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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 3, 1959)
la Lain imia Emifers 8ra til m Election Monday On Consolidation Of Area Districts Polls will be open between 2 and 8 p.m. Monday in seven locations for patrons of six Jackson county school dis tricts to vote on a proposal to consolidate into one large ad ministrative school district. The elections were called by the Jackson county bound ary board after residents of Jacksonville, Ruch, Griffin Creek, Lone Pine, Howard and Medford districts sub- $3,000 Awarded To Allisons by Circuit Jury A Jackson county circuit court jury yesterday awarded damages of $3,000 plus in terest to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Alli son, Rogue River, for property the state is acquiring in that area for a freeway. The Allisons were seeking $3,855 in damages for 1.4 acres of land on the north side of the Rogue river approxi mately a mile west of Rogue River. The state had offered $1,250. The condemnation action involved the smallest sum of any of three similar cases up fnr trial, but is the one in which the state highway com mission and the land owner were the farthest apart, per centagewise, on damages sought. In the next case, the state is offering $14,000 in dam- aees and the owner wants $17,000, and in the third and largest case the state has of fered $26,000 and the land owner wants $32,000. Called By Defense , ,. A total of five witnesses were called by the defense in the suit which started Tues day in circuit court here. Judge. James M. Main pre sided. Witnesses called by the state include A. L. Chapman, resident department engineer at Grants Pass; Delbert Wil liams, state appraiser; and James Rodman, Eugene, a fee appraiser. Rodman was called Wednesday evening and his testimony - continued into Thursday morning. Also testi fying was B. M. Allen, a fee appraiser of Rogue River. The testimony seemed to hinge on the effect of an adja cent freeway on property valuation. Attorneys for the defense x were Stanley C. Jones Jr., and Joel Reeder. William Mans field was attorney for the state highway department. $13,105 Collected On Dog Licenses Since Jan. 1 a total of $13,- 105.50 has been collected in dog license fees, according to figures received yesterday in the county clerk's office. The license fees pay for the dog control officer's salary, upkeep of the dog pound, for the material in dog licenses and tags, for livestock and fowl destroyed by dogs and any other incidental expenses. Anything more than $1,000 of this money left at the end of the year is placed in the county's general fund, it was explained. The $1,000 is budgeted for general operat ing expenses by the county dog control board. The dog control board meets periodically to look over all the claims on livestock and fowl, agrees on the amount justified and gives its ap proval. Salem- (UPD -The House has passed a measure to bring log truck operators under regula tion of the Public Utility Com mission. The bill now goes to the Senate. WEATHER FORECAST: Considerable cloudiness through Saturday. Mild temperatures. Low tonight 42. High Saturday 68. Outlook Sunday: Chance of showers. Temp. Lowest this Morning 42 Highest Yesterday 71 Our Skies Tonight Sunset today 6:39 p.m. Sunrise tomorrow 5:51 a.m. Moonrise tomorrow 4:04 a.m. New Moon April 7 A combination of the move ments of Mars and the Earth -on their orbits around the Sun are now carrying them further apart and Mars will grow noticeably dimmer this month. The gap between the two plan ets toninght is 150 million 'miles. mitted petitions requesting the vote. The proposal, which stem med from the county reor ganization law passed by the 1957 state legislature, has been recommended by the Jackson County Reorganiza tion committee. Polling places are Jack sonville High school music room, Griffin Creek school gymnasium, Ruch school cafe teria, Howard school multi purpose room; Hedrick Jun ior High cafetorium, Mc Loughlin Junior High girls gymnasium, and Lone Pine school cafeteria. Notifies Districts If all districts approve con solidation, the county bound ary board, after canvassing the votes, notifies each district of the effective date. If ap proved, the consolidation Drobably would become ef fective as soon as possible, for budgetary reasons. If a district votes against consolidation, it is automa tically eliminated from the consolidation, according to Alf B. Mekvold, county school superintendent and secretary of the county boundary board. Should one or more districts vote against consolidation, the approving districts could then reconsider consolidation, Mek void pointed out. in such a case, voters in districts ap proving consolidation would have 10 days in which to file a remonstrance petition with the boundary board, which must then call another elec tion to determine if the dis tricts which favored the pro posal stil lare in favor of con solidation. Two Alternatives If, in a second election, the districts which at first favor ed the proposal, vote against consolidation, there are two alternatives which may be followed to comply with the 1957 law. They are: (1) Other consolidation at tempts may be made, or (2) the responsibility for reor ganization is left with the Jackson County Reorganiza tion committee. The reorganization commit tee must submit to the state board of education a plan for reorganizing school districts into more efficient administra tive units by Oct. 7 this year, License to Sell Beer Approved Mrs. Ednamae Hamm will get a license to sell beer in her new restaurant at 42 North Front st. after all. The Medford city council approved her application last night after turning it down a month ago. The reconsidera tion was asked by Councilman Donald Hansen, Ward II. Mrs. Hamm burst into tears wnen ner request was re fused at the council's March 5 meeting. Her previous ap plication for a license to dis pense liquor had also been re jected. A major factor in last night's about-face was a letter from Frank Van Dyke, Don Root and Don Herried. These men, who own property near 42 North Front st., had said last month they did not want another typical Front st. tav ern to open. Mrs. Hamm, who currently operates the Casino tavern, 17 South Front, had told the council she planned to estab lish "a nice restaurant. . .not a honky-tonk" at the new ad dress and would discontinue her Casino operation. The objectors' letter states they have since inspected the premises at 42 North Front, have noted substantial . im- provements, and withdraw their objection, (at least for the time bemg.) Origin of Fire Traced To Two Young Boys Origin of a fire in the open front garage at the home of Mrs. Mildred Wilkins, 6 0 9 West 10th st., yesterday, was learned by the . interrogation of two boys, ages 5 and 6, by City Fire Marshal Truman Nelson and city police, offi cers said today. The blaze apparently was started by the youngsters playing with matches, accord ing to the police report. Po lice said that Mrs. Wilkins had reported six small fires in the garage in the past few months. Firemen were summoned about 2:45 p.m, yesterday. . 4T wm a w iMwa li Mill nil 1 iibii h&ss&x ROYALTY NAMED Frank Allen Hunt and Margaret Ste phen were chosen last night as king and queen of the Pear Blossom Festival, and will reign over activities during the Festival parade April 11. They were selected at ceremonies at Jackson school. -(Knackstedt photo) Kng, Queen, Named For Pear Frank Allen Hunt, 5-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hunt, Phoenix - Hillcrest rd., Medford, and Margaret Steph en, 6-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon C. Stephen, 2817 Beall lane, Central Point, were selected king and queen of the annual Pear Blossom Festival last night. They were selected from 12 candidates at ceremonies at Jackson school. The royal couple will lead the Festival parade April 11 accompanied by the princes and princesses. LaDonna Lull, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rob ert G. Lull, Medford, and Bobby-McLean, son of Mr. and Mrs.- Keith McLean, Medford, last year s king and queen, 'Peniomic' Guard To Drill Sunday The newly formed "Pen tomic ' National Guard com pany here will hold its first drill Sunday, it was announc ed today. The organization was form ed from officers and men which made up the two com panies formerly established here. The old companies were Headquarters and Headquar ters company, and Company A, both parts of the -first battalion of the 186th in fantry. Combined into a new and larger rifle company, the unit now is known as Company E, 2nd battle group, Combat Arms Regiment (CAR). Its complement is .6 officers and 104 enlisted men. 'First Lt. Donald M. Ivie is command ing officer, and First Lt. Jack C. Phillips is executive offi cer. Maj. Forrest D. Taft and MSgt. John J. Potter, both regular Army men, are here as advisors to the new com pany, and are assisting with the reorganization into the "Pentomic" concept of mili tary organization. ''The company will report to the Medford armory at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, April 5, and then will move to Camp White for rifle range drill and qualification shooting, it was reported. Grand view Gottlieb J. Wolff's request for a zone change for a lot in the Grandview area was turn ed down by the Medford city council last night alter a move to postpone action on it also failed. The request was for . a change from residential to limited commercial zoning for property at the southeast cor ner of Crater Lake ave. and Roberts rd., across the street from Wolff's Grandview Mar ket. Berrydale Hearing Set The council also called for a hearing April 16 on rezon ing property owned by Harold Farr in Berrydale from resi dential and limited light in dustrial to light industrial. With respect to Wolffs property, Councilman. Donald Hansen, Ward II, asked that consideration be deferred un til June. Councilman Al Brad ford, Ward IL seconded him. crowned this year's royal couple. Deadline for Floats Festival officials reminded individuals and organizations that ttie deadline for entering floatsTin the parade is Wednes day, April 8. Entry blanks may be obtained from the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce office. Theme of the parade this year is "100 years of pears," and will include three sec tions. They are the children's division, motor powered com mercial division, and one with Centennial entries. A group of grocery-trade salesmen will conduct a fund raising project at the Groce teria in Medford between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, They will serve as short-order cooks and waiters to sell "jet- pups, a "weiner dipped in batter and deep-fat fried." . Volunteers of the Festival association will build and dec orate the royal couple's float at the home of Art Wood, 112 South Keene Way dr., Med ford, Sunday. A sample float previously had been prepared and displayed in a local store window. Fireman Overcome By Smoke at Fire Medford Firemen Elmer Tompkins was taken to Sacred Heart . hospital after being overcome by smoke whil fighting a fire at Dad's Hide- A-Way restaurant, 1182 Court st., yesterday, the fire depart ment reported. Tompkins was reported to be under observation. The fire started from a kitchen range grease fire and spread to the attic and roof about 7:17 p.m. yesterday. Considerable smoke and heat damage resulted to the entire building, firemen said. The two trucks and their crews had the fife under con trol by 8:15 p.m. A crew was. sent to the restaurant about 9:50 a.m. today when smoke started up from an apparent ly rekindled fire. Salem-(UPD-Gov. Mark Hat field has appointed Milo Mc- Iver of Portland to a fourth term on the State Highway Commission. Zone Change Request Vetoed They noted that the plan ning commission had approv ed the change, and said land use plans for the area being developed by the planners de served further consideration. Wants Safeguards - Hansen said he was inter ested in further restrictions on the limited commercial use. He said he wanted to see safeguards against erecting a filling station on the properly. Lengthy petitions both for and against tfre zone change were filed at city hall pre viously. The council held a public hearing on the matter March 19. Council men voted 6-2 against the motion to defer. . The voting against allowing the change was also 6-2, this time with Bradford and Stan Stark, Ward IV, in the minor ity. Hansen explained that he opposed the change unless the safeguards could be provided 53rd Medford 22 Pages Officers Voice Concern About 'Mock Holdups' , State Statutes Violated by Act "I'd rather be a kill-joy, than to have someone get killed," Capt. Paul Morgan of the Oregon state police here said this week when question ed about the "mock holdups" held in the county recently. Captain Morgan's concern was also voiced by Chief of Police Charles P. Champlih, Sheriff Joe Walsh, and Dis trict Attorney Thomas J. Reeder. "I realize that the persons involved mean well," the state police officer continued, "but there is too much of a chance someone will get hurt." Violation of Statute District Attorney Reeder mentioned that persons who stage such holdups, when a gun is involved, are actually in violation of a state statute and expose themselves to pos sible criminal and civil action. ORS' 163.320 prohibits the pointing of any loaded or empty gun, with or without malice, at another person. "There seems to be better and more proper waysjio have fun and promote the. Centen nial," Reeder continued, "than playing 'cops and robbers,' which certainly doesn't set a very good example for chil dren." Morgan stressed that not only could someone "in fun" slip a cartridge into an empty revolver, but persons in the crowd, unaware of the planned holdup, could hurt one of the "bandits." Walsh said that several hun dred permits have been issued by the sheriffs office to per sons in the country to carry concealed weapons. He also mentioned that off-duty law enforcement officers carry guns. ' May Use Guns "Any of these persons, in good faith, might use their gun to protect those at an event where a staged holdup is held," the sheriff said. Such an affair could cause frightening consequences, it was pointed out by the offi cers, particularly for those with bad hearts. The raids have not been discussed at official Jackson County Centennial meetings, Jack Creager, president of the ccunty association, said today. He explained that they are therefore not an official act of the association. However, Ernie Hood, coun ty association c o o r d i nator, stated that in his opinion the one "holdup" held recently was used only as an experi ment. He said that the pri mary purpose was not to obtain money, but to add color" to Centennial activi ties. to protect interests of other property owners. Action on the portion of Farr's property now zoned residential was deferred last year at the time of the overall rezoning of Berrydale. The portion lies behind his Valley I Center Trailer court, which faces on North Pacific high way. Farr would like to ex tend the trailer court onto it. Part of Subdivision William Doernbach, 143 Mace rd., contended that this particular lot was part of the Valley Center subdivision and as such was subject to deed restrictions against commerc ial or industrial use. 'The council rezoned the trailer court lot on the high way to limited light industrial while the interior lot remain ed residential. A joint meet ing of the council and plan ning commission failed to bring action. One reason stab- Mq Appeasement. With tei, toll Council lap Year MEDFORD, OREGON, Loss of Council Votes to Keep Crossing Open The Medford city council last night voted unanimously for allowing the Clark st. rail road crossing to remain open, The decision followed a pub lic hearing at which several property owners in the area served by the crossing spoke strongly against its closure. Dr. William Thompson, repre senting the Medford safety council, was the lone spokes man for closing it.' The council, with an eye to futured evelopments, also op posed the requested vacation Military Policeman Ordered to Ft. Ord Merle Royce Hutchins, 18, of 2441 Crater Lake ave., a military policeman on pass from Ft. Ord, Calif., told Med ford policemen yesterday afternoon he was looking for two other soldiers he said were absent without leave. But a few hours later it ap peared Hutchins himself was the one who was AWOL. ' Police said Hutchins had been observed in Medford for the past two days in his full MP regalia. He was first inter rogated at the Medford Bowl ing Lanes, 821 North River side ave., and later at the po lice station. Police said a telephone call to Ft. .Ord revealed that Hutchins .was on a pass limit ing his travels to a 150-mile radius of the base, was not supposed to be wearing his MP gear and was not under orders to apprehend anyone else. Hutchins was ordered to re port to his company comman der by 8 a.m. today. ed was that if trailer courts, for which light industrial is now required, are eventually permitted in multiple family or limited commercial zones the change to industrial zon ing would not be necessary. Expand Court Farr, it is understood, wish es to expand his trailer court onto the interior lot. Since light industrial and not lim ited light industrial - is still the zone required for trailer courts, he has asked for re zoning of both the trailer court lot and the interior lot. Such a request would or dinarily have to receive a hearing , before the planning commission prior to council action. The council last night also decided to defer action for two weeks on the proposed ordinance regulating private detectives and merchant pa trolmen, i FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1959 False - Face of Mingus st. a few blocks fur ther west. The city planning commis sion recommended previously that the Clark st. crossing not only remain open but be im- yiwtu- Ait wwxxv-xi o last night was simply against closing it, however. Protest Closure Among those protesting the closure from the audience dur ing the hearing were D. W. Robertson and Verl G. Wal ker. They stressed that use of the crossing jirovides for both public convenience and public safety. A petition bearing 208 signatures of property owners opposed to the closure was filed while the matter was be fore the planning commission. Dr. Thompson said the Clark st. crossing had the worst safety record of any crossing in Medford. He said it should be either improved or closed, and noted that its closure would make funds available for improvement of the safety of other crossings Dr. Thompson quoted a pub lic utilities commission spokesman as saying there had been eight accidents at the crossing in the past 10 years resulting in one death and three injuries. Long-time resi dents challenged these figures. Councilman James Dunlevy, Ward IV, stated he considered the crossing less dangerous now because of decreasing rail traffic. He said the increasing number of motorists and pe destrians crossing the tracks at Clark st. made it desirable to keep the crossing open. The PUC had issued' an or der in 1957 regulating the speed of trains through Med ford and providing for im provements in signal facilities at certain crossings. By the terms of this order, if the council had agreed to closing the Clark st. crossing it would have brought a saving to the city of $10,000 in signal in stallation costs. It was to this saving that Dr. Thompson referred. Signals Postponed The council's action last night gave the go-ahead to the Southern Pacific railroad for effecting signal circuit im provements, ordered by the PUC last year to provide the safest and most practical sig nal operation at Medford i crossings, had been postponed pending a decision on Clark st. City Manager Robert A. Duff, in a special report on the crossing, described an al ternative plan for extending Edwards st. across the tracks a block to the north of Clark st. Robertson said this would be less convenient for resi dents near Clark. But it is possible that crossings at both location will eventually be needed. (Sea story on Page 8) Price 10 Cents Tribune No. 222 Big 3 Decisions Get Approval of Representatives No Recognition Of East Germany Washington-(DPD-The NATO Council wound up its discus sion of Berlin and Germany today with an endorsement of western Big Four efforts to seek an honorable settlement with Russia. The foreign ministers and other top representatives of of the 15-nation council were reported after a closed session to be unanimous in approv ing the decisions of Britain, France, United States and West Germany to stand firm in Berlin and make no deal which would smack of appeasement. Spaak Report Du The council planned to turn this afternoon to considera tion of Secretary General Paul-Henry Spaak's report and matters other than the Berlin and German problems. Suggestions advanced by representatives of the other western powers at this morn- ing's meeting will be sent along for consideration by a four power allied working group. The group meets April 13 in London to try to ham mer out the final bargaining position which Britain. France auu uie u .o. win ia&e mvo me Geneva foreign ministers meeting with Russia sched uled to begin May 11. No Basic Disagreement German Foreign Minister Henrich von BrentanOj the first speaker at this morning's session, began by . denying there were any basic differ ences between his country and the western Big Three on how to approach a solution of the Berlin and German problems. Meanwhile the western Big Three shaped up allied stra tegy for forthcoming negotia tions with the Russians. No Recognition Representatives of the 15 nations have been assured by the U.S., Britain and France that there will be no recogni tion of Communist East Ger many as part of any deal with the Soviets over Berlin. The Big Three have also told the council at the 10th anniversary session they will spurn any security pact with the Soviet Union which would require withdrawal of Ameri can,! British and Canadian troops from the European con tinent. (See Stories on Page 3) Police Say Hunt Observed in Market A man answering the de scription of Richard Allen Hunt, 27-year-old object of an intensive manhunt, was ob served at the Grandview Mar ket shortly before noon, Med ford police reported. Police said all local law en forcement agencies were combing the area. The market is located at 2330 Crater Lake ave. The ex-convict, believed to be armed, is sought in connec tion with kidnaping one police chief and shooting another in the Willamette valley last week. Colonel Cleared In Plane 'Bumping' Tokyo -(LTD- The Air Force said today enlisted men on emergency leave were bump ed from a military plane to make room for a vacationing officer and his family because of errors in artihmetic and administration. Lt. Col. Charles P. Piatt was cleared by the Air Force of charges that he was respon sible for actually bumping the men from the plane that took off for California March 26 with, eight empty seats. Escape Sure To Deal Heavy Blow To Red Prestige 80 Followers Accompany Leader New Delhi-flJTD-India told Communist China and the world today that the 25-year-old Dalai Lama has crossed safely into India from revolt torn Tibet and has been grant ed diplomatic asylum. Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru electrified Parliament with the announcement. The deputies cheered wildly. Advance Notice Nehru said the Tibetan god king, the quarry of an intense hunt by Communist Chinese troops in Tibet, reached the Tibetan border Tuesday night with 80 followers.. He said an advance scout had given notice March 29 that the Dalai Lama was com ing and would seek diploma tic asylum. .The young spiritual and temporal ruler of three mil lion Tibetans crossed the bor der near the Towant subdi vision of the Yameng frontier division in India's Assam State, Nehru said. "When he crossed over into " our territory he was received by our assistant political of- ficer of the Towang subdivis ion," Nehru said. Blow to Red Prestige "The total number who have come with him or after him is 80," Nehru said. "Yes terday we learned that his party in two groups is mov ing towards Towang which is , the headquarters of that sub division, and that he is ex-. pected to reach Towang to day." Although Towang Is less than 20 miles from the border as the crow flies, the actual trip was much longer because it involved traveling over some of the roughest country in the world. The escape, one of the most : dramatic of modern times, was sure to deal a heavy blow at Communist Chinese pres tige, particularly in Asia. Up to the start of the anti-Communist uprising in Tibet last month, and the Communist at tempts to crush it, India had gone to great pains not to of fend its huge Chinese neigh bor in any way. It was generally believed news of the Dalai Lama's escape would set off new and greater resistance to the Com munists in Tibet. Reports received at the In dian border town of Kalim- pong said the Chinese Commu nists had launched a heavy artillery offensive in southeast Tibet, home of the fierce Khatnba tribesmen who start ed the revolution. Parks Director Named for Medford Robert L. Ha worth, 37, of Spokane, Wash., has accepted the position ofMedford parks and recreation director. He is expected to assume his duties here May 4. Haworth is currently assist ant superintendent of recrea tion for the city of Spokane. He was formerly superinten dent of parks and recreation for Spokane county. Haworth and two other top candidates for the Medford post were interviewed here recently. Russ Jamison, chair man of Medford's parks and recreation commission, said Haworth appeared to have "a better background in admin istration." Haworth studied at the Uni versity of Idaho, holds a B.S. degree and has a background in engineering. His salary here is to be 575 a month, Jamison reported. Plumbing Shops In County Closed Most of the plumbing shops in Jackson and Josephine counties are closed today pending negotiations of a new contract with Local 418 of the United Association of Plumbers and Fitters, it was reported. This is not an official strike since no strike vote has been taken, according to George Beltz, union business agent. A number of plumbing shop employers have refused to sign the contract as submitted, Beltz said. Emergency work is being carried out, he added. Employers and union of ficials appear fairly close to agreement on the amount of wages but cannot agree on when the new wages would take effect, the business agent said.
