Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, March 22, 1955, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., March 22, 1955, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextMATS IP ME W- nrn nj Jlivl Inl MS Medford United Press Full Leased Wire 49th Year 18 Pages Marines Conduct Simulated Landing On 'Enemy Shore' Las Vegas Dishes, Windows Rattled Atop Mt. Charleston, Nev. (U.R) A "beachhead - buster" atomic bomb blast rocked the Nevada desert and Las Vegas "like an earthquake" today as 2,000 marines conducted a simu lated landing on "enemy shores." The predawn explosion, sixth in the Atomic Energy Commis sion's 1955 test series, thumped Las Vegas, 75 miles away, rat tling dishes and windows and touching off calls by residents wondering if it were an earth tremor. . Although it was unofficially rated at less than half the power ef the weapons that leveled Hiro shima and Nagasaki, its cannon like report was heard over a 125 mile radius. Loudest of Series . A crack like a bolt of thunder momentarily stunned the ears of unofficial observers atop the 8,900- foot peak some 4a airline miles distant. It was the "loudest report" of the series, including that ot me "granddaddy" device two weeks ago, unofficially estimated as packing twice the punch. The report, which in nuclear fission bounces erratically off the atmosphere, was heard 350 miles away in Beverly Hills, Calif., by Bob Hill, who said it was "like a good-sized cannon four or five miles away." Marines Near Blast In six-foot-deep trenches less than two miles from the blast, and at concentrations elsewhere within 10 miles of the detonation point, some 2,000 Marines crouched in combat readiness to move forward in a mock invasion behind the nuclear destruction of the theoretical enemy shore positions. Poised nearby in readiness to airlift the combat-ready Marines into the blasted area as soon as radiation monitors marked it "safe" were 30 helicopters. Practice Invasion Although the whirly-birds wore narked on the sand and rock of Yucca Flat, in theory they were on the aecK oi a Dig carrier orjeratine amidst an in vasion fleet in a practice "ap proach from the sea" to an enemy position on iana. The Marines were taking part in a 36-hour maneuver, one of the loneest and most complete Marine atomic maneuvers but not the first time Marines have been indoctrinated in nuclear warfare. Two years ago, 2000 Marines participated in a small er-scale maneuver, including hel iennters. The blast, set off right on schedule at 5:05 a.m. (PST), had a kick estimated unofficially to be the equivalent of 10,000 tons of TNT, compared to the Nagasaki-Hiroshima weapons which had a yield of 25,000 tons of TNT each. Cloud Hangs Together Within 15 minutes after "shot time," the familiar mushroom cloud, signature of nuclear fis sion, had disintegrated and spread out to form a layer-cloud some five miles wide. Apparently because of unus ually calm upper atmosphere conditions, the cloud hung to gether as it moved toward Ari zona, forming an extraordinar ilv massive layer 50 miles lone instead cf being torn piece-meal as with previous clouds. The southern portion of the cloud passed over Las Vegas' 50.000 noDulation at 6:45 a.m T.as Vegas radiation monitoring stations picked up no increase in radiation beneath the cioua This 37th atomic detonation at the Nevada site threw out a flash of light visible across a five-state area in California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, spanning a diameter of more than 800 mues. And its nuclear fireball, deal ing death and destruction from Mast-furnace heat and radiation, boiled out over nearly a two- mile diameter for five seconds. enough to wipe out any such closely concentratea enemy positions. Corvallis 0J.R) A record price of S61 a thousand board f set for Siuslaw National Forest timber has been set here by Valsetz Lumber Co., of vaisetz, Atom Ore. MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1955 FATAL CRASH SCENE Shown above is the burned wreckage of the light sports plane which crashed near Emigrant lake Sunday, killing its pilot, 25-year-old Harold H. Skin ner, Medford. The lake is off to the right. Scene of the crash is well above the lake, President Opposes George's Suggestion For Soviet Conclave ' Washington (U.R) President Eisenhower -reiterated- to Repub-- lican congressional leaders to day his opposition to a top level conference with Russia until the Soviet Union by its deeds sup plies evidence of good faith. Mr. Eisenhower's stand was reported to newsmen by Senate GOP Leader William F. Know land after the weekly White House meeting between the President and GOP congres sional leaders. The attitude relayed by Knowland, showing that Mr. Eisenhower has not changed his often stated views toward a chiefs of state meeting with Rus sia, constituted the administra tion reply to a proposal by Sen. Walter F. George (D-Ga.). Eisenhower Opposed George, chairman of the Sen ate Foreign Relations Commit tee, has urged that Mr. Eisen hower initiate steps toward a Big Four meeting this spring or summer. Knowland's report to news men confirmed that the Presi dent has no immediate intention of returning to the personal di plomacy of the last President Roosevelt. Knowland told reporters George's proposal was discussed at length at the White House LM. Mafheny Namd Postmaster at JWille Jacksonville Leon M. Math- eny, acting postmaster here since May 6, 1953, has received a per manent appointment to that job, he reported today. Matheny was advised of his appointment in a letter from Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield. Jacksonville has had no per manent postmaster in almost four years. Prior to Matheny's temporary appointment, Mrs. Lloyd (Jean) Whitney was acting postmaster. Poo Vaccine Program Discussions Scheduled Two more meetings with par ents of first and second graHe pupils, to explain the plans .' distribution of the Salk pc.j vaccine if it is proven effective, have been set up by the county health department. They are: Jacksonville school, Wednesday, March 23, at 1 p.m., and Ruch school, Thursday, March 24, at 10 a.m. DOW-JONES AVERAGES New York (U.R) Dow-Jones final stock averages: 30 indus trials 404.47 up 2.07; 20 rail roads 146.34 up 0.96; 15 utilities 63.77 up 0.39, and 65 stocks 151.02 up 0.86. Sales today were about 1,910,000 shares compared with 2,020,000 shares traded I yesterday. meeting.- There has been no change at present in administra tion policy, the California Re publican said. He pointed out that Mr. Eisen hower had listed previously as "deeds" requisite to a Big Four meeting: 1. Russian signature of the Austrian peace treaty. 2. Agreement on free elections for unification of Germany. 3. Agreement on a free and united Korea. Knowland said there is no evidence that the Soviet Union is prepared to go ahead on these points. He also pointed out that it is the firm policy of the govern ment that any conference prior to final ratification of the Paris agreements would be undesir ably premature. Gasoline Tax Hike OK With Humphrey Washington (U.R) Secretary of the Treasury George M. Hum phrey said today he "would, not object" if congress raises the federal gasoline tax to help finance President Eisenhower's $101,000,000 highway program. Humphrey told a Senate Pub lic Roads Subcommittee "there is no doubt in my mind that this program should be handled on as close to a pay as you go basis as possible." If not then the borrowing should be based on specific taxes against highway users rather than on the government's gen eral tax revenues. The federal gasoline tax is two cents a gallon. It currently yields about $915,000.00 a year in revenue. The gasoline tax is one of the excise taxes sched uled to drop to one and one half cents April 1 unless extended by Congress. Forest Protection Not By A. ROBERT SMITH Mail Tribune Correspondent Washington Congress is mov ing swiftly to open up additional millions of acres of national for est land to mining claims, but has yet to move in the direction of protecting federal forests from encroachment by those who stake claims primarily to cut timber instead of mining the earth. The House last week passed without debate a bill sponsored by Rep. Engle (D-Calif.) which would open up to mining claims 3,500,000 acres of national forest land and 3,500,000 acres of other public lands in the West. These 7,000,000 acres have been re served for years as power sites and thereby restricted from the usual mining claim that is al lowed on most public land. Min llUBUNE United Press Full Leased Wire Price 5c No. 1 and the ground slopes more steeply toward the water than is shown in the picture. The power line which the plane hit, causing it to crash, stretched from the top of the hill at left off to another hill to the right. (Charles Birchfield photo) Funeral Arranged At 2:30 Tomorrow For Harold Skinner Funeral services for Harold H. Skinner, 25, who was killed in the crash of his light plane near Emigrant lake Sunday aft ernoon, will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Conger-Morris chapel. The Rev. D. Kirk- land West, minister of the First Presbyterian church, will officiate. Burial will follow in the Med ford IOOF cemetery. Mr. Skinner was a member of a prominent Medford family, and was born here Dec. 15, 1929. He was a member of the Elks lodge, and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Two Children He was married to the former Constance Stokes on Feb. 9, 1951. Their children are Mike and Bobby. Also surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Skinner, and a brother, Lon, all Medford. Honorary pall bearers for the services will be Donald Wright, Donald Lue, William Singler, William Wall, Robert Stokes and Ronald Lamb. Active pallbearers will be Charles Sams, Winn Carl, Van Purdy, Delbert Berg, Richard Runyard and Lee Niedermeyer. BuDDetSn Salem (U.R) The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed out favorably a meas ure to permit 18-year-olds to vote. Jennings Outstanding Salesman at Ashland Ashland, Ore. U.R) Jerry Jennings, 26, sales manager for a motor firm here, last night was named Ashland's outstand ing salesman for 1954. The honor was announced at the 6th annual Junior Chamber of Commerce salesmanship ban quet. ing on power site land has been allowed only if specifically ap proved by the Federal Power Commission. The Eisenhower administra tion sent Congress a favorable report on the bill, and it was quickly reported favorably by the House Interior Committee and approved by the House on the calendar of minor bills brought up last week. No action has been taken, however, on legislation pending before the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee design ed to protect valuable national forestland from exploitation by those who file mining claims to cut the timber rather than get any minerals that may be present. It is sponsored by the senior members of the commit tee, Reps. Cooley (D-N.C) and Weather FORECAST: Considerable cloudiness with scattered rain showers tonight, becoming partly cloudy Wednesday. Low tonight 2S-30; high Wednesday 48-50. Temp. Highest Yesterday 54 Lowest this Morning 39 Prec. to 4:30 a.m. Today, Trace Finnish Tanker Turns Around for Return To Romania Owners Stop Ship In Indian Ocean Helsinki, Finland (U.R) The Finnish tanker Aruba has turned back from its trip to Red China with 13,000 tons of jet fuel for the Communist Air Force, the Finnish Seaman's Union said today. The crew of the big tanker re belled last week against running the Chinese Nationalist blockade and demanded the captain put into the port of Colombo, Ceylon. He refused and ordered the ship to sail eastward as long as the men would work. Radio Contact Maintained The crew members, keeping in touch with their parent union in Helsinki by radio, then an nounced they would sail only as far as the Nicabar Islands at the mouth of the Malacca Strait lead ing to Singapore. The owners of the ship noti fied Communist China of the ac tion and asked for further in structions should the Aruba put into a neutral port for trans shipment of the cargo or could the Communists load it aboard another ship on the high seas. Ordered Back To Romania Peiping did not answer and the Aruba's owners stopped the ship in the Indian Ocean and ordered it back to Constanza in Red Romania where the kerosene was first taken aboard. The announcement by the Sea man's Union ended a wave of speculation throughout the world as to the shipping company's next move and Communist China's next step. Rogue River Boy Falls From Auto Rogue River Jess Harrison Schefstrom, four-year-old son of Mrs. Audrey Schefstrom, route 1, box 415, Gold Hill, was in jured near here Monday morn ing when he fell from a moving automobile being driven by his mother. The accident happened on Highway 99, between Rogue River and Grants Pass, at about 10 a.m. State police at Grants Pass said Mrs. Schefstrom was driving toward Grants Pass at about 30 to 40 miles an hour, when a rear door of the car came open and the tot tumbled out onto the highway. Two other children, Shelby John Schefstrom, 2Vi, and Greta Marie Schefstrom, were passen gers in the car at the time of the accident. The little boy was taken to Josephine General hospital. At tendants said late yesterday that his condition was "satisfactory," although they were unable to report the exact nature of his injuries. Fire in Fire Hall Too Much for Firemen Eugene (U.R) The faces of Veneia volunteer fire depart ment members were as red as their trucks today. Finding a blase in their own fire hall too much for them, they were forced to call on the Western Lane fire patrol for help. Firemen of the two crews finally doused the fire, which occurred Sunday, but not un til it had caused an estimated $2000 damage to the upstairs of the building located near Veneta, some 11 miles west of Eugene. The fire was thought to have started from a defective chimney. Yet Included in Mine Hope (R-Kan.) Action on the bill has been delayed because the administration has not yet disclosed its views on the pro posal, although the Forest Ser vice is known to favor such legis lation. Existing mining laws permit any mining claimant to get title to forestland by paying $5 per acre and showing he has invested at least $500 per 20-acre claim for improvements to tap the min erals in the claim. With title goes ownership of the timber which is often worth many times his investment in the property. This law was enacted in 1872 when timber values were negli gible. The Forest Service has estimated timber worth $100, 000,000 has been tied up by such claims in the three Pacific Coast states alone. California-Bound Craft Slams Into Side of Mountain Radio Trouble Forces Plane To Turn Back Honolulu (U.R) A four engine Military Air Transport Service plane en route from Hawaii to California slammed into the side of a mountain to day and the Navy said all 66 per sons aboard perished. It was the worst aviation dis aster in the history of Hawaii. The big Navy DC6, forced to return to Hickam Field after it developed radio trouble, crashed and burned on a ridge inside the Navy's top secret Lua lualei Ammunition Depot about 20 miles northwest of here at about 2:15 a.m. (HST). The plane carried 57 passen gers and nine crewmen. Rescue crews dispatched from the Air-Sea Rescue Coordination Center here reported from the scene of the crash that there were no survivors. The 57 passengers included 17 Air Force, four Navy, 12 Ma rine and 22 Army personnel, in addition to a civilian woman and her baby daughter. The plane, attached to Air Transport Squadron Three at Moffett Field, Calif., about 40 miles south of San Francisco, was enroute to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. A military spokesman said the plane took off from Hickam Field at 7:16 p.m. (HST) yester day and reported at 10:32 p.m. that it had developed radio trouble and would have to re turn. The plane was expected to land back at Hickam at 1:40 a.m. Weather Was Good Authorities were unable to offer any explanation for the crash immediately other than the pilot apparently wandered off his approach pattern some how. The weather in the area was generally good with occasional clouds and light rains. Marine Pfc. Joseph T. Price, Carlsbad, N.M., who was stand ing guard at the ammunition depot, said he saw the plane come roaring over the depot at an altitude of 500 to 600 feet. He said it barely missed hitting a 700 foot radio antenna. At that point the pilot turned on the plane's landing lights and apparently saw the ridge ahead. The pilot banked a sharp right, Price said, but it was too late to avoid smashing into the mountain. Garage, Automobile Damaged by Flames A garage at 612 South Ivy st., and a car parked inside it were considerably damaged by fire this morning, firemen re ported. The alarm, which was sound ed at 10:12 a.m., apparently was given after the fire got a good start, for flames were coming out of the roof when firemen arrived. They managed to pull the car from the garage, and the gasoline tank did not ex plode. Exterior paint was badly scorched, however, they said. The garage was extinguished but was badly charred. Smoke from roofing was visible in many parts of town. Firemen said the car was own ed by the occupant of the house. Alfred L. Randies. Pumpers from the main and west side stations answered the alarm. The fire apparently started in a storage shed next to the garage. Rogue River School Attendance Hit by Flu Rogue River Rogue River school attendance has been hit by a seige of influenza during the past week, according to James Hayden, high school prin cipal. About half of the senior class at the high school missed classes for almost a week because of ill ness, Hayden said. Under the Cooley-Hope bills, title for mineral development would not be affected but tim ber rights would go to the claim ant only if he paid the ' going price of timber in that area as established by the Forest Ser vice. Otherwise, it would remain under federal jurisdiction. The only timber the miner could use freely would be that deemed "necessary in the de velopment and operation of his mine" for such uses as shoring up tunnels and building struc tures on the property. And even this timber would have to be logged "in accordance with sound principles of forest man agement as defined by the na tional forest rules and regula tions." Indicating the position of the Forest Service, Edward C Churchill's Remark Fails To Quiet Talk On Retirement Plans London (U.R) Prime Minister Winston Churchill jovially told Parliament today to avoid being "led away by all the chatter in the papers" about his rumored retirement. Churchill's jocular comment, however, did not still a widely held belief that his retirement is imminent. The aging Prime Minister's remark was made in an ex change with former Socialist Uranium Mining Claims Filed in Evans Creek Area Four uranium mining claims in the Evans Creek Mining dis trict have been filed in the of fice of the Jackson county clerk. Notice of location of quartz claims "bearing uranium and valuable metals" were filed by Dewey L. Bristow and Richard W. Bristow. Their home address were not available today. The claims, called Uranium King 1, 2, 3, and 4, are believed to be the first uranium claims ever filed in Jackson county. Another uranium "discovery" has been made in Jackson coun ty, according to those keeping in close touch with the mining situation, and it is expected that this claim location notice will be filed in the near future. Prospecting Heavy Prospecting activity has been heavy in Jackson county during recent weeks, they said, and a great deal of preliminary work in the Mt. Ashland area has been reported. Local firms dealing in Geiger counters and Scintillators, de vices which aid in the discovery of uranium, report that sales of the equipment have been much heavier than expected. Physician Confesses To Slaying Family McAlester, Okla. (U.R) A handsome 36-year-old physician admitted today he killed his wife with a wine bottle, poi soned their three children and then attempted to cover up the murders by setting fire to his home. Dr. Ben T. Galbraith, former president of the local medical society, told officers he had no particular motive. "I just woke up at 1:30 a.m. and felt I had to go home and kill my wife." Galbraith was arrested at Henderson, Tenn., yesterday after the funeral for his family at nearby Bells, Tenn. Galbraith had left his home last Wednesday to attend a medical meeting in Oklahoma City, but instead checked in at a hotel at Norman, Okla., that evening. Public Warned on Cheap Uranium Stock Washington (U.R) The chairman of the Securities and Exchange commission warned the public today about buying cheap uranium stocks. Ralph H. Demmler, whose agency watch-dogs the stock market, said prospective buyers "run the risk of suffering a loss" if they don't pay attention to legally required information about the uranium stocks that they buy. Demmler sounded his warning in testimony before the Senate Banking committee, which is conducting a "friendly" study of the current stock market boom. Measure Krafts, assistant chief forester, told the public lands panel of the American Mining Congress that the Forest Service is find ing it practically impossible to contest invalid mining claims be cause of inadequate funds and manpower. He estimated it would cost $20,000,000 to con test the 84,000 claims currently outstanding and $4,000,000 an nually to examine each of the 16,000 new locations filed each year. The Mining Congress in the past has mustered opposition to similar bills to help block their passage. In the last Congress, the Interior Department also op posed this legislation, while the Forest Service favored it. Con gress failed to write the bill into law. Defense Minister Emanual Shin well. Shinwell intervened dur ing a question on whether Chur chill would follow the American lead and appoint a disarmament minister. Yalta Discussion A moment later Churchill was serious. He said he did not thint "it would be a eood nlan" tn .m. point a British disarmament minister as a counterpart to Harold E. Stassen. And to Socialist he said he had hpn infnnn by Washington on March 11 that uie united Mates agreed with the British stand lishing the Yalta papers. However, he was informs four days later that the U. S. suite Department had changed its mind because of pressure which could not be resisted any longer. It was in the exchange nwr appointment of a British disarm. ament minister that the question oi tne uu-year-old Churchill's re tirement came up. Would Tell Queen The narrow. Oalr-naneMerl House Chamber was filled for Churchill's first appearance since reports started last week about his retirement able replacement by Foreign secretary Anthony Eden next month. Nobodv reallv vnectirf rhim. chill to break the retirempnt news in Commons. He must tell the Queen first of all. On the other question, wheth er he would appoint a British counterpart to Stassen, Chur- cum saia, " no. He said he was satisfied Hth Britain's present arrangement lor approaching disarmament. Four Persons Make Court Appearances Two men appeared in circuit court this morning before Cir cuit Judge H. K. Hanna. John Lindsay, 22, of 38 North Front st., received a suspended two-year sentence on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 17. Darwin Coda Powers, 20. O'Brien, pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny in a dwelling and his case was continued pending receipt of FBI records. Power was arrested Saturday by state and city police. Two persons aoneared in dis trict court vesterdav and were fined by-District Judge Rawles Moore. They were Rodney Sam uel Thompson, 22, route 3, box 232, Medford, who was fined 75 and costs after pleading guilty to a charge of reckless driving, and Helen Marie Hinks, 49, of 2108 Table Rock road, Medford, who was fined $10 and costs after pleading guilty to a charge of petty , larceny. Thompson's driver's license was suspended for 30 days. Ex-Reed Professor Compiled Yalta Paper Washinton (U.R) A former Reed college professor from Portland was the man chiefly responsible for compiling for publication the controversial documents of the Yalta confer ence. He is Dr. G. Bernard Noble, who is now chief of the his torical division of the depart ment of state. For 20 years Dr. Noble was professor of interna tional politics at the Portland college. "I came here to do a pure research job," the doctor told The Oregonian, "but instead of an ivory tower, I found myself sitting on a volcano." That was about the only com ment on the political aspects of the papers Dr. Noble would make. , Four Men Fined $55 For Dyr.amiting Fish Four men were fined $55 each in district court yesterday on charges of dynamiting steelhead fish in Evans creek, according to court records. The men, who pleaded guilty, were Henry D. Booth, 32, route 1, box 319, Central Point, ard Delbert Woodrow Howell, 41, Homer Hood Howell, 19, and Royal Herman Howard, 23, all of route 1, box 71A, Rogue River. The fish were confiscated and turned over to the Salvation Army.