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WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
Siuslaw News
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y F L A S H B A C K
1890 ❙
T
T HE W EST
F LORENCE T IMES
T HE S IUSLAW O AR
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS
S IUSLAW N EWS
❙ 2015
his year marks Siuslaw News’ quasquicentennial, our 125th anniversary, a remarkable achievement for any business in a small
community like Florence. To commemorate this milestone, throughout the year we’ll feature some of the town’s history as origi-
nally published in the newspaper, including historic articles and photos from more than a century ago. —Editor
OVER 1,500 VIEW FLY IN
O RIGINALLY P UBLISHED S EPT . 4, 1969
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS , V OL . 9, N O . 35
For over 1,500 people it was “eyes up” in
Florence last Sunday at the Florence Airport
Dedication and Fly In. Spectators for the
event began arriving at the field during the
morning and the drone of the airplane engines
continued to draw visitors to the field during
the afternoon.
Pilots from Oregon cities, Washington and
California arrived at the field before it was
closed at noon for the aerial show.
A total of 32 planes lined both sides of the
taxi strip at noon when Florence Mayor
Stuart Johnston officially dedicated the air-
port, backed by members of the city council
and the Airport Commission.
Following the short dedication ceremony,
the aerobics and flybys began.
“Ohs and ahs” were the order of the day as
Lanny Boone of North Bend opened the three
hour show by making his Pitts Special fly
every way but normal.
Cameras, binoculars and eyes followed his
every move in the clear blue sky as the small
experimental airplane looped, dove and flew
upside down.
After Boone landed, Frank Geeland of
Salem took off in his AT-6 and, as announcer
Bill Gleason of North Bend said, made the
plane do everything the designers didn’t
intend for it to do.
As Geeland put his aircraft through its
Airplanes lined the taxiway at the
Florence Airport while spectators
and their cars filled the parking
areas and viewing areas at the
Florence Airport Dedication and
Fly-In. Over 1,500 people were on
hand to view the static displays of
aircraft and to thrill to the aerobatic
show. They were joined by pilots
from Washington, California, and
other Oregon cities who flew in
with their families to help Florence
pilots and residents dedicate the
improved airport which features a
new 3,000-foot runway, new taxiway
and improved tiedowns.
paces, adults and children could be seen
sweeping their hands through the air in a
landbound imitation of his maneuvers, com-
plete with sound effects.
The only mishap of the day happened when
Major Ralph Hess, of North Bend, landed his
home-made plane, “Jeanie’s Tiny.” Hess had
flown the Volkswagon-powered plane past the
field to the delight and amazement of the
spectators and was landing when the plane’s
nose wheel collapsed. Hess was uninjured,
but the plane suffered a broken nose wheel
and propeller.
Additional thrills were provided by Harry
Eyerly of Eyerly Volkswagon in Salem and
another Pitts Special.
Eyerly and Boone also teamed up and took
to the air together in their 180-mile-an-hour
planes and flew aerobatics in tandem.
Between aerobatics flights, representatives
of Mooney, Piper and Beech aircraft compa-
nies flew demonstration fly-bys in 1969
model planes. They were joined by a
Heliocourier, which demonstrated its ability
to fly slow and make short field takeoffs and
landings.
Also flown was a 1940 Aeronca Cub, one
of only two in existence.
One of the highlights of the show was a
flying lesson given by Fly In Chairman Vic
Anhoury to a non-pilot, Jim Higgs.
The lesson was given in a Piper Supercub.
As Anhoury spun the prop on the plane to
get it started, the student took off.
Higgs then put on an aerobatics show in
the Supercub, directed by announcer Gleason.
After landing, the joke was explained and
Higgs was introduced as one of the owners of
Coos Flying Service in North Bend, a well-
qualified pilot.
Comments from spectators ranged from
excellent to unbelievable when the afternoon
was completed.
Out of town pilots also commented on the
excellent facilities now available in Florence
with the completion of the 3,000-foot runway
and improved taxi strip and tie downs.
Federal Aviation Administration monitor
for the event was W.A. Van De Wark, super-
vising inspector of the General Aviation
District Office, Portland.
NEIGHBORS
Just a resurrected gas pump
B OB J ACKSON
N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENT
For the Siuslaw News
T
he memories of bygone days
slip ever further behind in an
intangible, impenetrable fog,
and it is difficult to pinpoint exactly
when a memorable event occurred —
especially when it was oh, so long
ago.
It may have been around 1970, we
had been living back in Westlake for
close to 10 years, when someone who
knew my obsession with anything
automotive told me that there was an
old, abandoned gas pump at Ada
resort on the far side of Siltcoos
Lake. A telephone call was made, and
a “sight-unseen” offer of $20 was
made and accepted.
After driving close to 20 miles
over a narrow, crooked, county road
on the back side of the lake, I and son
Rob found it lying there exactly as
described. A badly deteriorated, dou-
ble-sided sign on the 10-gallon glass
tank read: “Gasoline 18, Taxes 6-1/2,
Total 24-1/2.”
We found the owner to be a mid-
dle-aged lady. She had been calling
around and was reluctant to let it go
for our agreed on price.
However, after some discussion
about a “gentleman’s agreement” and
the difficult trip we had made, she let
us load the nearly 10-foot-long and
very heavy pump into the bed of
Rob’s pickup truck.
Arriving back home, we discov-
ered that it was too tall to store, even
in the woodshed out back. We man-
aged somehow to angle it inside, but
not completely out of the weather,
and there it would stay, rusting away
and untouched for another close to 45
years.
The interim years seemed to pass
quickly as a wink, what with building
docks and boathouses and rock
retaining walls on the lakefront, the
old gas pump remained out of sight,
neglected and nearly forgotten.
Reluctantly, when both our energy
and resources had dried up, we sold
our home and mini-marina at
Westlake, and after over 48 years had
moved into a gated community called
Greentrees on the Siuslaw River in
Florence. During the pressure of a
major move, we left a lot behind, like
salmon rods, collectible peaveys and
crosscut saws, etc.
And when I finally remembered
the old gas pump, too much time had
passed and I was embarrassed to any
longer lay claim to it — although the
new owner gallantly offered to deliv-
er it to our new home.
Fast forward a short interlude.
Sadly, after a considerable amount of
work and money had been invested,
our new friends were unable to make
a go of it. The bank took over, and the
marina was for sale again.
When the home and docks
changed hands again, this time to
another Jackson (David; no relation),
I enquired about the old gas pump,
which was still out back in the wood-
shed. Not having any interest in the
relic, he too gallantly offered to
deliver it to me in Greentrees.
This was a major effort for him
and his helper, as it was 10 feet tall,
very heavy and fragile because of
the rusty condition. And additionally
there was the 10-gallon glass tank to
worry about.
Peggy, my long-suffering wife,
took one hard look at my prize and
loudly commented: “What can you
possibly hope to do with that old,
rusty gas pump?”
I had hoped to wire brush it, apply
some Rustoleum paint and it would
be “good as new.”
But, like the pump, I too was rust-
ing away and unable to bend over or
stand for any length of time. It
seemed like a hopeless situation!
More to come.
L ETTERS P OLICY
Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the
editor concerning issues affecting the
Florence area and Lane County. Emailed
letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed
letters must be signed.
All letters should be limited to about 300
words and must include the writer’s full
name, address and phone number for ver-
ification. Letters are subject to editing for
length, grammar and clarity.
Publication of any letter is not guaran-
teed and depends on space available and
the volume of letters received. Libelous
and anonymous letters as well as poetry
will not be published. All submissions
become the property of Siuslaw News and
will not be returned.
Write to:
Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2015 © Siuslaw News
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WHERE TO WRITE
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore.
Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us