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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1955)
TWELVE MEDFORD (OREGON) MAJL TRIBUNE Sunday, January 2, 1951 ... .-. . . " ... 3. ' ' sfOJP'tJCAL SWISS SIW BaURDER-GASE falemt Project -'Most Sigraifficai-t' Dm 'HemiheiTs View The brutal murder of Mrs. Tern Hile last April 24, the cap ture of her slayers, and their ubsequent trial and sentencing, was the top "spot news" story i 1854, m the judgment of Mail Tribune newsroom staff mem bers. , The "most significant", story of the year was the progress of the Talent division irrigation and reclamation project from a plan to a project authorized by .Congress, with preliminary . work already started. Choice Unanimous . The eight members of the news staff were unanimous in their selections of the Hile case as the top spot story. They were less so in their choice for sec ond place. Four of them chose the ef forts to obtain the release of .Newsman Dick Applegate and his subsequeht return home as the second ranking spot story of the year. Two others chose the political activity of 1954 the as the second story; one chose the Talent story, and one chose - me series oi spectacular iires, the Edmonds mill, the Pinnacle packing plant, and an Ashland mill fire. . . Other Chosen ' two start members did not choose the Talent story as the most significant. One chose the May 1 freeze which damaged or ui . the valley, ' and the other thought that construction in and round Medford, under way and proposed,' was most significant. Such construction includes two new schools in Medford and a number elsewhere throughout the county, two new bank build ings, sanitary and water district development, lumber mill ex pansion, the courthouse annex, and announced plans for a new shopping, district, two anew ply wood mills, a new armory and ca new hospital. Choices varied widely in vot ing for second-ranking "most significant" story. Three chose the construction activity; two the general election; two the Talent project, and one the -n cctc ui ujc xiuil crop. Only Ones Picked - j The seven stories mentioned were the only ones nominated for c top Tank in either category a smaller number than is us ually suggested during a year nd roundup of the news. Here is a mdnth-by-month fummary. of Jackson county JACTYB, ll.ACU UVUl UlUb J1C; itories appearing in The Mail Tribune. JANUARY Mayor D. L. Flynn urges strict er traffic fine system for city ... Five-year-old Patricia Ann Shilts Talent, dies of incurable illness; friends and neighbors provided "one last Christmas" for child in 1953 . . . Voters approve addition of 800,000 acres to Sams Valley Beagle Soil Conservation district .. . . Official of Oregon State Em ployment service forecasts "no record level of unemployment" in 'Rogue valley in near future . . . Officials of Dewey school district announce plans for legal test of state law involving con solidation of school districts . . . Board of health estimates Jack son county population at 63,000 . . . Eight Jackson county offi cials, including Circuit Judge H. K. Hanna and Sheriff Howard Gault, subpoenaed in hearing for Convict Gerald T. Macomber . . . j Medford Police Chief Charles Champlin calls for crackdown on bad driving . . . John Dellenback named to receive 1954 Junior Citizen award . . . Judge David vanaenDurg aemes ueraia i. Macomber's petition for writ of habeas corpus . . . Ben Hur i g B PCs. c . Lampman, poet laureate of Ore gon and onetime Jackson coun ty newspaperman, dies after lengthy illness . . . George R. Carter, Jackson county clerk for many years, dies here . Jackson county stockmen sup port plan to use surplus seed for range improvement . . . Medford and Jackson county officials meet with National Guard of ficers to discuss plans for new Medford armory ... Lewis Bright, Medford High school student, named outstanding boy in Northwest Forensic tourna ment at Spokane. FEBRUARY Hooded gunman gets $2,100 in robbery at Medford Piggly Wiggly market . . . Earl Miller named chairman of Medford city council for 1954 ... New Med ford Ground Observers Corps post dedicated . . . Department of Interior grants patents on 23 mining claims in Union Creek district ... Harry Skerry Jr., Ashland, elected president of Jackson county Lincoln club Medford scheduled to get "re covery base" at municipal air port as a part of jet base sche- uled for construction at Klam ath Falls ... Mrs. Christine Godberson, 101, Medford, old est resident of Jackson county, dies . . . Donald . Forbes and Arlene Forbes, both of Medford, killed in four-car crash on High way 99 near Gold Hill L . . State Sen. Richard Neuberger charges Interior Secretary Douglas Mc Kay with "giveaway" on patent ing of Al Serena mining claims near Union Creek Dennis D. (Denny) Edge, well known Medford businessman and sports figure, dies unexpectedly Rogue River Valley Traffic as sociation, announces plans for new type' of hail . suppression program. MARCH County clerk reports there are only 84 candidates for 380 Jackson ' county precinct jobs . State water resources com mittee holds hearings in Med ford . . . Medford city council orders temporary .fire hall for east side . . . Rep. Harris Ells worth calls for expanded medi cal facilities at Camp White . . . Ernest- R. Gilstrap,; longtime west c coast newspaperman and business manager of The Mail Tribune for 21 years, dies . . .. Mrs. Sarah Blevins Wing, Ash land, . celebrates 101st birthday Sen. Guy Cordon and Rep. Harris Ellsworth announce they will submit multipurpose recla mation and power project for Rogue valley to congress . .,. Suits seeking restraining order to prevent construction of pro posed east Medford fire hall at Valley View and Ruhl Way started in circuit court . . . May or D. L. Flynn asks officials of 10 southern Oregon cities to aid in campaign to secure re lease of Dick .Applegate,. Med ford newsman imprisoned by Chinese Communists ... Resi dents of Brownsboro area fail in efforts to keep post office there in operation; petitions signed by 128 . . . R. W. Price, Portland, sells lodge at Crater Lake National park to Harry C. Smith and Harry W. Smith, Spokane ... Richard Johnson, 17-year-old Medford High school student, wins $600 scholarship in Elks lodge state "most val uable student" contest - . . . Brownsboro post office goes out of operation, after 70 years of service. ' j APRIL ' Jacksonville voters approve $150,000 bond issue for con struction of new primary school EDMONDS MILL MAKES SPECTACULAR BLAZE SOUTH OF Thousands of Spectators Saw Early-Evening Fire OK mam ' BBS IIPT fip i ' MRS. FERN HILE Her Brutal Murder 'Top Spot News Story building . . . National Guard of ficials announce that funds' have been earmarked for construc tion of new Medford armory building . . More than 1,400 persons attend closing session of Jehovah's Witnesses circuit as sembly in Medford . . . Bureau of Reclamation, report on the $19,984,000 Talent division Rogue River basin project sub mitted to state and federal ag encies . . . Talent voters approve $150,000 bond issue for construe-. tion of new high school and athletic ground . . . Anonymous donation allows United Medford Crusade to top $101,000 goal in first year of operation . . . Gov. Paul Patterson expresses , con fidence that Talent project will receive approval ... Dick Neu berger opens his campoign for the United States senate in Med ford . . . Voters approve incor poration of Kings Highway water district by -margin of 133 to 72 . . . Linda May Van Vol kenburgh, 13, Medford, dies of accidental gunshot wound suf fered during picnic at TouVelle park . . . Communist source discloses that Medford newsman Dick Applegate is held in Red prison at ' Peiping . . . County budget committee pledges $60,- 000 in county funds for use iri new Medford armory building . James Norman Jensen and Donald Chesley- arrested and charged with brutal murder of Mrs. Fern Hile in her west Medford home . .'. Total of 30, 098 .registered to vote in May primary election . . . District Attorney Walter Nunley de clares he will ask death penalty for suspects- in Hile murder case . . . tjmnese communists sentence Medford newsman Dick Applegate to five years in prison for "espionage." . . . Jackson county grand jury returns first degree murder indictments against James Norman Jensen and Donald .Chesley, suspects in Hile murder case. MAY Voters approve addition of more than auu.uou acres to Rogue ' Soil Conservation dis trict . . Orchard surveys indi cate that damage to fruit from freezing temperatures was the most severe in more than 30 years; loss may reach 100 per cent in some orchards . . . Rob ert Davis, Roseburg, named to serve as special prosecutor for Hile murder trial . . . Mr. and Mrs. Frank Applegate appeal to Communist representative at Geneva, Switzerland, in attempt tc gain freedom c for their son, newsman Dick Applegate, held in Communist China prison . . . Jackson county orchardists ask emergency loans from govern ment because of freeze damage to fruit crops . . . Frank J. Van Dyke, Medford, named "to west ern interstate commission for higher education ... Depart ment of Interior completes re port favoring Talent irrigation project . . . Organization of Med ford Police Athletic league com nleted . . . Richard A. Bates. Medford, one of six persons to receive national award for pub lic service . . . Total of 11,943, or 39.7 per jent of registered voters, cast ballots in primary election in Jackson county . Spectacular fire damages por tion of Medford hotel . . . New Medford Civil Air Patrol build ing dedicated . . . Jackson coun ty completes 100 days without fatal automobile accident . . Medford city council orders elec tion on use of $40,000 for new Jackson County Memorial arm ory . !. . Campaign starts to raise funds for restoration of historic U.S. hotel in Jacksonville. JUNE Low bids totalling $318,061 accepted by county court on construction of annex to county courthouse ... Petitions seek ing to have issue favoring day light saving time placed on Ore gon ballot are circulated in Med ford area . . . New Jackson coun tv budaet totals $2,845,843 James Blin Coleman, Jackson county judge for 13 years and county assessor for many years, dies at age of 77 . . . Medford city budget for 1954-1955 totals $1,018,783. . . 256 Medford high school seniors receive diplomas at school's 61st annual gradua tion ceremony . . . Oregon Game Commission receives title to 1.800 acres of land in Camp White area for hunting, fishing and other recreation ; . .-Rodney Keating, Ashland, receives recommendation of county Re Dublican Central committee for appointment as county judge . .; . Fred DeVos, Medford, selected as Bovs State Citizen -of 1954 . . . 150,000th visitor registers at Jacksonville museum . . . Med ford residents vote by . 10 to 1 margin in favor of $40,000 bond issue, for construction of new armory building . . . U.S. House of. Representatives, subcommit tee approves Talent project Widespread northwest; lumber strike involves . Jackson county firms . . Frank C. Bash re elected to Medford district school board . . . Leonard May- field named assistant superin tendent . of. Medford public schools . , .' Elk Lumber com pany reveals plans for $2,000,- 000 expansion program. . . ' CITY JULY , Eugene Thomdike, Medford banker for 30 years, retires as vice-president of First National Bank of Portland . . . Red Blanket Lwriber company mills at Eagle Point, closed since June 21 by strike, resumes operations . . . County budget committee approves use of county funds to hire second deputy district at torney . . . Medford school board award contracts totalling $315, 790 for construction of new grade school on Garfield st. loca tion . . . Medford city council adopts comprehensive new plan for classification of city em ployees . . . Three small children die in series of home accidents in Medford area . . ..Talent divi sion irrigation project bill ap proved by senate committee Conditions under which new Medford armory building will be constructed receive approval ... Fire destroys main, sawmill of Lithia Lumber company at Ashland . . . House of represen tatives interior committee rec ommends passage of Talent divi sion irrigation project bill . . . Circuit judge rules that city of Medford must condemn property rights in order to construct pro posed, east side fire station at Valley View and Ruhl Way ... F. Corning Kenly, 81, longtime resident of Medford, dies . . . County mosquito control ; pro gram gets under way . . . House of representatives aproves Jackson county, sponsored meas ure calling for use of surplus seeds to improve range lands . ' . National Guard officials say Medford armory should be ready for occupancy by August 1955 . . . Lumber strike ends at two local mills . . . Governors of 30 states assure Mr. and Mrs. Frank Applegate they will work to secure release of Applegates' son, Dick Applegate, Medford DICK APPLEGATE Noted Newsman Returns, Home newsman held prisoner by Chi nese Communists . , . First State Bank of Eagle Point announces plans to move to Medford . . 17-year-old Dale Balderstoh ad mits setting fire m which his mother was critically burned . . Sheriff Howard Gault says Don ald .Chesley. suspect in Hile murder case, will be charged with arson as result of fire in jail. . ' " AUGUST - - Largest crowd In history sees opening : performances of 12th annual Rogue River Roundup .-. .-18-young people arrested in liouor violation raid at local dance hall . . . Opening cere monies held for 1954 season of Oregon Shakespearean festival in : Ashland . . James V. Mc- Goodwin elected , chairman of executive -- board ( of : Jackson county " juvenile advisory com mittee . . . ' County's assessed valuation listed at $61,751,085 . . ' James Main appointed to serve as city judge v. . City of Medford abandons proposed site for east side fire station at Val ley View dr. and Ruhl Way . . Pat Rector elected queen of an nual Jacksonville Gold Rush jubilee . : . Goal of $102,000 set for 1954 United Medford Crus ade . . .' Medford's Mayor 'D. L. Flvnn announces ' he . will not seek " reelection - '. . . Ground broken for hew Medford grade school on .Garfield, st. site . . . Oregon Shakespearean festival in Ashland has largest opening week attendance in .its history . . ; . United States Senate gives approval "-to : bill - authorizing construction of Talent division irrigation and reclamation ' proj ect .. . Fred T. Johnston, sup erintendent of . Crater Lake Na tional park,1, transferred; to be succeeded by Tom Williams, as sistant superintendent of Olym pic National park . - August Zattlin sells Grand hotel to Mr. and Mrs. ,E. ,B. Serruys . Emergency March of ; Dunes drive conducted in Jackson county . . . Frank J. Van Dyke, Medford, named to board of gov ernors of Oregon State Bar as S:-:;?.o::.L::::-:??::fAi:. d IP' . 1 Major sociation ..City council auth- orizes sewer connections for South Bear Creek, Table Rock, and Berrydale sanitary districts . . . President Eisenhower signs Talent project into law . . , Con tract awarded for construction of hew Medford junior high school on east side .: . . City council votes to put city man ager plan on ballot in fall elec tion . . . Victory celebration held in Ashand for approval of Tal ent project . . . $84,500 allocated for Talent project surveys and planning. SEPTEMBER v - State - Highway commission outlined comprehensive plan for Medford street planning and development, including freeway through city . . . Plans an nounced for starting new inter denominational school, known as Southern Oregon Christian school, in Medford .' . . Medford city council approves ordinance for privately-financed meat in spection . . . County tax levy for , 1954-1955 - fiscal - year an nounced as 5.9' mills, a .2 in crease from 1953-1954 Chinese Communists announce release of Dick Applegate, Med ford newsman held prisoner or 18 months . . -. Enrollment at Medford city, schools up 3.1 per cent from opening day in 1953 . . State forestry officials in vestigate series of 20 forest fires set in Applegate region . . . Jackson county share of federal O&C money scheduled to be $1,220,000 . . . Field office to facilitate advance planning for Talent division irrigation proj ect opens in Medford . . . Special census shows Medford popula tion to be 19,044 . . . U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver. of Tennessee speaks in Medford in behalf of Democratic candidates . . . Old Medford armory property and building sold to Otto J. Frohn mayer for $27,500, clearing way for construction of new armory building ... Sale of Central Point Mutual Telephone com pany to Pacific Telephone and Telegraph ; company approved by Federal Communications commission . . . Dick Applegate, prisoner- of Chinese Commun ists for 18 months, arrives home in Medford. OCTOBER More than 1,000 members of Seventh Day Adventist church attend - regional service in Med ford ... Top political figures including Secretary of Interior Douglas McKay, Senator Guy Cordon, and Congressional Can didate Charles Porter,-speak in Medford ." . Democratic candi dates attack patenting of Al Serena Mining company claims in northeastern Jackson coun ty... Richard Neuberger, Dem ocratic candidate for .U.S. sen ator, and his wife, campaign in Jackson county . . . School board decides new Medford elemen tary school will be named Jef ferson school , . . Miss ; Mollie Britt, 89, daughter of Jackson county nioneer, dies . . . James Norman Jensen found guilty of murdering Mrs. Fern Hile; sen- fenced to die in state gas cham ber'. . . Gov. Paul Patterson speaks in Jackson county m campaign for reelection ... A. A. Lausmann, Medford, elected president of Oregon Republican clubs . . . Two men killed, wom an injured, when log load, falls on passenger car on Crater Lake highway at cascade uorge . . . 100 delegates attend .sixth an nual convention 'of Oregon As sociation of Soil Conservation Districts, held in Medford . . . Sentor Wayne Morse, and Repre sentative Harris Ellsworth speak in Medford . . Defense At torney Edward Kelly file motion seeking new trial for James Nor man Jensen, convicted of April 24 murder of Mrs. Fern Hile . - Republican Senator Edward .irw :' mm v nit I !'""- PINNACLE PACKING PLANT FIRE Blaze Makes News During Year in County NEW COURTHOUSE ANNEX Construction Started, Progressing Thye of Minnesota arrives in Medford to speak in behalf of Senator Guy Cordon . . . Joseph Carson, Democratic candidate for governor, campaigns in Medford..- - ; - NOVEMBER Total of 21,433 persons cast ballots in Jackson county in general election; Earl . Miller elected mayor of Medford; coun ty voters back . all . Republican candidates . . . Errors found in millage rates for. nine . Jackson county school districts ." .. . Dam ages estimated at between $250,- 000 and $300,000 as spectacular fire - destroys L. E. Edmonds sawmill south of Medford ... ... Two persons killed in automo bile crash south of Ashland . . . Otto Shulz, Portland apartment house owner, purchases Grand hotel from" E.,B. and Hazel D. Serruys . . . Oregon Farm Bu reau federation holds 23rd an nual meeting in Medford . Members of Jackson County Milk Producers league decide to continue selling Grade A Milk to distributors at unchanged prices ... Medford's Mayor D. L. Flynn elected president of League of Oregon; Cities . . . Mercy Flights, Inc., local non profit air ambulance service, carries 300th patient . . . "Air lifting" of three cent mail starts from Medford . . . Plans for construction of new $60,000 building for Girls Community club discussed . . . California Oregon Power company an nounces $10,000,000 construc tion program for 1955 . . . Rus sell DeForest appointed to serve as deputy . district attorney for Jackson county : . . First of two permanent chest . x-ray centers in Medford goes into operation at Community' hospital . Highway Lifesavers Committee of Jackson County Citizens,,' Inc.,: organized. ., ' V , DECEMBER Arrest of .'Marion , Franklin Piening first development in more than 5V& years in Margaret Ann Cornell murder case ; Parrot type birds quarantined in county, as health department warns of psittacosis danger . . . School census shows Medford school-age population up three per cent from 1953 . . . Fire de stroys Pinnacle Packing i plant in Medford .. . V Preliminary work started on new shopping district south of Medford . . . Renovation of Savage Rapids dam on Rogue river completed , . Prehminary plans for new hospital, to serve southern Ore gon revealed . . . New company tells plans for half-million dollar 0 JUDGES H. K. HANNA, J. R. KEATING . New - County Official Swora in By Circuit Judge .: w" st?i1" ',, 1 MORE POWER Copco Project Progresses plywood mill near Medford . r . Articles of incorporation filed for Rogue Valley Physidani Service to provide local ' non profit medical insurance . . : . Special census lists population of Central Point at 1,909 . . . John H. Pletsch elected president of Jackson County Chamber of Commerce . . . Medford area xceis siignx tremor wnen snarp earthquake hits Eureka, Calif. . . . Cancellation of . letters reaches new alltime one - day high of 80,000 at Medford post office . . . Jackson county school census shows total of 18,422 school-age children in county . . . Retiring Mayor D. L. Flynn hon ored 1 by. 50 Medford city em ployees . . . Frank J. Newman, former Jackson county district attorney, dies at age of 80 . . . Triplet sons born to Mr. and Mrs. James W. Rolls of Med ford . . . Plans announced for construction of $300,000 ply wood sheathine nlant in Med ford area . . . Fred J. McPher son, Medford lumberman, killed in automobile accident. AX'S. .jrXitx.A I I
