These exhibits will use
renowned exhibit designers. And he directs that
such exhibits occur every two to four years.
Johnson says we can expect exhibits on ship-
wrecks — here and globally — and on river
commerce. This directive will also dedicate one
of the museum’s large galleries to the culture of
the indigenous peoples of our region.
The second directive is to complete the digiti-
zation of the museum’s library and its collections
records. This will allow the museum’s holdings
to be searched online.
“This is like getting a grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities,” Johnson said.
When the Clatsop County Historical Society
received an unexpected $1 million gift from the
estate of Ed Parker in 2000, the society gained
an improved institutional life. When the Astoria
City Council in 1999 made a $1.3 million
urban renewal grant for purchase of the Liberty
Theatre, that decaying property was placed into
local, nonprofit ownership.
Like those magnificent donations, the Brix gift
will change the cultural landscape of Astoria and
the lower Columbia.
While Brix was not part of Rolf Klep’s found-
ing board of directors, he has served for more
than 35 years. Moreover, he plays the role of
being the museum’s muse. He’s turned a portion
of the wealth from his Columbia River maritime
business into the intellectual and historical explo-
ration of the storied world Astoria inhabits.
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM
Business Manager
Another tip of the
hat to firefighters
I
t was less than a year ago on this page that we
were leading the applause for Clatsop County
firefighters who answered the call to help fight
wildfires around the region.
It is time to do so again after the latest round of
fires — and the year is only two-thirds done.
As Brenna Visser reported, Clatsop crews and indi-
viduals have been answering the call with vigor and
enthusiasm. Last year was a record-setting year, with
more than 50 firefighters traveling to fighting multiple
fires in Oregon and California.
This year there have already been three significant
call-outs.
Folks like Lewis and Clark Fire Chief Jeff
Golightly, Gearhart Fire Chief Bill Eddy and Cannon
Beach Fire Chief Matt Benedict know the value of
this work. It goes beyond being good neighborly. The
real-world experience that their staff and volunteers
gain by traveling to help is priceless. We fervently
hope we never suffer significant wildfires here on the
North Coast. But if we do, these personnel will be bet-
ter equipped and trained to perform their jobs.
The Substation, South Valley, Memaloose 2 and
Dufur fires have been in the regional headlines,
and our local heroes have figured at each. Many
had a half-hour to get ready and leave — and by all
accounts have performed with distinction.
Some, like James Hutchinson of Gearhart, come
home with poignant stories. He had to lend his phone
so a person could call their family to inform them their
farm was gone.
Josh Como
and a peaceful atmosphere prevailing.
Main scene of activity along Commercial was the bus depot
during scheduled arrivals and departures, with weekend guests
leaving and Tongue Point trainees returning from visits elsewhere.
A modern record is being set in housing construc-
tion in Astoria, building inspector Leon Overbay said.
Sixteen homes are under construction — the most
being built at one time in the city since Astoria’s early
days. The 16 go with two new houses completed earlier
this year. The modern-day record for new houses in one
year is 24, Overbay said.
August’s 55 permits included those for the new Bank
of Astoria at West Marine Drive near Hume, McGre-
gor’s Supply company’s proposed new building at 7th
and Bond, six new houses and 47 remodeling jobs.
10 years ago
this week — 2008
Clatsop County residents may not always see eye to eye on
issues, but they definitely pull together in an emergency.
At the request of the Ford Foundation, the Carsey Institute at
the University of New Hampshire conducted a survey of rural
counties in six regions of the United States to see how they’re
coping with social and economic change and how community
attitudes toward themes like neighborliness are changing. The
institute contacted 1,000 people from Clatsop County and 1,000
people from Pacific County in Washington in June 2007.
Respondents were asked about whether the community has a
“In those moments you take a step into their shoes,
and it can be hard,” he told Visser. “But you have to
make it a motivation and remember you are there to
help.”
Beyond the memorable experiences of those who
go, the summer fire season provides those who are
not chosen an opportunity to step into leadership
roles here on the Coast. They are able to work more
shifts and respond to more calls locally. That “deep-
er-bench” development for our local fire departments
benefits us all, too.
And we cannot credit these brave firefighters with-
out again mentioning their families and employers
who support their going. Spouses and children take
on the worry every minute that their loved ones are
in harm’s way. They frequently have no consistent
opportunities to reassure them, in part because of the
erratic nature of cell service in rural areas. Employers
worry similarly, while having to assign other staff at
short notice to cover for their missing personnel while
they are away.
While the state reimburses local departments for
expenses associated with these trips, departments do
have to pay some costs ahead. Chief Golightly esti-
mates more than $500,000 was paid out to all Clatsop
County departments last year; some bills have not yet
been paid.
Still, it is clearly the right thing to do. We send
a clear signal to our Western neighbors that we are
ready, willing and able to help. We all benefit.
Firefighters monitor the Substation Fire in
north-central Oregon on July 19.
Compiled by Bob Duke
From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers
A fire call to the Cannery Pier Hotel on Astoria’s
waterfront enlivened an otherwise uneventful Labor
Day Weekend 2008.
The U.S. Coast Guard assisted a 40-footer in trou-
ble near Willapa Bay, Washington, but reported a
quiet weekend as throngs of people enjoyed the mixed
weather on the North Coast. There were no reports of
serious traffic accidents in the region, although nine
died in crashes elsewhere in Oregon.
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEWS
Water
under
the bridge
Labor Day began as a way to celebrate the victories of ordinary
working people. Those included hard-won gains over a period of
more than a century that brought living wages, decent working
conditions, old-age pensions and a host of other vital labor rights
to millions of people. It was a day to rally everyday people around
the idea that we can take nothing for granted, that we must pro-
tect all these things that have come to define the United States of
America.
If Labor Day is about anything more than a three-day week-
end, it ought to be about honoring the meaning of work and under-
standing how political choices affect working people.
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
1968 — Halted by state police at the Oregon end of the
Columbia River bridge, motorcycle riders of the Gypsy
Jokers club awaited inspection of their equipment by
officers. The riders were later escorted northward by
Washington state officers.
high level of trust and gets along. In Clatsop and Pacific counties,
a whopping 89 percent indicated that folks get along and only 11
percent said there was a problem.
In another interesting result, the survey revealed that 33 per-
cent of respondents in Clatsop and Pacific counties thought that
in 10 years the community would be a better place. Some 47
reported that they thought it would be about the same. Twenty
percent, however, thought it would be worse.
50 years ago — 1968
A hairy band of motorcycle riders calling themselves
the Gypsy Jokers were halted by state police as they
headed for Fort Stevens state park to hold a camp-in.
Most of the riders were from Washington points,
according to Lt. William Flippo, officer in charge of the
Astoria state police unit. Flippo said there were about
87 cycles in the group and a number of cars.
State officers issued more than 30 citations to mem-
bers for such violations as lack of helmets, lack of head-
lights, missing fenders and defective mufflers.
The town of Astoria, like its stay-at-home residents, enjoyed
a quiet day basking in the late summer sunshine Labor Day, with
sounds of traffic and industry muted, because of the lack thereof,
75 years ago — 1943
Navy blimps are going to be aerial observation posts for fish-
ermen off the northern Pacific coast.
Vice Adm. Frank J. Fletcher, commander of the 13th naval dis-
trict, Seattle, has arranged for the blimps to notify fishing boats of
schools of fish which they sight.
Harold L. Ickes, coordinator of fisheries, said the system
should save fishermen many hours in locating the schools and
improve their catches, especially of sardine and tuna.
Signs were pointing to the greatest crowd ever to
assemble for sports angling on the Columbia River
when the Labor Day double holiday rolls around Sun-
day and Monday; and reported success during Thurs-
day and today indicated growing catches by the accom-
modating chinook salmon.
Bradley Underwood, 10-year-old son of Walter
Underwood, Chamber secretary here, landed unas-
sisted a gigantic chinook salmon that weighed almost
55 pounds and well over 50. Mrs. Emil Bjork brought
home a 45-pound bright fish and Dr. J.J. Pittenger
grabbed off two 45-pounders in a matter of minutes.
Sports fishermen on the river are all agog over the reported
catching of a tuna fish from a trolling boat Sunday near Point
Ellice. So far the story of the unusual catch is strictly in the rumor
stages with all attempts to identify the lucky fisherman unsuccess-
ful. However, word of the tuna’s capture has spread up and down
the waterfront and is attracting wide interest among the thousands
of salmon trollers here.