Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1960)
Air Force Med T o Glear Dp Mystery off Object inn Sky Over Oregon Washington (IIPD A rt- the Air Force concealed the facts in the case." "The Air Force was fully aware that its own and the FAA evidence proved this was some unknown machine under intelligent control," NICAP said. There was no immediate comment from Sharp. But an Air Force spokesman insisted there was "insufficient in formation" on which to draw any conclusion about the Ore gon sighting other than that it "was probably a balloon." Challenging the Air Force interpretation of the Oregon object, NICAP produced photo-copies of logs from the FAA's air route traffic con trol center at the Seattle-Ta-coma, Wash., airport and from the ' agency's air traffic com munication station at Red mond, Ore. It summed up the logs as stating "a mysterious, round flying object was seen by FAA observers at Redmond, Ore., as it escaped from Air Force jets with exhaust-like flames spouting from its base." "The FAA also stated the UFO was tracked by Air Force radar as it evaded the jets and later as it maneuver ed between 6,000 and 52,000 feet." the committee said The letter said intelligence experts believed "this object was probably a balloon as evidenced by its relatively long period in the area (more than an hour) and the fact that unless equipped with reflectors balloons are not good radar reflectors." The Redmond log said the object was first sighted by Robert Dickerson, a police man, .as a "strange bright light descending rapidly north" of his station at that city. The object stopped and hovered for several minutes several hundred feet from the ground, the log said, and Dickerson drove toward it. "At this time the light turn ed orange and it moved to the northeast . . . very rapidly," I the log continued, relocating UFO took shape of mushroom, observed long yellow and red flame from lower side as UFO rose rapidly and disappeared above clouds estimated 14,000 feet ... "UFO reappeared south of Redmond approximately fcO miles estimated 25,000 feet. Seattle air route control cen ter advised radar contactS search group has appealed to Air Force Secretary Dudley C. Sharp to clear up the mys tery of a round, flame-spouting object which supposedly assumed mushroom shape and escaped jet plane pursuers over central Oregon last Sept. 24. The privately-financed Na tional Investigations Commit tee on Aerial Phenomena charged that an official re port logged by the Federal Aviation Agency "proves that The Air Force, in a Jan 19, 1960, letter, said an official "account of the sighting fails to reveal any evidence of radar tracking or any success of the attempted intercept." itself about 10 miles away at a height of about 3,000 feet. L. E. Dvis, chief of the FAA'. " ond station, said in t' j -O; that 10 minutes later, at about 5:10 a.m., he reported the object to the Seattle station. His log then stated: "We continued to observe UFO ... "Observed high speed air craft approaching from south east. As aircraft approached Regional Edition MEDFORi) Price 10 Cents Tribune UFO 25 miles south of Redmond at 52,000 feet. o further sightings made at this ( station." 16 Pages MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1960 No. 1 feti ........ MANOR GROWS This aerial view of the Rogue Valley Manor, taken from a helicopter last week, shows to an advantage the actual size of the $5 million structure. The seventh story was almost completed, and work on the forms for the eighth story, at right, had started when the picture wts taken. The building will be 10 stories high, with a Mistaken Pedal Results in Crash (M four Vehicles A woman who mistook a gas pedal for a brake caused a "spectacular" four-car smash-up at the intersection of Holly UIlfl-Eighth sts. yester day afternoon. Medford city police said it is extremely lucky that no one was injured. The woman, Mrs. Velma L. Wilson, 38, of 301 North Fir st., told police that the car she was driving was headed north on Holly st., and as she approached the stop sign on Eighth st. she placed her foot on what she thought was the brake and started to press down, but the more she pressed, the faster the vehicle went. Foot oi Gas Pedal She told police she then dis covered she had her foot on the gas pedal but it was too late to stop. She proceeded through the stop sign at a higlj) rate of speed and was struck by a vehicle headed west on Eighth st., police said. The impact of this collision knocked her car into the oppo site lanje 8n Holly st. where it was struck by a second car. The Wilson vehicle then kept going and struck a parked Volkswagon, knocking it some 40 feet into the adjacent city park, where it came to rest against a tree. Mrs. Wilson's vehicle also proceeded into the park some 50 feet, before its forward mo mentum was halted by anoth er tree. Damage Noted Police said that the Volks wagon is probably a total loss. Mrs. Wilson's Caddillac and a Jaguar, which was involved in the accident, were also heavily damaged and had to be towed from the scene. Police said that Mrs. Wil son's 5-year-old son, who was a passenger in the vehicle, came out of the accident with out a scratch. She was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Portland-OJPD-Harry E. Lich ter of Wisconsin has been named as chief museum cura tor of the Oregon Historical Society. Man in Photo Believed Killer of Chicago Women Starved Rock Park, 111 -0JPD -One of the three women mur dered in Starved Rock Park took a picture of a man who may have been the killer, Sheriff Ray Eutsey said today. EjUtsey showed reporters a blow-up of a triple-exposure and said the picture contained the figure of a man. Reporters tended to agree with him. '''he shadowy figure, Eutsey toid a news coherence, ap Today's Issue Marks Start of 55th Year For Mail Tribune Today's issue of the Med ford Mail Tribune marks the beginning of its 55th year of publication as a Medford HaiTv On March 22, 1906 the paHf per, which was then known Directors Named For Art Group Nine directors, who will constitute the first board for the new Rogue Valley Art as sociation, were elected at the first annual meeting of the group last night in Hedrick Junior High school. The directors are William Barker, Eugene Bennett, who has been serving as temporary chairman, Robert Bosworth, Ben Day, Mrs. Fred C. Lorish, Dr. Richard Porto, Jack Tee ters, Ben Trowbridge Jr., and Carl Wimberly Jr. They will meet in the near future and elect officers. Bosworth, chairman of the building and sites committee, reported that volunteers are repairing and painting a room at 220 West Main St., which the group as acquired to serve as an art gallery. He asked for additional volunteers in order that the work may be completed by April 1, opening dayte. A crew will work to night. Mrs. Harry Danielson, gal lery chairman, is also seeking volunteers to take charge of the gallery during open hours. A show had been secured for the opening through the Oregon Art Alliance. It will consist of oils, watercolors, prints and drawings from Ore gon State college, and a group of scultures from students at the University of Oregon. Mother of Three Gets Prison Term Oregon City - IUPD - Mrs. Charlotte L. B a r n e 1 1, 24, mother of three children, was sentenced to from three to five years in the state peni tentiary Monday after plead ing guilty to a manslaughter charge. pears to be of a man about 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds. The man has a high forehead and is between 25 and 30 years old, Eutsey said, and is wearing booths and a parka jacket and appears to be carrying some thing in his left hand that may be the murder weapon. An alert has been issued for a man of that description, Eutsey said. penthouse on top. The center "column" will consist of lounges for each floor and the dining room will be located where the four large window openings can be seen at left, A physicial therepy room for the infirmary can be seen near the center column on the dining room roof, as the Medford Daily Tribune, published its first edition for a circulation of only a few hundred persons'; The number of these first ety'suTbscribenf eohtrasts with today's circulation record of 18,110, which was attained just last week. Prior to 1906 the Tribune had published as an Ashland daily for several years and was known as the Ashland Daily Tribune. However, in that year it moved to Med ford,. because in trie words of its first editor, J. M. Pot ter, as written in an editorial in that first edition: Better Vantage Point "Medford is a better point of vantage from which to view and report the great work of developing the entire county (Jackson) as it is more advantageously located. Med ford is the hub of one of the greatest . agricultural, timber and mineral sections in the U.S. and as its capital it must necessarily grow in import ance as a trading center." In 1909 the Tribune con solidated with the Medford Mail and assumed its present name. The paper has been at its existing location on Fir st. since 1911 although many changes have been made in the building since then. It now ranks as the sixth largest paper in the state, be hind those in Portland, Salem and Eugene. Gerald T. Latham, business manager, says the paper is looking to ward a circulation of 25,000 within the next ten years. From 1906 to 1921 the newspaper was printed by means of a flatbed press. The capacity of this flatbed was minimal when compared to the capacity of the new press which the paper is now in stalling. This early press could run off only 6,000 papers an hour, compared to the present press capacity of 26,000 16-page papers, or the new press ca pacity of 48,000 48-page pa pers an hour. Democrats Schedule Two Meetings Here Two Democratic party meet ings are scheduled today and tomorrow. The Young Demo crats club of Southern Ore gon will meet at 7:30 o'clock tonight at Democratic head quarters, 232 West Fifth st., Medford, at which time of ficers will be elected and by laws will be discussed. A special meeting of the Jackson County Democratic Central committee will be held at 8 pjn. Wednesday at the Labor Temple, 2414 South Grape st., Medford. The meet ing is open to the public and all interested Democrats are invited to . meet Democratic candidates. Detector Tests Given Several in . Probe of Shooting Lie detector tests were giv en a number of persons last night during questioning by state police and sheriff's offi cers concerning the fatal shooting of Mrs. Lester Ham ilton, 40, of Ashland, deputies reported today. The tests will continue to day and probably tomorrow, a deputy said. California authorities are continuing to question a hitch hiker apprehended in Bakers field, Calif. Deputies said an officer would question the man in Bakersfield as soon as more positive identity is es tablished that he is the man described by an informant as being near the Hamilton farmhouse about the time of the shooting. The informant has now changed the descrip tion originally given, depu ties said. Hitchhiker Held The hitchhiker, identified as Chester Joseph Sears, 48, was picked up by California highway patrolmen south of Bakersfield yesterday on Highway 99. Sears admitted to California authorities he was in Ashland, but denied any knowledge of the crime. He told them he arrived in Bak ersfield Friday from Portland. Mrs. Hamilton was found dead of gunshot wounds near the doorway of her farm home last Tuesday afternoon by her husband. ' Deputies believe the mur der weapon is a .22 caliber revolver. School Bus Hit By Train; Six Pie Coy, Ala. (UPD A freight train hit a school bus at a crossing near this rural com munity today and at least six teen-age children were killed. Authorities had reported eight dead but Audie Sadis, Wilcox county transportation superintendent, said there were six known dead and three critically injured. Sadis said the driver of the bus, David Jackson, about 20, was not seriously injured but was suffering from shock. WEATHER FORECAST: Considerable high cloudiness through Wednesday. Continued mild. Low tonight High Wednesday 72. Temp. Highest Yesterday : 8 Lowest this Morning 42 Our Skies Tonight Sunset today :2 PJ. Sunrise tomorrow S:10 a.m. Moonrise tomorrow 4:03 a.m. New Moon March 26 PROMINENT CONSTELLATION Orion, in the southwest 8:01 p. Orion, in the south west 8:01 P-m. The two brightest stars in this group are Betelgeuse and RigeL Betelgeuse is high above Rigel. Preliminary Plans For Expansion of Airport Finished Medford city officials have completed preliminary plan ning for expansion of munici pal airport facilities to handle future jet service, City Man ager Robert Duff said today. When the airport expansion can be done, however, re mains to be seen, he said, since it will require consider able expense. As of now, Duff said, there are no federal funds available to help defray costs for such expansion. Indications are that jet serv ice here may be five years away, but local airline offic ials and city representatives agree that jet service in the future is certain. Returns From Meeting Ken W. Cook, ground serv ice manager here for United Air Lines, recently returned from Chicago where he at tended the annual "flight plan" meeting of the com pany, where plans for expand ing present DC-8 jet sched ules, and the introduction of the Boeing 720 medium-range jet service this summer, were reviewed. Cook said United "now has a total investment of $383 million for 78 jet airplanes. The commitment includes 40 long - range Douglas DC-8s, with 20 already delivered; 18 medium -range Boeing 720s, and 20 short - range French Caravelles. "Service by these jets," Cook said, "will continue to be expanded to additional cities as the airplanes become available." Runways at the Medford airport, like runways at most airports this city's size, are not long enough to handle even the short-range jets, he noted. Cook said jet service here by United is probably five years away, and that one of the items which is now delay ing short and medium-range service throughout the coun try is runway length. Duff estimated that the north - south main runway, which is now 5,400 feet long, may have to be extended an additional 3,000 feet to pro vide sufficient length for short-range jet planes. - Cook noted that the French Caravelle uses a comparative ly short runway, but one long er than the present Medford runway. Extending the north - south runway, Duff said, would in volve purchasing additional property, probably the most expensive item in such an expansion program, along with some road relocation and sufficient land for "clear zones" at the end of runways. What the cost of an airport expansion program would be has not been estimated other than it would be an extensive investment. Fairchild F-27s are now used by West Coast Airlines here.- The F-27 is a prop-jet plane, and does not require the length runway a regular jet requires Cook said United has no plans at present for using prop-jet type planes in its system. "You Think That Equality Stuff Is Likely To Spread Up North Here?" . 9am, .nil mm iro & Ira Sara To Me Russ Demand for Liquidation of Bases Rejected Geneva (UPD T h e United States today summarily re jected Soviet demands for the liquidation of overseas bases as the first step toward dis armament. It said American troops would remain as long as they are needed "to defend the Free World's security." Not Fruitful U. S. delegate Frederick M. Eaton told the 10-nation Dis armament Conference that it would be "neither profitable nor fruitful" to discuss over seas bases here. He was replying to repeat ed Soviet demands for the "liquidation of foreign bases." Eaton said American troops are stationed abroad by invi tation of the host countries, Delegate Reminded He sharply reminded Rus sia's Valerian Zorin that the Soviets also have troops sta tioned outside their borders, but with this difference- they were not always invited. They have gone there some times as the result of direct attack or political action and have been used on occasions against hostile populations, Eaton said. Eaton-did -not refer specifi cally to the Hungarian free dom uprising of 1956 or the East German workers revolt against the Communist regime in 1953, but his meaning was clear. Bank at Sherwood Target of Holdup Sherwood, Ore.-IUPD-Police and FBI agents today sought two men who held up the Sherwood branch of the U.S. National Bank and escaped with about $15,000. It was the third irobbery at the bank in three years. One of the bandits was arm ed with a sawed-off shotgun and the other with an auto matic pistol. The bandits got money from the vault and also emptied three tellers' tills. The rob bery lasted about 10 minutes. Fire Damages Interior Of Ashland Residence Ashland A small frame house at 955 B st. received major interior damage this morning in a fire apparently caused by a faulty flue, Ash land firemen reported. Firemen received the alarm about 9:45 a.m. and brought the blaze under control soon after arriving at the scene. Occupant of the home is Virginia Ruth Jackson. To Planning Group's Budget Is Tabled; 814,226 Sought The Jackson county budget committee this morning tabled the county planning commis sion's budget request of $14,226 pending a regional planning meeting tomorrow night in the county court house. The budget committee ap parently felt the needs of the planning commission could be more accurately determined after the organizational meet ing. Purpose of the meeting is to have a coordinated plan ning program for all cities and towns of Jackson county. The $14,226 total budget re quest for the 1960-61 fiscal year is a $444 increase over the current year's budget of $13,782. Major Items Major budget items include $460 for planning, a new item; $5,388 annual salary for plan ning technician, $240 increase over current salary of $5,148; assistant planning technician's salary of $4,032, a new item; secretary's salary of $3,096, increase of $324 over the cur rent salary of $2,772. Gordon Hudson, Medford druggist and budget commit tee member, argued that the planning commission is wast ing money the more it delays putting in a county zoning program. "We should get more money in this budget to hire more people and get it done or forget it altogether," Hud son urged. Arnold Bohnert, Central Point area farmer and com mittee member, pointed out that the county would not have some of the problems it has now if county-wide zoning had been voted in several years .ago. Land-Use Study Lynn Newbry, Ashland packinghouse owner and bud get committee member, urged that county -wide zoning be applied first, then a land-use study be completed to estab lish zone variations. Setting up land use areas is merely creating opposition to zoning, he emphasized. Alva Walker, Gold Hill, representative of the Rogue River Basin Flood Control and Water Resources associ ation, was to appear before the budget committee about noon today to request a tenta tive fund of $4,000 to $5,000 for promotional expenses. The current year's budget item is $1,500. The increase is needed so association repre sentatives can appear before Congress to argue for the ba Queen Elizabeth II Picks Name for Son London (UPD Queen Eliza beth II today named her month-old son Andrew Albert Christian Edward. He will be known as Prince Andrew. Porter Told Information on Ike's Domestic Staff 'Private Business' Washington IUPD Rep. Charles O. Porter (D-Ore.) said he was told by the White House Monday that informa tion on the mansion's domes tic Staff is the "Drivate busi ness" of President and Mrs. Eisenhower. 69 Persons Employed He said Jack Z. Anderson of the White House staff would tell him only that 69 persons are employed 40 of them white, 27 Negro, and 2 Filipino - and that all waiters but one are colored.- Porter had asked for name, race, age, length of service and position of each employe. He said b made the inquiry le Jpp effor sin development measure dur ing a hearing now set for early in 1961. This does not include the Agate dam proj ect, which will be considered separately, he explained. African Racial Demonstrations In Second Day Johannesburg, South Africa -lUPD-Police opened fire today to disperse native African mobs demonstrating in the streets of the town of Langa near Capetown in the second day of racial violence. There were no reports of casualties in the latest inci dent. But the unofficial toll in two days of fighting stood at about 100 dead and nearly 300 wounded. Massive Strike Feared Officials feared a massive strike of African workers was imminent to protest laws which force them to carry identity cards at all times or face arrest. Rioters burned two schools, automobiles and government buildings in Langa Monday night. Unofficial estimates said 12 persons were killed in Langa then, with at least 70 others killed in other towns. Ten more Africans died in hospitals today. Generally, South Africa was quiet but tense. Man's Body Found In McKenzie Area Eugene-(UPD-The body of an unidentified man, found in the Cascade mountains, was returned here today. An au topsy was scheduled. The body was found late Sunday by two University of Oregon students who were hiking in the Cascades about 55 miles east of here just off the McKenzie River highway. Gene Hulett, ' state police sergeant, said there were no papers or billfold on the man. He was described as about 40 to 45 years of age, 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair. Neubergers Will Admitted To Probate Portland - (UPD - The will of the late Sen. Richard L. Neuberger was admitted to probate Monday by Circuit Judge William L. Dickson. There was no estimate on the value of the estate. Neuberg er's widow, Maurine, was named executrix. as a result of comments by a member of Premier Khru shchev's party visiting the White House last fall. He said another congress man present at the time told him the Russian, seeing only Negro servants, inquired sar castically, "are these your slaves?" . Wrote Letter In a letter to Anderson on March 17 Porter related the story and asked, among other things, whether it was White House policy to hire only or predominantly Negroes for domestic service. "If it is I should like to suggest that it be changed immediately," he said. "The oseo'- Proposal for Federal Help Turned Down . Washington IUPD- Presiflent Eisenhower was reported to-o day to have turned thumbs down on Welfare Secretary Arthur S. Flemming't pro posed federal program to help the aged pay for medical care. Sen. Everett M. Dirksen (R 111.) said after a white house conference that the adminis tration will oppose a labor backed medical care plan sponsored by a House Demo crat and will offer no substi ture plan of its own. More Information Nee4e4 Dirksen said the adminis tration's viewpoint is that a great deal more information must be gathered before any program is started. Dirksen, Senate Republican leader, said Flemmine in his appearance before the House committee Wednesday viU not oppose any alternitW to the Democratic bill. "There will be a lot of con versation and a lot of ques tions, but no plan," Dirksen told newsmen after the White House conference among Ji senhower, Flemmina, nd GOP congressional leadsrs. Rep. Aime J. Forand (D R.I.), a members of the Hos(fe Ways and Means committee, is pushing a proposal to provide medical care as part of the benefits available to the elderly under the social secur ity program. Social security taxes would be raised on both employer and employee to cover the cost. More Modest Plan Flemming came up with a more modest plan, under which federal and state gov ernments would help pay the premiums on voluntary health insurance for old folks, as an alternative. , He goes before the Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, and had hoped to offer his plan with the Presi dent's blessing. He developed it with reported support from Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Leash Law Voting In City Precincts The proposed leash law will be placed on the county ballot for the May primary election, but will apply only to Medford precincts, Deputy District Attorney Gerald Scan nell said today. Chris Hagler, county dog control officer, said this could become a county-wide issue by 100 county residents or more petitioning for it, The proposed regulation would re quire dog owners to keep their dogs on leashes when off their property. It is not a muzzle law, Hagler noted. The dog control officer pre dicted 9,000 dog licenses will be sold in the county by the end of March. He noted that several chickens and sheep had been killed by dogs re cently in the county. Hagler noted that over a third of his complaints are on dogs killing chickens. White House is not an ante bellum southern plantation. Race color or creed should not be among the qualifica tions for any kind of employ ment there or elsewhere in the United Strtes." Porter said Anderson re plied in a letter giving only the racial breakdown. Private Business He added that Anderson called at his office to say that this was all the information that would be supplied. How ever, he added that all the waiters but one were colored. Porter quoted Anderson as saying other information was the "private business" of the Eisenhowers.
