Medford mail tribune., March 31, 1950, Image 13

Conservationists Fare Better
In Oklahoma Drought Region
Inside conserv- in . coi..
(Editor's note: Deserts are on the
march asaln in the southwest. In one
county ot Oklahoma 60.000 acres of
once-productive farm land He barren
and forlorn at the mercy of the
Hindi. The United Press lent Carter
nr.riiftv. manaeer of It Oklahoma
Cltv bureau, Into the "potential dust
bowl" for a closeup view, in taiklni
with doieni of persons he learned
why the dust ll blowlni and what can
k. Ant,, to iton It. He Is wrltlne three
accounts from the scene. The first,
descrlhinr the extent of damage and
attitude of farmers In the area,
follows.)
By Carter Bradley
United Press Correspondent
Anadarko, Okla., Mar. 31
(U.R) An elderly farmer squint
ed grimly into a biting, blinding
sandstorm which pushed dunes
of dirty-pink topsoil across his
once-fertile farm.
"I'm not giving up," said J. A.
Lane. "Dust and drouth came
before and we licked it. We can
lick it again."
Lane's 160-acre farm lies In
the middle of a "potential dust
bowl" which government agen
cies say extends over 150,000
acres of southwestern Oklahoma
' The area hasn't had a soaking
rain in six months. An unceas
ing wind gnaws at Lane's farm,
spreading a cancerous growin
of dunes and kicking up dirt
clouds that swirl far across
country.
Lane views the desolation of
his farm as an act of God. He
prays for relief for rain.
Shared by Others
About 350 farmers within a
10-mile radius of Lane's place
share his longing for rain but
many of them are better off
than he.
Only a few hundred yards
from Lane s devastated farm are
growing crops, lush and green
in amazing contrast.
That land has been handled
by modern soil conservation
methods different from practices
of the 82-year-old Lane, who has
worked the same land since
1907.
Lane knows that dry weather
Isn't the basic cause of his trou
ble.
"I was just unlucky," he told
me. "We didn't get anything
planted as a cover crop before
the last good rain. My land is
naked. It doesn t have any pro
tection from the wind."
Local dust storms rise over a
60.000 square mile area in Cad
do county, Okla., every day or
so. The gritty clouds have spread
across the entire southwest and
middle west a few times but they
form more frequently here.
Pile Like Snowbanks
The dunes of drifting topsoil
encroach on Lane's farmyard,
Diling around his outbuildings
like snowbanks. In some places
the dunes are drifting from
eroded land onto growing crops
of adjoining farms.
Roads in the area are choked
with the Dowder-like soil. Many
are impassable. School bus driv
ers go several miles out of their
way to avoid dust-clogged roads.
Mailmen also detour and casual
tourists like news reporters
get stuck in the Sahara-like land
scape when they drive section
lines without caution.
(At least my automobile was
stuck and a friendly farmer with
tractor pulled it out.)
Farm women have despaired
of growing their usual vegeta
bles. Housework if they want
to keep the place clean re
quires twice as much effort as
usual. Hanging out a laundry is
risky but the women hurriedly
wash their clothes when the
wind is calm and try to dry them
before the dust returns.
Some Listen Carefully
Lane's farm wasn't badly hit
during the drouth-ridden "dirty
thirties" and that may be one
reason why he's taking it on the
chin this time.
Other farmers in the area who
suffered more during the 30's
have listened carefully to the
advice of soil conservation ex
perts. Paul Jackson, another old
timer, who lives nearby, expe
rienced years of poverty and
crop failure in the 30 s.
"We ate blackeyed peas and
cornbrcad for years and I'm not
forgetting it." said Jackson.
Jackson now tills 750 acres
with an impressive assortment
Knf modern equipment. He has
J25 acres of wheat "off to a good
tart" despite green bugs which
f have damaged this crop on
neighboring fields. He also has
300 acres of pasture for 122 head
of livestock, 85 acres of oats and
smaller truck garden projects.
Cashing in Now
"I've planted shelter belts and
grown cover crops on my land
for the past 14 years." Jackson
said. "Now I'm cashing in but
Second Section Medford, Oregon, Friday. March 31 Pages 1-8
f Acme 7 lephoui
CLEARED OF STARVATION CHARGE Crvuis with joy, Mrs. Lor
raine Michel (center) is comforted by Mrs. Donald Moore (left) and
Mrs. Effie Forrest (right) after a Justice Court jury In Beverly Hills,
Calif, acquitted her of charges that she mistreated and starved her
foster daughter, child actress Lora Lee Michel, to keep bei small
enough for film roles. Mrs. Michel and her husband announced they
would open a fight to keep the 9-year-old girl who Is now In the oare
of Juvenile authorities.
it was rough and rugged fotv a
long time."
The memory of the earlier
dust bowl era still lives with
Jackson and others. Thousands
of farmers fled the disaster from
1930 to 1940. Many became piti
ful migrants and the nickname
"Okie" then stood for poverty
and hopelessness.
The "Okies" will survive
drouth in better shape this time,
believes C. G. Gardner, U. S.
soil conservationist for this dis
trict. "Fighting wind erosion must
be a personal battle for each
farmer," Gardner said. "We
know what causes it and how it
can be cured. It's just a matter
of education and inspiration."
Lane's "act of God" theory
isn't shared by farmers of Gard
ner's persuasion. Drouth may be
as inevitable as death and taxes
but they contend wind erosion
can be controlled.
$10,000 HIS. ALL RIGHT
Phoenix, Ariz. U.R) A shabbily-dressed,
50-year-old man
was taken to police headquar
ters for questioning when offi
cers found him carrying more
than $10,000 in bonds and cash
in a paper bag. The man con
vinced police the money was
his. He said he earned it through
"hard work and self-denial" as
a yardman. Police told him a
bank might bo a safer place to
keep his savings.
It started
with this
(ft ,yjj&!?n IC
Ipetri I
Hit cM'f0RN,k
WSauterne
Jr3-- 1
Petri
Wine
It went
over hig
with this!
led
Any turkey dinner is bound to be more festive when
you serve a fine wine-like Petri Wine. Enjoy its richer,
more unifying tsite-the result of three generations of
mine-making skill!
PETRI WINE CO., SAN IRANCISCO, CALIF.
EASTER FLOWERS
Choice of Potted Plants
Azaelaes Lillies
Hyacinths
Roses Tulips
The Best in Cut Flowers at All Times
OPEN EVENINGS AND SUNDAY
SCHOEPEN'S
Our 28th Year in the FJorisr Business
IN MEDFORD
Jacksonville Highway and Perrydale Art,
Phona 2-2B3S
m sVf tft J W, 'tfVM'tViV aVVVVVV VjM '.'at------- m
WE WERE FOOLED!
BUT YOU WONT BE....
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9
We are Sick of Looking at 'Em!
Yes, sick of looking at 'em. We thought
they were pretty when they first came
in. But 8-piece doily sets such as these
no longer look good to us. Come and get
'em for 79c set.
MAIN FLOOR
IIMtlltllllltltllllllltlltllllllllllllllllllllltllMSMtlllltllllllll
Don't Shoot, We'll Marry
the Girl ....
Yes, we'll marry the girl and throw in one
of these printed luncheon sets for just
$1.29. Throw in a 54x54 inch cloth and
4 napkins ... Just to get them out of
sight.
MAIN FLOOR
...V
1
W
WE DON'T BELIEVE IT!
And you won't believe it either. But
the crystal ball says 2 big fluffy camp
pillows for $1.89. Can't camp here
at Mann's. No room to pitch the tent.
LOWER FLOOR
itMMIMMIIIIMIItlllllltl
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SO YOUNG AND SWEET!
Oh yeah! That's what we thought
when we first had a whiff of these bath
crystals and water softener. We
bought big 3 lb. bags to sell for 69c.
Please, please take a bath with them
for 29c bag.
MAIN FLOOR
rX THIS ONE IS HOT STUFF!
as
Anyway we thought so when our buyer
bought a car load of Hold-tite spring
action skirt hangers. Thought we
could sell them for 39c ea. Wonder
if you'll give us 15c?
MAIN FLOOR
llltltlllllMIIIIISKMIIIIIIMSIIIIIKIIMIMIIIIHIII
WE'RE THE FOOL! !
When we thought we could get $6.95
for these black and white saddles. The
shoe buyer thought they were saddles
for horses. No foolin' they're shoes
and you can have them for $3.99 pair.
MAIN FLOOR
LOOK PRETTY PLEASE!
We thought that most any young thing
would look pretty in girdles and panty
girdles such as these. But I guess not.
Tried to get a $1.98 for them. No
dice. Please take two for 79c, please.
MAIN FLOOR
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
That's what we said in one of our
ads last summer. No sale. So we
still have these children's sun
dresses and overalls, but not for
as much as $3.98. No sir, take
'cm home for 79c.
SECOND FLOOR
'MIMini IMMIHMMHMIMIIIMMIIIMi
We Sure Over-Parked On
This One!
Parked is the word Ski trousers. Yee
gods, they have parked on our shelves
too long. Anyway who wants to ski
now. The ticket on them reads $16.95.
We would be tickled to death to get
$7.95.
MEN'S DEPT. MAIN FLOOR
Hearts and Flowers!
Boy, oh boy, such classy robes.
One of these and 10 dozen
roses and Mr. you're in. Sure
some are Quilted. Others
dressy. Should get as much as
$35 for them settle for $15.
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JUST ONE OF OUR BUYERS!
That's right. One of our buyers trying to
get in after buying this batch of long
sleeves shirts for boys to sell for what he
thought he could get, $3.50 and $3.98.
We would love to take 98c and $1.98.
MbN'S DEPT. MAIN FLOOR
A Picture no Artist Could Paint
And what a picture. They looked so
lovely in all the fashion books. But so
help me, no one has yet figured out how
to get into these Drape-ette skirts.
Thought we could get $7.98. Yours for
1 buck.
SECOND FLOOR
What To Do With This Mess
of rayon crepe blouses. We wish we
knew. Tailored and dressy styles. At
least we thought they were when they
first came in. But so help us we can't
get $5.98 for them and would some
poor soul part with $3 for just one.
THE EARLY BIRD Etc.
We thought that some early bird
this winter would snap up these
rain coats at $17.98, but one look
and they said: "I'd rather get
wet. Perhaps at $12 our custom
ers will change their minds.
iimmmmii
Boy Whata Sweetheart!
of a rug for the Old Homestead. The
gent on the right is reading our ad
in the Trib of days gone by. But
they are old homestead rugs of wov
en chenille. And they have home
steaded here too long. 24x48 $3.98
. . . 36x60 $7.69. Lower Floor.
miiiHiiiiimiiMi
BETTER HURRY SISTER!
If you want one of these skirts . . ,
at least try and get here in a week
or two. We've had these all wool and
corduroy skirts all season and guess
we'll have them when you get here.
Just bring $3 not $7.98.
SECOND FLOOR
lllHMIimilMIMIIIMIimilllll
iinilMMIUIIMIMItllMtlMIIIMHMIMtMIMIIIIMttlMIMIMKIMIIIIHIIIIIt:
WE ARE JUST AS CLOSE AS YOUR PHONE, DIAL 2-6133
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SECOND FLOOR
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SECOND FLOOR
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SECOND FLOOR
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