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About The Coquille Valley sentinel. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1921-2003 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1936)
Historical Society Auditorium VOL. XXXII. NO. 33. COQUILLE. COOS COUNTY. OREGON. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1936. The house of Ole Jameson of'Ban- don, which stands as an oasis sur rounded by blocks of white ashes and stark chimneys of former homes, was easily saved, according to the owner. A burning shingle a time or two endangered the house but the blaze was quickly and easily extin- quished. One aged gentleman, a sufferer from heart trouble, though living within a few blocks of the business district in Bandon, had not gone down town for the pest five years. It was a re To Re-Assess Bandon Property lief to his Coquille acquaintances to The Coos county board of equali know that he survived the excitement zation will meet in a few days, as of the burning city and the loss of his soon as Chas. V. Galloway, chairman residence Saturday night. of the state tax commission, arrives from Salem, to re-assess the city of Bandon for this year. The three members of the equalization board— Judge Hugh McLain. County Clerk L. W. Oddy and Assessor J. P. Beyers —have agreed that what should be done is to take off the improvements assessment from the Bandon valua tion and the assessors office is now figuring what shall be deducted be cause of the destroyed improvements. Another tax matter for Bandon's relief is that of delinquent taxes on property there. It requires an act of the legislature to remit penalty, Lions to Furnish Glasses interest and taxes and it is possible All those who lost their glasses in a bill to do that will be presented to the Bandon fire should apply at once the legislature next January, to the Coquill» Relief Association. | ------ ————— The Lions club here yesterday Danger - Where, Bulkheads Burn voted to use the $125 sent by the The piling, wharves and break Medford Lions club and what other funds may be sent from other Lions water along the Bandon waterfront clubs, to refit with glasses the unfor on the river have all burned and tunate ones who lost their eyesight there is danger that the ebb and flow aids. If the funds are sufficient other of tide will wash the sand and the relief matters will also be attended to bank away so rapidly that the main but the first part of the Lions* pro business street may sink, unless a new breakwater can be quickly in- gram is to furnish eye glasses. I stalled. One of the Coquille fire department trucks was taken to Bandon Saturday Red Devils vs, Pirates Saturday night by Frank Schram, LeRoy Swin- | The fighting Red Devils of Coquille ney and Shirley Hatcher. They High and the Marshfield High Pirates strung out hose, along with the Ban- wiU meet at Athletic Park here at don department, but as fast as it was j:oo p. m. on Saturday (tomorrow) gotten out the advancing flames for the first conference game for drove them back. {either of them. Each won its game ' last week, Coquille from Reedsport The Western Union office at the and Marshfield from Tillamook. S. P. depot here has been swamped as never before, receiving and dis patching telegrams, from and to anxious relatives In other sections. Coquille Relief Association Temporarily Resurrected _____ * The Coquille Relief Association, which opened headquarters in the comer room of the Sentinel building on Monday, was not organized this week, nor is its aim to interfere with any other relief agency. When the Coquille association was functioning in 1932 and 1933 it quit l with a balance of $65.25 in its treas . ury which has been in the First Na . tional Bank. When the emergency arose this i week, and the Standard Oil Co. pre sented a check for $500 for direct re lief, to provide transportation, food, clothing or any other needs for the sufferers. E. D. Webb, J. A. Berg and others decided to combine it with the $65.25 and use it where funds were needed for quick action. Othet con tributors, the Smith Wood-Products with $250, the Shell Oil Co., with $250, Swift & Co. $250, Geo. Ulett $50, and other smaller contributors have increased the funds, so that the (Continued on Page Three) Its Mills, High School and a Few Houses on the Hill and Its Bakery All,That Are Left SEVEN KNOWN DEAD, BANDON el $2.W THE YEAR I Desolate Scene on Bandon’s Ocean Drive The most dreary, desolate-looking , was a roaring mass of flames at 7:30 spot on earth, just after daybreak ! p. m.—and only one man was there last Sunday morning, was Bandon, {trying to combat the demon. the city by the sea which was yearly! Three hours later the fire was becoming more noted as a summer sweeping up on to Eleventh street, resort. Its beach, the most picturesque wiping out everything in its path, and in America, was crowded with its by midnight was at the top of the citizens who had nowhere else to go, hills south of the highway, and ready and even there the heat was uncom to make its last assault, that on the business section. It marched rapidly fortable in places. The work of the fire demon was down the hill, sucking into its capa thorough. Only brick work or con cious maw practically everything. The Bank of Bandon, the Capps crete, fireplace chimneys standing like tombstones over the burial spots Garage, the Westland Hotel, the of what had been happy homes, were Fuhrman i Shindler building, the left In sight. Every particle of wood Hartman theatre—all of brick or con in the buildings devoured had been crete—were thoroughly gutted, leav burned. It was the cleanest job of ing only tottering walls standing. The First National Bank building, extinguishing a city of 2000 popula in which the Western World and the tion ever seen. Bandon might have been saved had telephone exchange are located, was its citizens realized what the combin damaged somewhat, but after clean ation of a southeast wind and a fire ing up the mess of plaster, etc., Mr. front of several miles could do, but Felsteim now believes he can issue every summer there has been fire in this week’s World from his own plant, the furze and brush to the south and as soon as the electricity is hooked up. east, and the danger had not been i The mill section—Moore’s lumber acute in yean past. mill, Perry’s Veneer, the International Beside the fire which had swept ¡Cedar, and Mehl’s plant, were not from the Bear creek district, through burned. the cranberry bog section and was Freaks of the fire fury, or rather creeping up on Bandon, the furze spots where its hot breath did not along the Bradley lake road, a quar (Continued on Page Six) ter of a mile north of the golf course. x Was Serious Laat Saturday and That la the Only Thought In the Sunday — But Strenuous Minds of Its Courageous Fighting Saved It People RIVER CAN BE USED IF NEEDED F'RESTRÏSERVICE Is Assisting in Protection of Coos Communities — Gov. Martin Accepts Offer Due to the acceptance of a tele- graphic offer on Wednesday by Gov. Martin, from Regional Chief Forester Buck at Portland, the federal fores- try service yesterday morning open ed headquarters in the First National Bank of Coquille building, with Jack Champbell, chief of fire control for Oregon and Washington, in charge and Geo. Griffith, chief of the Ser vice of Supplies department of the federal forestry service, assisting in setting up the machinery of operation. Mr. Buck's offer was that the fed eral forestry service would take over the active fire fighting territory of 160,000 acres, lying north of the Sis kiyou national forest, and extending north from that boundary for a six miles strip. Roughly that strip in which half a dozen bad fires are burning is south from Floras creek at Langlois, extending east to take in Powers and touching at Bridge and Broadbent. He also offered to make surveys of fire hazards around cities, towns and settlements in Coos county, to make fire trails and clean up bad conditions around those com munities and in cage of danger to people or property in those commun ities to assist in combatting tbe fires. The federal forestry service is only concerned with the protection of fires in national forests, but the fire sit uation in southwestern Oregon is considered in Washington, D. C., as as national emergency. Hence Mr. Buck's instructions to make the offer which Gov. Martin accepted. In taking over fire fighting in that six-mile strip across northern Curry and southern Coos, the federal ser vice relieves the state forestry de partment, of which tbe Ceos County Fire Patrol Association is the fight ing force, and permits the 1100 men Coquille was threatened last Sat Bandon citizens, headed by Mayor The city of Coquille has better fire urday and Sunday with fire on the Capps and the city council, are not protection facilities available right northeast, the north, the southwest, debating whether they shall rebuild now than it ever had before, but, get east and southeast. The Rink creek a Bandon, more beautiful than the thia, the river water is not being fire was very bad, although it came city by the sea which was destroyed. pumped into the city mains nor can no closer than a mile or two from Co They are fully determined that a new it be until such an emergency arises quille, and the one to the northeast and more modern Bandon shall rise as that which devastated Bandon Sat- was the most threatening. from the ashes of its dead self. r; 1 Jy urday night, and then by authority of Everyone who should have credit cannot all be done at once. Careful city officials. for back-firing, fire trail making and planning for a well laid-out city, fi There was a report around town protecting the city cannot be men nancing, and all the' multitudinous Monday that river water was being tioned. details which will confront them will pumped into the city mains. Abso Earl Schroeder, with many assist have to be considered in advance, but lutely false and with no semblance of ants, went to work Saturday evening' that a new and lovelier Bandon will truth. near bis home in the extreme north- ’ adorn the high ground above the Hero are the facts: east part of the city and drove the most beautiful coast in America is a After Bandon was hit the Smith fire demon back before it could get certainty. Wood-Products officials, about 3:00 to Patterson’s Grove. Those plans are still in the making. o’clock Sunday morning, set the crew On the east Weldon Kline and H. Federal leans for its municipal func which had come in from Portland to E. Hess were captaining crews which tions— water, lights, sewerage and Install the sprinkling system in the made the same kind of a successful city building—will be sought and art new mill plywood plant, to connect fight and to the southeast, W J Fer- certain to be granted. ing up_a steam turbine engine. This brache and more volunteers drove J TM federal housing and rehabili- engine'wffl pump from the river and the timbered sections farther north iktton program will be taken advan back the danger from that direction force out for fire fighting purposes, The fire department made some 37 tage of and every effort made to two thousand gallons per minute, or In Coos, where the fire patrol's atten tion is confined to forest fire fighting. responses to calls during the two bring its citizens to a point of com enough to keep eight or ten lines of Yesterday “six experienced men days, with Fire Chief Gardner in fort for the winter. hose busy, with a higher pressure, or charge. The boys of the department A tent city has sprung up already greater head, than the city system has were making the survey of all set tlements, towns and cities, prepara slept at the city hall, If they could get on the made flats between the high at the reservoir. tory to starting active removal of all any sleep, with the trucks always way and river, and small wooden There are six valves on this line, warmed up and ready. dwellings will be gotten under way any one of which holds river water , fire hazards possible, around the out side of the towns. About 400 men The Roseburg fire truck here on at once. back, and it is necessary to start two , to be engaged in this work. Pri Sunday and Monday was a consider Meanwhile every house, cabin or engines before the water can be are , ority will be given the districts most able addition to the city’s fire fighting building of any kind that affords pumped. densely populated, and where the forces. Other cities were also ready shelter is being occupied by those More than that there is a connec property values are. In the at an instant’s notice to send fire who lost all their household equip tion eighteen inches long which is out greatest , trucks had the need become acute. ment and clothing during that dread of the line and will only be put in cleaning up process, except that, threatening danger will be combatted ful night of September 26. (Continued on Page Three) at any point. That is, if a fire should The first intimation of anything out threaten Coquille or Myrtle Point or of the ordinary came to Coquille resi Not Many Farm Homes Burned Hard Work to Get Home any smaller community, the full force dents Saturday morning. Upon aris County Agent Geo. Jenkins states ing a bright sun seemed to give Many Coquille residents were away of the forestry service man power that very few farm homes have been from home last week-end and the would be used to fight the flames, (Continued on Page Six) destroyed by the fires, but that fences wild rumors of the town’s destruction even though the removal of hazards have been burned by the mile, many by fire added to the anxiety when was in progress near Marshfield or Relief Was Prompt Here bams destroyed, and some stock informed that all roads into Coos North Bend, and those cities were not In the early morning Sunday, while killed. county were blocked by fire. And immediately threatened. An appeal has been made by the those who did venture the trip in met the business section of Bandon was Another item in connection with still burning, the first steps toward county court to Gov. Martin to seek the smoke at Camas mountain and the forestry service set-up here is the relief were taken in Coquille. J. E., federal assistance in having the from there on could see only so far establishment of a temporary broad Norton, president of the Chamber at burned-over sections re-seeded be- as the headlights of their cars could casting and receiving station on top the ralni start, by airplane. One pierce the blanket of smoke. It was of the Coquille postoffice. From this Commerce, had coffee and sand- fore ‘ wiches made at the Coquille Hotel reason is to keep the greenery repu not until they were actually travel spot instant communication can be and thé Yellow Lantern cafe; had tation for southwestern Oregon but ling on the streets of Coquille that maintained with all parts of the drivers out for cars to transport sup the chief reason is to provide. they knew it was not wiped off the county or district where forestry men plies to the stricken city; routed quickly as possible, pasturage map. Most of the boys who had left are located. In »very section the of Charles Selbig out of bed toi get milk stock, last week for the university returned ficer in charge carries a small twelve cans; called Everett Seeley to get ■ .............. . •• Sunday night because of the wild re pound set which is used for both busy making hundreds of loaves of (~ Coquille hat been the stopping ports that their home folks were flee- broadcasting and receiving, on short bread at the Ideal Bakery; and had place this week of all the numerouKlng for their lives. wave. The contrivance originated in 4L- A —T 1 - _ ... . . — . . — . — I notified the American Legion of the official»—CCC, National Guard, For- | -_______________ the forestry service when every radio impending need for getting the Com- estiy Army and State—who have Profited by Former Experience manufacturer said it could not be mtintiv Dili 1/4 in er ronAv ______ ________ o______ _________ t_____ sr . done. m unity Building ready for ss*n use n* as «* a, 1 i been sent « to _____ perform various ___ relief, barracks or hospital ward. [ functions in what is considered a 1 We cannot speak with authority on Glenn Mitchell, forest supervisor . the subject but it would seem that the The Coquille post at once began national catastrophe. at Grants Pass, is in personal charge I fire which threatened last year to assembling cote, bedding, etc., in the of operations In the Powers section, i wipe out Powers was a blessing in building and when the Red Cross waa One of Coquille’s perpetual relief-(diggul#e. Saturday all opera- and C. E. Olsen at Gold Beach. ready to take charge on Monday the ers was caught at the Community J tions there were shut down to allow --------------------- I. work there was well started. Coquille Car Was Burned Building filling her-arm. with used, every man to fight the fire then Since then the Legion members, clothing that had been donated for j threatening the town, . The burned- .2 ___ _____ 1 ________ C. J. Fuhrman's was one of the au many of them the city’s prominent the rehabilitation of the Bandon, I over territory of the year before must tomobiles burned at Bandon. After (Continued on Page Thro») refugees. have been the deciding factor in their visiting his cabin on the bluff which victory. he thought was doomed, he went to the OttO Shindler home and helped Our Thanks to the Harbor pack what the Shindlers were trying For the Bandon fire scene views , to save in his car. He then drove it which appear in this issue, the Sen- down on the flat near the jetty where tinel is under obligations to the Coos I scores of other cars had been taken Bay Harbor at North Bend, which has for safety. Mr. Fuhrman's Ford, and just installed an engraving plant In its contents, were destroyed as were the basement of its office. Edgar many other autos parked there. McDaniel has a considerable amount invested in the equipment and the Enforcement of the two-hour park Sentinel wishes to thank him for his ing limit law in Coquille has been courtesy. held in abeyance this week, but Dep uty Marshal Shaw states that it will Beer Parlors Closed Two Days be strictly enforced again, beginning It was a commendable stand taken Monday. £ a by the Coquille beer retailers and the state liquor store to refuse to sell li Lee Hand, commander of the Amer quor and beer on Monday and Tues ican Legion, has devoted, his whole day this week. Their action was vol attention this week to the relief of untary, as sale was not prohibited by the Bandon refugees. His shop has any official agency
