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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 1957)
McMillan 51st Year Medford United Press Full Leased Wirt 22 Pages i .,, J , . . - ' ' ' , ' V . S I -r,trYrrfSnn fiffn, , rT, mn r'l, ,; , 1,' , ,j ,T , i f , -f I , I.-- L - i HOUSING PROJECT TO GO Above is a general view of the Jackson County Housing authority project, taken from an upper floor of Jackson school, with the school's playground in the foreeround. The project will be liquidated this year, after nearly 14 years of providing "temporary" low-cost hous ing, originally for wartime defense employees. It will make way for a federal military reserve armory on a four-acre triangular plot (to the left out of the picture) and a 10-acre Dislribufion Plan Receives Support Of School Board The Medford school board this week unanimously approv ed support of the proposed basic school distribution plan as rec ommended by a state board of education committee studying the problem. The proposed plan would change the present school pro gram by establishing a minimum basic public education program at an equalized cost to taxpay ers of the state. Under the pres ent system, some more wealthy district in the state have a lesser school tax than poorer districts. The board also authorized School Superintendent Leonard Mayfield and the staff to pre pare a budget for the 1957-58 school year. An election on the budget has tentatively been set for sometime in May, board members said. Mtings Scheduled Meetings were scheduled with four Medford architects to discuss future building needs, sites and plans for proposed new elementary schools in the dis trict. Letters and application forms were sent to local archi tects by the board for an ex pression of . interest in work ing on proposed new schools here. Board members pointed out it was necessary to start work on planning new elementary schools because increased popu lation has caused crowded con ditions in some schools. A contract for Assistant Sup erintendent Elliott Becken was renewed for three years. Improvements on Telephone Exchanges In County Progressing on Schedule Work on widespread improve ments in the Rogue valley by Pacific Telephone and Tele graph company's six exchanges is progressing on schedule, ac cording to Jack Creager. Med ford manager of PT&T. Improvements costing more than S645.000 will include es tablishment of a new exchange at Phoenix-Talent; enlargement of direct toll-free calling areas for Medford, Ashland, Central Point, Gold Hill and Jackson ville exchanges, and the new Phoenix-Talent exchange; and changing to new telephone num bers that have a prefix name and five numerals in Medford. Ash land, Phoenix-Talent, Gold Hill and Jacksonville. r MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1957 Armory Is Planned at Housing Project Site Plans for the construction of a federal armory for the use of the armed forces reserve units on part of the Jackson County Hous ing authority site were revealed today. In addition, Mark Gold', ex ecutive secretary of the author ity reported on plans for devel opment of a recreational area with a public swimming pool on the portion not used by the armory, and eventual liquidation of the authority itself. Goldy this week sent to the government a permit which will allow surveys to be made of the suitability of the area for an armory. Test borings for founda tion construction, and other ex aminations, began yesterday. Armory Sit In reporting the plans, Goldy said they wilj involve the ex tension of Columbus ave. north from its present dead-end at Jackson blvd., through to Mo Andrews rd. The armory site would be on the triangular area of about four acres west of Mc Andrews. The rest of the authority area, east of Jackson and Priddy and north of Jackson school, totaling about 10 acres, will ultimately be turned over to the city. Be fore that, however, the author ity plans to construct a swim ming pool. After the authority turns the area over to the city, it could be used for a new city park, operated in the summer time by the city and in the win ter by the Medford school dis trict in connection with its school recreation program. Both the city and school dis trict have discussed these plans, and concur in them. Reside in Project About 100 families still reside Creager said contractors are putting the finishing touches on the interior of a two-story and basement addition to the com pany's central office at 502 North Central ave., Medford. Work has already been com pleted on the new Phoenix-Talent dial office and an addition to the dial building at Gold Hill. In Medford. Western Electric installers are rearranging equip ment to handle the new tele phone number and the expanded calling area. Creager said. Addi tional switching equipment also is being installed. Eighteen men have been working at the Med ford office under the direction of J. F. Buckley, installation su pervisor, for the past three months. Succeeds LA IT recreational area, including a swimming pool in the area, shown to the right of the picture. Eventually the city will assume ownership of the area, and plans are being made to make it a city park, to complement Hawthorne park on the east side of the city, and usable in the schools' recreation program. About 100 families still make their homes in the project, but the sub-standard huildings have deteriorated, and been condemned as fire hazards. in the project, and as the plans develop will have to find new homes. The first to go will be the two rows of project houses in the armory area. Later, more will be taken down to provide room for the swimming pool, and eventually all will be razed. The housing authority has long planned to liquidate the wartime project as additional housing became available in the (Continued on Pag 15) Great Decisions Meeting Tonight A public meeting to discuss "Great Decisions . . . 1957" will be held at 8 p.m. today in the courthouse, auditorium. Dr. Clifford Miller of South ern Oregon college will speak concerning the eight foreign pol icy "areas" to be discussed by informal discussion groups dur ing the eight-week. Great Decis ions program. Mrs. Mabel C. Mack, Corval- lis, assistant director of the Ore gon State college extension serv ice, and Dr. Curtis Reid. head of the department of visual aid instruction, general extension di vision, Portland, also will talk. All persons interested in the informal study of United States foreign policy have been invited to the meeting. Honolulu (U.R) The Coast Guard has reported that the Hon olulu freighter, Charles E. Dant, stricken Wednesday in heavy seas 1,000 miles northwest of here, is out of danger. At the Phoenix-Talent ex change, building installation of switching equipment has been completed, and installers are wiring and testing equipment. Les Wilson, Western Electric su pervisor, is in charge of the 10 man crew working there. Other Western Electric crews are working in Ashland, Central Point, Gold Hill and Jackson ville, Creager said, making nec essary equipment rearrange ments for new numbers and ex tended callin. areas. Six cable projects which are part of the improvements in the Medford, Phoenix-Talent and Gold Hill exchanges are about 80 per cent complete, heaid. Price 10c Tribune Uniied Press Full Leased Wir No. 250 Recurring Showers Forecast for Area TonightTTriday" Recurring shower activity dur ing the next 36 hours was fore cast today after a storm front moved across southern Oregon bringing snow to higher eleva tions. The storm front which was ex pected to bring showers and colder air late yesterday hovered off the coast, where the storm center still is located today. The front early today was the first of at least two from the storm, weather bureau officials said. Mixed snow and rain are ex pected in lower elevations with snow in the mountains. "Temperatures are expected to remain about the same in the Rogue valley, with maximums reaching into the higher 40s. State police reported this morn ing that Highway 199 will be closed at. dark today because of a slide near Patrick's creek. The slide closed the highway late yes terday, and highway department crews cleared the highway enough for one-way, delayed traffic this morning. Because of the danger of re curring slides at the location, traffic will be prohibited on the highway tonight, state police said. - Traffic was moving without chains on most mountain high ways this morning, police said, but they advised motorists to carry chains. Conditions are ex pected to worsen tonight. Chains were advised on High way 62 through Crater Lake Na tional nark anH rpnuired from i ' 1 1 Annie Springs to the rim. One inch of new snow fell at the park last night, bringing the total depth to 45 inches. Spots of packed snow and ice were reported at Prospect, on the Siskiyous, Green Springs, and some highways in the valley this morning. . . Acheson Says Ike's Doctrine Dangerous Washington (U.R) Dean Acheson said today that Presi dent Eisenhower's Middle East doctrine is too dangerous "even to be hinted at." The former Democratic secre tary of state denounced Mr. Eis enhower's request for congres sional authority to use force, if necessary, against Soviet ag gression in the Middle East. Acheson told the House For eign Affairs Committee that the request "sounds perilously like another approach to the brink." He said the effect would be to give the President authority to vse atomic weapons if he felt them necessary. Acheson called this "reckless," adding that "there can be no bluff here." ideo Former Chancellor Of Exchequer to Form Government Queen's Choice OK With Right Wingers London (U.R) Harold Mac Millan was named Prime Minis ter to succeed Sir Anthony Eden today. MacMilian, 62, former chan cellor of the exchequer and fa vorite of right wing Conserva tives, was asked to form a new government by Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Buckingham Palace this afternoon. American Mother Thus, just about 18 hours after Eden stepped down for reasons of health, the dapper son of an American mother was given the job of restoring Brtiain's pres tige and economic stability after the Suez debacle. His rise to po litical prominence came only after World War II. The jaunty MacMilian was picked over the other favorite contender for the job, R. A. (Rab) Butler, 53, lord privy seal and majority leader of the House of Commons. Right wing Con servative had opposed Butler on grounds he was "soft" in deal ing with Egypt over the Suez crisis. Sits With Chauffeur MacMilian rode to Bucking ham Palace to receive the man date from the Queen. During the trip he showcj his usual lack of formality. He sat up front with his chauffeur. The audience lasted 20 min utes, and the Palace announced briefly: "The Queen received the right hoTTOrSDle Harold MacMilian, M. P. in audience this afternoon and offered him the post of Prime Minister and first lord of the treasury. Kissed Her Hands "Mr. MacMilian accepted her majesty's offer and kissed her hands upon his appointment." The decision to name a Prime Minister belongs to the Queen alone. But usually she picks a man who can muster a majority of the House of Commons. In this case," with the Con servatives holding a 58-seat edge in the house, she chose MacMil ian because he seemed able to rally fellow party members be hind his policies. Stale Democrats Behind Pearson Portland (U.R) Republi cans had the "word" today that Democrats were solidly be hind State Sen. Walter Pearson of Portland for president of the upper chamber in Oregon's Leg islature. The makeup of the Senate is evenly divided, 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans. So far neith er side has budged from its posi tion backing either Pearson or Republican Warren Gill of Neb anon for the Important post. Some Republicans had favor ed uniting behind some other Democratic member of the Sen ate with the names of Sen. Har ry Boivin of Klamath Falls and Senators-elect Alfred Corbett and Ward Cook of Portland mentioned. However, letters signed by all 14 Democratic senatorial col leagues of Pearson were re ceived yesterday by the 15 GOP senators. All pledged support to Pearson. , Rieth Lumber Plant Not To Resume Operations Pendleton U.R) Stanley Jenkins, manager of the Pilot Rock Lumber Co. here, said to day that despite reports of a rosy future for the lumber industry, the Pilot Rock subsidiary plan ing and finishing plant at Rieth, Ore., will not go back into opera tion in the foreseeable future. Jenkins said that "despite re ports from western Oregon we know the lumber market re mains unchanged." Weather FORECAST: Occasional rain r rain and snow mixed in. val- . lev. snow in mountains thronch Friday. Low tonight 35. Him Friday 40. TEMPERATURE Hichest Yesterday . 42 Lowest This Mornlnj 25 "Say, What If She Doesn't Want Her Honor Protected?" Arrest of Ambuehl Described at Trial Dennis Anthony Kittle, 22-1 year-old former resident of the Plaza apartments, today gave to a circuit court jury his version of events leading to the arrest on July 18 of Donald La Verne Am buehl. Ambuehl is on trial on a charge of illegal possession and control of narcotics. Kittle said he approached the Plaza apartments building about 3:30 a.m., July 18 and started to go to his living quarters there. He said someone he didn't know asked him to remain outside the building. He later learned the request was made by a police officer. The witness said he sat on the bumper of a car in the parking lot and read a magazine be fore joining five police officers in a car. While in the car, he testified, he heard someone say, "That's the signal." He said two men ran up to the apartment building door with blackjacks and two others stood nearby holding guns. Kittle said the officers left the entrance in about 20 min utes. Two returned to the car in which Kittle was sitting and Kittle quoted them as saying something had "gone wrong." The witness said he had not ob served a signal. He said he saw Mrs. Leona (Loma) Scott, who occupied an apartment there, leave the build ing and go to her car. He said an officer talked to her for a few minutes before she drove away. Kittle added some of the officers said they wondered if Mrs. Scott was "backing out" of the deal. He quoted State Police Lt. Paul Morgan as telling the other officers there was "noth ing to worry about," that "he" would be out in about a half hour and would have the "stuff" with him. Laave Building Kittle told the jury he saw Ambuehl leave the building and approach his car. He said he and the officers got out of the police car and the officers approached Ambuehl's vehicle. He denied that Lt. Morgan had identified himself and shown his badge to Ambuehl, in contrast to testi mony by Lt. Morgan and other officers. Kittle also said the of ficers had guns in their hands when they approached Ambuehl. Circuit Judge Orval Millard, who is presiding at the narcotics trial, yesterday denied a mo tion for mistrial filed by De fense Attorney Edward Kelly. The motion was based on an affidavit charging discussion of one of the defense witnesses had taken place in the courtroom within hearing range of at least two jurors. Counter Motion ' Walter D. Nunley, former dis trict attorney representing the state in the case, filed a coun ter motion and the two attorn eys argued the motions in the judge's chambers for about 30 minutes. The jury was then called into the courtroom and Judge Millard asked if they had heard any discussion of the case. The jurors indicated they had not and the judge denied the motion. If it had been grant ed, the jury would have been dismissed, a new jury called and the case presented again from the beginning. Today's session was recessed at 11:10 a.m. after one of the i jurors indicated she had be- tWMktwUIMMTW come ill. Court was to resume session at 1:30 p.m. Floyd H. Brownlee, former bar tender at Omar's Restaur ant in Ashland, was on the wit ness stand when the recess was called. He stated that Ambuehl came to the restaurant one day after his arrest and that Mrs. Scott came to the establishment about a half-hour later. He quoted Mrs. Scott as saying, after noticing Ambuehl, "I can't stay here because of what I did." He quoted Ambuehl as subsequently saying to him, "You don't have to worry about trouble here. The courts will take care of her." Seen Smoking Three witnesses yesterday testified they had seen Mrs. Scott smoking marijuana cigar ettes. Mrs. .Scott, the state's first witness against Ambuehl. told the jury last Friday that she had never used marijuana. Mrs. Jean Reynolds, Grants Pass bar tender and cocktail waitress, said she had seen Mrs. Scott using marijuana in 1952. She said Mrs. Scott was in an apartment house behind the Reynolds home at the time. Mrs. Reynolds also testified that Mrs. Scott had once come to the Reynolds home and drop ped her purse. She said a box containing' two cigarettes fell from the purse and quoted Mrs. Scott as saying the cigarettes contained marijuana. Al Gilhousen and Mrs. Phyllis Moore also testified they had seen Mrs. Scott smoking mari juana, though Mrs. Moore de nied under cross examination that, she had actually seen her using marijuana. Roy Reynolds, a Medford bar tender, testified that on July 17, Mrs. Scott had asked to stay at his house and asked if she could conceal her car there. Reynolds said he granted permission for Mrs. Scott to stay at his home that night and said she could park her car in back of the house.' He also quoted Ambuehl as telling Mrs. Scott in his pres ence that she might as well sell her shares of stock in the Y club because she would not be need ing them where she was going. Also testifying for the defense yesterday were D. H. Lynch, Ambuehl's former partner in the Y club, and John Sorento. Lynch described several argu ments occurring between Am buehl and Mrs. Scott during the four months Lynch was asso ciated with the Y club. Negro Churches Dynamited In Alabama Racial Violence Montgomery, Ala. (U.R) Dynamite blasts shattered four Negro churches and the homes of two ministers here early today in the worst outbreak of racial violenece in the bus integration movement in the South. No One Injured Damage was heavy but no one was injured in the six separate explosions. The series of pre-dawn blasts touched off a flurry of police ac tivity and an FBI investigation. It brought a personal inspection of bombed buildings by Gov. Jame"E. Folsom. Folsom said the bombings were the "work of anarchists" Commission To Study Financial System Requested 4,000-Word Report On State of the Union Washington OI.R) President Eisenhower urged business and labor today to go easy on price and wage increases. Warning against dangers of inflation, he also proposed that Congress create a special com mission to determine whether the present American financial system provides adequate credit for those who need it. Those were two of the high lights of a 4,000-word report on the state of the union which the President delivered person ally to a joint session of Con gress. Concerning the state of the world, the President said surg ing nationalism by peoples de termined to be independent and a tide of "revulsion and revolt against tyranny" are "heralding a new epoch in the affairs of mankind." But he warned that "the exist ence of a strongly armed im perialistic dictatorship poses a continuing threat to the Free World and thus to our own na tion's security and peace." Urges School Construction So, he said, the United States must do what it can to strength en its friends both economically ' and militarily. He said "all free nations are our neighbors," and America s vital interests are worldwide." The President also called for: 1. "High priority" action by Congress "to meet emergency needs for more classrooms" throughout the country for "cnil dren of all races." In urging passage of school construction legislation "without delay," the President expressed hope "tbit this program can be enacted on its own merits, uncomplicated by provisions dealing with the complex problems of integra tion." Such provisions killed school aid legislation last year. 2. A "reliable" international agreement to reverse the trend "toward ever more devastating nuclear weapons," to ease the world's armament burden, and "mutually control the outer space and satellite develop ment." Wants Mid-East Authority 3. Congressional approval of his request five days ago for . authorization to use force if necessary, to prevent "Soviet aggression in the Middle East." He said this is "of vital and im mediate importance" to world security and peace. The Presi dent said he hopes to establish "a climate in which constructive and long term solutions to basic problems of the area may be sought." Mr. Eisenhower reported the economy "expanding and funda mentally sound," but still threat ened with inflation. , For that reason, he asked busi ness to "avoid unnecessary price increases" and labor to seek only those wage hikes based largely on "improvements and productivity." Money for Homes He pledged government to do its share . to control inflation, "the thief that can rob the in dividual" of the value of the pension and social security he has earned during his productive life." By exercising "self disci pline," he said, business and labor "can powerfully help coun-, teract" forces which "threaten a steady depreciation of the value of our money." In apparent reference to cur rent credit strongencies of the kind which are cutting into con struction of new homes, the President asked Congress- to au thorize a commission to study whether the U. S. financial sys- (Coniinued on Page 15) and offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to conviction of the terrorists. He put state po lice "at the command of all local officials" in Alabama to combat racial terrorism. Bus Operations Halted "Any group or groups of per sons that will stoop to bomb the house of worship endangers the lives of every man, woman and child in this state," Folsom said. Mayor W. A. Gayle promptly halted all city bus operations, which have been targets of sniper fire since segregation on buses was ended here by court order more than three weeks ago. (See story on page 6, section )
