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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1950)
Mi Ul mm Medford 44th Year 10 Pages Maragon Described As 'Brazen Fixer' By Senate Probers Truman's Aide Rapped For Helping Maragon Washington. Jan. 18. (U.R) Senate investigators today des cribed John Maragon as a "braz en outright fixer" whose friend- shirj with Mai. Gen. Harry H Vaughan made possible his "ne farious activities in dealing with government officials. In a 36-page report to the sen' ate on its five per center investi- gation, the senate investigating subcommttee said that it is in credible" that the Greek-born Maragon, now under indictment for perjury, could have operated as long as he did. Vaughan Criticized But the fact that Vaughan, President Truman's military aide, "personally interceded with government agencies on behalf of Maragon" it said, were among factors that "made it possible for Maragon to use the great pres tige of the White House for his own personal advantage." The report sharply criticized Vaughan for calling government agencies and giving them the impression he was acting on be half of the president. "The subcommittee recom mends that the practice be dis continued," it said. Perjury Trial Pending The group said it could not discuss Vaughan's relations with Maragon in detail because of the impending perjury trial "gainst the one-time bootblack and White House intimate. The report was signed by all seven members of the subcom mittee four democrats and three republicans. It was the subcommittee's first official con clusion on last summer's hectic inquiry into Washington's in fluence industry. RussiansaiFOuf Of Allied Council Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 18 (U.R) The Russian delegation walked from a meeting of the allied council for Japan for the third consecutive time today to avoid questions about 370,000 Japanese prisoners or war still held in Soviet territory. American (Jnairman wiiuam Sebald said after the walkout that the U. S. state department had received no reply from Mos cow to a note protesting tne de tention of Japanese prisoners and requesting an impartial investi cation. The Russians left before the U. S. and Britain could air their charges that Russia had allowed the prisoners to die or become permanently enslaved. Soviet Delegate Lt. Gen. Kuz ma Derevyanko told Sebald that "for reasons I have stated earl ier we do not deem it possible to take Dart in the discussion sub ject which is on the agenda of today s meeting. Road Conditions State police said this morn ing that two-way traffic on highway 99 between Weed and Redding, Cal had been resum ed but that pilot cars were leading traffic both ways. Siskiyou pass on highway 99 south was bare and highway 99 north over Sexton mount ain and Canyon creek pass had some spots of ice. Highway 66 was clear to Tub Springs from where the mow pack extended to Keno vicinity and chains were advised. The Redwood highway was bare except for some pack on Oregon mountain and Hayes hill and chains should be car ried, police said. United Press said snow was falling on Willamette pass which was blocked between Goshen and Oakridge by fall en trees. Chains were required on Santiam pass. Body of Miner After Five Days In Pit Mahanov City, Pa., Jan. 18 (U.R) The body of Edward Bur da, 25-year-old independent min er, was recovered today from the bottom of a collapsed anthra cite mine where he was buried in a cave-in five days ago. Found 115 Feet Down Burda's body was found 115 feet underground by weary res cuers at 11:30 a.m. an hour after they came across the new canvas gloves he was wearing when the mine gave way last Friday. The body was not immediate ly brought to the surface. When the discovery was made the news was relayed by word of -mouth up the shaft by the 17 man rescue crew. A Catholic priest was sum MEDFORD, OREGON, 'Acme Telepholo) FATAL CRASH T0 persons were killed and 36 others Injured when this bus ran out of control in New York City and crashed into two autos and a trailer truck. Brake failure caused the bus to side swipe a car (not shown) and ram a second car (hidden by bus) into a lamp .lost. Nationalist Bombers Hit Canton, Shipping Hong Kong. Jan. 18 (U.R) Waves of Chinese nationalist bombers roared over the south China mainland and bombed can ton for five hours, reports from Heavy Rains Here Raise Rivers, No Floods Seen Yet Drenching downpours of rain falling generally throughout southern Oregon and northern California are increasing the flood potential in this area, but there is no danger of Rogue val ley rivers and streams going out of their banks for at least 24 hours, the Medford weather bu reau said today. The Smith river in northern California is out of its banks in spots, after four and a half inch es of rain pelted the section dur ing the last 24-hour period, the bureau said. Rains Inch And Half Medford had more than an Inch and a half of rain since Tuesday morning. At 4:30 a.m. today, Grants Pass had 1.20 inch es and Gold Beach two inches during the preceding 24-hour period. The weather bureau gave this picture of the situation: The Rogue river rose 5.32 feet between 8 p.m. yesterday and 10 a.m. today at Grants Pass, and was continuing to rise slowly. Flood stage there is 15 feet, and the measurement today was 6.95 feet. At Gold Ray dam, four feet of water was going over tne spill way. Six feet is considered flood stage. 1 The Applegate river is rising, but is not over its DanKs. Reservoir Controls Bear creek is largely control led by Emigrant reservoir, which now has 2.978 acre feet in storage. Total capacity is 8,000 acre feet. The Rogue was still rising slowly at Gold Ray and Prospect, but there is still "plenty of slack" before flood stage is reached. Snow is still containing falling rain, which has not start ed a serious runoff. The rains, falling in above freezing temperatures, were con tinuing to melt snow at lower elevations, and many Medford streets were gutter high with water. Dirtv snow remained in piles where scraping operations had left it yesterday morning. The weather forecast was for continued rain tonight" and to morrow, with temperatures re maining in the 30s. Recovered moned immcdiatclv and went down the slope to administer the last rites of the church before the body was disturbed. He was accompanied by a deputy cor oner. Beneath Debris Burda was buried beneath an avalanche of loose coal and de bris which hurtled down the slope when the cave-in occurred last Friday. Morgan estimated that it would take two to two and a half hours before rescue workers would be able to re move the body. The coal-blackened rescuers who had been hacking through solid anthracite a foot-an-hour for five days, reached the spot where Burda was buried just after 10:30 a.m. Morgan said. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1950 NO. 252 the mainland said today The raid on Canton yesterday was the heaviest aerial attack since the communists occupied the city in October, the reports said. The raiders also attacked communist installations and ship ping in the sea approaches to south China. Other planes strafed a Kow-loon-Canton freight train and Pearl river shipping. On Strafing Mission The first air raid alarm in Can ton was reported to have been sounded at 1 p.m., when several planes appeared over the eastern outskirts on a low-level strafing mission. Communist guns threw up a heavy ack-ack barrage, reported ly wtihout any visible results. The planes later were reported to have swung out toward sea, scoring several bomb hits on ships and smaller vessels anchor ed at the waterfront. Second Wave Appears A second wave of raiders ap- Deared at 3 D.m. and a third about 5:30 p.m., the reports said, with each raid lasting more than 40 minutes. The leftist newspaper Takung Pao reported that 23 persons naa been killed and 10 injured in Canton. The Dlanes. which also hit com munist concentrations on the Lieuchow Peninsula, apparently were based on Hainan because a Hainan dispatch reported that their toll included a 600-ton ship and two smaller vessels anchor ed 10 milps below canton Reports from Formosa said that a nationalist military spokesman had admitted for the first time that armed commun ists were operating on Hainan. Commissioner Lytle To Seek Reelection County Commissioner Robert R. Lytle, Ashland republican, yesterday declared himself a can didate for the nomination to that post again in the May 19 pri maries. He was the first candi date to file for a county office this year. Lytle, whose term expires in December of 1950, stated that if re-elected to his job, he would "continue to serve the best in terests of all the people of the county." The deadline for filing declara tions of candidacy for the May primaries is March 10. Polish Counselor Asks Asylum In United States Lake Success, N. V., Jan. 18 (U.R) The counselor of the Polish delegation to the United Nations has resigned and asked Secretary of State Dean Acheson for asy lum in tne united states because "freedom has disanneared in Poland," it was revealed today. Aleksander Rudzmski. a kev figure in the Polish UN delega tion since 1946, broke with the Polish government over its sup port of Russia's walkout from the security council and other UN organs in the last few days. He resigned from the Polish UN staff and from the Polish con sulate in New York. CHECKS ARRIVING Today's early mails brought the first trickle of GI insurance dividend checks to Medford vet erans of World War II, Postmas ter Moore Hamilton said this morning. Though the brown enveloped checks look the same as all checks from the treasury's disbursing officer. Hamilton said mail handlers had spotted a few of the dividend payments in the mans today. Tribune 2 Dead, 29 Injured In Fire-Ravaged Colorado Region Volunteers Battling Numerous Small Fires Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 18 (U.R) Casualties from a wind-blown brush and timber fire that ravaged a 20-square-mile area, including portions of an army camp and the exclusive Broadmoor hotel region, climbed to two dead, 29 injured and three missing today. The second victim died from burns. He was a soldier, as was the first. No identification has been made of either man, pend ing notification of kin. The an nouncement was made by Lt. R. A. Geiger, public information of ficer at Camp Carson. Of the 29 injured, 10 were re ported in serious condition and the other 19 were bed patients. They are all being treated at the Camp Carson hospital. Meanwhile, an e x t e n sive search is underway this morning for three persons believed miss ing possibly in the fire area. The names were not released. It was not known if they were men or women. Winds, which made fire fight ing impossible yesterday, died down during the night allowing about 6,000 soldiers and volun teers to quell the blaze in the army camp and spread over the 20-square-mile area to put out numerous small fires. A total of 33 army structures were con sumed by the flames. fcarly today three fires were still burning on Cheyenne moun tain, closeby the point where the blaze started early Tuesday. Vol unteers were called to relieve the weary fire fighters who had been on the mountain all night. 60 People Stranded At Logging Camp Vernonia, Ore., Jan. 18 (U.R) A forestry department bulldozer and grader were bucking six- foot snowdrifts today in an at tempt to reach 60 stranded men, women and children at Mc Gregor logging camp, 15 miles west of here. A camp employee, Steven Waite, got out on foot Monday and said there was enough food but his baby daughter was run ning a temperature of 104 and he feared for her health. District Fire Warden Edward Schroeder said a second bull dozer would be pressed into service. in an effort to reach the Oregon - American corporation's camp some time this morning. Communications with Mc Gregor camp are by telephone relay. Rancher Seeing Double, Two Cows, Four Calves.. Table Rock, Jan. 18. E. R. Hull, operator of the Red Skin orchard, feels a little as though he is seeing double these days. Two cows on the ranch re cently each gave birth to twin calves on the same day. Twin births In cattle are rare, and two such events oc curing the same day put the story in the one-in-a-million category. Portland, Ore., Jan. 18-U.R) An early morning fire caused $10,000 damage to fuel handling facilities of the Pacific Power and Light company s steam gen erating plant here today. rm jmnn"-1 at nnimay mii.ii .,i jm .m.u.uwi'iyyl ' (Acme Telepholo GIVES UP GLAMOR Movie actress Colleen Townnend (above) an nounced plans tc give up the movies to enter a theological school. The 20-year-old actress, who was studying to be a teacher when she was discovered for the movies, said she hopes tc ent?r a Pasadena, Calif, religious school In September to learn to teach or become a missionary. Lewis Orders End To Holdout Strike Effective Monday Reinforced Patrols Sent To Coal Fields Washington, Jan. 18 (U.R) Labor Board General Counsel Robert H. Denham, announced today he is asking the federal court her to prohibit the United Mine Workers from calling any strikes until they drop several allegedly illegal contract demands, Denham said he considers the current three-day week in the coal fields a strike. He wants the court to issue a tem porary injunction to put all coal miners on a five-day week. Pittsburgh. Jan. 18 (U.R) John L. Lewis has ordered the violence-marked holdout strike of 89,000 United Mine Workers ended bv Monday. UMW District 5 President John P. Busarello today disclos ed the new version of the UMW chief's "suggestion" that the miners eo back to work. Lewis' Pittsburgh d i s t r i ct lieutenant said UMW officials will go into the fields with the message: "The order is to go back to work Monday that's John L. Lewis' order. Picket Killed The new order came as one mine picket was killed in Ohio when a coal truck crashed into a roadblock and new violence t h r e a t e ned in Pennsylvania, where mine equipment has been dynamited and buildings and trucks stoned. Pennsylvania state police sent re-inforced patrols into the coal fields this morning when picket ing was reported in virtually all districts. Heavy police forces also cruis ed the fields of Ohio and West Virginia. Shortages Spread Coal shortages spread. One steel company already has ord ered a 25 per cent production cut and other companies said they would have to curtail un less the coal situation improved. Duqucsne Light company, serving the Greater Pittsburgh area, notified 2,000 industrial customers that unless the coal situation changes, their power will be cut off Friday midnight, Busarello said no attempt to end the walkout this week would be made, because the UMW-im posed three-day week ends to day. However, he said local meetings will be called through out his district during the re mainder of the week to spread the back-to-work order. Active Duty Available For Air Force Yets Portland, Jan. 18 Veterans may now apply for extended ac tive duty with the air force in the same grade in which they were discharged under a new plan announced today bv Lt. Col. J. W. Lewis, commanding offi cer of the 2343rd air force re serve training center, stationed at the Portland airport. The new program, known as Category, as sures those accepted the oppor tunity to spend the full three year period at the Portland air port. Ihe offer applies to enlisted personnel only. Men accepted will train with regular air force personnel, and receive the same pay and bene- tits. Complete details are now available at headquarters of the zaiard Ar ktu, Portland air port, Portland, Oregon. SNOW AT LAKE There are 28 inches of snow in the resort area at the Lake O' Woods, the soil conservation service station there reported to Medford this morning. It was raining steadily there at the time the service crews at the lake made the radio report. Council OKs Garbage Rates, Regulations New residential garbage col lection rates with charges by the can rather than by the house hold were authorized for City Sanitary service last night by city councilmen. They are effec tive on February 1. New rates will be $1.25 per month for a 30-gallon can and $1 for each additional can if the pick-up is made at one location. A charge of 50 cents per can additional will be made if col lectors must climb stairs or go into basements. Legislation regarding new rules and regulations for gar bage collection passed first read ing. The streets and roads com mittee was delegated to study the matter of whether or not pa trons will be permitted to place cans in alleys. Asks Lease It was reported that City Sani tary service has asked lease of all or part of the old garbage dis posal area south of Medford NLRB Bargaining Election Slated For January 26 A bargaining agent election under the supervision of the na tional labor relations board has been set here for January 26 to determine the status of the team ster, cannery and fruit packing workers local 9 6 2-A at the plants of Bear Creek orchards and Southern Oregon Sales company. Field Examiner Arthur Hedges said yesterday afternoon that the elections would be held in the auditorium of the county court house Thursday, January 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Em ployees from both plants will vote during those hours. Ob servers from both companies and from the union will be per mitted to watch the election operations. The union, an affiliate of the AFL. seeks to be recognized as sole bargaining agent for all year- around employees at tne two plants, excepting supervisory workers and office personnel. North Oregon Cold Wave To Continue Portland. Ore.. Jan. 18 (U.k The stubborn cold which has plagued northern Oregon and Washington for the last week and a half today held on while an ocean storm blowing inland brought heavy rains and warm er temperatures to southern Ore gon and northern California. The weather forecaster in Portland said the cold would probably continue in northern Oregon for the next 24 hours at least. He predicted a few snow flurries mixed with rain bv Thursday afternoon with possi bility of warmer weather after that. The cold grip continued through the Willamette valley Eugene reported 15 degree tem perature this morning with some treezing ram. At Salem the ther mometer dropped to 16. Pendleton had the lowest reading in the state with a minus 3. Bend reported 2 below zero and ine Dalies 4 above. 30 Tygh Families Threatened By Flood The Dalles, Ore., Jan. 18. (U.R) An ice jam which forced the White river over its banks to day threatened 30 families at the lygh Valley lumber company s mill. 30 miles south of The Dalles. In response to a call from the mill, the army engineers were preparing to send an explosive expert into the Tygh valley to try to blow up the Ice jam and free the water backing up Into the camp where 30 families of mill workers live. Wheeler Rucker, resident army engineer at The Dalles-Celilo canal, and a powderman expect ed to leave for the mill site as soon as national guard transpor tation was available. The engineers and national guardsmen were scheduled to leave for Tygh valley last night, but the local national guard trucks were stalled by freezing weather and huge snow drifts. SCHOOLS REOPEN Nearly every school In the county has reopened, with the exception of Prospect which will remain closed until January 23, the county school superintend ent's office said this morning. School bus drivers in the Evans valley area in the Rogue River school district reported bad road conditions due to melting snow but said they negotiated their routes without trouble. Ashland schools reopened today WEATHER FORECAST: Continued cloudy with rain tonight and Thurs day. Little change in tempera ture. Temp. Hlghett Veilerday 37 Loweit thli Morning ... 33 Prec. to 4:30 A.M. Today .... 1.32 where the company has a house and contemplates construction of additional facilities. R. A. Gliebe, general manager of Heath's Drug store and Mc Lain's Drug centre, asked the council to consider establishing a taxi-stand at the Medical Cen ter building in order that a cab can be available immediately at all times for patients of doctors in the building. He Indicated that such service is desired by medics and dentists for their patienls. The proposal was referred to the council safe ty committee. Gliebe said this morning that the two drug stores will be open on a 24-hour basis starting Mon day. Petitions Presented Petitions opposing the Sunday closure of auto agencies as asked by a number of dealers were pre sented. Because of this remon strance there was no discussion last night. The special commit tee of the council is reviewing the proposal. Since plans are being revised for a park storage structure un der the Main street Bear creek bridge, previous bids on the work were rejected and the park committee was empowered to call for new offers. Planning commission's recom mendation that council institute proceedings to vacate an alley in block 72, original town, was reported. There was no action last night. A civil aeronautics administra tion request for a report on usage of property acquired by the city from the government at the municipal airport was sub mitted to Airport Manager John Applegate through City Superin tendent Vernon Thorpe. (See story on page 3) ild Ducks Stranded In Willamette Slough Independence, Ore., Jan. 18 (U.R) Cold weather that froze their feet in an ice sheet strand ed more than 100 wild ducks in a Willamette river slough two miles south of here Tuesday. Independence Police Chief Ray Howard said the weather tragedy was reported by Arthur Waldron. whose farm is near the slough three miles south of here. Waldron told Howard that he noticed the ducks futilely flap ping their wings in an attempt to tree inemseives. He said thousands of other wild fowl In the area were swim- m i n g unconcernedly in Icy ponus. streams and feeding area where the water was not frozen over. Howard said he notified state police of the plight of the ducks. Administration Fights To Retain Control Washington. Jan. 18 (U.R) Administration leaders sought to cracK tne wnip over faltering democrats today in their fight to retain control of the house. Speaker Sam Rayburn said he would try to bind all members at a party caucus to oppose the scheme of an- anti-Truman coali tion to grab life-and-death power over most of President Truman's legislative program. Mr. Truman got into the fight himself. He told a civil rights delegation that his leaders in congress are ready to battle "all summer" if necessary to get a vote on his civil rights program. At stake in the house was not only the civil rights program especially tne controversial fair employment practices bill but much of the rest of the presi dent's program of social legis lation. Reds Give Reason For Closing U S. Consulate Tokyo. Jan. 18 U.R) Rad n Peking said today the Chinese communists closed the Amer ican consulate in Pekins because the Americans were building military barracks in it. The broadcast, mon tored In Tokyo, also accused Holland and ranee of operating military establishments on consular com pounds. The closme order was issued January 6, effective seven days later. 2,000 Volunteers Battle Rampaging Wabash River Vincennes, Ind.. Jan. 18. (U.R) More than 2,000 volunteers and soldiers worked without rest to day, striving desperately to save the city from the relentless flood waters of the Wabash river. Woman, Children Work Women and children worked beside their menfolk, attempting to build an auxiliary wall of sandbags l'4 miles long to re tain the water if lt came over the city's big concrete seawall or crash through it. About two-thirds of the city would be flooded if the river broke through and 10,000 per sons would be forced out of their homes. Meanwhile, intense cold swept the flood areas of Illinois, In diana, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas after a day of compara tive mildness. About 6,000 persons took re Reward 01 $150,000 Spurs Search For Nine Masked Men Armored Car Service Victims Of Robbery Boston, Jan. 18 (U.R) A stolen Cadillac sedan, which may have been one of the eat. away cars used in last night's $1,500,000 holdup, was found today in the garage of an unoc cupied house in suburban New ton. Thn itlcrnuan, nam bam.. - ' wins evuii aiicri the search for the nine Halloween masked bandits was spurred by a promise of a reward of $150,- uuu py urinK s, Inc., the armor ed car service which was robbed, and the Commercial Union As surance company, Ltd., which insures Brinks against loss. Detectives sped to Newton, examined the car and dusted it for f ineernrints TVia 1Qda eatar. stolen yesterday from Israei i.uiii-11 oi rvewton, Dore Massa chusetts registration plates 158- 533. TVi pso hnri hMn stolen previously from Mrs. Eunice L. Burns, also of New ton. Reports Discounted Findino- nf the, a,,fnmnun. i- - n nu,viliui,uc 111 Newton caused police to discount reports irom wew York that a Cadillac resembling the getaway car had been sighted in the oronx. Other developments In the in- VeKtlentlnn nf TMaii, 1TnHlnji. . 0 . - " uiiaiaiiu biggest robbery were: a up received by police that the bandit gang had a hideout near Lawrence. A salesgirl at a "Bromfield street joke shop reported that a miHHIl-nO-faH Uinman hnnakl seven rubber masks, of the type used Dy tne bandits, from her Saturday. Shortly before noon, Boston nnlirp snivpn n 9 a: -nl I Charleslown man described as a good suspect. He is free on $18,000 bail in connection with A recent Snmarullia lannpu ink bery. Police said the bail was pusiea oy a man who ngured in a big jewel robbery at Hot Springs, Ark., about three years ago. The suspect, known to be "broke" recently, had $693 In citsn on mm wnen arrested. Busier Sounds Brink's officials said that dur ing the 20-minute holdup a buz zer sounded, causing the robbers to speed their work. But for this, officials indicated, the bandits misht have snpnr mnrA tlma a4 cleaned out an additional $1,000,000 that was there. The uzzer apparently was sounded hv a Rrinlr'e AmnlnuaA aAb. admission. Three anrlitnrfi uara h,,ir checking Brink's accounts today and officials said that tonight or tomorrow thpv ovnarto In ha able to fix the exact amount of the loot. Brinks offered a $100,000 re ward for the bandits, "dead or alive." The lnsiiranpa, nnmnanv offered a reward of five per cent or. tne casn loot recovered. If all the stolen cash is recovered, that would be $50,000. (See story on page 3) Northern California Rivers Over Banks San Francisco. Jan. 18. (U.R)-- Three northern California river, topped or neared flood stage to day after a series of snow and rain storms which drenched the area during the past 10 days. Skies generally began to clear today, although the U.S. weather bureau said occasional rain would fall north of San Jose- Stockton line today and Thurs day. The rivers, all reported at or near flood stage, were the Eel in Humboldt county; the Van Duzen, a tributary of the Eel and the Snake river in Del Norte county. In addition, Redwood creek burst out of its banks 42 miles north of Eureka and flood ed the town of Orick. Water covered U.S. Highway 101 at two sections near Eureka, although traffic still was getting through. Fortuna, a small com munity on the highway, report ed "some water" over the high way but there was no danger of a serious flood. fuge from the midwest floods and authorities warned that 22,000 more might be forced to evacuate their homes within a few days. Almost 800 families took to high ground in western Ken tucky. Hardest hit were -the towns of Sturgis, Calhoun, Eddy ville, Smithland, Rumsey and Caseyville. Families Flee Area More than 900 families fled from the "swamp east" area of Missouri across the Mississippi from Cairo, 111., where engineers were consdering blowing up the Madrid-Birds Point levee to re duce pressures along more vital bulwarks of the "father of waters." The flood danger extended along almost 500 miles of river line including the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers.