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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1956)
Bulled Treasure by (jjbhfy, Offer of $200 Refused For Confederate Stamp Two ladies, accompanied by a gentleman who turned out to be their attorney, advanced to the counter and said they wished to learn whether or not their en velope was authentic. The envelope, yellowed with age, did look authentic. Tom, the owner of the stamp shop, picked it up. It was common enough envelope of its day it probably had been made about I860, but except for its manu facturer there was nothing com mon about it at all. In the upper right hand corner was a 10-cent stamp of the Confederacy. It was dull rose in color and carrying the picture ol Thomas Jefferson surrounded bv the legend, "THE CONFED ERATE STATES OF AMER ICA." To the left of that was an other, a hand stamp consisting merely of a circle containing the words "MONTGOMERY SOUTHERN EXPRESS ALA BAMA." Of those words only "EXPRESS" was in straight line, the others were curved about it. The stamps had been canceled by hand, in black ink, and the date could be made out without too much difficulty as August 25 or 28, 1862. Tom studied the envelope fol several minutes through a mag nifying glass. "It seems authentic to me," he said at last. "I am quite sure that this envelope was used for conveying money to the ad dressee." "How can you be sure of that, sir?" asked the lawyer. "I'm not positive," Tom re plied. "But the Southern Express Company, which took over throughout the South in 1861 from the Adams Express Comp any, was commonly used by the public for carrying valuables of various kinds. They apparently felt it was safer than the regular mails. Of course, that didn't sit well with the Post Office De partment, and they made it obligatory for the express user to pay the regular postage rates anyway, even though he didn't use the mails." "But is that all you've got to go on?" Persisted the attorney. "No," Tom said, "But it's all J can tell you right now, outside of saying that I'll gladly pay you $200 in cash for this enve lope." The ladies looked at each other and at the attorney and smiled as they picked up the envelope. "We're convinced it's authentic," they said. A CELERY VASE FOUND TO BE NOT SO COMMON The blue cornflowers looked very pretty in the pale amethyst vase, but Cousin Abbie apparent ly didn't think so. "Anything but that," she groaned, as she removed the flowers from the vase and pass ed them to the maid. The maid reached for the new empty vase, but Abbie dismissed her with a brief "I'll empty it, and we'll not use this for flowers again!" It was evident that the maid thought Cousin Abbie fully as eccentric as I did, but I was in a position to inquire the reason for her act and did so as she returned to 'the room. "Why did I change my mind, Pinkney?" she asked, setting the vase on the table between us, "because I just learned . today this is valuable. The piece didn't seem especial ly so to me. I had seen it around her place for years. It used to hold sticks of celery on the din ing room table when I was a boy, and I reminded her of that. "I know," she said, 'and I would think that you would have seen it for what it is and told me about it, rather than my having to find out by acci dent in a shop." I apologized for my ignorance and asked for enlightenment. "Well," she said, "this is what is known as a diamond quilted pattern with vertical ribbing," and she went on to tell me about a similar one she had come across that afternoon. It was slightly darker in color, but otherwise it was practically identical. A trifle over eight inches high, it had vertical ribbing, or fluting, running for about an inch down from the top and two inches up from the bottom. The interven ing area was cross-hatched in tiny diamond-shaped lozenges, hence the name. "But this is a fairly common pattern," I said, "Many firms made it back along about 1880." "I know," Cousin Abbie re plied, "but celery vases of this type are rare enough so that the one I was offered today was priced at $235. And someone snapped it up right while I was looking at it.". A WEBSTER FIRST FOUND IN STACK OF OLD BOOKS There must have been over a ton of lawbooks stacked on the office floor. At first, I thought all of them were bound in a musty leather. The place smelled as if they were a musty-dusty smell that was not unpleasant and which quietly recalled long afternoons and evenings of studying for exams. Presently I noted that some of them were not bound in leather, but were bound in a stout cloth binding that wasn't more than "0 years old or so. In other words, I might be able to get something out of the books beyond just the price of pulp. Some of them might still prove of use to a lawyer, and not simply as filler material for his shelves. . I bid $15 for the lot, and then when the young lady in charge demurred, I let myself go and raised the offer to $20. She accepted doubtfully so much so that I couldn't help ask ing why. "Is just seems to me," she said, "that there ought to be some books there that are really worthwhile. Their original cost was in the thousands." I agreed, and on the impulse of the moment told her I would let her know if I found anything valuable. I did find something valuable or relatively so. I came across a calf-bound volume of An Amer ican Dictionary of the English Language, by Noah Webster. I opened it hastily to the title page. The information was what I hoped for New York, 1828, the mark of the first edition. I set the book down shakily and hunted for the other volume there are two. It wasn't there. I went through the pile twice. When I called the young lady and told her my predicament, she took the news quite calmly. Wasn't there anything else of value? she asked. I assured her there wasn't. "Well," she said, "I have the other volume here. It's in ex cellent shape, too. And you can have it for $75." I exploded, but it did me no good. "A two-volume set like this sells for better than $100, retail," she said, "so my price for this volume is $75. Take it or leave it." I took it. (Released by McClure News paper Syndicate) Wafer-Robbing Weed Studied in Kansas Hays, Kan. (U.R) Scientists are starting the study of a weed that may be robbing Kansas of badly needed water. Using a $4,500 grant from the Interior department. Ft. Hays State college researchers under Dr. Gerald Tomanek will study the tamarisk or salt cedar plant Tamarisk has been found to make a measurable difference in the water table below the earth's surface by absorbing water through its roots and transpiring it freely through the leaves. Checking it near Kansas reser voirs and rivers, the research team will try to determine the extent of the plant's effect in a state hard hit by almost five years of drought. The plant eventually may be designated by the Kansas legisla ture to be a noxious weed, sub ject to organized destruction. Dead fin Sunday Clusiiled 1 at at noon Saturday. Old fort Niagara Popular With Tourists Youngstown, N.Y. U.P.) Old Fort Niagara, overlooking Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Ni agara River, is getting more popular as a tourist attraction as the years go by. President Paul P. Cohen of the Old Fort Niagara Association reported that the ancient stronghold drew 250.707 persons in the year end ed May 1. It marked about a 17,000 increase over the previ ous year and set an all-time record. Farmers Warned Against Milking During Storms Wellsville. Utah (U.R) Dairyman Reid W. Parkinson warned colleagues against turn ing on milking machines during thunder storms. He said a flip of his milker switch during a recent storm knocked 11 cows flat and killed five of them. Parkinson said a bolt of lightning apparent ly was fed through defective wiring into the cows, electrocut ing them. Total cost: $1,500. Southern Oregon Coast's Flowers, Scenery Admired by Motorloggers Improvement Jobs Speed Travelers Along Route 101 The feUowtar Is e Mflrfau. tten of moterlor appearing Jolr 21 la nrth wMt Bnterre nn magazine ef The Seaday Oreronian. It Is ene mt an an neal eerlee sponsored Jointly by the Oregon Ktate Motor associ ation and The Oregenian. BV GWLADYS BO WEN Sonet? Bailor. The Ortcomoo People down around Brook ings way are understandably annoyed when they hear stories about "the entire Oregon coast from Astoria to Gold Beach. Brookings may be some 36 miles south of Gold Beach, which puts them just about six miles north of the California border, but it is still very much in Oregon. Until the last few years, the southernmost reaches of the Oregon Coast highway, U. S. 101, were as noted for tortuous curves as for scenic beauty. But today, as we found on a motor log for the Oregon State Motor association and The Oregoman in the formers white Ford, there are wonderful stretches of new highway all the way from Taft to Brookings. From late spring on. there is no more beautiful stretch of coast highway than from Brookings north to Florence. Lilies Planted at Brooking Beginning in late May, the tourist sees the coast rhododen dron at its height, Scotch broom bursting into bloom, whole fields of iris from mountains to sea and Azalea state park at Brookings at its fragrant love liest By midsummer these have faded, but Brookings is again a floral paradise then, thanks to the flourishing cultivation of Croft lilies. There are also many beach flowers in summer blossom, and along Coast range roads from the Alsea river south, digitalis flowers profusely. The motorlog car pulled Into Brookings of a late May after noon after a pleasant drive from Jacksonville. After locating our motel, we went back down the 'road to 20-acre Azalea state park, which became part of the state park system May 26, 1939. Two years later, the peo ple of Brookings decided to hold their annual Azalea festival and flower show, complete with queen and court, a ball and all the -other et ceteras attendant upon festivities. War restric tions put a stop to the celebra tion the next year, and it was not until Memorial day of 1946 e ioctiMO ek FI0fine l Rocky eoant In Brooklnffa-Harbor area lnred motorlog party to halt white Oregon Stats Motor association ear for views. that the festival was revived. Now it is bigger and better than ever. These azaleas, all native to the Brookings area, are known botanically as rhododendron oc cidental. They grow in various shades from almost pure white to a deep salmon pink with buds that are almost red. Finally, some of the last of the virgin myrtlewood groves are to be found on the Cheteo river just east of Brookings. To those who are only familiar with second-growth myrtle, the virgin trees present a striking appearance. The wood was so much sought for paneling, and all sorts of bowls, trays and other souvenirs, that the great trees seemed doomed to the sawmill. The Portland Garden club be came interested, along with Save the Myrtlewood, Inc.. and other organizations, in the pres ervation of one of the groves, much as similar clubs have pre served groves of California red woods. In 1948, the local club won the founders' fund of the Garden Club of America, and with this award, together with a sum raised locally, purchased 160 acres of land, which was dedicated that same year. Grove Named After Owner The grove is known as Alfred Loeb forest park, named for the former owner. Route 101 all the way north from Port Orford is almost continuously lined with rhodo dendron, blooming companion- ably with squaw grass and rud dy huckleberry as it does in the mountains. This is the same rhododendron Californicum that blooms from the Cascades to the sea but its blooming time is earlier on the coast. The iris, while not so spec tacular as the rhododendron, is equally profuse and charming In its own way. This is the Douglasiana in various shades (... t r a tisiii'i la. Cjftt i vmt hit F - r lttlkMS' Mtife-l-t Motorloggers nsed the Oregon Coast route from California line northward to Florence. of blue and purple. (Down in the redwoods below Brookings, it is another variety, the orangey bracteata.) Up around Florence the rho dodendron is so profuse that the citizens have declared an annual Rhododendron festival the last week end bi May and have mapped out a "rhodjr drive." This guides the visitor by signs in a wide sweep sea ward and then back into the hills behind the town, where the blossoms can be admired without heavy traffic Improvements in the Coast highway, by the elimination of curves and adding a third lane over passes, have added much to the pleasure of driving U. S. 101 these days. Brookings resi dents boast they can make the trip to Portland these days in 7i hours. It's only 345 miles but miles that should properly be driven slowly to savor to the full the beauties of nature of fered en route. Sunday, August S, H5i MEDFOHD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE THIRTEEN Is That So? Of our web-spinning spiders each species makes exactly its own kind of web, constructing it time and again according to deeply established instinct. For example, when a baby spider spins its- first web, even if it has never seen a web before, it mak es one just like its forebears', except of course on a smaller scale befitting its smaller size. Except in a laboratory, there Dr. Peter N. Witt of the Univer sity of Tubingen, Germany, has found that certain drugs can cause certain variations, each drug producing its own distinc tive departures from the normal. Because of the importance of his experiment, I am reporting it as given in the fascinating book, Twentieth Century Bestiary,' In studying his spiders. Dr. Witt found that the spider's drive to build a web seemed to be in direct proportion to its hunger. A hungry spider would build a web every day, an enor mous expenditure of energy, Fe males being almost again as large as males, apparently re quired more food and hence built their web more often. The web, of course, is the orb spinning spider's tool for catch ing food. To it, the sense of touch is what the sense of sight is to a human. And so the spider which can see but poorly, sits off in a corner of its structure with two hairy forelegs resting on a "signal" thread running through the outer edge to the center of the web. There it waits tensly to get the "welcome" vibration of any victim. And the moment a fly's vibrat ing wings touch the threads of the filmy web, the spider rushes upon it, paralyzes it with its poi sonous bite which also predi gests the innards into a palatable liquid form and binds it with sticky thread. At leisure it sucks in the preserved juices. In this capture, says Witt, sight Frank W. Cafalano GENERAL CONTRACTOR Custom Homes a Specialty PHONE 2-2174 ty EUGENE BURNS Ranger-Naturalist plays little if any role. For ex ample, it was found that a tun ing fork vibrating with the same frequency as a fly's wings would also provoke the spider's assault, so would the vibrating dummy of a fly. But when the signal thread was cut so that the spider could not feel the vibrations of the web then it paid no attention what ever to a fly crossing the web even directly in front of it. Kept on Diet To keep his laboratory spiders building, the animals were kept on a diet which was sufficient to keep them healthy but yet sparse enough.to make them build each night. Because it was easy to capture, Witt selected the Zilla x-notato, an orb-spinner. To capture it, he simply lured it out of its hiding place in the garden by touching its web with a tuning fork. While busy attacking the work, he laid a paper bag on the signal thread. Returning from its fruitless sal ly, the spider then entered the paper bag without even noting that its house had been changed. Then, the paper bag was fasten ed to the corner of a portable frame in the laboratory and thereafter the spider built web after web on the frame. Because the delicate threads were so gossamer and difficult to photograph, Witt thickened them by dusting them with a ma terial which did not bother spi ders. (Glass bowls, one with a solution of ammonia gas in water and a second with a solu tion of hydochloric acid were placed under the web. The ris ing vapors combined in the air to form fine crystals of ammon ium chloride and in 20 minut es the crystals had covered all the threads with a fine white layer so light that it did not make the delicate filiments sag but thick enough to make every thread stand out clearly when the white-coated web was pho tographe dagainst a black back ground with the light from the side). Sugar Conceals Tail To administer his drugs, a fluid containing the drug, sweet ened with sugar to conceal the taste, was injected into the hind part of a fly where the spider customarily taps for juices. The taste of sugar apparently was delicious for the spiders readily took every drug offered. Giving a sleep-producer, the drowsy spiders would skip the spinning of the longest and most difficult outside-frame threads, resulting in conspicu ous gaps in the web. A stimulant, in turn, caused the spiders to spin a spiral which had the usual over-all shape but tended to zigzag like an un steady walker. A pain-killer caused the spider to omit the first part of the spiral leaving the outer part of the web un covered by cross members. And one which produces strange hal lucinations in humans upset the spider's sense of direction: the regular spirals went off in every which direction. Because the drugs always pro duced their own distinctive de partures in this experiment, the lowly little spider gave the doc tor an objective and measure able report. A thing, he says, he could not have gotten from hu mans who are moody, compli cated, variable and apt to carry memories from one experiment to another. (Copyright. 195S. by McClure Newspaper Syndicate) (Releasad by McClure Newspaper Syndicate) Free: By special arrangement with the editors of the Encyclo- Daily's U-Drive Medford Airport Ex-Creampuff Filler Now Bakery President Chicago (U.R) The head of one of the country's largest bak ing enterprises began his career as a S14-a-week creampuff filler when he was 14. Charles W. Lubin has worked up from that position in a Deca tur, 111., bakery to his present rank of president and co-founder of the kitchens of Sarah Lee, Inc. Starting business for himself with $700 capital and $800 on loan, Lubin and his brother-in-law, Arthur N. Gordon, formed the Community Bake Shop in Chicago. This firm now has sev en area outlets in Chicago. However, the big step to prog ress was the purchase of a fruit cake in 1942 which the pair nam ed Sara Lee after Lubin's then one-year-old-daughter. The Sara Lee firm now has national distri bution and originated the special process which allows cakes to be baked in their own aluminum foil package to preserve fresh ness and increase sanitation. depia 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 the best question on nature and wildlife, a complete 30-volume set of this world-famous refer ence work in a handsome Seal craft binding. Each week new submissions will be considered. Sorry, I simply can't answer your many friendly letters. Please address your letter to: Is That So! co Medford Mail Tribune, Box 575, Sausalito, Calif. Nuclear Plant To Have No Affect on Water Chicago (U.R) The propos ed Commonwealth Edison nuc lear power plant will be as safe as an ordinary factory, company witnesses told the Illinois Com merce commission. John Poer, chief engineer for the project, said the water drawn I into the plant from the Kanka-; kee river and later discharged into the Illinois river will not be affected by radiation. The plant I will shut itself down if any in crease in temperature or excess- j ive steam formation occurs, he said. The project will cost approxi mately $45,000,000 before it is completed in 1960. The General Electric company is building the special atomic generators which will produce 180.000 kilowatts of electricity for area residents. LEGAL NOTICES CALL FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be received bv the Board of Directors of Medford School District 349-C. Jackson Countv. Ore con, at the Board's Office, 500 Monroe St.. Medford. Ore., up to 11 am. Sat urday. August 11th. 1956. For Asphal tic concrete, paving en estimated area of 2.200 Sa. Yds., as shown on plans available at the School District office. Signed. Rebecca Jensen. Clerk. Dead Une Sunday Classified Is at noon Saturday; 10 a.m Mondav for Monday: other days 5 30 previous day. Ship Passengers Given Samples of Products Green Bay. Wis. OI.PJ When the cruise ship carrying mem bers of the Cleveland, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce and their wives stopped here, it didn't go unnoticed. The Green Bay As sociation of Commerce met the S.S. South American and gave each passenger a sample of Wis consin cheese, facial tissues made in Green Bay and a pam phlet pointing out places of his torical interest. You Can Own Two for On When You Own ... "The Amazing Volkswagon" MORSE MOTORS 1201 N. RIVERSIDE PINE FIRE WOOD Big Loads 3 for $25.00 Phone 2-8277 Ipacific , laDUSTRIA!" It S. Central Phone 3-S30S MOVING? Save by Renting a BEE HIVE U - DRIVE Vans Stakes and Pickup Trucks Also Avlt RENT-A-CAR SIGNAL TUNE-UP & REPAIR rh t Grape Phone 1-3 Ml POISOII OAK? Try a Bottle of ZEMACOL You must be eitilfied e rear re ears cheerfully refunded. Get a bottle ta dar at WESTERN THRIFT. CORN REMOVER v CJvm instant roliof from paim wwj pi iVry rwnovM hard corns, Mft mm papillomas, Jwb nail. It contain hv oral Afferent 3f that sorfon, looso o strong odd mistwros. WKm thort kovtt, foiWd try on. Try' ovr Iwmn RoUef, wHh foJtovot' fwosKnfj first dji socoodj eeeey beck guarantee. . Exclusively at WESTERN THRIFT BUYING! SELLING! RENTING! SWAPPING! 1 .sssf -if LCC ' "4S raff Read and Use Mail Tribune Want Ads for Quick Results! It's the Town's Biggest Market Place-- Phone 2-6141 Medford Mail Tribune
