TWELVE MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNF
Sunday, February 13, 1955
oddy'
Si. N. Poirier Built
Model of Proposal
For President FDR
Many Other Jobs Done
By White City Man
With the recent announce
ment that President Eisenhower
has asked $1,000,000 for a new
studv of the practicality of the
Quoddy tidal hydroelectric pro-
. ject on the American-Canadian
border at least one Rogue valley
resident was stirred by close
memories.
He is H. Noel Poirier of White
. City. Poirier constructed a min-
, lature-scale working model of
the proposed project under com
mission oi tne late resident
Franklin Roosevelt. The model
was used for explanation pur
poses to millions of viewers at
various displays.
The project is of interest, both
from the standpoint of engineer
ing and because of its tie with
reclamation work of imrortance
to southern Oregon residents
Iht Talent' nrniort. " '
. To Use Tides
The idea of the Quoddy pro
: ject was to utilize the work of
: ocean tides, by converting two
bays into tidal pools. Incoming
tides would be trapped behind
i locked gates, earth-fill dams,
connecting islands and head-
dy bay and adjacent waters. The
. area. lies both in Maine and New
Brunswick, Canada.
Because of the high range of
tides into the bays, with a maxi
mum of 26 feet and a minimum
; of 13 feet, a head of water of
about 11 feet is available, "more
than sufficient to operate gener
ating equipment continuously,"
' Poirier said. . :
High Power Output
Engineers say ' the project
theoretically could produce 20,
000,000,000 kilowatts annually,
he continued. However, under
. the most practical conditions, the
plan would produce 4,000,000,000
KW a year, or 500,000 horse
power, he added. . i
President Roosevelt was able
to have the project started. Some
"$6,000,000 was spent up to 1936,
jt.it 4-l An nnn nnn
total cost. However, opposition
forced the project to be dropped.
The President then turned to a
program of public education to
explain the project, and in 1939
called upon Poirier to make a
miniature working model to
scale. Poirier, a free-lance model
builder at the time, set up shop
at Eastport, Me., on the Quoddy
site. With a crew of seven he
completed the model in 10
months.
In Six Sections
It was constructed in six basic
sections for portability, so it
could, be moved readily to dif
ferent display points. The model
was 14 by 28. feet, and stood
three feet high. A pictorial story
of points of interest around the
area was on the, sides. A. tank
and rjumnine svstem. for Homnn.
astrating the effect of the tides,
' was installed, as was other com
plex' mechanisms for an accurate
represented 286 square miles of
land' and water. ;
The model was .first shown
publicly in the border area. In
1940 it was given, a place at the
New York World's fair and
shown again in 1941, and more
than 4,000,000 . persons were
checked viewing the model, the
manufacturer said,
elt took a person 12 minutes to
view the complete cycle of tides,
with one minute representing
each six hours. .
To Washington
Following the fair, the model
was taken to Washington, D. C,
for display on the Washington
c monument grounds, under a can
" opy. About 500.000 persons were
checked visitine the model
The history of the project goes
back to 1928. The-, proposal as
e adopted by the Army engineers,
was based on the plan of Dexter
P. Cooper, famous hydroelectric
engineer, who devoted his own
ra money and time to development
of the Quoddy, Poirier report
ed. Some of Cooper's projects
, included the Keokuk dam on the
Mississippi river, Muscle Shoals
and others.
Roosevelt's interest was per
sonal, also. He spent many sum
mers on Campobello Island at
the mouth of Passamaqr ".dy
bay. As a result of his frequent
dips into the cold water of Her
ring cove on the island, he de
veloped poliomyelitis, the model
specialist continued.
Other Models
Beside the Quoddy scale mod
el, Poirier has also executed
others for the. government.
Among them are Hoover (Bould-
er) dam, Bonneville and Ten
nessee Valley authority pro-
jv-i-wj. iut xjuiiiie vine model was
constructed: to explain the oper
ation of fish ladders over the
structure" to allow fish to use
natural . spawning grounds cut
off by high dams.
Poirier began his. government
joos in jyaa when called as" a
consultant in the administra
tion's program for slum clear
ance. He began .with architec
tural model-making and con
Hydro Project Revival Brings raemories fo
structed over 56 models of hous
ing projects. He also did models
and exhibits for the U. S. De
partment of Labor, Public
Health service and Army Medi
cal corps.
After government work, he
free-lanced, doing various . pro
duction studies with models for
private industry.
Wasn't Easy
Achieving a national reputa
tion in such a specialized field
wasn't easy for Poirier. His
training started in the -famed
Child City at Mooseheart, 111..
where he learned cabinet mak
ing, electrical work, printing
and numerous trades, which
must be mastered to handle com
plex work.
Winning third place in a na
tional model airplane contest
caused him to enter the field of
model airplane kit building as
an early pioneer.
His big break came on a lucky
hunch, he says. In 1927, while
Charles Lindbergh was getting
ready for a trans-Atlantic flight
at the same time as several oth
ers, Poirier wrote to the Ryan
aircraft company at San Diego
for a three-view design of the
"Spirit of St. Louis," and manu
factured 100 models of the plane.
He even rushed down to Roose
velt field for comparison with
the real thing, before the flight.
Gamble Pays Off
The gamble paid off. When
Poirier heard of Lindbergh's suc
cess, he headed for New York
Hospital Plan Given
Commendation; Board
Of Chamber OKs Site
The board of directors of the
Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce Thursday went on
record as commending the ef
forts of the Medford Hospital as
sociation toward ' the construc
tion of a new .hospital in' Med
ford. .
In the same motion, the cham
ber put itself on record as hav
ing no objections to the sale of
city property, located on ' High
land drive, to the association ,as
a site for a new hospital.
The motion passed unani
mously.
Discuss Problem
In discussion preceding the
action, the board discussed the
hospital problem in Medford,
and were informed of the diffi
culties involved in selecting an
adequate and appropriate site
for such a structure. The pro
posed location is in the general
area recommended in a. recent
survey conducted for the cham
ber by Stanford Research Insti
tute. " -" '
The city council has been re
quested to make the site avail
able to the Hospital association,
which,, it was pointed . out, is
willing to pay a fair price for.
the land. It was reported that up
to now the council has received
little information on public sen
timent 'on the matter, and would
appreciate the chamber's views.
Approve Budget
The board also inspected the
proposed operating budget, for
the chamber for 1955, totaling
$40,000. It was unanimously ac
cepted .and approved. Chamber
members wishing to obtain a
copy of the budget may get it
at the chamber office.
The board also approved the
purchase of a folding machine
for the office; reviewed the
monthly financial " report, and
went on record as opposing so
cial hours preceding chamber
events which are not open to all
members of the chamber.
. Change in ownership status of
two businesses conducted at the
Medford s airport was revealed
last week. The firms involved
are the Smith Aircraft company
and the Medford Air Service.
Purchase of the Smith com
pany from Paul R. Smith by
three brothers from Ashland
was announced by one of the
brothers, Don George. The oth
ers are Elmont and Ralph
George. . ; .
The company, previously an
aircraft maintenance firm, now
is being enlarged both in serv
ice and in structure, George
said. Nearly completed are wait
ing rooms and offices that have
been added to the original build
ing, which was a large airplane
hangar. '
All In Aviation
All three of the brothers have
been associated with aviation
Logger Notification
Requirement Lifted
Salem U.R) Oregon loggers
will no longer be required to
notify adjacent timber owners
of their intentions to log as a
requirement for obtaining a for
est operation permit, according
to the State Forestry Depart
ment. '
The regulation, placed in ef
fect by the State Board of For
estry was rescinded last week,
officials said.. The cancellation is
effective at once and will re
lease an. estimated 12,000 log
ging operations from obtaining
the , names . and addresses of
adjacent landowners. The regu
lation was,, originally passed as
a forest fire hazard and timber
trespass deterrent.
with 100 models and parked the
models and himself into a hotel
room. He figured he could make
$25 apiece for the planes. A res
ident of the same hotel changed
his mind when he offered him
$100 for one. This became the
price and he made his first
$10,000.
Airplane model making was
to make Poirier well-known in
the aviation field. Pioneers and
leaders of the aircraft, industry
purchased Poirier models of
their favorite- planes. Among
them were Mr. and Mrs. Lind
bergh, Jimmy Doolittle, Glenn
L. Martin, Amelia Earhart Put
nam, Frank M. Hawks, and ships
of early Byrd Antarctic expe
ditions. Favorite Project .
One of Poirier's favorite pro
jects was construction of a
traveling exhibit for the Moose
heart school where he was
trained. This truck and trailer
unit has covered the United
States several times to explain
the Loyal Order of. the Moose's
project for orphan children.
In 1947, Poirier ffirst visited
the Rogue valley to see his uncle,
John Renault, who died the
same year. He liked the locale,
so when his heaun demanded a
rest, he returned here two years
ago. ,
. At the present, Poirier is do
ing research on design for a line
of items which he feels will ulti
mately develop into an industry
for the Rogue valley.
for about 15 years and Don
George, who received his dis
charge from the Air Force about
IV2 years ago, was an instructor
in flying during the Korean con
flict. In addition to the maintenance
shop which they will continue,
the men "have added flight in
struction, aircraft sales, special
izing in Cessna; sightseeing
flights for tourists and residents,
charter work to any part of the
United States, fishing trips to
the coast, and hunting trips to
Canada.
Future plans of Smith have
not been announced.
Buys Half Interest ' '
Half interest in the Medford
Air Service has been purchased
by Kenneth Owens, 936 Grant
st. Harold Conner, 203 Stark St.,
is the other partner in the busi
ness, which is a crop dusting
service, with student flying in
struction. Owens, who has worked for
the firm as a crop duster for
the past several years, purchased
the interest in the business from
Tom Culbertson, who originated
student flying instruction about
20 years ago. In 1945 Conner
and Culbertson merged the bus
iness into the" dusting-student
business.
Owens ' served during World
War II in the Air Force as a
navigator, and Conner during
the war years was a civilian fly
ing school instructor. He has
been here about 10 years, and
Owens came here in 1945 when
he was dismissed from the serv
ice. Culbertson, an Air Force re
serve officer, has been inactive
in the business for the past few
years.
Valley Residents
Invited To Attend
SOC Foreign Films
Ashland An invitation to res
idents of the Rogue River valley
to view foreign language - films
at Southern Oregon college has
been extended by Assistant Pro
fessor of Languages Dennis Han
nan. : A program in French has been
scheduled for March 1 at 9 a.m.
and' 3 p.m., Hannan said. Two
films will be shown in Library
room ' 100: "La Chevre de M.
Seguiff" and "Bateau Ivre." On
March 7 at 1 p.m. and 8 pjn. a
film, "Our Spanish Speaking
Neighbors," is to be shown. .
Monthly Program
Hannan said the Franco-American
Distribution center in New
York has agreed to. provide a
monthly program for French
classes at SOC. Each program
consists of a film, in French, and
a series of slides dealing with
various aspects of "French cul
ture." '
"The films shown to date have
been yery good," Hannan said,
"and it is believed that in the
future art students and others,
as well as French students, may
be interested in seeing the pic
tures." - .
' Hannan added that it is not
absolutely necessary to under
stand the French commentary
in order, to enjoy the films. The
comments on the slides are in
English.
- Anyone - interested - in-seeing
these films, townspeople as well
as students at SOC, is invited to
may , be reached at A s h 1 a n d
246-1 1 -to check on the -schedule
of the showings.
QUODDY MODEL Shown is the completed
Quoddy model as executed under the direc
tion of H. Noel Poirier,. White City, in 1939.
The model was 14 by 28 feet. It was complet
ly equipped to show the tidal flow into the
enafe President Tells Umicota
Banqueters off State
Ashland A look at state gov
ernment, from the standpoint of
the legislature, and a discussion
of Republican . chances - in. the
1956 election, were the themes
developed by State Senate Presi
dent Elmo Smith, John Day, in
a talk here Friday evening.
Smith, making the main ad
dress at the 41st annual meeting
of the Jackson County Lincoln
club, described the problem of
taxation faced by the legislature.
He said that the ways and means
committee is now reviewing
budget requests, and is expected
to come up with a report that
the state will have to raise $45,
.000,000 to $60,000,000 more than
it is now receiving to pay for
present services. '
Sees No Property Tax
He said the legislature is not
apt to approve levy of a state
property tax, but that it may
eliminate tax loopholes for "priv
ileged groups," may pass a ciga
rette tax, and, through structural
changes, increase income, cor
pororation and business taxes.
The senate president, a week
ly newspaper publisher, also
discussed the problem of state
welfare, saying the legislature
is going to strengthen require-
Western Union Ready
For Valentine's Day
Frank Gray, Medford mana
ger for Western Union, says his
firm is prepared for almost any
thing in the way of Valentine
messages this year,
Among the choices offered are
"heart -.throbbing poetry and
dreamy-eyed sentiment," what
Gray calls "a neutral, middle-of-the-road
approach;" and even
Valentines for teachers.
Altogether, there will be a
choice of 31 prepared telegram
Valentines this year, 10 of them
in verse, an example of which
is: " I think of trees in blossom,
all fragrant with the dew, and
lovely growing roses, each time
I think of you."
Gray admits that this type of
poetry, could set the verse busi
ness back to the dark ages, but
he makes one claim for it. You'll
never get sued for expressing a
sentiment like that."
Campf ire Girls
Group Divides
The Eagle Point Camp Fire
Girls were divided because it be
came too . large for one group.
Meetings of the new groups
began in January.
. The Otiwa-Shukin group meets
each week on Tuesdays at the
home of their leader, Mrs. Elrod
who lives in Camp White.
The new O-ne Kizu group is
sponsored by the Eagle Point
PTA. Our Indian name means,
"United to help each other." We
meet every Wednesday at the
home of our guardian, Mrs. Mc
Graw, who lives on Crater Lake
highway. .
Officers " elected were: Presi
dent, Edna Gray; vice-president,
Connie Berryman; secretary,
Dorrene . Christian; treasurer,
Connie Hinks; song leader, Caro
lyn Sinclair; scribe, Lena Mc
Graw. '
The two groups held a cere
monial at the Eagle Point Teen
age club January 26th. After
the ceremonial we served re
freshments and played games.
We also had a joint roller
skating party February 6, to help
Polio victims walk. The Camp
Fire Girls and their guests con
tributed altogether five dollars
through the party to the March
of Dimes..
- - Scribe, '
Lana McGraw. - .
ments in the law to eliminate
abuses, and tighten up the rela
tives' responsibility provisions,
particularly those pertaining to
fathers ,who have abandoned
their families.
Opposes , Preference Clause
Discussing Northwestern pow
er and river projects, he de
clared himself opposed to the
preference clause which requires
publicly owned power-generating
plants to sell energy , first,
and more cheaply, to public
bodies. .
In labor legislation, Smith
said he hopes that abuses under
the unemployment compensa
tion laws can be eliminated; and
warned of the possibility of the
depletion of reserve funds should
there be another depression.
Looking toward 1956,. the of
ficial said the Republican party
is now having difficulty in de
veloping competent leadership
after 20 years out of power, and
that it must look for and en
courage potential Republican
leaders to run for state and na
tional offices. Women of the
party . must do more, top, he
said, and be given more respon
sibility in party councilsj
100 Attend
Sewage, Related
Problems, Subject
For Discussions -
The extent of the sewage dis
posal problem in Jackson coun
ty, the effect of recent exten
sive housing developments in
the fringe areas, expected
growth in the county, and regu
lations for obtaining home loans
are some of the things -to be
discussed by Robert Hart, coun
ty sanitarian, at a meeting of
the Jackson County Public
Health association to be held
Thursday afternoon..
The meeting, to which anyone
interested is invited, is to be
held at the St. Mark's Episcopal
Guild hall on North Oakdale
ave., with refreshments to be
served at 1 P-m. A baby sitter
will be provided. ; . '
Will Give Results ,
' Vera Thorpe, public works
director of Medford, will give
results of a study he has made
of this matter, the way in which
it affects the city of "Medford,
and plans made thus far.
Dr. A. E. Merkel, county
health officer, will discuss the
matter' from a medical, and
health standpoint as well as ex
plain legislative action planned
on a state level. , .. . ..
Possible solutions will be out
lined by Mrs.' A. C. Uridel, chair
man of the health association's
sanitary study committee, with
open discussion and a planning
session to be led by Miss Doro
thy Huskey, health educator. -
SOC Students Attend
Legislative Sessions .
Ashland Students D e a n
Reeter, Grants Pass, and Jim
Kennett, Medford, have ; re
turned to the campus at South
ern Oregon college after attend
ing the 1955 Oregon legislative
seminar at Willamette - univer
sity,. Salem..
The SOC representatives at
tended sessions of both the Ore
gon State Senate and House of
Representatives, and were pres
ent at speeches, seminars, and
question-and-answer sessions fea
turing Gov. Paul Patterson and
various , state off icials and legis
lators. V v. '
pools and use of trapped water by hydroelec
tric plants. During its exhibition at the New
York World's fair for two seasons, over 4,000,
000 persons viewed the exhibit.
Problems
About 100 persons attended
the dinner meeting,' held in the
Elks temple here, and Harry A.
Skerry Jr., president of the club,
was master of ceremonies. Dur
ing election of new officers, Mrs.
G. Q. D'Albini was again named
historian, " and other officers
"moved up" through the offi
cers' chairs. First vice-president
Donald B. Whalin was named
president, and the .other officers
include Mrs. Marion L. Langley,
first vice- president; Richard
Reynen, second vice - president,
and Robert Root, third vice-president.
E. H. Singmaster was
named secrefary-treasurer to suc
ceed Root.
The program opened with
group singing of "America," led
by Henry Enders, followed by
the flag salute and an invoca
tion by the Rev. John L. Thomp
son. Telegrams and letters of
greeting were read " by Don
Whalin, and included those from
Secretary of the Interior Doug
las McKay, Gov. Paul Patterson,
Congressman Harris Ellsworth,
Secretary of State Earl Newbry,
State Rep. Ed : Geary, speaker
of the state house of representa
tives; State, Treasurer Sig Unan
der, State Sen. Phil Lowry, and
Representatives E. A. Littrell
and E. H. Mann.r.
Tributes Adopted -
Edward Branchfield presented
the report of the memorials and
resolutions committee, and the
group adopted tributes to the
late County Judge J. B. Coleman
and to 'Frank J. Newman, for
mer district attorney. ;
Tom Swift, a student at Ash
land High school, recited Lin
coln's Gettysburg address.
; Entertainment included num
bers by a" brass quartet from
Southern Oregon college, in
cluding Keith Krambeal, Ted
and Ned Landers, and Jack
Rawls, and the meeting ended
with the group singing of "God
Bless America."
Be a Sweetheart on
VALENTINE'S DAY!
Take Your Family to Your
Favorite
Restaurant
for . a Wonderful Meal
Mem and th kid will lev it! All
the goodness of home -cooked
meals . . with no fuss ... no
bother . and no dishes to do.
. e .
Don't Forget to Drink
Eaton's Dinner House
""railways Cafe -
Hotel Medford
Lulu's Cafe
El Rogue Cafe
Red Streak Cafe
Rogue Valley Country Club
Busy Bee Cafe
Holiday Inn Coffee Shop
Steak House Cafe
-Maury's Corner
Other restaurants or cafes
ford 2-8212. Ad paid by
Resident
SSBSBSSSSBSSBSSBBBMBBflBHBSSVSMBflBSfSSSfSSSBVSSMBSSaBSBBaS
j, i"'
COMPLEX WORK Shown is a section of 'the complex work re
quired to build a minatiire working model of a huge hydroelectric
project. Internal construction on the Quoddy' model project re
quired plumbing and tanks to provide a change of ocean tide
cycle; electrical circuits to operate ; the many lights," and accurately-sawed
plywood buildups, representing elevation changes.
H. Neil Poirier, now a Rogue valley resident, is shown on the
right with an assistant during construction of the model in 1939.
Automobiles Collide
On Hillcrest Road
Cars driven by Ernest Samuel
Engstrom Jr., 828A West 14th
st., Medford, and Leslie William
Lingscheit Jr., route 3, box 169,
Medford, ' collided at about 4
pjn. Friday oh the Hillcrest rd.
about two miles north of Phoe
nix, according to state police.
Engstrom was cited for fail
ure to drive on the right side of
the road, officers said. His pas
senger, Jack Allen, 25, of the
same address, suffered a minor
cut on the head.
Both vehicles were reported to
have sustained considerable dam
age. ' ' - "- i
Dell's Jewelry Sets ,
Move to New Location
Dell's Jewelry"" will reopen
Monday in its new location at
123 West Main st., according to
the owners, Mr. and Mrs. D. L,
Hain.
The Hains have operated the
jewelry store on North Fir st,
for the past 4V& .years.' The. new
site in the Carpenters Union hall
building, has been completely
remodeled inside and outside.
Returned to Medford ; . , , v j ;
Dr. ROBT. E. LEE, Optometrist .
OFFICES NOW OPEN AT THE V '
. BIG Y MARKET BUILDING
1912 N. Pacific Hwy. - Phone. 3-5923
. ! EASY PARKING .
' . :- ' - . II
Groceteria
Hotel Jackson
Brown's Cafe
WimerCafe
Whistle Stop Cafe
Big Y Super Market
Kim's Restaurant
Top Notch Cafe
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
Al White's
wishing to cooperate and be included on our, future ads Call Med-
Milk Producers League and Jackson Comity Pomona Grange. r
if Valley
3
City Court Fines Man:
$100 on Two Charges
Jerald : . James McGrew, 24,
route 2, box.' 482G, was fined
$100 in city court Saturday on
charges., of disorderly conduct
and resisting arrest, according
to police. .
The . police report stated that
Officer Robert A. Gheysen spot
ted McGrew squatting behind
a bush below a window on North
Central ave., early. Saturday.
When the officer- approached,
McGrew ran, it was said. Ghey
sen ordered him to stop. Police
said McGrew rati into 'an alley
and down toward third street
and Gheysen fired a shot into the
air. -. - '
The chase led east on .Third
st. to an alley between Bartlett
and' Apple St., then through an
alley where the officer "lost" his
quarry. Officers Gheysen and
Delaire Tusow, cruising the area,
found him in a car on Bartlett
st. He was arrested about 3 a-m.
' ; - -
The Women's Medical Special
ist Corps is the youngest of the
women's corps in the U.S. Army.
The Pick-Up That
s Never Lets You
Down"
AT NO
EXTRA COST!
Rogue Restaurant