Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, July 14, 1955, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., July 14, 1955, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextMM Da 0 vis NAM- .v. m$l Prop m Medford United Press rull Leased Wire I50th Year . 28 Paget Dulles Prepares Finishing Touches In Paris Session Moscow's Khrushchev Will Attend Meeting Paris (U.R) Secretary, of State John Foster Dulles arrived Here today to put the finishing touees on Western unity and strategy before next week's his toric Big Four summit confer ence in Geneva. - Dulles and Harold E. Stassen, President Eisenhower's assistant on' disarmament, landed at Orly airport- to begin their round of meetings with French Foreign Minister Antoine Pinay, British Foreign Secretary Harold Mac- Millan and other NATO foreign affairs experts. - "Great hopes are in the air," the Secretary of State said as he stepped from the U. S. Air Force Constellation in which he made the Atlantic crossing. In Good Spirits Dulles was in extremely good spirits and radiated optimism as be greeted American Ambassa dor G. Douglas Dillon and scores of top American officials in Paris. -' They arrived as Moscow an nounced that both Soviet Com munist party chief Nikita Krush chev, Russia's most powerful man, and Defense Minister Georgi Zhukov, Mr. Eisenhow er's old World War II friend would go to Geneva with Pre mier Nikolai Bulganin, nominal head of the Russian delegation. -' Informed sources ' said ; that Dulles and Pinay would assess the makeup of the Soviet dele gation in their first meeting to day. France had a number .of sum mit proposals waiting for Dulles and MacMillan, who was due to arrive later from London. 1 . . ine urn was rrenuu ugu Faure's suggestion that all the Big Four powers to set the ex ample by 'cutting ' their arms budgets and setting up a world fund for underdeveloped coun tries with the money thus saved. Controls Over Arms - The second was the idea of a European security pact based on the rearmament controls of the new Western European union. ." Such a system might limit a reunited Germany to the same 12 divisions now authorized for the Federal German Republic at Bonn.' .' . The third French idea was for a world conference on the dangers of atomic radiation from nuclear tests and the growing .number of atomic piles and ra diation. Western experts here already have hammered out unity on the basic big three strategy at Geneva. Dulles, MacMillan and Pinay will report to the NATO . Council Saturday morning and listen to the ideas of the small er allies before they move on. to Geneva. - (See Story on Page 1.0) State Rests Case; B lows Z The state rested its case in the trail of Bernice Hampton (Tex) White shortly before noon today. White, 37, is charged with first degree murder in the death of Eugene Raymond Birk, Phoenix. Final witness for the state was Harold Allen, Central Point, a former foreman of the Talent mill, where Birk was fatally in jured by one or more blows over the head. Saw Second Blow - Allen declared he wrestled standing with his hand, on Birk's shoulder when the first ' blow struck. He didn't see where the blow came from, but as he turn ed, he said, he was White strike Birk a second time. Allen declared he wrested with White to keep him from striking the fallen Birk a third time. White kept repeating "I'll 'CRUCIAL' 'ELECTI0E3 -TOtrfOEUMK? kill the son of a . . .," Allen testi fied. . - A tape recorded statement tak en from White in the county jail on March 4, two days after the attack on Birk, was intro duced into evidence by the state. . 7 ' " MEDFORD, OREGON, (DIhiainnilbeir IDoirectoirs Passenger The board of directors cf the Jackson county cnamoer oi Commerce this morning unani mously adopted a resolution pro testing the proposed . abandon ment of , Southern Pacific pas senger service between Portland and Ashland, effective Aug. 7. The resolution instructed Chamber President John Pletsch to name a committee to work with State Sen. Philip B. Lowry in his demand for a public hear ing before the state public utili- Peress Promotion Controversy Ends; Army Criticized Washington U.PJ The Senate Investigating Subcommittee to day officially closed the case of former Maj. Irving Peress with withering criticism of the Army for bungling it and hiding the facts. The -subcommittee's report, filed in the Senate today, gave this answer to the question which Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wis.) asked last year, "Who promoted Peress?" ; "Individual errors in judg ment, lack of proper coordina tion, ineffective administrative procedures, inconsistent applica tion of existing regulations, and excessive delays." ; Bender Objects Sen. George H. Bender (R- O.), objected in a separate state ment that the report failed to state that ."not one iota of evi dence was revealed to indicate any subversion, , collusion or Communist conspiracy" in volved in the Army's handling of the case. .. "I think it is of paramount im portance that this subcommittee should assure, the people of this country that no Communist in fluence was found in the Army," Bender said. - ' The subcommittee report was approved yesterday by the full Government Operations Com mittee and was filed in the full committee's name. Stevens Criticised The report said Army Secre tary Robert. T. Stevens "or his superiors . . . are to be criticized for the delay of almost one year" before releasing the facts in the case of the onetime Army den tist. . J. ' . "Such unnecessary delay served to unduly arouse and in crease suspicions of the public as to possible Communist influ ences," the report said, "and therefore was a disservice not only - to : Army personnel : in volved in the Peress : case but also to the Army as a whole, to this subcommittee,' to thex Con gress and to the general public. Murder Described In the recorder ' statement, White said "I grabbed the two by four and nit him over the head with it" Later White add ed, "He had turned and was fac ing the other way when I hit him." ' - . Hit by Birk ; ' White also stated - that Birk had hit him four or five times shortly before the attack. White said he wasn't particularly mad or afraid, except of getting cut around the mouth again. White had received a . mouth - injury in an earlier dispute resulting from the same question of relief work which brought about the dispute with Birk. White's attorney, Robert Dun can, objected to introduction of the recorded- statement on the grounds that White was illegally , detained from the time of his arrest until about 8:30 I R.m, on March 5 when he was arraigned on a grand jury indictment, that there was no complaint, no order for committment, that he was not taken before, a .magistrate, and that there was no warrant for his arrest. THURSDAY, JULY SeinDce ties commissioner regarding the end of the service. To Be Represented. It . also provided . that . the chamber would be represented at any such hearing. ... Senator Lowry, . meanwhile, was scheduled - to meet early this afternoon with two of his Senate colleagues, Sen.' Gene Brown, Grants Pass, and Sen. Paul Geddes, Roseburg,' in Sen ator Brown's office. They were to discuss with John R. McCul lough, a PUC attorney, various phases of the SP's proposal. The railroad claims tMe PUC does not have jurisdiction over the proposed cut in service. Out come of Senator Lowry's de mand for a hearing, filed with Commissioner Charles Heltzel last week, may be a clarification through the courts of the PUC's authority over the railroad. . Copy To Mayor A - copy of the chamber of commerce resolution is to be sent to Mayor Earl Miller, of Medford in order that it may be brought to the attention of the city council for. whatever action deeded appropriate. Ear lier this week, the Roseburg city council unanimously adopted a resolution protesting the end of passenger service, , and offering to cooperate with other cities and chambers of commerce in action designed to compel the SP to continue service. The Roseburg resolution also asked that daytime passenger service be added to the line. The Jackson County Cham ber's action came after a brief discussion in which some mem bers characterized the SP's ac tion as a , "betrayal" ; of. the southern Oregon area. Pool, Water Use High in 99 Heat Medford's 99-degree weather yesterday resulted in the second- highest attendance on record at the Hawthorne park pool, and a record high use of water. ; A total of 901 people includ ing 78 adults visited the pool. The highest attendance previous was 915 people on July .8 1952, according to Darrel Huson, city park director. The pool aver ages about 400 youngsters a day, Robert Lee, assistant city water superintendent, said Med ford residents, along with those of .Jacksonville, Eagle Point, Central Point and several water districts, used an estimated 19,- 300,000 gallons of water yester day. This is approximately 500,- 000 gallons of water more than a record set June 8 this year. Lee added that about 250,000 gallons of water used on the re cent Medford Furniture -store fire was a relatively , "small usage." : M e d f o r d's pipeline brings in about 12,800 gallons of water a minute. He added that Medford is in no danger -of a water shortage this summer. Jury Deliberates Guilt of Oveross Salem U.R) Jury delib eration in the murder trial of Casper Oveross resumed at 9:30 a.m. today and a verdict had not been reached at noon. . The jurors failed to reach a verdict as to whether Oveross killed his Silverton area neigh bor, Ervin Kaser, although they deliberated last night from 5:56 p.m. until they were excused by Judge George Duncan at 11:20 pjn. ' Attorney Bruce Williams con cluded his argument for the de fense by saying that special pros ecutor Howard Raymond was asking for "155 pounds of flesh.' Oveross weighs 155 pounds. Wil liams said the state had failed to prove its case With its own witnesses, . -.. .Raymond, who closed for the prosecution, said "I did not came, down here to gas 155 pounds of flesh. I came down here to aid the state in prosecu tion of -a first degree murder indictment returned by the Mar ion county grand jury. -WE run LaaMd Wir ,ce5c No. 98 Wafer-Users in 2 Districts To Ballot On Rehabilitation Repayment Contract Will B Decided A "crucial" vote by water users of two irrigation districts on a rehabilitation contract with the federal government will be held tomorrow." Same 1,150 residents of the Medford and Rogue River Valley Irrigation districts are eligible to An initial appropriation of $350,000 for rehabilitation, work on the Medford and Rogue River Valley Irriga tion districts has been aoprov ed by congress.' The amount was contained in an appropri ation bill given final passage yesterday, and is earmarked in bumu of reclamation funds. Bids have been .submitted on first phases of the rehabili tation work, at Four Mile and Fish lakes, and the only thing now holding up the beginning of immediate construction .is approval of a repayment con tract for the Job by voters of the district, who will ballot on the question tomorrow, i cast ballots. Directors and offi cers . of the . two districts this morning emphasized the impor tance to the future of agricul ture of the valley of a favorable decision. -The, contract would authorize the bureau of reclamation to repair water carrying structures, several of them in critical con dition, complete facilities at Fish lake and Fourmile lake - dams. Both an immediate program, covering critical and major op erations, and a long range six- year improvement project would be involved. Large Turnout nfi-lala HrttK riictrf-f. tn. day strongly urged 'a large turn out of voters for.'twp reasons; first because thev feel the ap proval of the contracts is vital, and second, because a large vote indicates good public backing, and would aid them in their negotiations with ' the federal government. -. " Total cost to the Medford dis trict would, be SL.475.466. and to the Rogue River Valley dis trict. 1238.534. These amounts would be repaid the government in yearly installments, . witnout interest, over a 40 year period Mo Assessment Increase . Officials of the districts point out that savins in maintenance costs would equal and offset annual installments to the gov ernment' Consequently, there would be no need for raiding assessment charges to meet the payments. About soo voters are eligible in the Medford district, and about 250 in the Rogue. River Valley district. Those eligible to '. vote must be 21 years or older, own two or more acres ' within the districts,- with the deed recorded at least six months, or with a recorded contract of sale. Only one owner of each piece of prop erty can vote. Polls Listed Pollino- nlacea for the Med ford district include, ; Precinct 1, Hillcrest orchard house, Pre cinct 2. Phoenix Grade school gym, Precinct 3, Oak Grove school. , - Rogue River Valley district poll is located in the district office on Merriman rd., beyond Howard school, near Gilman's dairy. Polls will be open from 8 am to 5 p.ra. t Ex-Commufifsf Admits Lying in Bridges Cose San Francisco U.B Balding former Communist party water trtmt organized David L. Saun ders today testified that he "lied mt manv. occasions to protect" longshore boss Harry : Bridges from being known as a comm nist party member. Saunders, currently operations manager of the NYK Shipping lines was recalled to the stand today, at the Bridges denaturali zation trial by defense attorneys for runner eroas-exenunauon. Weather FORECAST: Continnsi fair an warm throng Friday. Lew tonight IX. High Friday 4. -Temp. Highest Yesterday Lowest this Morning 4 City Council OKs Slashes in Budget With Reluctance Trimming Necessary Following Election The city council last night adopted a ,1955-56 general fund budget $68,512 below the amount recommended by the citizens' budget committee. Reductions in the budget, which affected ' city employees as well x as general operating expenses, were necessary when Medford residents defeated a proposed budget $66,510 over the 6 per cent limitation in an election July 5. Accept With Reluctance Majority of deletions suggest ed by City Manager Robert Duff, who prepared the budget, were accepted by the council with some reluctance, although discussion arose when city em ployees' salary deletions were suggested. - Duff pointed out, "The emer gency fund may be called on more this year because some items are cut pretty thin." The emergency fund totals $10,000. Most the discussion centered around putting the license col lector on a part-time basis and cutting the salary by $2,145. Councilman Stanley C. Jones Jr., said there is "no reason to penalize the collector if we found at the end of the. year we had funds to pay him." Collection Might Increase . Jones pointed out license col lections could increase by about 100 per cent, bringing addition al revenue to the city' which would compensate for leaving the collector on a full-time basis. Presently about $20,000 is being collected by the license .depart ment--1- .:--' "I don't think the people real ized they were voting deletions in salaries when they rejected the budget, Jones said. Councilman Harold F r y e pointed out the collector has been employed by the city about 21 years, and added that "I don't think we should have to delete employees' salaries." Jones suggested restoring the collector's salary, and deleting the amount from the emergency fund, which he said is seldom en tirely used. He also suggested alternatively, restoring the item, and adding to the revenue addi tional money which may be col lected by the license department. Councilman Donald Hansen said, "It is unfortunate that pl anes nave to c-e cut. Other Cuts Made. Besides the license collector's salary, other deletions affecting municipal employees . include $387 from the airport manager, $1,600 from the city manager, and $3,390 from the. police de partment. The latter is tempor arily dispensing with one patrol man,, who would be returned to the force next year if funds are available. The administrative aide will assume duties of airport manager for the year, which also would effect a saving of $1,968 for the difference paid the present air port manager and the adminis trative aide assuming the duties. Councilman John Snider said deleting $1,000 from the library book fund would have a direct effect upon Medford's youth, who would be deprived of additional books. Total Cuts Listed Total deletions included: $10, 787 from the airport; $2,000 from city hall improvements; $3,700 from the engineering depart ment; $2,145 from the. finance department; $6,235 from the fire department; $11,435 from the general adminstration; $3,400 from the legal department; $1,000 from the library book fund; $5,500 -from the planning com mission; $6,260 from the police department; $3,750 from the sewer department;' $2,350 from sewage-treatment; $7,950 from the traffic department . The council adopted routine ordinances calling for the fol lowing levies: General fund and library, $223,764; park and swim' mingpool (1 mill continuing levy), $20,861; fire maintenance fund (4 mill continuing levy), 0$83,446; general bond fund, $105,035; and water bond sink ing fund, $36,015. Camden, N.J. (U.R) The Radio Corporation of America said a radio station and other equipment it had erected at the atomic test in Nevada sustained only minor surface damage in a nuclear explosion last May a. House and Senate Give Final Approval To Compromise Bill Talent, Rehabilitation Funds Are Provided A total of $500,1)00 for two ir rigation and reclamation proj ects in Jackson county is pro vided in a $554,000,000 appro priation bill which received final approval from Congress yester day. The funds include $350,000 for rehabilitation work on the canal systems ' of the Medford and Rogue River Valley Irrigation districts, and $150,000 for the Talent project in southern Jack son county. . -The rehabilitation funds are part of monies set aside for the bureau of reclamation for var ious projects, and are earmarked for use in the Medford and Rogue River .Valley districts. Water users of the two districts will vote tomorrow on approval of a repayment contract with the fed eral government covering the project. Later Appropriations The $350,000 appropriation is sufficient to get the most crucial phases of the project completed, and other later appropriations can be expected for later parts of the job, which will be spread over a six-year period. The total estimated cost of the rehabilita tion project is $1,712,000. The $150,000 for the Talent project was a specific appropria tion listed in the bill.. Originally it was not included in the admin istration budget, but was inserted into the bill by the House appro priations committee. The amount was increased to $500,000 in the Senate committee, but was pared! down to the smaller figure again by a House-Senate conference committee. ' - Washington (U.R) A $554, 000,000 appropriation bill includ ing important Northwest projects was sent to the President today after getting by both House and Senate in a compromise version- Northwest projects in the final compromise included:. Dredging at the mouth nf tht. (VilirmMn river S750.0OO- Tillnrruwlr. Kav project,- $20000; Green Peter dam planning, $100,000; . John Day planning, $550,000; Talent project, $150,000; Coos Bay project, $200,000. , . Previously, agreed on and un- auectea oy benate-House con ference action were: The Dalles dam, $63,500,000; Chief Joseph dam, $18,000,000; McNary dam, s.i.quo.ooo. Despite efforts of four Renub- licans to delete Ice Harbor dam from the bill, it was approved for $1,000,000 to start construction at the Snake river site. Hills Creek dam was also approved. xne compromise bill was worked out by Senator Allan El lender, a Louisiana Democrat, who is chairman of the senate conferees. After passage, Sen. Richard Neuberger, Oregon dem ocrat, complimented Sen. -Ellen- der on his efforts in behalf of the three new federal dams for the Pacific Northwest . - - All four Oregon congresmen supported the bill. Hells Canyon Dam Testimony Heard Washington U.R) A House Interior subcommittee today be gan hearing direct testimony on a bill to authorize federal con struction of a dam at Hells Can yon on the Snake river in Idaho. Witnesses included R. B. Parry of Twin Falls, Ida.,- counsel for the Idaho Power Company, and Holland H. Houston of Olympiad Wash., engineering consultant to Gov. Arthur B. Langlie of Wash ington. Parry described in detail the physical contour , of the Snake river and its tributaries. Houston testified about engineering prob lems involved in the develop ment of hydroelectric power in the Northwest. - . The subcommittee deferred cross-examining both witnesses until tomorrow. Officials Set Firo Damage at $175100; Cause Said Accidental; Two Men Rolccccd Two men were released by city police yesterday afternoon after giving statements that a fire which caused more than $175,000 damage to Medford Furniture store last Friday was caused accidentally. Melvin Glenn Wier, Phoenix, and Gene Wallace Lauderdale, 29, a transient, toth of whom were employed by , the store, gave statements before city fire department, officials, represen tatives of state . police, arson squad, state fire marshal depu ties and city police.': f v ' The fire gutted the second floor of the buildinf at the cor- ;V - 7'. ' - Sits T. J" ; f. POUFF Devastation and almost complete , disintegration mark spot where a huge Air Force four-engine tanker plana , crashed and burned in Merced County, Calif., killing 11 crew men. Only tail section (circled, top) and scattered wreckage remain. . . ' Officers Investigate Crash of Air Merced, Calif .(U.R) The Air Force : sought today to - learn what caused a four-engined air tanker to crash in flames shortly after, taking off from nearby Castle Air Force Base. All 10 men aboard were killed. Carrying 'Jet Fuel J The KC97, a military .version of the Stratocruiser, was carry ing more than 6000 gallons of jet fuel. The crash took place $30,000 in Damages Sought; Case Cited Damages of $30,000 are being asked by William R. Mitchell from Paul Solin, South Pacific Highway, in a suit filed, with the circuit court by Mitchell today. Mitchell is asking $15,000 com pensatory' and $15,000 exem plary and punitive damages. . The. suit is the, result of a cir cuit court case last December in which Solin allegedly pro curred a warrant for the arrest of Mitchell, charging with with operating a real estate business without a license. Mitcbel filed a demurrer. Later, District At torney Walter Nunley asked the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the charge, did not constitute a violation of Oregon law. The 'case was dismissed. In the' present suit, Mitchell charges Solin with causing him "great 'mental anguish and suf fering." Furthermore, he alleges, his. credit, reputation and social and business standing were in jured due to the charges being printed in newspapers and being discussed among his friends.- 20-30 Convention -Slated This Week End The Medford club will be host to more than . 100 members of 20-30 clubs during its annual northwest district convention, July 16 and . 17, according to Bob Schroeder, president of the local group. Convention headquarters will be at the Medford hotel. . Among 20-30 club officials at tending the convention are In ternational Ambassador of Good will Robert' P. Shimmin, Phoe nix, Ariz.; international trustee, Area 1, Jack Groo, Vallejo, Calif.; and northwest district governor, Norm Morrison, Sac ramento, Cam. A banquet and dance at the hotel are planned Saturday eve ning, Schroeder said. The con vention will begin with a Sun day morning" "brunch."',. John Delienback, local, attorney, will be the principal speaker. ner of Bartlett and Sixth sts., and the approximate loss on the building and' two businesses in the building will total $175,000 Wier in his statement said he and Lauderdale were looking for a specific color of mattress in a dimly lighted storage room in the southwest corner. He ac cidentally dropped a lighted match, . igniting paper mattress coverings, he said. . The fire spread rapidly over highly combustible material stored on the floor. Both men were released by police. No charges were filed Lauderdale wag arrested by yesterday .when the plane was at an altitude of 1500 feet. , Witnesses agreed that -one of the engines burst into flames . and dropped off. The loss of weight caused the big plane to tilt on its side,, with tongues of flame flashing along its length. ' Then it nosedived into a grain field, six miles north of Castle. The explosion rocked the coun tryside for miles , around . and tore out a crater measuring SO by 60 feet and 15 deep Into the ground.- , j ; Roaring flames shot high into the air and a pall of smoke was visible 25 miles away. r The Air Force identified the . victims as follows: Capt. John Easterling, aircraft commander. Ventura, v Calif,; cpfc. Umui J7 Smithv: nm p-torr'. Xsxunora, N.Y TSgt. George W. Huff mire Jr., flight engineer, La tham, N.Y.; SSgt David SV Scorggins, '. radio operator, ' Bes . semer, - Ala.; lst. Lt James H.' Dillon Jr., Philadelphia, obser ver; 2nd Lt. Amador X. Joequin, Wahiawa. Hawaii, observer: Lt, James W. Guiles, pilot, Weather ford, Tex.; SSgt Marvin F. Rusk, boom operator, Finton. Tex.; SSgt George R. Mignosa,- boom operator. South - Boston, Mass. . .. - --. . The nam of the loth victim, a foreign national exchange stu dent, was withheld until his next - of kin is notified. Passenger Train T Huribs Er.b:r.!(in:r.t Bridgeport AJ.R)--An expreea passenger train derailed and hurtled over an embanfanent hen .today and first reportsssid ' one man was killed and 43 to 50 : were injured, r- .- y--.' Emergency caUt went to all hospitals in the vicinity for am bulances to be rushed to tho scene of the' wreck. : ' ' ; Witnesses said seven cars and7 . the engine of the fast Washing ton to Beaton "Federal Express" train left the rails and went , over the' embankment Police said the-ofef-uatent may have been caused . by a freight train which wu reported involved in the accident. A doctor, at the scene of the derailment said - a : number of passengers were painfully in jured but he said he did not expect any of them to die. Eisenhower To lake Son As Aide To Geneva - Washington U.3 President Eisenhower wil 'ltake his son . Maj. John S. Eisenhower, to the Big Four meeting in Geneva as '-; a personal aide, the White Houso' announced today. city police Saturday night in ' Front st tavern for being drunk in a public place. He was ten-: tenced to 30 days in city jaiLr pending possible release after questioning in connection, with -the fire. ' Wier is a truck ' driver, for ; Medford Furniture store, and ( Lauderdale was a temporary em ployee who was sent there by the' employment - .service two.;, days prior to the fire. Police said Lauderdale was living at . Lake hotel on Main st when he -was arrested.'.' - V r ' Wier said he has been. wof; ried sick" about the fire sine) , Fridays according to police.