4
fWJRTEEN MEDFOHD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Legion Auxiliary
Officers Visit Camp
Camp White, Apr. 22 Mrs.
W. W. Graham, department pres
ident of the American Legion
auxiliary, and Mrs. Charles
Gunn, of the Legion's national
rehabilitation commission, were
taken on a tour of Camp White's
facilities last week by Paul Hat
ton, manager here.
Mrs. Gunn is also chairman of
state volunteer workers for vet
unteer workers for veterans ad
ministrations hospitals. Both
visitors praised the work of the
VA in developing Camp White.
Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Gunn
were accompanied by auxiliary
unit members from Ashland,
Central Point, Cave Junction,
Grants Pass and Medford. They
said that domiciliary home prob
lems grow greater each year.
Sunday, April M, 1830
Camp White YFW
Elects 1950 Officers
Camp White, Apr. 22 Camp
White Post 6412, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, elected officers
from a membership of 31 at a
meeting held here April 13
Named for the coming year were
W. D. Smiley, commander; John
A. Conwell, senior vice-com
mander; E. Pine, junior vice-commander;
H. L. Williams, quarter
master: C. Uoherty, post advo
cate: E. A. Erickson, chaplain;
C. E. McKerchie, three-year trus
tee; C. A. Kelly, one-year trus
tee, and Benny Norgard, six-
month trustee.
The new VFW post will meet
twice each month. On hand are
1,000 poppies which will be sold
this month for the benefit of the
county's newest veterans' group.
Films & Photo
Finishing
Work in by 10 A.M.
Out by 5 P.M.
Swem !f
217 E. Main
Medford
"A Kodak Dealer"
Announcement
TO MOTORISTS
OUR SHOP AND PARTS
DEPARTMENT
Now Open
SATURDAY
AFTERNOONS
For All Types of Service Work
EDGERTON MOTOR CO.
Ofdsmobife Dealers
132 South Riverside
Phone 2-6209
Fire Chief's Report Explains
Background for $125,000 Bond
Issue for Protection from Fire
At the Mar 1 primary lec
tion, the people of Medford
will be asked to decide on the
faiage of a $125,000 bond
sue for capital investments
for the fire department, and a
four-mill levy for operation
and maintenance of expanded
service.
In order that citiiens can be
come familiar with the prob
lems of the fire department,
and the background on which
recommendations fpr the im
provements were made, ex
cerpts from the report of Act
ing Fire Chief Leo Weidner
is reprinted below. editor's
note.
The city government and the
people of Medford are to be con
gratulated upon taking steps to
improve their fire defense at this
time. Usually it requires a dis
astrous fire or loss of human life
to motivate such a project. It is
a well known fact that the his
tory of municipal fire protection
service has too often been a
story of locking the barn door
after the horse has been stolen"
that a complacent attitude
toward inadequate fire defenses
has been transformed overnight
to a public demand for "the
most and the best" in manpower
and equipment only after a fire
or disaster of tragic proportions
has swept away thousands of
dollars of property, or far
worse, taken a toll of human life.
Not Kept Pace
This report, together with its
e v e r a 1 recommendations, is
born of the realization that the
city of Medford's fire defenses
have not kept pace with commu
nity growth in population and
wealth, and that it becomes our
responsibility to lay the facts
and figures before our people.
The answer rests with the tax
payers of Medford.
In the past few months a num
ber of steps have and are being
taken to meet the problem with
in the restrictions of our budget
laws. Streamlining of practices
and procedures within the de
partment, aimed at getting the
utmost in efficiency have been
initiated. Small tools and equip
ment consistent with budget al
lowances, either have or are be
ing obtained. A system of rec
ords and reports has been in
stalled. We are working on a
set of fire prevention ordinances
and a set of rules and regula
tions, both to be submitted to the
city council in the near future.
Training Program
An intensive training program
for the regular members of the
department is in progress. Steps
have been taken to recruit, or
ganize and train a volunteer
group to augment the regular
force in the event of an emer
gency. A program of familiari
zation tours has been incorporat
ed, designed to prevent fires by
keeping the public fire con-
AN OPEN LETTER
Klamath Falls, Oregon
April 21, 1950
Oregon and Northern California
rly five
Tothe Residents of Southern
Dear Friends:
letter to you marKs i M yy p. Miner,
This personal letter toy Broadcasters. mr; ' .
years of effort on tne - j s,ation are prouu . f(nls.
S daytime power of 5000 watts 9 of
,lon. Every"", ot YOU
you .
i mei
thru
larqest Network, n,0 your
.,x-.. present the inves"""; ,ami.v ,
These new to bringing you a. u .iolVs
nrl money which are new5. As a memoer c "'"
finest in sports nT .,: KFJ1( ttml , . fu
homes a
LJ eunorlor frequency, rammlng.
TT.-'a national and local rau.u y a- -
of this wealthy pro
gressive
instituted the
forma nave "- aa0, Mr. w. u. '"'-. .nri..i p0wer
Thus, more man - -j in 5000 watts o
nroceedings which have resuiicu n5Q kiocyCles.
W more desirable f.equency of 13 YOUR home;
KFJl hope ,o be aec,anf we
ber of your
family.
" V"' JZZ A oHhe opening date ot our
your newspapers, you 'V B. " es
operation on these superior facilities.
improved service to you.
Sincerely,
KFJl BROADCASTERS,
scious. This same program Is in
valuable to the firemen because
it affords them intimate knowl
edge of the buildings in which
they must fight fires and keeps
them thinking of fire fighting.
In addition many other minor
improvements and additions
have been made.
In the meantime an overall
study of fire defenses has been
carried on in anticipation of the
next survey by the Oregon In
surance Rating bureau. It is this
survey that will determine Med
ford's "Rate Classification," or
how cheap fire insurance will be
for Medford's property owners
for the next 10 or 15 years.
Values Up
The last rating survey was
made in 1933, and at that time
the assessed valuation of the
property in the city was $7,609,
800.17. In 1949 the assessed val
uation was $16,263,093.39, and
is in the vicinity of $20 million
at the present time. The popula
tion is in the vicinity of 20,000.
At that time of the last sur
vey the rating bureau found the
fire department greatly deficient
and made numerous recommend
ations for improvement. Practi
cally none of these recommenda
tions, such as an aerial ladder
truck and alarm system, has
been complied with since that
time, and the population has
about doubled, the property val
uation has almost tripled, and a
considerable area has been add
ed to the city's boundaries. The
fire defenses in the meantime
have remained about the same in
regard to man-hours on the job.
There has been some improve
ment in the pumping capacities
and civil service rules, but that's
about all.
The improvement items neces
sary to raise the city's fire de
fenses to minimum standards are
herewith presented.
EIGHTY-FIVE FOOT
LADDER TRUCK
As a first step in a moderniza
tion program for the Medford
Fire Department it is proposed
to purchase an 85 foot hydraulic
ladder truck, making it possible
for one man to raise a steel
ladder to any height up to seven
floors, within 30 seconds after
arrival at the scene of a fire. The
aerial ladder can be shifted al
most instantly, by the touch of
a lever, from window to win
dow, or floor to floor of a burn
ing building to effect the rescue
of trapped persons; or it can be
used as a water tower to apply
streams of water to the upper
stories, or to the roof of a struc
ture. This will be a short cou
nled truck with a three or four
section aerial ladder, requiring
no tillerman.
By comparison, the longest
ladder that the fire department
has now is an antique 50 foot ex
tension ladder that cannot be
carried on any of the apparatus
because of its length and weight.
Even if it were possible to get
this ladder to a fire, it is so old
and dried out that it would be
hazardous to handle and danger
ous to climb. It would require
the services of six trained men
for about two minutes, to raise
it under ideal conditions, with
reference to working space, foot
ing.etc. This operation will
either halt or seriously delay
hose laying at the outset of the
fire, or must await the arrival of
the off-shift or volunteer rein
forcements. The longest ladder
we have in addition to this one
is a 30 foot extension ladder that
is not quite long enough to reach
the third floor of most buildings.
A modern aerial ladder truck
is a potent weapon in fire de
fense, because it is particularly
designed to combat flames and
save lives when fire strikes in
hotels, apartments, hospitals, of-
. . TO SERVE YOU BEST
Reece Catering Co.
Distributors
. . . Packaged Sandwiches
. . . Rich N'Flaky Pastries
. . , Cafe & Groe. Supplies
. . Bar Snacks
WE CATER TO
SPECIAL EVENTS
Call Rogue River Ph. 282
fice buildings and schools. In
Medford this is a "must" item
that should not be longer Ig
nored. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
It is strongly recommended
by the Oregon Insurance Rating
bureau that an alarm box sys
tem be installed in Medford,
with sufficient boxes to cover
the high value district. Today
it is a "key" item in any fire pro
tection program, aimed at re
ducing a city's fire insurance
rating classification.
As opposed to the telephoned
alarm, th street box is immedi
ately available upon discovery
of the fire, at any hour of the
day or night, and removes the
possibility of human error in
transmitting the alarm. Not in
frequently an excited caller will
give a wrong address or location.
Precious time is then consumed
in a "trace-back," or awaiting a
recall. The use of the dial tele
phone system practically elim
inates the possibility of tracing
calls back. It is for this reason
the Underwriters attach great
significance to the fire alarm
box system, and credit 350 rat
ing points for its installation and
maintenance.
The initial installation for
Medford should cover the high
value business -district down
town, with special overhead
lines to the mills and other crit
ical fire areas.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
SUB-STATIONS
The need for two sub-stations
is very evident. The approxi
mate location of these stations
has received some study and re
search, but further consideration
is necessary before final deci
sions are made as to location.
These stations should be located
with an eye to future expansion,
as well as immediate require
ments. Justification for the new sta
tions is to be found in the fol
lowing factors:
1. The splitting of the high
value district of the city by the
railroad tracks. This is a seri
ous factor that should be rem
edied immediately.
2. Extremely long runs for
fire apparatus to the east side
residential area. The fact that
there is only one through street
leading to the east city boundary
that could be blocked, necessi
tating delaying detours, accen
tuates the hazard.
3. Rapid expansion of the
city's industrial, business and
residential areas. Hundreds of
new buildings within the cor
Dorate limits and in the proposed
fire protection districts.
4. Downtown traffic conges
tion impeding the movement of
fire apparatus from the central
station to the south, southeast,
east and southeast sectors of the
city.
5. Earth shock, gas plant ex
plosion, or any other damage to
the central fire station might eas
ily put every piece of firefight
ing equipment in the city out of
commission without warning.
It is, therefore, recommended
that the city construct two sub
stations as soon as possible.
The sub-stations would con
sist of housing for two pieces of
apparatus! hose room, sleeping
quarters. t)kitchen and alarm
room, and would be designed to
conform with residences within
the area.
INCREASED MANPOWER
Operation of the proposed sub
stations and manning of present
headquarters equipment in ac
cordance with minimum stand
ards as set by the Fire Under
writers, calls for the addition
of 16 firemen, which would
bring the total paid strength to
31 men, including the chief.
The proposed addition to the
department's roster would still
all short by about 12 men the
number requested by the Under
writers to be on duty at all
times. However, some of this can
be made up by figuring in our
call men.
The increased manpower,
while representing the largest
item of cost in the entire pro
gram, would also account for the
largest decrease In deficiency
noints in insurance gradings for
the citv.
I PURCHASE OF FIRE HOSE
I At the present time the fire de
partment is using some hose that
I is over 20 years old, and al
though this hose was recently
(SEMEBHTT
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
CEMENT AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
Let Us Worry About Your Excavating
Foundations Pouring Finishing
PATIOS
All Colors
and Types
Curbs Sidewalks Driveways
SEPTIC TANKS AND DRAINFIELDS
GUNITE ESTIMATES
HARPER & WAGNER
For Free Estimates
Phone Central Point 373
Convention Plans
For Real Estate
Men Discussed
Ameeting of officials and
committeemen of the Medford
Realty board, in conjunction
with the convention committee
of the chamber of commerce,
was held Friday evening in the
Medford hotel.
Ray Schumacher, president of
the Oregon Association of Real
ty Boards, outlined plans for the
entertainment of delegates and
guests who will attend the real
estate convention to be held in
Medford in September.
Clinic Changed
The real estate clinic previous
ly planned to be held in Grants
Pass will be held in the Jackson
hotel, Medford, on May 1, from
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The day
will be divided into several ses
sions, in which such subjects as
listings, advertising, financing,
and sales will be discussed.
At 7 p.m. there will be a ban
quet celebrating the 21st birth
day of the Medford . Realty
board, which all members and
their ladies are invited. The
speaker will be Al. Crose, real
estate commissioner of Oregon,
and a former Medford resident.
LISTED AS SUICIDE
Salem, Ore., Apr. 22 (U.R)
Sophus L. Jesperson, 60, former
owner of the Rainbow inn here,
was found dead Friday In a gas
filled room in a Salem auto
court. Marion County Coroner
Leston D. Howell listed the
death as suicide.
Ex-Escapee Given 4-Year Prison Term
A rhsmo nf rprpivine stolen
property netted Paul Norman
Smallwood a four-year prison
term Friday. He was sentenced
by Judge H. K. Hanna in circuit
court after pleading guilty on
a district attorney's information.
The charge against Smallwood
was nearly two years old. He
had been arrested for possessing
a stolen car in 1948, but escaped
frnm a morn in the Community
hospital after cutting his way out
of a plaster cast around his
waist. He walked out of the hos
oital with a broken pelvis and
was not heard of until last Feb
ruary when he was arrested on
the old warrant in Roseburg.
Dead line Sunday Classified 11 al
Noon Saturdays
tested to 200 pounds per square
inch, it can no longer be con
sidered reliable. We have prac
tically no reserve hose and con
sequently cannot change hose in j
the apparatus as often as we
should.
FORMATION OF RURAL FIRE '
PROTECTION DISTRICTS
The program just outlined, if
put into effect in its entirety,
would give the city of Medford
an adequate tire defense and
would enable the city to have
sufficient fire coverage to af
ford the formation and protec
tion of rural fire districts on the
fringe of the city.
It is very difficult to estimate
the amount of revenue that
would be forthcoming from these
districts. It would depend on how
many would want to take advan
tage of this service if it were
made available to them, and
their total assessed valuation, to
gether with the amount they
were charged for this service.
The amount charged, it seems to
me, should not be less than what
fire protection costs the people
residing within the city. If this
were charged, it should aid con
siderably in the support of the
city's fire defense system.
SUMMARY
This plan if put into effect
would cost tlie taxpayers of Med
ford about $125,000. We must
remember that within recent
years there have been two very
serious fires in Medford the de
struction caused by either one of
them would have more than paid
for this entire program, and
these losses probably could have
been greatly minimized by ade
quate fire protection.
It is also quite possible that if
this program is adopted, the city
not only would hold its present
insurance rating, but might re
ceive a rate reduction. That, of
course, can only be determined
by a complete survey by the rat
ing agency.
t00k!ctt., SIZE 40-inch
ttPI FOR ONLY
Wed with Modem Quality Feof,,
Ml '
Foster than Fast
Surface Cooking!
"Speedomaster"
surface units give
greater pan contact.
5-Heof Switches
Oven Thermostat
All needed surface
heats plus enact
oven temperatures.
Huge Banquet Oven
Holds 40 lb. Turkey
5530 cu. in. Cooks
food without drying
it out. Fast heating.
PLUS Automatic Oven Signal Light
Balanced Oven Door Appliance Outlet
Removable Oven Element One Piece Cook,
ing Top and Back Stainless Titanium Por
celain Enamel en all Exterior Surface.
(MJi
See the NEW
PHILCO 50s
NOW!
MEDFORD
GRANTS PASS
nn (LIVING BOON
I If I DINING ROOMl
1st III BEDROOM
175117 n nnnpnnn rn.fn.rn.
1131111 II Uli ?2-j u u i
World's loveliest flat
wall finish!
What's the most popular
wall finish In America?
Hem-Tone! What keeps It
fio popular? Breath-taking
beauty! A rich suede-like
finish there's none love
lier. Amazing ease of use!
Applies like magic. Marvel
ous convenience! Driee In
one hour. Rock-bottom
economy! One gallon does
snnm. i v iii-Sfc,-. i' I ; i
f
SeEjracle wall fihisj
AUU0M I i
I D 1 DOES
VSSCOVERS ' "0M'
CHECK THESE KEM -TONE MIRACLES!
1. APPLIES LIKE MAGIC!
2. RIGHT OVER WALLPAPER,
rain i, rusitK!
3. ONE COAT COVERS!
4. DRIES IN ONE HOUR!
5. GORGEOUS COLORS!
6. ONE GALLON DOES AVERAGE ROOM! H'
MADE WITH KEM tIBSKS. OIL
0
LET
Ef
FT
lai'TlM mill H, a ,
Crain & Mohr Hardware Co.
HERB CRAIN
EMIL MOHR
225 East 6th Next Door to J. C. Penney Co.