Image provided by: Central Point School District #6; Central Point, OR
About The Central Point American. (Central Point, Or.) 1936-195? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1952)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21. 1952 CENTRAL POfNT AMERICAN. CENTRAL POINT OREGON rr-Ä Details Given on Death of Former Local Teacher breakfast when he heard something ’’boom,” and then saw two little waitresses who lived in the back of the roadhouse with their faces in the window. They broke the glass, one jumped out and he helped the other (Editor’s Note: Sometime late in to the ground. Keith Swanson, NCA station man November we published a short article on the fatal death of Bessie ager who had an apartment in t ie Lamkin Smith at Bethel, Alaska. roadhouse and his wife lost every And there has been several inquiries thing they had. Swanson grabbed as to how it really happens. We re all the company papers he could ceived a clipp.ng t. e other day s. I before the fire got too bad. He we are printing this as Bessie Smith then heard a howl from the side of is very well known in the valley and the building on the second floor formerly was a teacher at Central where the NCA mechanic, Gene . Chavis, was sleeping. Point Schools.) Ann Joyce, manager of the Bethel Chavis had been awakened by Roadhouse, and Bessie Lamkin screams from Mrs. Smith’s room. Smith, teacher, both well known in He jumped out of bed and opened Fairbanks, were burned to death the door but smoke and flames Wednesday morning, Nov. 7, in the ! drove him back. He quickly got into most tragic fire that ever struck some clothes, broke the window glass with his shoes, saw the ground Bethel. A third life was also lost, that of a ; was too far for him to jump and tied native boy from Kwethluk, whose sheets together for a rope. Swanson name could not be learned. T.ie j brought a ladder, assisted by Father fire laid to the ground the famous | : Donahue, two rungs were gone but roadhouse owned and operated by I , Chavis made it down. They then moved the ladder Northern Consolidated Airlines and around to Mrs. Smith’s window. the N. C. Company theater. The fire started about 5:45 a.m., They saw her trying to break the apparently from an oil stove explo glass Keith got another ladder and sion in the kitchen. Mrs. Joyce was had just got to the window with it accustomed to lighting the kitchen when the ladder collapsed and his stove about that time of the morn hip was broken in the fall. So ing. She was never seen during the Bessie Smith perished and Keith fire nor had her body been recov was removed to the hospital. The native boy was trapped o.i ered at the time the NCA plane left for Anchorage and Fairbanks late the third floor no possible way of j I escape. None of the bodies had [ in the day. Mrs. Smith died in the window of been recovered at the time the plane her second floor room at the road- ! ■ departed. It delayed its return house, too weak to break the win- } ! flight for three hours so as to re- dow, but screaming for help. A lad der was raised to her window, but the rotten rungs in it broke under Central Point Swanson, plunging him to the SAW SHOP ground and breaking his hip. Before another ladder or rescurer could Custom SAW FILING reach the window it was too late. AN» REPAIR Charles Wilcombe, steward on the; NCA plane that reached Bethel two Mill Saws—Hand Saw*. Etc. or three hours after the fire had Tool Grinding started gave a graphic description of the holocaust. By stroke of fate, CI-OSED SAT. AFTERNOON crew members and passengers on this plane, counted their own lives P.O. Box 219 Phone SSI Central Point. Oregon saved by the fact that weather con ditions held them overnight at Mc Grath. Normally they would have! arrived at Bethel on Tuesday night and have spent the night at the roadhouse. The fire was discovered by j "Pinky,” an old-timer living in a cabin nearby. He was just starting Tasty Hamburgers move all the injured and homeless who wished. Swanson was left at the Bethel hospital. Gene C avis was flown to Anchorage. He had a lung full of smoke and an injured leg. Stan Zaputil, accuunt.nt fur N. C. com pany ad a ro; m across the hall from Chavis and he. too heard Mrs. Smith screaming. He started to go into the hall but was forced back by smoke and flames and had to go out the window. He came bac.c on the plane. He loot all his posses sions as did Chavis. Ann Joyce, former Ladd AFB .hostess, went to Bethel over a year ago to take over the management of the hotel. Born in Australia, she lived many years in Hawaii. She first came to Alaska several year ago and returned to make it her permanent home after subsequent trips to Australia and Hawaii. Sne leaves a son, Horace, a U S quaran tine inspection officer in Hilo, Ha waii; a daughter, Mrs. Paul Chris tensen in Kukukihaole. Hawaii, and another daughter living in the States. Mrs. Smith was former U.S. Commissioner at Flat. She re signed her position there, took a PAGE THREE brush up course at the University there was plenty of water but the of Alaska and then accepted a posi- fire hose, was rotten I never saw tion in the Bethel school. She leaves ^ing.like it. The Bethel people act as if they were all related to a son. Charles, whose whereabouts Mrs Joyce and AU th# aut oritiee were endeavoring today flight ci. fond of them, and to lofate. they spoiled the boys.” Both women had scores of friend s First reports of the fire reaching In the Fairbanks area and both were Fairbanks Wednesday came to Leon extremely popular in Bethel. Said Vincent over KZAW. Wilcombe this morning, "There isn’t a smile in Bethel. The roadhouse1 was the center of social life. Then1 j were lots of people coming and go-I Feeding the nation and a part of ing. It was the place to eat. The the world may be a glorious calling Everyone for our farmers, but they are also ticket office was there. L fought valiently to check the flames. interested in a fair cash return. <! I will give you Top Dollar for your car in Trade on any new NA5H plus a Bonus if < • Extra Clean . . . 150 gallons of Gasoline^will $ be given you with your New Nash. During' < • February ONLY! FREE APPRAISALS ■ * i NEW CAR SALES & SERVICE - 5th & Bartlett - Phone 2-6185 - Medford $ - n /V— wm/U JORGENSEN’S DAIRY PRODUCTS Autom bile Liability AN» Fire Insui ance Quality Dairy Product« f LELAND CLARK Phon« 2-4646 CHAPEL MORTUARY Dr. Arnold M. Depner Chiropodist FUNERAL DIRECTORS 7 N. Bartlett Stamper & Golf Bros. HARDWARE BrrrKR—MfLK l< I filone 230» ( KHAM Phor- 2 2939 22S Watt Main Medford Oregon I DISEASES OF THE FEET Aerosi from Courthouse Harold Snodgrass MEDFORD. OREGON Frank Morgan ■ CLAUSS MOTORS t Burger Inn We Serve Breakfast ! « PHONE 2-8030 PHONE 2-2103 21 Fluhrer Bldg. Medford Hours: 9-5 TANK GAS SERVICE CHEVROLET/ Cooking — Water Heating — Refrigeration — Heating PROPANE TANKS FOR RENT—NO NEED TO BUY California-Pacific Utilities Co. 229 West Main PHONE 2-5284 Medford. Oregon Best results from concrete de mand that the concrete be right, from the start. Thai is why knowing builders specify our Ready Mixed Concrete. First, we use only top-grade materials. Then we measure the proportions as strictly as if they were me tered. Then, we mix them all. completely—mechanicallyl For big jobs OR small. CONCRETE SERVICE M. C. LIN INGER & SONS CONCRETE SAND 8c GRAVEI—CRUSHED ROCK 8c GRANITE Phone Cent: al Point 412________________________ Medford 2-5336 * * * * ★ * (CaafiitvcrfioN IHi/afrofeJ It of rfowdord ttnd •« •vol/eb/Ofy •* frhw Finest Features in Its Field! ■k OBSERVATION New Ruyai-Tone Styling Gorgeoua New Exterior Colors A . inng New Ir ., rior Coter« New Improved Power-J wt Carburet »on We ore proud that so many of the families in our community who coll us ore influenced by their ob servation. Check them over, one by one. all the thing* you want in your next car. Then come in. examine and drive this big. bright, beautiful Chevrolet for ’52! We believe you'll agree you’ve found your car; and we know that you’ll discover that Chevrolet offer* the most fine car feature« at the lowett coat For here are the only fine cart priced to low. Brilliantly new in styling . . . out standingly fine in quality . . . and lowett- priced line in their field! Come in-now! They admire our establishment. They appreciate Mora people buy Chevrolet* than any other car I our services. They recognize the competence of our _ staff. — -__ r — —----- . » x MABEL CARLOS J CONGER-MORRIS i Funeral Directors Ambulance Service r TÁeOkfyfínt Qu priced so low ! •Combination of Powerglide Automatic Tranunia- iton and 105-h p. Engine optional on De Luxe model* at extra coat. Barnes Chevrolet, Inc. 94a &. BARÌ LETT MEDFORD, OREGON □
