Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, June 21, 1959, Image 5

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Medford mail tribune., June 21, 1959, Image 5

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Newspaper Page Text0 In the Day's Hews By FRANK JENKINS The Portland Oregonian has opened up an interesting line of. inquiry as to Oregon's somewhat unique weight-mile tax plan for charging heavy trucks for the privilege of using Oregon's tax-financed highways. It cites the growth of rail-t r a i 1 c r "piggyback" service as a transportation de velopment that may rob Ore gon of a lot of truck tax money unless the state's weight-mile system of truck taxation is revised. THE Oregonian says: "Each time a 40-car "piggyback' train leaves Port land for California with the equivalent of 60 loaded truck trailer rigs on board, the Ore gon state highway department loses about $3,000 in weigh mile fees. "Other Western states have less immediate concern about 'piggyback' trend because their truck tax methods are based on combination of ve hicles weights, registration fees, estimated earnings and ad valorem. They collect from the truckers, whether the trucks roll on their highways or not. Oregon, it is obvious, does not." TTadds: a "No matter how much one admires the weight-mile plan, and uW Oregonian has been among its supporters, it can not be denied that relating truck taxation to truck mile age is going to be progressive ly more impractical as the popularity of 'piggyback in creases. "Existing high weight-mile rates on large commercial ve hicles actually serve as a sti mulus to the growth of trail- r-on-flatcar traffic. If the Taw stands as it is, and the trend continues, truckers most certainly over the years will nay an increasingly smaller share into the highway tand, nHIS thoueht occurs: How much will the state of Oregon SAVE as a result of taking large numbers of heavy trucks off the roads if "P i S y back." transpt rtation grows and grows? a As I recall it, the weight- in i 1 truck-tax which is bftsed on ton-mile haulage at devised to reimburse the state of Oregon for additional wear and tear on its highways by heavy trucks, which at the time the tax was adopted were getting heavier and heavier. The thinking was that the heavier and more numerous th trucks the greater the damage to the highways. The - idea was to compensate the state for the added expense of building and maintaining highways adequate to stand up under this type of heavy traffic. The economics of transpor tation, , it seems to me, enter into the situation. If it turns out to be cheaper for the heavy truck-trailers to go by "piggyback," they will go by "piggy back." Comparative costs have to be watched close ly by business of all kinds in these days. It might easily be that if the "piggyback" service offered by the railroads turns out to ' be cheaper than moving the trucks over the highways, the . state of Oregon may save more in highway construction and maintenance than it loses in truck taxes under the Our V -vCa. Correcting Air Pollution in Valley Discussed at Meeting What has been done and what can be expected of the valley industries in combat ting the air pollution prob lem in the county were elab orated on at a public hearing Thursday morning. The hearing was called by the county court which sent invitations to representatives of the lumber and fruit indus tries and the City Sanitary Service, as well as represent atives from Jacksonville and Medford and other interested valley residents. In opening the meeting, County Judge Earl Miller ex plained that the meeting was called to hear reports by area representatives on the prob lem. Progress in the inventory of orchard .heaters as to their type and number was men tioned by Dunbar Carpenter, speaker for the Fruit Growers League. Partial Return He mentioned that a partial return of the requested infor mation from drchardists, cov ered 54,000 beaters of which approximately one half were open pots. He added that the best time for orchardists to compile this information is when the heat ers are removed from the or chards. This will be complet ed this month, he stated. Carpenter mentioned that several years ago a survey would have showed that, the majority of Jhe heaters were of the open type. Eliminating this type heater would make a substantial change in the amount of smoke, Carpenter stated. . He added that the majority of the orchardists are gener ally in accord with a five- year progression plan. Questioned By Miller When questioned by Miller as to the completion date of the inventory, Carpenter stat ed that it was "hoped" it could be completed within 30 to 60 days, although it would coincide with the harvest sea son. He stressed that the League would keep the coun ty court informed as to the report progress. - An organization, formed by the lumbermen in the immedi ate vicinity, has studied the air pollution situation from the lumber industry stand point, according to George Flanagan, chairman of the group. He explained that recent meetings had been held to determine what could be done about the problem. Additional Steps The lumberman explained that the industry agreed that additional steps could be tak en by each company to elimi nate part of the air pollution problem. But, he added, it would cost money. .Biggest problem faced by the lumber industry in the valley is the distance from the market, Flanagan explain ed. Local producers of chips weight-mile system of taxing trucks. At least, we need some pretty careful figures before making up our minds to change the present system. lire's n0 Say "YES" Monday NOW IS THE TIME to buy that wonderful surprise you owe your family! 'A surprise which means more and better family togetherness . . . enjoyment, relaxation and wonderful health benefits. Of course, that means A LANCER LIFETIME SWIMMING POOL for your own back yard! With a LANCER pool, you get pleasure from a year-round playground, RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD! Yes, the year-round health and relaxation that you and yours will receive from a LANCER pool cannot be measured in dollars and cents ... but the fact remains that LANCER pools are the LEAST EXPENSIVE and MOST ENJOYABLE entertainment in the nation! GILKISON COMPANY P.O. Bex 422 SP 2-2679 or SP and lumber waste products have no local market. The Rogue valley is not large enough to use the quantity of such items as logs pressed from lumber waste. He cited as an example one mill which offered to give away the lumber wastes if the freight costs were paid. The offer was refused. Sees No Need Flanagan stressed that there was no need for additional mills to spend a quarter of a million dollars each to install chippers or barkers when mills that currently have them can't give the products away. The solution to the prob lem will, take considerable study and time, Flanagan ex plained, since no two mills are alike. He stated that the group had asked each mill to out line a plan as to steps it has taken and what could be done in the foreseeable future- to eliminate the problem. Some of the ways in which lumber waste could be utiliz ed would be through the sale of. fuel wood, sawdust, hog fuel, chips, and power, the giving away of trims, the use of more kilns, gang saws so that less sawdust is produced, and more utilization of edg ing and trims. . Some Steps Made During the past five years each mill has made some steps, Flanagan said. He also mentioned some problems en countered by local mills. One, for example, installed a bark er which mixes the bark with water and then mashes it. The resulting mixture burned with a hotter fire and made more smoke, Flanagan stated. Another mill, he explained, never dreamed that chips couldn't be given away. He added there is some hope in this field when pulp and pa per mills increase in the Northwest. Two . other mills have in stalled cinder collectors in the smoke stacks, it was stated. These collectors remove the cinder particles from the smoke and returns them to a boiler. Approximately 90 per cent in smoke reduction was gained by this process, Flana gan explained, but added that it was quite expensive as a new boiler had to be installed. Power Plant Units , .Two other mills have con structed power plants to use the waste surplus to generate electricity while two others have installed gang saws. One mill has torn out a sawdust burner, he added All of the mills in the val ley with the exception of one, which also plans .to in the immediate future, have in stalled cyclonic vents which whirls the smoke causing the heavy particles to fall back into the burner. Flanagan said it will take time and money to solve all of the air pollution problems caused by the mills. He men tioned that the group was will ing to. help, but did not plan to immediately make unrea sonable requests for smoke less incinerators. These incin erators would eventually be obliterated as soon as uses for S. o like Pace FOR A - Enjoy Swimming Saturday! Prices Start at $2395 2-4358 -KJj the waste products were intro duced. Stuart McQueen, Kogap lumber company, stressed that utilization of lumber wastes is the key to the smoke pro duction problem, but he add ed that the industry was de pendent upon federal forests for the timber. The matter of the industry's existence is keyed to the find ing of niew markets for the waste products, he explain ed. With the high cost of stumpage, the industry is not in a position to pay these prices while burning waste. . Flanagan added that smoke production is at its worst in open burning - and decreases in amount when a burner without cyclonic action is used followed by a burner with cyclonic action, Dutch ovens, cinder extractors, and utilization of wastes so .no burning is required. Speaks for Medford Speaking for Medford, Bob Van Sickle, city councilman, told of plans to hold public hearings this fall on a pro posed air pollution ordinance. He explained that the ordi nance would be mainly to con trol new industry in the val ley and give credit to volun tary programs underway. T. M. Gerow, Grants Pass, state board of health, told of xne air pollution tests con ducted in the valley during the last'three months. He ex plained that tests so far show little or no smog condition in the valley. ' He added that data collect ed so far in Medford shows that the area is at the edge of the situation where air pol lution is becoming a nuisance condition. . He said that the tests are conducted by open jar, filters, and gas supplying methods. Suspended Particles He cited the average amount or suspended particles in the air is 150 milligrams per cubic meter. Highest recorded was 480 milligrams on April 15 followed by April 7 with 443 milligrams recorded. But, he added, the lowest recorded was 22 milligrams on May 26. Gerow explained that the survey will show what indus tries should not be installed in the valley. He commented that the tests taken in June were not indicative of the area as people weren't using furnaces. He said that tests in the fall would correct, or av erage, the results. Should Not Worsen The health board official stated that the air pollution problem in the valley should not be allowed to get worse. He believed that local agency should monitor the program to establish some objectives to be reached. The speaker added that he thought state ordinances at .the present were sufficient but enforce ment was lacking. Population growth is also a contributing factor to pollu tion he added. ' Gerow, in speaking of the Jacksonville problem regard ing smoke from the dump, ex plained that the air currents are such at the site to carry the smoke into downtown Jacksonville. home Mill NOTHING DOWN 5 YEARS TO PAY THE ONLY POOL WITH A 10 YEAR GUARANTEE See the Sample Pool at 1411 Crown Avenue Charles Bottjer and - An thony Boitano, City Sanitary Service, explained that the company had checked into various methods of garbage disposal. Bottjer explained that they are currently check ing into the use of incinera tors. Reviews History E. W. Hogan, city attorney for Jacksonville, gave a his tory of the dump, explaining that although the residents had been opposed to the dump ing site from the beginning, it had been their understand ing that a sanitary . landfill method rather than burning would be used.. . Company officials explain ed that the sanitary landfill method had been originally planned, but was later found to be not suitable due to moisture ccatent in the area. John Niedermeyer, Jackson ville area farmer and speaker for area residents,- complain ed not only of the smoke in the town and surrounding areas, but also of the odor and fruit flies. He comment ed that an incinerator would not be the answer to the prob lem as the air currents would still bring the smoke into Jacksonville, although it may eliminate the flies. He added that the smoke from the dump was "not sea sonal as is orchard heating." Requests Official Check Robert Duff, Medford city manager, mentioned that Med ford had requested through the U.S. Public Health Serv ice for an official to check the area regarding the use of sanitary landfills. Deputy District Attorney Jerry Scannell, in speaking on the dump situation, stress ed that the county court does not have control over garbage disposal but they do have the authority to set up rules and regulations as to how sanitary IT ICilMlxl ICi II O - w r ; k;t frTJA 1 & f J Men's Leather-Grained VINYL LUGGAGE Man-Styled! Easy Packing! 24-inch TWO-SUITER 2f-inch COMPANION Here's real he-man luggage! Flex-sided for plenty of packing space . . .. with partitions, pockets, tie-bars, straps, etc., for maximum packing efficiency! Scuff, stain resistant . . . it wipes clean! Has metal frames, corner guards, steel-core handles, brass-plated steel locks, cotton twill lining. Suntan. Ginger. - . LUGGAGE . . . Penney's Street Floor the system used is. He stated that the city Sani tary Service does not create the garbage and mentioned that any improvements in the disposal process would most likely cause higher rates. When this happens, he con tinued, some subscribers drop the service and then more dumping occurrs along county roads. Several persons of the near- & 40 "fdrt wh? attended the meeting questioned sev eral of the speakers. Mrs. H. P. Bosworth Jr., Medford, suggested that a le gally constituted committee be set up to control the air pol lution problem. She question ed the lumber industry's meth od of bark removal at the mills rather than having the process done in the woods where it -could be used as a ground cover. She also suggested low in terest federal loans to local industries to speed up con version programs to reduce the air pollution problem., Mrs. Bosworth also present ed the county court a peti tion which requested that residents near orchards be no tified in advance when toxic sprays are going to be spread ' by airplane. The petition call ed the current practice an "invasion of personal rights." Miller Asks Patience Judge Miller asked patience of the residents in summar izing the hearing. He stated that the economy of the val ley was a major factor in deciding the solution to the air polluting problem and stressed the need for a syste matic and voluntary ap proach, before the enactment of any ordinances. , In concluding, Miller ex plained that since Both Boi tano and Bottjer had actively supported him in his cam paign he had been accused of "playing politics" regard ing the dump situation in the Jacksonville area. He stressed that he had checked into the situation and was amazed at the 35 tons of garbage collect ed by the service in an aver age day. He said that he personally would hesitate to try; to tell the firm what way would be best to dispose of the garbage. .... $H2 REVENUERS CAUSED IT Tel Aviv, Israel-(UPD-A man accused of beating his wife while she slept told police Thursday it was unintention al. Police kept the husband in jail although he contended that he had been dreaming of "revenue men sequestrating our property. I waved my hands excitedly and apparent ly my wife's face got in the way." ROGUE LOANS AND DISCOUNTS Less Reserve for Losses United States Bonds : Municipal Bonds and Warrants : Banking House, Fixtures and Equipment.. Cash and Due From Banks 1 Stock in Federal Reserve Bank TOTAL Capital Stock Surplus . Undivided Profits DEPOSITS 1 . Interest Collected, Not Earned TOTAL OFFICERS Clarence H. Yourig Ralph E. Pierce - -Neal A. Curry - -Gertrude F. McCorkle Ron E. Cordon - - Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Serving Jackson County Sinee 1911 - Local Ownership and Control SHOP and SAVE Monday Night Handsome travelers! Hardy rayon plaid covers both sides of Penney's carriers (most have one). Rubberized backing helps keep out dust, mildew, moisture. Happy landings all the way strong from steel reinforced stand-up frames to new snap locks. Easy access zippered opening has padlock, key. . Plus 10 Federal tax. f Feather-Light Plaid ZIPPERED LUGGAGE As far as we know this is the first time anywhere a set of this ' hfgh caliber luggage has been offered at such a low price! Penney's beautifully matched pack-away foursome is quality made. Get 3-ply wood frames, reinforced sides, sturdy rayon plaid covers with rubberized backing. Handsome tailoring from black vinyl turned-edge trim to inside tie tapes. All zippered bags with lock, key. Light to carry. Nest one inside the other for storing. t BERLINERS SHOW FAITH . Berlin- (CPD -West Germany has demonstrated again its confidence in the future of West Berlin by giving the na tion's president an official residence in the beleaguered city. West German President Theodore Heuss took posses sion Thursday of the 18th Century Bellevue Castle which overlooks Communist East Berlin. VALLEY MEDFORD . . STATE OREGON CONDENSED STATEMENT JUNE 10, RESOURCES .$1,778,252.95 18,639.49 LIABILITIES W. - - - President -. - Vice-President -. - - - Cashier - Assistant Cashier - Assistant Cashier 3 Interest paid on Savings Accounts effective July 1, 1959 New Lug-Lite Luggage in Towncraft AND WHO'D THE TINY 54-inch DRESS CARRIER 40-inch SUIT CARRIER ..... You Can Buy the Complete set of 4 Ia eel flf LUGGAGE ... Penney's Street Floor 0 MAIL TRIBUNE, Medford, Or. Sunday, June 21, 195 Far Eastern Forces V To Continue Patrols Washington -fiJPD- Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy has ordered Far Eastern forces to continue unescorted patrol flights despite last week's at tack by Communist jets on an American Navy plane off Korea. BANK 1959 1,759,613.46 1,793,576.09 277,012.48 67,326.51 920,565.76 7,800.00 $4,825,894.30 $ 150,000.00 110,000.00 .38.001.92 4,483,000.69 44,891.69 $4,825,89.30 DIRECTOR! H. Young, Chairman Clarence H. Your Leonard Bradshaw Ralph E. Pierce J. H. Stanley Frank P. FarrtJI Member Federal Reserve Syxteg Till 9 EVER GUESS PRICE? Iff iA rfiK 22 inch 24 inch 26 inch mtm. $$.C9 plaid! to)