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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 1952)
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE NINE Jodksomi CoMpiys Woreless Mne (rovidtes P y Wffikh IPrommpt AcfeirD Dim Ik mmeirgeiniv At AM IHbws Sunday July 6. 1951 bSk Simpson Family Voice of SOCTFA Roxy' Radio Net Fires, Broken Bones All in Day's Work (Editor's note: This story of Jeckson county's unique pxi-alely-owned radio network was written by Arthur W. Pri aulx, publie relations direc tor of the West Coast Lumber men's association, for The Mail Tribune and the Portland Ore gonian. It also appears today in the Sunday Oregonian Northwest Magasine. Br ARTHUR W. PRIAULX "There's hell to pay on Elk creek." The voice was urgent and vibrant. It came booming out of short wave radio receivers all over Jackson county, from the cabs of logger's pickups, from fire warden's cars, and from land stations. "Some dirty pyro has set a lot of fires. You loggers near Pros pect. Get every man and every piece of equipment on those blazes, but fast. This is Roxy, KOB-320." . "Roxy says to get going. Come on you guys." Loggers poured out of the woods near Prospect, high in the mountainous east end of the county. Pumper trucks converged on the lncen-diary-made hell hole. Trucks lumbered to the area loaded with bulldozers and fire fight ing equipment. Boxy Takes Charge From Medford, 75 miles away, Roxy took charge. For 24 tire less, hours, the powerful voice of "Doc" Simpson and the quiet but effective voice of Mrs. "Doc" Simpson never faltered. What Roxy ordered was done as a dozen mobile short wave trans mitters around the fire kept the nerve center informed. By morning the 300 loggers had the fires under control, by night they were safely trailed, with a loss of only 300 acres. It was a miracle, no less, for August 15 of last year was one of the dirtiest possible days for a fire to get underway in Jack son county, or anywhere else in Oregon, for that matter. Roxy sort of specializes in miracles, big and little. Maybe .ho riicnatrhine of loggers was a bit irregular and unorthodox, hut ahout everything Roxy does is off the beaten path,! unpre dictable, exciting and coioniu. Roxy is one of America's re marVnWp industrial short wave radio networks. Although only two years old, it has already cqvbH more lives, helped on forest fires, saved more fires from spreading by getting instant action, and done more "civic" lobs than even its most enthusiastic srjonsors ever dreamed. Wireless "Party Line" It is in truth Jackson county's wirplfss oartv line. It is owned equally by 23 Jackson county lnmher and logging companies, but the general public uses the rtir tin network almost as fr j - much as the owners. '. Like the time when Eric Al lien, Jr., Medford Mail-Tribune's ritv editor, sensed disaster as three Trailwav buses loaded with school children headed out from Medford for Prineville for a football game and dropped out of sight, lost in the snowy wil derness that is Crater Lake park in the winter months. "Doc" SimDson was called on for help Roxv went into action. Mobile " 71 at Red Blanket Lumber com pany was ordered into action. The buses were found snow bound, and mobile units oper ated bv Steve Wilson, E. E. Mc- Grew, and Elk Lumber company were ordered on the "alert," un til state snowolows finally work ed their way to fie Diamond Lake-Crater Lake highway junc tion. The students were cold, but ntherwisp suffered no ill ef fects. The times when lives have been saved by prompt action Of Roxy are numberless, tub on ney, of Kogap Lumber company, renorted one night over his Mo bile 46 that the lone occupant of a wrecked car on Dead In riian creek four miles out Of Ash land appeared to be in bad shape and asked for an ambulance. Bonney stood by giving first aid until help arrived. Finds Blood Donors Another time blood donors were needed for a seriouslv ill lumber worker's wife and Roxy made the plea with astonishing results. A man offered to sell five tires and trailer wheels to Steve Wilson, a logger, who promptly reDOrted same over his Mobile 105. "D6c" Simpson notifed grateful 'state police, and armed with license number they pick Js, t BUSY MAN Lewis L. "Doc" Simpson, sec retary manager of the Southern Oregon Conser vation and Tree Farm association, is the man behind the successful operation of "Roxy," j "RADIOINEST" FAMILY Pictured above are members of the Lewis L. Simpson family, .who are responsible for keeping Southern Ore gon Conservation and Tree Farm association's 1, 1 St'rc A i z Si 1 kiJ?r- to&:& "CALLING ROXY" Bob Reynolds, mike in hand, is shown using one of Southern Oregon Conservation and Tree Farm asso ciation's mobile units to get in touch with "Roxy" headquarters in Medford. Driver of the truck is E. R. Cox, of E. R. Cox Logging company. (Brainerd photo.) i . : . . SOCTFA's county-wide radio network. Simpson is pictured above relaying a telephone message, by way of "Roxy," to a logging operation in the field (Brainerd photo.) "Roxy" radio son, Judy, Susan, and seated in front, Ferris. (Brainerd photo) network on . the air 24 hours a day. Left to right Ihey are Mrs. Simpson, Simp er up the suspect and his com panion in less than two hours They had been trying for days to locate the men without suc cess. So dependent have the people of Jackson county become upon this astounding "public service radio network, that they use it freely and without question. Oh June . 16 Mobile 36 reported neighbor woman sent a note thai her husband was beating her, had knocked some teeth out and was offering to kill her. Roxy kindly notified the sher iff's office. Logger Bailey had just in stalled Mobile 5 in his car and his first act averted a possible tragedy. He reported a string of freight cars had run loose in the Medford yards, gone through a derail switch, and were block ing the Southern Pacific main line. "Doc" Simpson in Mobile 1, on his way home, drove to the railroad station and a switch engine promptly went into ac tion. Radio network Roxy is an out growth of the Southern Oregon Conservation and Tree Farm as sociation, of which" Lewis L. 'Doc" Simpson, long-time forest service and industry forester, is secretary-manager. While spon sored by the tree farm group, actual ownership rests in the 23 lumber and logging compa nies which own equal shares of the industrial radio system. Privately Owned Setup Roxy-KOB-320 is the main land station and the master con- trol headquarters for the $40,000 setup which is completely pri vately owned and has no federal or state funds involved. The transmitter is located atop Roxy Anne, from which the Unique network takes Its name. It was organized in 1949, and applied for a -license in 1950. The network has grown like topsy. tt includes 60 Motorola units in operation in thS field in cars, pickups and trucks, and two portable sets at logging camps and a remote control at the Simpson home. All car and truck sets are powered from bat teries installed in the equipment. While the network is licensed under its operating permit to handle 100 mobile and remote units, "Doc" Simpson believes the maximum efficiency will limit field sets to probably 75 or 80. AH mobile units can send and receive and the powerful little- Roxy reaches every iso lated corner of settled or wilder ness jacKson county ana imo Josephine county. So successful has Roxy net work been in fire prevention and in general public service work, that a number of tree farm mem ber companies in Josephine county opened up their own radio network." a facsimile of Roxv. on May 1 with between 20 and 30 mobile units. This will relieve Roxy of considerable load.. Simpson Family Slory The real story of Roxy is the story of the Simpson family, for Roxy is a 24-hour a day opera tion and is never silent, always ready for any emergency. When- Simpson leaves the Southern Oregon Conservation and Tree Farm offices in the Goldy building in downtown Medford, he switches control to remote set in his home. As soon as he gets to nis car nis own mobile No. 1 is cut in. Martha Simpson, tall blonde wife of "Doc", mother of four children, is a dominant part ot this family success story. She gives the teminine xoucn iu Roxy's amazing public service work.A licensed operator since Roxy went On. the air, she han dles di&oatching, trouble snoox- ins. service work for member firms, with all the speed ano ei- ficiencv of an airport control tower operator. If Mobile 5fl sends in a rusn order at midnight for a special truck part for a piece of equip ment immobilized by brea down. Martha Simpson knows just who to contact to get im mediate action. A finger-tip .nntrni telephone directory of day and night numbers insures results, especially when the de mand comes from Roxy. sne may even hold the mobile set on the air until she makes her tele phone contact and assures im mediate action. The magic of the Roxy name is nothing short of astounding In an automotive parts store, or a machinery supply depot, a call from Roxy gets top priority. Hai Lots of Help But. Martha Simpson has plen ty of help in her own radio minded family. Ferris, who won't be 13 until August, has heen a licensed operator, third rfass. since October, 1950. Typi cal boy. he knows the inside and outside of the business and is as efficient as dad or mom. Not to be outdone by big brother, nine-year-old Martha Ruth will get her license this summer to become one Of the youngest licensed radio opera tors in America, no secret in Jackson county, where the Simp son family is something of an institution and the pride of the logging and lumber fraternity, is the fact that Martha Ruth has been taking her turn on the radio lor many months when mom gets tied up with details of raising two other blue-eyed daughters, and when brother Ferris is getting in a few licks at baseball. Even five-year-old Susan has to be watched to keep her from trying to operate the system. When you land in the middle of the Simpson family after the master station has switched con trol to the Simpson residence re mote station at 801 King street. Medford, you live, ea.t end breathe radio. It's the "radio- inest" family you ever encount ered, part of their life, and part of the life of all Jackson county When Mobile 75 called in to say that a small child was suf f ering from . a severe append! citis attack, Martha Ruth was right at the radio to see what she could do and much relieved when Dr. Fonn at Murphy, up in Josephine county, took charge Mobile 75 followed through and rushed the little girl to the Jose phine General hospital at Grants Pass. Another example of Roxy i influence in community welfare WINDOW SHADES MADc TO ORDER BARNARD'S 1171. Mala ffiene 24487 Dry Ice Used To Halt Insects lor Pictures Ithaca, N. Y.OJ.P.) Scientists have found a new use for dry ice. " It's being Used to make insects stand still long enough to have their pictures taken. After much experimentation, the Cornell University visual aids laboratory discovered that dry ice "slowed down" an insect sufficiently for close-up pictures without killing it in the process. That's all to the good of farm ers and fruit growers troubled by Insect pests. "When they see what they are fighting they can do a better job of insect control and do it more cheaply, too," said Prof. A. A. LaPlante. TRAFFIC TOO TOUGH Naugatuck,- Conn. (U.P.) Po lice got tired of dodging traffic, For protection against careless drivers, the city installed a booth on the curb at a busy in tersection. Instead of standing in the middle of the street, the of ficer on duty stays in the booth to direct traffic. Ties Industry Together Roxy ' has tied together the prawling lumber and logging in dustry of Jackson county. Al most from the first day the co operation of companies has been outstanding. Invariably, when a fire is reported to the office, oth er Mobiles hear the ca!l and vol unteer raen and equipment with out hesitation. So rapid has been the action on firfee as the result of Roxy's fast communications contact that all fires were held to a minimum acreage even during 1951, which was the worst fire season ever experienced. ... Loggers and state and federal fire fighters are working to gether with a teamwork that is encouraging, for Roxy pitches in and helps, whether a fire breaks out on forest service, pri vate or state land, and dispatches loggers to these blazes with a speed and efficiency that makes old . timers blink their eyes in amazement. If you're in trouble in Jack son county, and you need help mighty badly, the word is "Call Doc Simpson." Whether it's a broken, leg, a bad highway acci dent, a lost child, a forest fire or mother-in-law trouble, chances are good that Roxy can help. o Current Dividend Rate PER ANNUM Investment plan for - various amounts Funds Local . - gages, .homes invested in First Mort principaliy Investments made by the 10th of the month Earn Dividends as of the first. 2 O r-4 . . Patent Sought for Atomic Energy Use in Welding Cleveland, O. (U.R) George Woodling, graduate engineer, lawyer, author and politician is seeking a patent covering a pro cess whereby atomic energy is to be used in welding. Woodling, who holds an engi neering degree from Purdue and finished law here at Western Reserve, explained that "I want to see this new form of energy used for the good of humanity, rather than for killing." Besides being a partner in a law patent office, Woodling holds 60 other patents, has writ ten a textbook on the subject for engineers and has sought politi cal office. Prefers Direct Use His latest idea, he believes, "is the first to make direct use of atomic energy. So far, scientists have talked only of using it in directly. They use the heat gen erated by nuclear reaction for instance, to generate steam and then power." Woodling believes the intense heat generated by atomic energy has been the chief obstacle to developing the new power source. The patent Woodling seeks would make use of the heat di rectly for welding and for melt ing metal into ingots or making it ready for casting. Has Many Uses Woodling has submitted draw ings of proposed application of atomic energy which generated for welding studs to heavy steel plates in shipbuilding, for ex ample. Another phase of the patent covers a cupola, or crucible, for RIGHT NOW! SEE AD ON SECOND FCRTY-NINTH SEMI - . MEDFORD, OREGON Statement ASSETS First Mortoaoe Loans Properties Sold on Contract . Investments and Securities ..... Cash on Hand and in Banks .............. Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment, Less Depreciation .. . TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES Members' Share Accounts . . Undistributed Dividends - Loans-in Process Other Liabilities Specific Reserves .. ...... General Reserves and Undivided Profits TOTAL LIABILITIES FIRST FEDERAL Wfc Savings & Loan Assn. of Medford JJ 27 North Holfy R. F. Kylt, Secretary Heart Massaging Saves Patients Chicago (U.P.) Prompt heart massage saves six of every seven patients in cases of sudden heart stoppage in the operating room, according to a specialist. Dr. Frank Cole, chief of anes thesiology at the Lincoln, Neb., Veterans hospital, outlined the technique in an article in the journal of the American Medical Association. "Cardiac massage is a life-sav ing maneuver, he said, it can be performed by any surgeon; it can be started in one minute and it requires no apparatus foreign to the operating room." He said sudden heart stoppage occurs most commonly during anesthesia and surgery and can happen to anyone. Cole reported on 322 cases of cardiac arrest, in all of which artificial circula tion was instituted by massaging the heart. In the most recent cases re ported, in which massage was begun within five minutes after the heart stopped heating, 40, of 47 patients survived. "It may be said." Cole re marked, "that almost invariably a patient who survives cardiac arrest recovers completely.'' To massage the heart the sur geon must open the chest cavity and manipulate it with his hand. After laundering, pull vertical tucks taut and iron them, length wise. For horizontal tucks, start with the top one and work down towards the bottom. melting iron or steel to make castings or ingots. . Admitting the whole business is complicated, Woodling insists that "it's use as a new source of power is coming in our life time . . . we'd better begin to learn everything we can about atomic energy." BACK PAGE SECTION ANNUAL STATEMENT JUNE 30, 1952 of Condition ..$1,709,171.60 416.05 . 166,548.01 . 187,274.96 3.255.26 ..$2,066,665.88 .$1,850.437.32 24,401.49 ' 91,523.75 669.45 5,654.50 93,979.46 ...$2,066,665.88
