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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1961)
e G 12 A SUNDAY. JANUARY 29, 19S1 QsratoraO IP Q MEDfffBD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDF01. qg. " Q a O l.ll".:y,i.j), mm adng .$b Mefeft Ms- Penmcoinidls Facilities Operate Near Capacity All Year, Mason Notes By JOHN STAFFORD Mail Tiibunt Staff Writer The population of Central Point has more than doubled since 1940. The city has been racing to meet the demands on city facilities the increase has brought. So far the city has won the race. However, at the present time, the margin of victory is decreasing as the popula tion boom closes the gap. City facilities are operating at full capacity during most periods of the year. The water ituation in summer months gets critical at times. Mayor Freeman Mason says if a major fire ever occurred during these months a dis aster could result. The water supply could be completely exhausted and a fir could rage out of control. Mason says the town is growing as fast as vacant lots can be filled with houses. Two new subdivisions have sprung up in recent years. Expansion has brought problems. However, much has been done and is being done presently to meet the de mands. New schools have been built. Street paving has been progressing at a record rale. City departments have been expanded. City facilities have been improved. A new hospi tal has been constructed. In creased recreation facilities have been under consider ation. Show Revaaling Picture . Facts and figures available from City Recorder Lyle Paull provide a revealing pic ture of what has happened in Central Point. The population boom start- ed in the 40s and progressed at a rapid rate through the SOs. In 1920, 582 people lived In the city. This rose to 906 In 1940 and jumped to 1,667 in 1950. Final figures for I960 show 2,289 people living in Central Point. Value of building permits issued in 1955 totaled $221,- 500. This figure increased lightly in 1956 to $224,300 In 1960 permits issued were valued at $684,344. Of this amount $335,900 was spent on 37 new one-family homes The new Crater Osteopathic hospital was constructed at a cost of $225,000. The new city hall cost $14,444. School im provements, service stations, a rest home and two-family dwellings comprise the rest Assessed valuation of the city is $1,917,512. ' In the last two years, 10, 769 feet of street paving has been put in. Six streets ac counted for this total. Second. Oak and Hazel sts. were com pletely paved. Additional pav ing on Pine st. totaled 700 feet. City and stale funds were used in financing this latter project. In 1960 the new city hall was dedicated. ' In 1954 a new library and fire department were con structed on the corner of Pine and Third sts. The new $14, 444 addition for city offices and library was added to the fire department. The police department has moved into the former library quarters. Th police department has been modernized in the last five years. Wally Bowen, po lice chief, has instituted a number of progressive pro grams. A complele cross filing sys- i I 4' ' 'V' ' ml H1552SL !-fi tW-t$lii SttmntrtVUeffi MKfT J mm CENTRAL POINT STORY The Central Point story is one of a city which has experienced a rapid growth in a rela tively short time. The city's population totals 2,289. In 1940 It was 906, The city has been carrying on an active street paving program in the last two years. Two miles of , , ' - paving has been put in. However, the city water situation nears the critical stage in some months of the summer, and preliminary investigation is being made on a new sewage disposal plan. .( .... """ i Lr Jtp-CIIJ ilj Ff jr,m i y I J grSTiefig&jW I&Wm-.-.- T J . '4 i i.'!.l,rfii iur7jii) mi-fir-')i;iiii)n)iifniaiiiii JEWETT SCHOOL Schools in Central Point have been pictured above, was completed in 1957. In 1960 an eight keeping pace with expanded enrollments thus far. District room addition was added. Charles Meyer, district superin 6 1960 average daily attendance totaled 2,229, compared tendent, says the major problem in the next few years will with a figure of 1,188 for 1950. Jewelt Elementary school, be in keeping up with classsroom needs. r i V? fH M ' I f ' 1 id - - 4 M. HOME CONSTRUCTION New homes are being construct ed in Central Point at a rapid rate. Two new sub-divisions have been started on the northern part of the city. Thirty- seven building permits were issued in 1960 for new one family homes totaling $335, 9u0. In addition, ihree iwo-fam-ily dwellings were built costing $49,000. Mayor Freeman Mason says, "We're growing inside the city as fast as vacant lots con be filled." tern for finger prints and pho tos has been established Three policemen have been on the job for tiie last year nd a half. Modern radio equipment has been installed n police cars and the police station In the city hall. A i g h t telephone answering service has been initiated. In its quarters In what used to be the city library, the de L Mortuary Cemetery Mausoleum Crematory Quiet Chapel INVESTIGATE and SAVE with One Co In One location No Procession Necessary Beautiful, Dignified Service and Surroundings Joe Hotick-Funeral Director-Manager SISKIYOU SP 2-5488 And SISKIYOU MEMORIAL PARK L G. (Lew) Milet, Mgr. SP 2-2344 c 605 Highlyd Dr. partment has a waiting room interrogation room, jail fa cilities for It inmates and a private office for the chief, The department has initiated a junior police club and has given safety lecturos at city schools. Department Problems Problems the department faces include a need for a fourth office room, an office secretary and more man power. In five years, Bowen has never token a vocation. The fire department has been active also. Latest addi tion Is an emergency rescue truck financed to a great ex tent by the 26 department volunteers. The vehicle is available for use anywhere in the Rogue volley. A survey of the city water system was recently com pleted. The system is going to need improving if it is to adequately meet needs future growth will create, Mayor Mason says. The cily lias a 50.000 gal lon reservoir now. The engi neering firm making the sur vey has recommended a 500, 000 gallon or I million gallon reservoir. This estimate Is based on future growth. The present system was Installed in 194B. There are 857 con nections in the city. 'Before we can do any serious growing we have to work out some agreement with Medford." Mason says. All city water is provided by Mrdford at the present time. If we can get an agree ment for more water from Med ford wc will explore pos sibilities of getting a new re servoir. Mnwn said. Mason also Indicated that new water ncs would have to be in stalled In some areas If more water becomes available. Dale Hartley, chairman of the city planning commission, said a new reservoir could be partially filled at night in the summer from excess water coming Into Mcdford. "This would assure us of a safe level in the daytime," Bart- Icy sold. Mason said another prob lem is one of money to fi nance all desired projects. "We have one of the lowest tax millage rates in the na tion for a city our size," Ma son points out. This rate Is 19.4 mills. It would take vote from the people to raise this figure. Mason points with pride to the active street paving pro gram in the last two years. "The town has needed more paved streets for 10 years," tiie mayor said. Getting more streets paved is high on Ma son's list of needed future projects. Mason said the city also is exploring possibilities of a new sewage disposal system. Presently, liquid sewage is pumped into lines of Medford and then disposed of at Camp White. "Preliminary plans for a lagoon type disposal system arc being explored," accord ing to Mason. -Cily Park Development Barlley said the planning commission is working on plans (or development of a city park on a 15-acre tract between Taylor and llanley sis., where the present city baseball field and grandstand exist. Various recreational fa cilities wfiuld be provided in the park. Mayor Mason and the planners are attempting to devise a plan whereby a swimming pool could be built in the park. This is still in the discussion stage. One project which became a functioning reality in 19b0 was completion of Crater Os teopathic hospital. The hospi tal Is privately owned. Sam Zier, hospital administrator. said the hospital is equipped to handle 26 beds. However, 29 can be put into operation. Hospital Dedicated held May 22, 1960. Zier said the hospital is equipped to handle practically any type of surgical or medical care. Fourteen doctors are listed on the staff. "It is a big step for the osteopathic medical pro fession because they have al most every type of equipment available here," Zier com mented. A total of 700 patients have been treated since the hospi tal opened its doors. "We feel we have done well for (he length of time we have been in operation," Zier said. Future expansion possibili ties could be handled with lit tle trouble, Zier pointed out. The hospital is on a three-acre site, and was built so it could be expanded with little diffi culty. Twenty-four employees keep the institution going. Of these, 12 are on the nursing staff. Schools Built Schools which fall Into District 6C have also been built and old ones improved. District average daily attend ance in all schools in 1950 was 1,188. In I960 the figure stood at 2.229, according to Charles Meyer, district super intendent. Major addition to school fa cilities came in 1957 with completion of the Jewell Ele mentary school. Twelve rooms, a music room and multi-purpose were included. An eight-room addition was com pleted in HltiO. Other improvements last year included addition of 13 classrooms, remodeling the old high school study hall into a new cafeteria and construc tion of an elementary library at the junior high. In addition a district administrative build ing was completed. Meyer terms the major dist rict problem one of finnnrc. "After you build new schools you have t pay for them." Dedication ceremonies foi; Meyer noted. the $225,000 structure were In addition, oi transport.- CRATER HOSPITAL The Crater Osteopathic hospital was completed in 1960. Cost of the 26-bed hospital was $225,000. A total of 700 patients have used the hospital since its lion problem is being faced Most of the district's 18 busses are on a four trip dally shift Some make more runs. Trans porlation is a major item in the district budget. About $95,000 is budgeted each year for this purpose. Busses tra vel about 1,076 miles a day, About l'A million student miles are covered each year. As is true in any consoli dated district, transportation for children in outlying areas creates problems. Each child is entitled to take part in after-school activities and the district is expected to furnish transportation home for these children, Meyer said. , Future district plans call for construction of a girl's gymnasium at the high school in 1962, eight additional class rooms in 1962 and a teacher s room. Enrollment trends are being studied in an effort to deter mine feasibility of a new ele mentary school site. Total en rollments in 1960 were 3,016, 11 per cent increase over 1958. Three lumber mills, the Grange Co-op and Rogue Ri ver Valley Creamery are ma jor businesses in the city. Cheney Forest Products, Ml. Pitt Lumber company and Hilton and Sons Lumber company are lumber indus tries. Cheney is the largest of the three. Thirty-two people are employed at the Cheney mill. Cheney specializes in beams for home construction and utility pole and railroad tie production. Cheney products go to all aroas of the nation. Currently Cheney is facing a problem of a poor ntional lumber market, according to Francis Cheney. "The outlook doesn't look good tor market opening. Fourteen doctors and 12 nurses are on the staff. Located on South Second st., the hospital has facihtiei for all types of obstetrical, surgical and medical care. . ......... , , , -s ... , ;. . ,.., .la......,..,., .,. - , r . POST OFFICE Building in Central Point has been active for' the last few years. In 1958 a new U.S. post office was completed. The new, building is located on Fourth st. near the Fourth and Pine sts. intersection. It features modern postal facilities and an attractive styling. improvement in the immedi ate future," Cheney says. He said Cheney's production has been cut in half. Only one shift is working presently. Rogue River Valley Cream ery has been in Central Point since 1936. It specializes in manufactuer of butter, cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese and blue cheese. Creamery offi cials said it is the only pro ducer of blue cheese west of the Mississippi river. A spe cial building for production of blue cheese was built recently.- The Grange Co-op is one of the city's largest businesses. Thirty-four people are employed. Manufactures Feeds The co-op manufactures 26 types of formula feeds, all types of whole, ground and rolled grains, 18 different va rieties of fertilizer and home garden products. In addition, it operates a bulk and retail petroleum business. The co-op started as a small business in 1934. Retail and wholesale sales in 1960 were $1,722,000. Sales have jumped from $900,000 to the 1960 figure in four years. Central Point has expanded at a' record rate in recent years. Where will it end? If all problems can be resolved, expension may continue for a number of years. Feeling of city officials is summed up by Mayor Ma son's observation, "It is for the best interest of the entire valley to expand in the future." Arthritis-Rheumatism Vital Facts Explained FREE DESCRIPTIVE BOOK As a public service to all readers of this paper, a new 36 - page highly illustrated book in Arthritis and Rheumatism will be mailed ABSOLUTELY FREE to all who write for it. No aoent will r " This FREE BOOK fully explains the causes, ill-effects and uu.i.r in neglect of these painful and crippling conditions. It also de scribes a successfully proven drug less method of treatment which has been applied in many thou sands of cases. This book is yours WITHOUT .COST or obligation. It may be tha means of saving years of untold misery. Don't delay. Send for your FREE BOOK today. Address The Ball Clinic .... Dept. 2609, Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Adv.) jjjj HARTFORD FAMILY .S ffi jj AUTO INSURANCE! 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