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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 27, 1956)
SIXTEEN MEDFOHD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Sunday. May 27, 1958 Is That So? Del Monte Lodge, Pebble Beach, Calif. Looking down from the Carmel-San Simeon highway, a ledge-like road which clings precariously to the cliffs above the great Pacific, a glad sight greeted me a herd of the rarest and most valuable of all animals sea otters. I wish all of you miaht have seen It and rejoiced with me. Less than 25 years ago, these 9 sea otters, owners of beautiful fur, were believed extinct, thanks to the ungoverned rapa city of th white man. For example, in San Francis co bay, one group of hunters within a week, working from small boats, knocked 800 dead with cars and clubs. Once these friendly frivolous creatures lived by the hundreds of thousands along the cold shores of the North Pacific, their range extending lik? a giant 6,-000-mile horseshoe from south ern California up to the Aleu tians and down the Kurile chain to Japan. Mostly, they congregat ed in sheltered bays where there was help in which they could truss up their young while they ' dived down a hundred feet for sea urchins abalone, cuttlefish and clams. Part of the animal's undoing was its friendliness. At first man could easily approach them, and besides they have a fanatic devo tion to their young. When a market-hunter captured the baby in the kelp the parents would lose all sense of caution and become easy prey fir clubs, spears and rifles. Usually those shot would sink to the bottom, unrecovered. Looking down upon them to day a small remnant, but still they seemed a part of the water, as they are: they are born In the water, they eat in- the water, grow old In the water, and die in the water. Sis of Mastiff When full grown, these fabu lous seal-like mammals are abou.t the size of a mastiff but with a low slung body, a heavy flat tened tail, big webbed hind feet, and paddle-like front feet, small and adaoted for holding food and young. When wet their beautiful dark brown fur glistens at clos er view the long white hairs give it a frosty appearance. They make a friendly family group the male caresses the fe male by stroking her; the female By EUGENE BURNS Ranger-Naturalist splashes and plays with her young one, between times grooming it carefully with her tongue and claws: and theyoung nurses blissfully from the float ing mother's breast, while ther half-grown disport themselves nearby. Because the water in which they live is always cold with lit tle change in temperature, their elegant fur is extremely dense. In fact, you can stretch a sea ot ter pelt half again its normal size and still not be able to force your fingers through the thick hair to touch the hide. And re gardless of season, summer or winter, this most costly of furs is always in prime condition. When I say costly, the prices ranged from a low of $30 a pelt in the early 1800's which was big money to better than $2, 000 in modern days. So, in 1884, a single ship under command of Alexander Barano sailed back to Russia with 15,000 pelts by to day's prices, a cargo worth more than 530,000,000. Value Brought Destruction The sea otter's tremendous value, of course, brought about its own destruction: in 1737 the white man first learned of its beauty. Within 74 years the spe cies was nearly extinct. But not before making history. Bering's voyage of discovery to Alaska in 1741 was actually in quest of this beautiful fur to make a cloak for the Empress Catherine. Later, it brought the Russians down our west coast to Fort Bragg, within a 100 miles of San Francisco. It helped to bring the Spanish mis sions north otter skins were one of the greatest sources of revenue for early Spanish mis sions. At Mission Dolores, in San Francisco, a processing room seldom contained less than 100 pelts. Finally, though it was thought that the sea otter might be ex tinct, a small band of conserva tionists got an international law slapped down to make the sell ing or even the possession of sea ' National Guardsmen To Start Camp June 16 Portland -UR) Oregon and Washington National Guards men of the 41st Infantry divi sion open their annual summer training encampment at Ft. Lewis, Wash., June 16 under the command of Gen. George S. Cook of Seattle. The division will be at its greatest strength since World War II with nearly 10,000 men enlisted. otter skins illegal. For a time it seemed as though action had come too late but after World War f, a group of sea otters was found in the Aleutians. Later, another group here south of Monterey the nucleus of the herd I looked upon today. . And now, I am told there are 400 in this area; together with 4,000 or so in the Aleutians. Ot ters, despite their beautiful furs now are free to feed, sleep, play in the surf. A gory page of fur history has been turned; and now, happily, we look upon a new leaf that of conservation, thanks to a small band of deter mined life savers! (Copyright, 1956, by Eugene Burns) (Released by MeClure Newspaper Syndieaie) Free: By special arrangement with the editors of the Encyclo pedia Americana, my panel of judges will award each week to the reader who sends me the best true-life nature adventure, the best nature observation, or tlw best question on nature and wild life, a complete 30-volume set of this world - famous reference work in a handsome Sealcraft binding. Each week new submissions will be considered. Sorry, I simp ly can't answer your- many friendly letters. Please address your letter to: Is That So! cAj Medford Mail Tribune, Box 575, Sausalito, Calif. Announcing the Appointment of LEE DAVIS ASHLAND OFFICE SUPPLY CO. 55 North Main, Ashland Phone 2-5771 SUB-AGENT Friden Adding & Calculating Machines Jackson County MECHANIC ON CALL Clifford C. Voight, Distributor Southern Oregon Northern California "MEDFORD Here's A Terrific VALUE! ( . .t " ' , . s r ' ' ' "i ' " ' Repeat of a Previous Sellout " '5."' WELL MADE! BARGAIN PRICED! FOLDING CHAISE AND PAD! The chaise is sturdily constructed steel with an aluminum finish with steel springs, 5 inch wheels. It folds compactly, can be tossed into your car for beach and picnic trips. Three-position adjustable back. The pad is striped cotton drill, filled with cot ton, button-tufted. Excellent buy! - '1 1288,5j for both! k Knights of Columbus Elects Officers Here The 48th annual State Con vention of the Oregon Knights of Columbus concluded a three day session in Medford last week. The closing sessions included election of officers and delegates to the supreme convention in Detroit, Mich., this August. The Dalles was selected as the con vention city for 1957. Saturday evening the conven tion banquet was served to over 400 officers, delegates and guests at the St. Mary's gymnasium. Dan Hull was toastmaster. Elected officers were Fred J. Schwab, Mt. Angel, state depu ty; Edward J. Bell, Stayton, state secretary; Eugene P. Roden. Pendleton, state treasurer; Ar thur H. Flynh, Hillsboro, state advocate; and Joseph Bernards Jr., Milwaukie, state warden. Delegates to the supreme con vention in Detroit are Ross Cole man, St. Paul; Ed Zielosowski, St. Helens; William G. Ely, Klamath Falls; and Carl Kebel beck, Cottage Grove. St. Helens Knights of Colum bus were winners of the mem bership trophy, and the scrap book trophy was won by the Lakeview Knight's of Colum bus. Charles Duby, Baker, re ceived the special district depu ty trophy for outstanding accomplishments. The greatest vegetable oil source in the world is believed to be the Amazon valley in South America. 4-H Club News Antelope Club Several activities are planned by members of Antelope 4-H For estry club. The next meeting will be held June 24, on 4-H Sunday, at the home of Dianna and Ar thur Gardener on Yankee creek when the group will first attend church at Eagle Point. They will picnic and swim at the Garden er home. On June 29 they will make a camping trip to the Klamath riv er and in late August they plan another camping trip to Blue canyon near the foot of Mt. Mc Loughlin. On May 18 and 19 they were at Azalea where they met jointly with other members of forestry clubs from Douglas, Josephine, Coos and Jackson counties. The Antelope club won a treasure hunt and received a gavel as a prize. They also participated in a number of other activities Sat urday at Azalea. Nyla Murray, Reporter. Read and Use Classified Ads Salem (U.R) Charles D. Schmidt, 42, assistant superin tendent of Salem schools since 1954, has been named superin tendent. The blue whale is the world's largest mammal. 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