TWELVE MEDFORD (OF.EGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Sunday, January 8, 1956
1955 Rainfall Slightly Above
ormal; Temperatures Cooler
A cold dry winter, left over
from 195 a cool dry spring
followed by a dry but not es
pecially hot summer added up
to average annual 1955 temp
eratures about two degrees cold
er than normal in the Rogue
valley.
Hryness in the early part of
the year was more than comp
ensated for a by wet late fall
and early winter, topped off by
3 record breaking December
rainfall that brought total 1955
precipitation to slightly above
normal in the valley.
Three Records Broken
Three weather records were
broken during 1955 according to
the U. S. leather Bureau at
the Medford airport. A record
breaking high temperature for
September was reached Sept. 4
when mercury climbed to 107
degrees. Two months later a
November snowfall of 11.2 in
ches broke all records for that
month. An 8.77 inch rainfall
set new records for December.
The average annual tempera
ture for Medford was 52.3 de
grees, 1.7 degrees below nor
mal. A low for the year of 19
degrees was reached March 15
and 20.
Above Normal Fall
Rainfall was 1.76 inches
above normal, totaling 19.9- in
ches with 14.81 inches of that
amount falling during the last
three months of the year. Rain,
.01 inch or more, fell on 93
days. Snow fall totaled 16.2 in
ches for the year. Normal for
the Medford area is 7.2 inches.
There were 111 clear days in
1955, 99 days partly cloudy and
106 cloudy. Medford skies, con
sidered from sunrise to sunset,
were cloudy 59 per cent of the
year. Normal is 57 per cent
cloudy. There was heavy fog
on '51 days compared to a nor
mal of 43.
Ashland had an average an
nual temperature of 50.4 de
grees, 2.3 degrees below norm
al. Rainfall at Ashland totaled
17.73 inches, 2.25 inches below
normal. Snowfall totaled 8.9 in
ches with most of it falling in
November.
Ashland High
High temperatures at Ashland
was 100 degrees on Sept. 4. Low
was 17 degrees on March 5 and
again on Dec. 29.
At Grants Pass, an average
annual temperature of 53 de
grees was only .6 degree below
normal. A high of 108 degrees
was reached Aug. 8 and a low
of 19 degrees was reached on
March 20.
Rainfall at Grants Pass total
ed 31.44 inches, 1.69 inches
above normal. There was 6V2
inches of snowfall.
County Engineer
To Leave For Meet
In Florida Monday
County Engineer Paul Ryn
ning and Mrs. Rynning will
leave by air Monday evening for
Miami, Fla.. where he will at
tend the annual convention of
the American Road Builders as-
gociation.
Floyd Robb, Coos county en
gineer, will accompany them.
Both Rynning and Robb are
members of the board of direc
tors of the county division of
the association, and Rynning is
on the convention's resolutions
committee. The three will return
the following Monday.
Federal Program
The association is composed
of all segments of the road build
ing industry, governmental and
private, including equipment
manufacturers. Rynning said a
number of matters will be con
sidered, including action on pro
posals for a federal road build
ing program.
During his absence, Delbett
Clifford will be in charge of the
county roads program, Rynning
reported, and will continue rou
tine maintenance jobs as well
Sis repairs needed because of
recent floods and washouts.
The engineer said there are
still a couple of places in the
county where families are cut
off from the outside, although
it is shown that no one is in any
danger. These include the Neth
erland bridge, in the Shady Cove
area, and Emigrant Creek rd.,
east of Ashland. On Elk creek
a . bridge was washed out, but
loggers have constructed- a ford
usable by larger vehicles, and
the Trail bridge is still out.
Rynning said his original esti
mate of the amount of damage
to county roads, $250,000, may
have bet a bit high, but that
a great deal of work still re
mains to be done, and it will
take months to complete.
Increased Sawmill
Residue Use Needed
For Lumber Industry
Corvallis Increased automa
tion and use of sawmill residues
are needed in the lumber in
dustry to hold prices in line
with competing materials, ac
cording to John Grantham, man
aging director of the Oregon
forest, products laboratory at
Oregon State college.
Grantham said installation of
more automatic equipment in
sawmills is necessary to increase
man-hour productivty.
Increase Productivity
Automatic dogging, riderless
carriages, remote setworks for
resaw and similar equipment
could replace men who have no
important decisions to make.
This would increase productivity
of essential workers, he reported.
He ' urged increased utiliza-
HAPPY AND HUMBLE Singer Julius LaRosa, 26, look
ing happy and properly humble, poses with his bride-to-be,
Rosemary (Rory) Meyer, 25, in New York after announc
ing their engagement. LaRosa rocketed to success when
Arthur Godfrey fired him for not having "humility." Miss
Meyer is a secretary in the office of singer Perry Como.
Radioactive Ores
Reported In Area
Four occurrences of radio
active minerals in Jackson com
ty have been 'reported to the
state department of geology and
mineral0industries, it was re
ported last week.
The information ' is contained
in the current issue of The Ore-
Bin, publication of the depart
ment. None of the locations is
in 'commercial production.
One is located on the Little
Applegate river 'southwest of
Jacksonville, and is the discov
ery of George DeGroote, Port
land. Uranium minerals on the
location are unknown.
Another, located near Trail,
was found by Ervine House,
Shady-Cove.
The third, located, by Vernon
Ritchie ! and Norman Nelson,
Medford, is located south of Ash
land, and the fourth, located by
Car! Love, Milwaukie, Ore., is
north of Trail, wherestwo loca
tions were found in the same
area.
Water Runoff May
Be Above Average
Runoff during the "water
year" in this area should be
well above average, according to
the Medford weather bureau.
R. D. Church, meteorologist in
charge, said the forecast as of
Jan. 1 indicates that heavy fall
ind winter precipitation will
provide more than ample sup
plies of water during the irriga
tion season. Fall precipitation in
southwestern Oregon was 120
per cent of normal. December
precipitation averaged about 225
per cent of normal. The figures
for south-central Oregon (prin
cipally the Klamath basin) were
110 per cent for the fall and 250
per cent for December.
Water-year forecasts for spe
cific points listed by Church in
cluded:
Rogue river near Prospect.
1,720,000 acre-feet, or 129 per
cent of the 1938-1952 average
Klamath river Upper Klamath
lake net inflow, 1,800,000 acre
feet, or 147 per cent; North Ump
qua river below Lake creek,
390,000 acre-feet, or 130 per
cent.
Pofucek Named Head
Of Labor Council
George Potucek, 387 OGara
St., was installed as president of
the Medford Central Labor coun
cil at the reguar meejing recently.
E5 E. Ford was made vice-
president; Pauline La Plane, fi
nancial secretary; Vernon Mar
shall, recording secretary; Jess
Wagner, sergeant at arms; ana
Merle Merriman, Alvih York
Wiliism Hoxie and John Rorrex;
trustees.
The council heard Glenn Jack
son and John Crawford outline
the program for the Rogue Val
Jey Memorial hospital and went
on record as endorsing the pro
ject.
Plans are underway for
' March of Dimes dance, with
Crater Adult Classes
Still Have Openings
Central Point Openings still
are available in two evening
adult classes sponsored by the
Crater High school vocational
agricultural department, Leon
ard Kunzman, instructor has
announced.
Kunzman said about 40 have
enrolled n the animal sanitation
and disease control class, which
is a continuation of a course
conducted last year. About 10
have enrolled in the farm truck
and tractor maintenance repair
course, in which residents may
bring their vehicles for repairing.
Both courses are held n the
agricultural building at Crater
High school. The animal disease
control class, which started last
Wednesday, is held Tuesday
nights between 8 and 10 p.m.
The vehicle maintenance class
will start Wednesday at 8 p.m
Persons interested in enrolling
in either class may contact Kunz
man.
tion of plant residues by expand
ing uses for slabs, edgings, trims,
' sawdust and bark. Use of mill
residues as chips or fuel avoids
disposal cost and may mean
the difference between profit
and loss for the operation.
By 1957, lumber prices are
expected to increase about 80
per cent more than the anticip
ated increase in competitive
products. Predictions of future
lumber demand hinge largely
on price, Grantham explained.
A 1954 report forecasts only
a 7 or 8 per cent increase in
lumber consumption between
now and 1975 despite an anticip
ated 64 per cent increase in
disposable income of individuals
and a 64 per ' cent increase in
new housing starts.
Grantham said he doubted
the anticipated increase of mill
residue value will be sufficient
during the next 10 to 20 years
to offset cost increases in lum
ber manufature.
Increased Lumber Costs
Increased lumber costs will
come from such "pressures" as
higher stumpage costs and in
creased logging costs because of
smaller volumes per acre, rough
er terrain and greater hauling
distances.
Milling costs will rise because
of smaller logs. Pressure for
higher prices also will come
from increased labor and trans
portation costs.
Production costs can be re
duced by diverting logs to those
plants which can obtain the high
est values or can most efficient
ly utilize raw materials, Grant
ham said.
Greater volume recovery from
each, acre of forest land through
prelogging or re-logging has
been accomplished in many in
stances, but the extent of these
practices is too limited, Grant
ham said.
Mill residues can be used for
hardboard and particle-board
production, paper, and paper-
board. Hardboards and particle-
board produstion is expected to
double by 1975, Grantham said.
Increasing Use
Sawdust is finding increased
favor as a mulch for berries,
ornamentals, and vegetables such
as cabbage and tomatoes. Stud
ies are under way to treat saw
dust before its application to
overcome temporary nitrogen
depletion induced by the saw
dust.
The treatment- of sawdust
would improve it's characterist
cs as a soil conditioner.
Bark, now used for fuel, is
a potential as a chemical raw
material. Laboratory research
has demonstrated that waxes,
tannins, and flavanones may be
obtained from bark by solvent
extraction.
Oil Company Offers
Scholarship At SOC
Standard oil company of Cali
fornia will award two leadership
scholarships during the . 1956-57
academic year to students at
Southern Oregon college, it was
announced yesterday. They are
part Ox a nation-wide educational
program sponsored by Standard
and selection of winners is han
dled by college scholarship com
mittees.
Linfield college, Pacific uni
versity, and University of Port
land also have been authorized
Two-Year-Old Case
Goes To Grand Jury
The case of Fred Stewart, 38,
Idaho, charged with burglary
not in a dwelling, was resubmit
ted to the county grand jury
yesterday. Stewart is charged
with burglarizing the Medford
Accounting service two years
ago.
Members of the jury are La
mar Dodd, Central Point; Iva
Cathey, Eagle Point; Virginia M.
Bohnert, Central Point; Wilburn
E. Gillestie, Jacksonville; Mel-
vin P. Scott, Velma F. Ryn and
A. J. Lynch, Medford.
Heart Association
Fund Drive Slated
A community-wide Heart Sun
day collection will be conducted
in Medford Feb. 26 by the Amer
ican Legion auxiliary, according
to an announcement by C. H.
Labbe, Portland, assistant vice-
president of the U.S. National
Bank and 1956 state Heart fund
chairman. Mrs. Earl Bigalow is
chairman of the local drive-
Funds contributed will be us
ed for a crusade against diseas
es of the heart and circulation.
Mrs. Bigalow said the auxiliary
hopes other county organizations
will participate in the collection
as last year, when Medford rank
ed second per capita in Oregon
contributions.
Although not sponsoring the
drive last year, the auxiliary
aided in the campaign and Miss
Laura York, past state music
chairman of the auxiliary and
past state president of Business
and Professional Women's clubs,
served as chairman.
Persons wishing to1 contribute
two hours, between 2 and 4 p.m.,
Feb. 26, may contact Mrs. Biga
low, 2-6877. Volunteers will give
each family they visit an-opportunity
to support the crusade, she
said. The Sunday collection will
be the principal means of raising
funds for the Heart association.
Last Year Good One
For Most Crops; Some
Adversely Affected
Casualty Losses To
Be Reported In Taxes
Procedures for reporting cas
ualty losses on income tax re
turns were ' explained yesterday
by R. C. Granquist, district direc
tor of internal revenue, Portland.
Losses are only deductible in
the year sustained, and must
be reduced by any insurance
or other compensation received
in that year or which will be
received in a subsequent year.
Information regarding prob
lems created by flood disasters
is available through the Medford
office of internal revenue in. the
federal building, 33 North Riv
erside ave., or from the internal
revenue service, 830 NE Holla
day st., Portland.
Rehabilitation
Groups Are Listed
For Area Residents
Agencies with information
about rehabilitation assistance
for individual and private losses
from floods were listed yester
day by Charles H. Beal, federal
civil defense engineer, Salem.
American Red Cross assists
in private and individual losses
and persons desiring help local
ly may call at the Red Cross of
fice, courthouse, phone 2-4405.
The Small Business adminis
tration, which has charge of
grants non-secured and 10-year
loans at 3 per cent to individuals
or small businesses, has been set
up in Grants Pass, phone Green
wood 6-7422.
FHA Office '
The Federal Housing adminis
tration office at 33 North River
side ave., liberalizes terms and
extends time of payments for
homes and improvements. Head
office is at 827 NE Oregon st.,
Portland.
The veterans administration,
with offices at 35 North River
side ave., liberalizes terms on
homes "of" veterans affected by
the flood. Regional office is in
the Lincoln building, Portland.
Loans to farmers for various
types of losses are available
through the Farmers Home ad
ministration, 209 SW Fifth ave.,
Portland.
The U. S. department of com
merce, room 217, Pioneer post
office building, Portland, is in
charge of priorities for materials
to rebuild industries and small
businesses.
Beal said federal funds are
available only for work essen
tial for preservation of life and
property and replacement of
damaged civil defense equipment
purchased under the federal
matching program.
Whether the 1955 climate was
good or bad for agriculture de
pends on what trop was being
produced, according to W. B.
Tucker, chief county agent.
Generally speaking it was a
good year for agriculture, Tuck
er said, with the bad aspects
pretty well off-set by the good.
Record Pear Crop
In the fruit industry it was
a bumper year for small fruits
and the weather contributed to
development of a record break
ing pear crop. Apricots and
peaches, however, were largely
curtailed by heavy freezes early
in the year. No, damage to fruit
trees from freezing has yet been
apparent. Pruning was delayed
by mud and rain.
Cattlemen suffered serious
damage, first because cold wea
ther caused shortened hay crops
and resulted in higher prices for
imported hay, and second be
cause freezing weather in Nov
ember killed range grass nec
essitating early feeding of live
stock.
The dry weather, however,
apparently killed a large por
tion 01 animai parasites thus re
ducing disease incident in dom
estic animals.
Premature Ripening
Dryness caused premature
ripening of seed crops, such as
dry land alfalfa, but furnished
ideal harvesting conditions.
There was a shortage of irri
gation water in 1955. but in most
areas the amount was satisfact
ory, Tucker said. Again, cool
weather preserved the amount
of existing snow pack causing
an even run-off through the
year.
Heavy rains and floods in the
latter part of 1955 caused a tre
mendous amount of erosion.
Damage was divided between
water washing away good top
soil and water depositing lay
ers of debris and sand on top of
productive land. The full extent
of the damage is not yet known.
Tucker said.
, About 80 miles of streams in
the area were out of their banks
causing stream bank erosion, de
stroying fences and filling irri
gation ditches with mud, sand
and debris.
Good Year for Some
It was a good year for such
vegetable crops as peas, spin
ach and lettuce, but sweet corn
and tomato crops were severely
limited by cold and a short
growing season.
Bee-keepers, in the valley suf
fered heavy losses due to a long,
cold spring and low nectar con
tent in flowers which made it
necessary to feed bees. A large
number of hives were lost and
others were weakened.' j
Fooflighfers Will
Meet Wednesday
The first of twice-weekly
workshop meetings of the Med
ford Footlighters, a local civic
theater group, will be held Wed
nesday between 7:30 and 9:30
p.m. Mrs. Stan Zapell, long, ac
tive in the. group, will head the
workshop, assisted by Frank
Buchter, Mrs. Edward C. Kelly
and others in the group.
Meetings will be held each
Wednesday and Thursday even
ing in St. Mary's school activities
room. The building was made
available "in response to the
need of Footlighters for a com
fortable 'in town' facility," ac
cording to Mrs. Max Wimmer,
president.
The St. Mary's room was do
nated as a public service while
the group's fairgrounds theater
is being remodeled. It is equip
ped with a small stage and "is
ideal for our workshop pro
gram," Mrs. Wimmer said.
Theme of the wokrshop is
"learn by doing" and all persons
wishing to work on acting tech
nique, direction, lighting, make
up, costuming or staging will
have an opportunity to experi
ment on their own, she said.
Medford Company
Gets Grading Contract
Salem U.R) The State
Highway commission has award
ed a Curry county grading and
surfacing contract to Keith
Brothers Construction Co.. of
Medford on low bid of $39,440.
The job involves 2.27 miles of
grading ' and surfacing on the
Brookings-Morse ranch ' section
of the Chetco river road, easterly
from Brookings.
About 2,500 pounds of Doug
las fir seed will raise upwards
of 100,000,000 trees under ideal
conditions, according to forestry
experts.
Chicago An accidental death
occurs every five minutes within
the United States.
PICTURE TUBES
REJUVENATED
Is your picture tuba dull and weak?
Most picture tubes can be restored
to original brightness at only a
fraction of the cost of replacement.
For further information CALL
Electronic Service
18 N. GRAPE
PH. 3-1971
Warning to Maytag Users
If Your Maytag Appliance Was Damaged by Flood Water
Do Not Use Until You Consult Your Maytag Dealer ,
LARSON APPLIANCE CO.
406 East Main St. o Phone 2-5302
Permanent and Costly Damage Can Be Avoided By
Being Sure Your Appliance is Safe to Use.
Your Maytag Dealer Has a Rehabilitation Program "
Sponsored by the Maytag Company.
Rogue River Youth
Injured in Accident
Charles Berton Beck, 19, of
Rogue River, was hospitalized
in Grants Pass Friday afternoon
after the car he ' was driving
was wrecked, according to a
state police report.
Officers said Beck, driving
south on Highway 99 near the
Welcome motel near Savage
Rapids dam, passed another car
and then lost control of his,
which went into a spin, slid
off the road and sideways into
the cement base of the motel
sign. It continued on for some
distance, finally striking a tree,
the report said.
He was hospitalized for treat
ment of a cut eye, and possible
other head injuries, the officers
said. The car was towed away.
r
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Ofn a frefnerf
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When you do business with
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MERCY FLIGHTS
MEEDS YOU!
DO YOU NEED
MERCY FLIGHTS?
o
Anyone in Southern Oregon ot any time may find
himself in immediate need of the services of Mercy Flights.
Ask any of the more than 430 patients who learned this
from experience.
Yet without the subscriber system Mercy Flights
could not keep 'their planes available to meet the urgent
requests. It's a fact. Mercy Flights planes are operated at a
yearly loss of more than $10,000 and this loss is covered
by the subscriber fees of $4 a year per family. However,
those subscribers who do have need of a flight, more than
get their money's worth. In a medical emergency, they can
be taken anywhere within a 400-mile radius of Medford,
and still not have to pay a cent.
We urge every family in Southern Oregon and Northern
California, within a 150-mile radius of Medford, to join
Mercy Flights now. We believe it is safe to say that there
is not a resident in this area who does not know someone
who has been flown as a patient by Mercy Flights.
If you want to say "thanks" for that service, and at the
same time protect yourself and loved ones, join today.'
Mercy Flights, Inc. is a non-profit corporation serving you.
Simply send your name, address, and $4 to (
Mercy Flights, Inc.
P. O. Box 522 Medford, Oregon
Your subscriber card, good for one year, will be sent to you.
1
Marshall, secretary of the mu
two scholarships. Winners will
sicians, as chairman.
be announced next spring.