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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1952)
Ueatlier Control Efforts Discussed At Legislative Committee Hearing The Rogue valley's $11,000,-OOO-per-year pear industry stacked up its bail prevention efforts against the dry-land farm ers objections to any form of weather control at a bearing here Saturday. The all-day session at the Jackson county courthouse was called by the legislative interim committee on weather control, with State Sen. Ben Day, Gold Hill, presiding. Dry explained the committee is empowered only to collect facts and information, and no conclusions were reached during the meeting. The morning session was de voted to arguments and presen tations by those engaged in weather control attempts. Some 80 or 90 interested persons jammed the small hearing room. 13.000 Acres of Fruit Stephen G. Nye, representing the fruit men, pointed out that 13,000 acres of land are devoted to fruit, out of 30,000 farm lands in the valley. The industry brings an income of $11,000,000 yearly he said, on produce 98 per cent of which is shipped out of the valley. Hail prevention attempts are both necessary and have proven beneficial, Nye said. Hail dam age of considerable extent has been noted ineach of 26 previ ous years except me pasx tnree, he states, when cloud-seeding to prevent hail has been tried. In 1948, he said, some 300,000 r more boxes of fruit, repre senting a conservatively estimat ed loss of $1,200,000, were de stroyed. About half of the pears grown here are . susceptible to hail damage, he added. Shelby Tuttle, speaking for the Rogue River Valley Traffic association, an association of producers, packers, marketers and allied industries, said his group initiated the attempts at hail prevention. Most of the morning was taken up by presentations by Medford's weather control pilots, Harvey M. Brandau and Eugene Koozer. Koozer gave a background of their operations, which started In May, 1949. He told of the generally encouraging results, and emphasized that their ef forts were for hail prevention only. Koozer said there has been a general misunderstanding o f their work, and with a series of charts described just how their efforts were direced, at cumulus clouds only. Only a tiny minority of summer clouds here are can didates for seeding, he said, and about 99 per cent of the cumulus clouds are either sucked into higher dry air and dissipate, or are "blown over" by winds, thus dispelling their danger as hail clouds. He gave a review of 1951 hail operations, which during the six- month hail season lasted a total of 10 hours and 5 minutes. He al so pointed out that 1951 was a very dry year in the entire area from Portland to Red Bluff, where there was 75 per cent, or less, of normal rainfall. Brandau explained that the .average life of a cumulus cloud is 20 minutes, and only about 1 in 20 "live" long enough to be come dangerous as sources of haiL "It is neither required nor necessary to seed every cloud," he said. In 1949 they flew a total of 37 hours and 20 minutes for seeding purposes, he said, and in 1950 the time was 38 hours 15 minutes. Only a small propor tion of that time was actually devoted to seeding, said the flyer. Pilots Show Charts The pilots showed charts on which dates of precipitation and flights were shown side by side. There was no apparent corre lation between the- two. Brandau said that they flew more in moist, rainy periods than in dry spells. In response to questions, the! fliers said their method was to "aid nature" by introducing small amount of temporary crys tals into the clouds to encourage the formation of snow. Done at the right time this will prevent hail by forming crystals of water, rather than droplets, which could turn to hail, they said, and the top of the cloud mushrooms out. This does not prevent rain, it was declared. While they did not reveal the seeding agent they use, they said it has an effective life of not more than five minutes, and has no detrimental effect. It Is "the same process nature uses," they said. Favor Control Or Ban ' In the afternoon the oppon ents to weather control were heard. Ed Hanley, a Medford at torney representing the Mois ture Conservation League, Inc., a non-profit group of farmers, stockmen and lumbermen, intro duced that faction's speakers. He pointed out that they favor legislation either controlling or banning weather control at tempts. Statements made by members of this group included eye-witness accounts of clouds disap pearing after a plane had flown by. They said they don't know where or when the hail-prevention flights were made, and that their only evidence was observa tion. Hanley said that uncontrolled weather flights would lead to confusion and conflict, and should be regulated. He told of rumors of installa tions in the valley, rumors which were substantiated later by his associate, Attorney Bruce Man ley, who showed pictures which, he said, they think are of ground units designed to increase rain fall. He said they were located at Pinehurst and Trail, and that one was mounted on a truck. Generally speaking, Hanley said, the group asks thorough study, laws controlling weather work with bonds and flight plans required,, and other regu lations to protect those who have an interest in the results. Spring Showers Missed George E. Dunn, a rancher of the Ashland area, said that he had spent all his life in the area, and that during the last three years he hasn't seen the spring showers that usually fall. He said he has w a t c h e d thuderclouds build up, but that no rain has come from them. He sincerely believes that weather control operations caused this condition, he said, and, "We should let the rain fall as the good Lord intended it," rather than control it for the benefit of a few. James Miller.-Medford, who operates stock ranches in the Taxes Take Too Much From Grocer's Profits Raymond, Wash. (U.R) Lap inski's grocery here held a clearance sale Saturday in prep aration for the store's closing. Owner Peter Lapinski explain ed why in an advertisement in the community's weekly news paper. He blamed high taxes and said: "For every day of the year, including Sundays and holidays, my income tax for 1951 averaged $52." "With such a tax load I am not able to accumulate any re serve for unforeseen emereen- cies and there is no incentive to be in business any longer." Livestock Embargo Set By Quebec Government . Quebec City (U.R) The Que bec government Saturday clamp ed an embargo on livestock from all other provinces to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease. The restriction was announced by Premier Maurice Duplessis Friday night. He said he had ordered the agriculture depart ment to ban importation, sale or possession of livestock from out side Quebec by anyone without a special clearance from the de partment. Court Records POLICE COCKT Doris E Hussong. failure to itop at red light $3. Ethel E. Coffees, expired vehicle license, $5. Carl J. Plank, failure to yield right of way, $5. George J Ketchum, violation of basic rule, $10. DISTRICT COURT Marlene A. Rosenbalm, no opera tor's license. $10. Clifford N. Fuchs. defective tail lights, costs only. Delbert R. Jennings. Tiller, drunk on public highway, $30. Ernest B. Burg, no operator's li cense, costs only. -? J. MS In pioneer America it took cash to close a business deal. So the. money was counted out on the nearest barrel head. Today business deals are closed with a check but cash is still important in the little daily business deals of individuals, and they get CASH QUICK when they apply for a loan at Oregon Finance! Stan Stark Says "YES" to 4 out of 5. Oregon Finance Go. Craterian Bldg. 45 S. Central Phono 2-4433 Lie. S-211 M-217 Stop Work Meeting Planned March 10 By Longshoremen Seattle (U.R) Two-thousand Seattle longshoremen will join in a 24-hour coastwide stop-work meeting March 10 to protest government delays in approving a union pension plan. Art Olson, secretary cf Seattle Local 19, International Long shoremen and Warehousemen's union (Ind.), said the stop-work meeting would begin at mid night March 9 and continue until midnight March 10. , "There will be no work done during that time," Olson said. Washingon ports to be affected besides Seattle are Bellingham, Everett, Port Gamble, Port Townsend, Olympia, Aberdeen, Raymond, Longview and Van couver. . The pension plan was negotia ted last June by the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime association, It provides $100 monthly pen sions for men more than 65 years of age who have worked 25 years as longshoremen. The- Wage Stabilization board has approved the plan, subject to certain specifications, but ILWU officials say it would involve too much paper work to comply with the plan. Ashland and Applegate districts, said he feels weather control could only lead to feuding by those with varied interests. "We need rain in September for our stock," he said, but our neigh bors who raise seed don't want it then because it would damage their harvests. Weather Control Blamed "I blame weather control for the lack of precipitation in the past three years," he said, "In the past I've taken my chances on rain, and I'm willing to do so again." H. L. Claycomb said "I don't think it's right" for others to control the weather. He pointed out that others including lum bermen have a vital interest in rainfall, and suggested that acreage, income and other fac tors be considered. Mrs. Earl Scheble, of the Grif fin Creek-Dark Hollow area, said that hail falls in relatively small areas, but rain falls gen erally. To the fliers claim that they affect hail only, she said it "just isn't true." She said she has watched cluods being bro ken up, and cited declining crop yields in the past three years to support her contention that all weather control should be banned. Ranchers Henry Owens, Ash land district, William Duggan, of Sams Valley, Dean Owens, Hugh and Ed Barron and S. S. Bounds spoke along similar lines. Resolution Passed Manley said the rain or snow making installations, of which he had pictures, have been in opera tion probably about two years, but that his group only learned of their existence last week. He said he thinks they throw chemi cal smoke into the air when conditions are favorable. David S. Blair, speaking for the Evans Valley Grange, said that organization had passed a resolution opposing the weather experiments. He said that if the fliers can knock the top off clouds, as they claim, he doesn't see why that wouldn't also af fect the rainmaking ability of a cloud. In concluding, Hanley said his group has no objection to prayer as a method of controling preci pitation, but does object to the unregulated use of physical agents. Craw Saved as Storm Sinks Small Trawler Norfolk, Va. . (U.R) The Coast Guard reported Saturday that the trawler "Halfmoon" has been sunk in a storm off the North Carolina coast near Cape Hatteras. There were no casu alties. - -The Coast Guard said all members of the crew of the 65 foot vessel were taken aboard another trawler, the "Oriental." The "Oriental" was reported headed for port at Ocracoke, N. C, with the survivors. Trainees Will Seek Lost Plane Hear KF McChord Air Force Base (U.R) A search for an air force C-47 missing with eight persons aboard since Dec. 26, was re sumed Saturday as a training project. Maj. Leonard H. Burgess, com manding officer of Flight C, Fourth Air Rescue squadron here, said he was utilizing train ing flights in the search. Plane crews in training will fly from here to Klamath Falls, ore., where the C-47 was last heard, and will then flv patterns for the dual purpose. Sunday. March JL 1932 MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE FIVE Lower Temperatures Seen for West Coast Washington (U.R) T h e wea ther bureau's long-range forecast calls for lower than average March normals over most of the western half of the nation. Along the California coast near-normal temperatures - are forecast. In most eastern- portions of the nation, temperatures aver aging around normal are anti cipated, except the coastal rer gions of the Gulf of Mexico and in the Great Lakes region, where they will be somewhat warmer than normal. The weather bureau said pre cipitation is expected to exceed normal over most of the coun try, except for subnormal amounts in the Pacific North west and near normal amounts in the Great Lakes, Middle At lantic states and far Southwest areas. - ' Psychologists do not agree as to the cause of dreams, though probably the most general ex planation is that the dream it the disguised fulfillment of repressed wish. Washington U.R) The Navy Saturday announced wage increases effective next Satur day, for nearly 6,000 ungraded, unclassified so-called "blue col lar" workers at naval installa tions in four areas. The areas, hourly wage increases and num ber of workers affected: Spo kane, seven cents. 430; Corpus Christi, Tex. six cents, 3700; Hawthorne, Nev., 11 cents, 1700, and Monterey Bay, Calif., seven cents, 150. OMAR'S RESTAURANT IS NOW OPEN TO SERVE YOU! For Your Pleasure ... Mahogany Broiled Steaks from Eastern Beef Omar's Pan Fried Chicken Many Other Delicacies You Have Enjoyed at Omar's Week Days: 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sundays - 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. CLOSED TUESDAYS On 99 at 66 ASHLAND, OREGON PARK VIEW NURSING NOME -906 West Main Street Medford, Oregon Phone 2-6938 Completely equipped sNursing Home for chronic .nd convalescents. Hot water heat throughout building. Licensed by the State of Oregon. 24-HOUR NURSING CARE Registered Nurse in Charge ZINNIA SEEDS INTERESTING SPECIALS! 1 Console 3-Speed RADIO and PHONOGRAPH Reg. $144.95 $fl5)3) SPECIAL. ...VlLL 80 CAR UTILITY MAT Reg. 69c, NOW...... 3e STANDARD GARDEN HOSE 50 ft Reg. $7.55, Now $4.55 ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER $ Priced to Sell... SEAT COVER SPECIAL $2.49 per Piece V 5 lbs.. .50 I 10 lbs.. .90 G25 lbs.. $1.75 050 lbs.. $3.00 R 100 lbs. $5.00 OWI FURNISH SPREADER See and Try the Johnson Power Motor 18 in. $130.50 21 in. $146.50 O Complete Line of Garden Tools We Still Have a Few Sets of Those Beautiful Libby SAFEDGE GLASSES IS for OT Reg. $3.60 PAK STOKE Main at Holly Phone 2-3530 o o o SUGGEST FOR THIS WEEK SEE TTMIE . . . . At The Senior High School Auditorium WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY FRIDAY - SATURDAY MARCH 5-6-7-8 COME TO MEDFORD FOR ADIPffiMnKKG Thursday - Friday and Saturday and see colorful Spring displays by Medford merchants and... Make These Occasions More Festive By Enjoying- ''" ' st,i&, y am. m iii ocrumm 10 US IIceo (Direst: one What a GRAND treat for your after-show party . . . your refresher during your Spring Opening visit to Medford's gay stores and shops! Be SURE to stock-up with FIESTA . . . the colorful cartons fit nicely into your refrig erator for every occasion . . .every emergency! . . at Your Favorite Fountain and Grocer!.
