Medford mail tribune., May 13, 1925, Page 12, Image 12

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MffDFORD MATT; TRIBUNE. MEDFOkT). QKEflOX. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1925
Street Site
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Holly
for Health and
Happi
ness
?
HEALTH
The high, sightly spots that are accessible have always been the
first chosen in any community as the dwelling place of man. More
sunshine and inner air, the foe of disease, are most abundant there.
LOCATION
Not far from the center of population; 50 feet higher than P. & E.
'site.
Four blocks from postoffice. '
in strictly residential district, a good place to study.
About 300 feet further from railroad Jhan old high school and is
on windward side. Trains euu scarcely be heard. Factory district
restriction six blocks away.
TRAFFIC AND ACCESSIBILITY
Second street is paved along the entire front of this site. Two
other paved streets come to the property and another within one
block. Any expense for additional paving that may be done will be
borne jointly by the school district, property owners and the city.
Being nearer the center of population the large majority of pupils
would not have so far to go as if the P. & E. site were chosen. Nor
need many go through the business section or along crowded streets.
SOII? FERTILITY
Soil depth and fertility is practically the same as all west Med
ford. The gardens, lawns,, trees and shrubs on this and adjoining
properties arc unexcelled in Medford. It has never been found neces
sary to bring soil from elsewhere.
DRAINAGE AND SEWERS
Located on a slight knoll. AVith small amount of leveling drain
age will be excellent. Eight-inch sewer parallels site on Second
street ; ten-inch begins at Holly street j it has good fall. . Six-inch
water main also parallels site. - '
P. &. E. Site
for Politics, and
Profits
HEALTH
Tjic lowbinds along creeks and rivers have ever been shunned as
tlie abiding place of man. Instinct and experience tells us impure
air, juseets, germs, and all allies of disease arc usually prevalent.
Tho sewer-laden water in Hear creek and the danger of poor sewer
facilities is also a health menace.
LOCATION
OX EDGE OF BUSINESS DISTHICT.
Much further from center of population than Holly street.
Population in norfl'ielist Med 1'ort! "very sparee.
SIZE AND SHAPE
The Better Site Committee in their advertisement make the false
stHtement: "24.!) acres in P. & K. site."
The actual acreage is 17.4ti acres, bounded by irregular lines. De
duction should be made for all land from east side of high flood levee
to west line following center of and crossing Bear creek; also for
street and sidewalk from Jackson to Main street. When this is de
ducted the acreage for school purposes will be greatly reduced. The
The School Board's Policy
We get the information from the school board that the plans for
building on the P. & E. site call for n shell, of a :!2-room building, to
cost when completed approximately $.'100,000. That they would com
plete and furnish about ten rooms, leaving a large part of the building,
unfinished mid not occupied until a future bond issue. They would
use the old high school in connection with the new. They hive no
plans for relieving the already overcrowded grade schools until an
other bond election or until available funds accumulate.
School Experts Recommendations
Why can wo not follow the advice of the learned school men from
the University of Oregon? They state:
"We believe that in its present financial condition as outlined
above, Medford can adequately finance the program which we have
outlined in the recommendations. A bond issue of $105,000 will
finance the new proposed high school of approximately tiOO capacity.
This will be the first unit of a 000 capacity building. This new High
most desirable corner of the block has been reserved by Joe Brown.
See map by Ralph P. C'owgill, cheeked by F. N. Cummings, in
Weeks & Orr window.
SOIL FERTILITY
Soil of good depth and fertility, fine for gardens. Evergreen
trees mid shrubs do not thrive so well on alluvial soil or creek bottoms
as on the higher, lighter soils. J
TRAFFIC AND ACCESSIBILITY
There is only one paved street, East .Main, and that passes along
the shortest side of tract. The only other street approaching or
touching this site is East Jackson.. To connect Jackson with Main
would be necessary. It would have to run through the entire length
of this property, cutting it in two'and reducing the acreage. The
expense of grading and paving, also laying sidewalks, must be borne
by the school district as there are no property owners on cither side
to bear any part of the expense. A large majority of pupils must
conic through the business section' and along the crowded streets,
which will ever become worse as our city grows. Can any sane' person
ignore the traffic problem . ', . '
DRAINAGE, SEWERS, ETC. ",
Laud is flat, filled With holes. Nearest available sower is' on
Jackson street. Itlias three-tenths of one per cent fall, too flat for
efficient service. It gives trouble every winter. The pressure was
so great on it last winter that 150 pound manhole tops were blown off.
To connect high school with this sewer, 700 feet of six-inch sewer
pipe must be laid. It ts dottbtful' if it would work well connecting
with. the overloaded seweras the fall would be very slight;' We
obtained this information at. the city water department office., '
Owing to short frontage'on Main street, if a junior higli sehopl
'were built it must be put behind the senior high school.
The building, according to architects plans, will face Bear creek,
affording a fine view of the rear end of all tho buildings across Bear
creek, including laundry,' garages, and Natatorium ; also tho most
aesthetic jungles of Bear creek.
school will care for the increase in high school enrollment for four
years, ami will release the present high school building to be used
for the seventh and eighth grades of the entire system. This, in turn,
will relieve the congestion in the elementary schools for two years.
In two years, by retiring $15,000 per year, and with a margin of
$12,000 on the present bonding limit, and with the present rate of
increased assessed valuation ($130,000 per year) the bonding limit
will be raised to $55,000, which will be sufficient to build the. eight
room elementary school. When this is done, the seventh grade can
then be retained in the vleiuentary schools and the ninth grade in the
old high school. This will relieve the new high school of approxi
mately 200 of its students, which will make it adequate to house its
increasing enrollment for another six or eight years. In these eight
years, by retiring the bonds outstanding and increasing the assessed
valuation, the district will be in a position to finance the new pro
posed junior high school.
"However, your committee chooses the North Holly street prop
erty for the site for the location of your new high school, sinco we
consider that it has more and better points in its favor."
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Their judgment is good, their reasoning sound. We sec no other
way out of the difficulty. . ' , . .
Architect's Plans
The architects' plans, so we arc informed, do not contemplate
putting the foundation down to bedrock or solid formation, but only
a shallow excavation placed on the sediment soil and sand of Bear
crcek
Were we to accept this plan we Would literally be like tile foolish
man in St. Matthew 7:26-27 : "And everyone that henreth tlteso say
ings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man,
which built his house upon the sand. And the rains descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and
it fell; and great was the fall of it."
4'aid Adv.
Citizens and Taxpayers
Are we going to stand for this type of architects to construct the greatest and most valuable building in our community? Do you
realize that if the P. & E. site is chosen we are bound to accept these plans, and it will actually be our money that pays for the
beautiful booklets published by these second class architects?
In fairness to yourselves and others we ask all who intend to vote for the P. & E. site to go out into the center of this piece of
land and look it over.
This will be continued tomorrow, showing the Holly St. site to be comparatively cheaper than the P. & ., as well as other things.
HOLLY STREET SITE COMMITTEE
BE&X LOWRY, Chairman
VERN MARSHALL
MRS. L. G. .LYMAN
MRS. OLEN ARNSPIGER '
RALPH COWGILL
EMDL MOHR
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