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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1961)
9 F THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 23, 1961 MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. ORE. mm mm Ei-fr-Ii'iM 1 )'' 11 1 tmmn r-m niiiiimr ;m$M0k n mi 1 ij COAL MINERS HAPPY Tired but happy, these coal miners were among the first to report back to the Oak mont Mine at Barking, Pa., after its reopening following a close-down of nearly seven months. After so long a layoff, eight hours in the "pit" have a telling effect, but not a single complaint was heard. From left, the miners are Tony Chiera, Charles Roller and Joe Rizane. . (UPI Telephoto) Reopening of Coal Mine Brings Much Happiness in Pennsylvania Village Kftitnr'ii note: AlthoUch economic hardship prevail! In much of the natlon'ii coal fields, the cloudi of floom held a silver lining ir handful of miners In Western Pennsylvania this week when one mine reopened after seven months of Idleness. UPI Reporter Fred Treosli accompanied the first shift u-of miners inio uio rauixmeu w h. rnllnwlnv rilnnati.h. nit de- -"crlbc how the surprise recall .-hrni,nrht nW hoDe to the men. 'Unfortunately, Industry spokesmen ""said, the reopening 01 one humu holds Utile prospect of hetter times .for thousands of other mine work- ers sun jodidbs. "By FREDERICK H. TREESH Barking, Pa.-(1)PB-Ed Moffet SShummed a happy tune as he ewung a pick viciously at the wall of coal In front of him. V.C For Ed, each out of the pick "represented a niche in the mountain of debts that built up during months of Idleness. "I'll tell you, it's nice to be back," said Moffet, a life long miner from New Ken sington, Pa., as he smoothed a place on the face of a mine tunnel for a mechanical drill to make its first bite in seven tVionths. A little after 8 a.m.. Moffet and 20 other miners climbed onto an orange-colored elec tric train for a Jolting, two- mile ride down the slope of the Harmar Coal Company's Oakmont Mine, located 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. It was their first trip through the winding tunnel since last July 29 when the mine closed because the coal it yielded no longer was needed. Moffet and the others were put out of work, like thou sands of other miners in the nation's coal fields, when the Oakmont Mine shut down. iCam Just in Time Times were hard, and the 'future appeared black until their telephones rang a week ago. Word that the mine was reopening came Just in time to avert economic disaster for most of the men who had only two or three more $40 ' checks to draw before their unemployment compensation ran out. Sixty-five men were called back to the mine Initially. As work progresses Inside the 40-year-old pit, more and more men will be recalled until the entire complement of ISO is back on the Job, probably within four to six weeks. Each man will be earning at least $25 a day. , The reopening of the Oak mont Mine with its $1 million annual payroll will have little economic significance to the industry as a whole, according ' to an industry source. The spokesman said the mine, which has a 3,000-ton-a-day maximum output, was reacti vated because of a "surplus of work" at other mines in opera tion. The source noted that a major steel producer had ex panded operations at two of J.ts largest captive mines from "three to five days a week. Another steel firm In Pitts "6urgh has relighted a furnace ,ond retired an additional bnt 'tery of coke ovens. Although giving little con sequence to these minute up turns, the Industry source add ed, "a trickle here and a trickle there might mean something." Smile Crones Face As John McCready switched on his helmet light and started down the long concrete stair case to the waiting mine train, & broad smile crossed his face. "It's good to be back," said McCready, a miner for 25 Tjlcars who had experienced t his first prolonged furlough. i-UWhat you have saved up doesn't take long to go. I "qnly had three more unem ployment checks left." McCready, from New Ken sington, is married and the father of an 11-year-old son. -. To Walter Sabot of Lower . Burrell, Pa., going back to work Is like "pennies from heaven," ; "After seven months, every body's happy to be back," Sabot said as he placed his lunch pall on the train seat and climbed in beside it, . "Things were pretty rough with the mortgage and util ities," he said while the train Jolted along through the gray lime-coated tunnel. "I just got a $4U gas bill because of the hard winter. It's going to be easier to pay now.1 "My wife nearly fell over when she heard the mine was going to open again," Sabot said. Raymond Jefferson of Arn old, like the other miners, was eager to start his first day back at work "I almost got a ticket driv ing over here," he said, beam ing. . Jefferson said he was out when the mine superintendent telephoned his home last Tues day with the news that the mine was reopening. His wife became so overcome with ex citement and she couldn't tell him about it when he came home. - "My brother told me. At first I didn't believe it," Jef ferson said, explaining that he and his brother, also a miner, frequently Joked about the mine reopening, hardly daring to hope it ever would. Lester ; Howell of Apollo worked two hours overtime on his first day back, but he appeared fresh when he emerged from the mine. Can Stand Extra Hours 'After the rest I had, I can stand a few extra hours," he said. An he piloted a small self- propelled mine car through the cavernous Interior of the mine, Howell explained what he and the other miners en countered when they tried to find new Jobs after the Oak mont Mine closed. I went to several coal companies looking for work," Howell said. "They said they would like to employ me be cause of my experience, but they already had men of their own laid off. They couldn't hire me." 1 The miners were jubilant on their first day back in the pit. Four or five Joked as they guided a cutting machine into the solid coal face of a mine tunnel. When the machine blade, resembling a dinosaur tail, cut into the wall, a dense cloud of choking, blind ing dust spewed forth. The men stepped back, coughing and wiping their eyes. But they still managed smiles. It 11 take four doublchead- ers of whisky to settle that dust," one of them quipped, evoking a chorus of laughs from the others. Unable io Speak The happiness was not con fined to the mine, however. In a little four-room house on Barking's only street, Mrs. Ann Tromza, a portly matron, tried to put Into words her feelings about the mine re opening. Tears welled in her eyes. For several minutes, she was unable to speak. Then she recalled the many months of uncertainty when her husband, Pete, was idle. "When you don't have any work, there's no Income," she said, "It was pretty bad. We just bought this house before the mine closed, and we had made a lot of repairs. It was awfully hard to meet the payments." Mrs. Tromza said It would be easier now to clothe and feed her husband and their four children, aged 15, 8, 7, and 5. We don't have to scrape from the bottom of the barrel anymore," she said. A few doors up the deeply the help of his wife, rutted gravel street, Henry "We're tickled to death the Miller, postmaster and grocer, mine's open again," Miller tended his modest store with said. "Our business fell off 50 Boys From Valley On Harvard List Three Rogue valley students at Harvard college .were among the 12 Oregon boys there who have named to the dean's list on the basis of their grades for the academic year 1959-60. They are Richard G. Corum, 30 Willamette ave., Medford; David L. Mack, Gold Hill, both juniors; and John M. Holt, 1335 NW Washington st., Grants Pass, sophomore. In order to ,be placed on the Dean's list, a student must maintain an average of B or better for the year. Berkeley, Calif. -(UPt- There have been more anti-trust cases in the motion picture in dustry than in any other, re ports Michael Conant, author of a recent study published by the University of Califor nia Press. i per cent while it was closed." "The hardship even showed on the faces of the children who came into the store," Mrs. Miller said. "Even our candy business fell off." Communities io Share Storekeepers in dozens of communities around Barking are bound to share in the good times again just like the Millers. With the Oakmont Mine back in operation they are certain to reap the bene fits of its $1 million-a-year payroll. But the Infinite joy un chained by the lifting of their economic burden belongs to the miners and their families. "When a miner goes back to work, the recession is over for him," observed one coal company official. Capitol Memo Appling Seen Good Bet for Congress In First District By DOUGLAS GRIPP Salem - IUPD - Secretary of State Howell Appling Jr. is a good bet for Congress in the first district in 1962. This 'is the latest, and best, specula tion on the po litical future of one of Ore gon's most powerful Republicans. Douglas Gripp How ever, sources close to Appling say the candidacy hinges on at least one factor: That Repub lican Walter Norblad does not seek reelection. Appling would not oppose Norblad, they say, because he is not un happy with Norblad's work in Congress. Appling's chance could be in the offing. Norblad is being touted as a challenger for U.S. Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.) next year. Gov. Mark Hatfield has decided to go for reelection instead of Morse's seat. . Appling lias ruled himself out of the U.S. Senate contest. He made it plain last week that his decision is "final, definite, clear and irrevo cable." Since Hatfield and Apjpling are apparently out, some Re publicans feel Norblad is the next best man to tackle Morse. But they add frankly it would take Norblad's tough est campaign and a formid able mustering of support to 'beat him. Speculators say 1962 could be the crossroads for Norblad. They note that with the end of his current two-year term, he will have 16 years in Con gress, entitling him to full federal retirement of $1,000 per month. He has also had his eye on the governorship in the past. Appling can run for higher office in 1962 without losing his job as secretary of state because he will be in the mid dle of his four-year term. One of Appling's major tar gets in state government -Atty. Gen. Robert Y. Thorn ton - is in that position too. The Democrat was swept into his third term at attorney gen eral last November while Ap pling easily won the secre tary's post. ' Thornton tried to unseat Norblad in 1958 and didn't do too badly in a strong Repub lican district although he lost by 17,061 votes. Since then the picture has changed and the GOP margin in the dis trict is down considerably. An Appling-Thornton show down would jar the political stumps. If Norblad decides to "play, it safe" in 1962, the specula- Bank Debits Show Decline in Area Bank debits for three southwestern Oregon counties dropped by 10.2 per cent last month compared to Decem ber, 1960, and 5 per cent com pared to one year ago, accord ing to the bureau of business research at the University of Oregon. The debits in Jackson, Jose phine and Curry counties totaled $84,298,841 last month, it was stated. One year ago the amount totaled $88,743, 260. Bank debits represent the dollar value of checks drawn against the deposit accounts of individuals and business firms. . tion is that Appling will sit tight and see how the wars go before he has to make a decision - in 1964. .... None out of 10 forest fires are caused by man. BEWARE OF IMITATIONS LOOK fOR THt HAPPY LITTLC DOG TOPS IN QUALITY! LOW III PRICE 1 : ' IS - , Hi V ' lnrniTO""l ' " -. UwllfcU 1 Jt. 1 - 'V FREE KITES A REGULAR 15c KITE FREE FOR THE ASKING-WITH ANY ORDER W H I C H INCLUDES PURCHASE OF TWO DOZEN EGGS! BEST GOOD EGGS are locally produced. Always fresher and taste better. We stock Surles and Korner's, delivered to us several times weekly. MEDIUM AA LARGE AA EX LARGE AA 53' 59' 62' Doz. Doi. Doz. O'Boy Snoboy Apples Winesapand Delicious 3 -lb. Cello Pkg. EACH PACKAGE CONTAINS 8c COUPON ON SNOBOY POTATOES ORANGES Small Sweet $100 CAULIFLOWER 6 dozen 1 ch 15' Sno While Fresh 5! $$$ Enter the Dole Contest and Win DOLE SALE HAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE PINEAPPLE JUICE 3 46-oz. cans AM Can 12 2 Lge. Thick SLICES 4 for No. 1 FLAT CAN Sliced or Crushed L 6 MIX OR MATCH Chunks Slic'd-Crush'd 3 No. 2 Cans 89c $00 $1 I 00 Plus SILVER DOLLAR STAMPS MILD CHEDDAR i iivi)ii)f!i U choice Friday and fflEESE 41 Morrell Yorkshire From Iowa BAC Sliced We Have This Made Special SLICED CENTERS lb. 49' Chunk n SWIFT'S BUTTERBALL While Supply lasts 10 to 20 Pounds 45? POPSRITE POPCORN 2 - 29 5,bs69 Seasoning Is in the Package DEL ROGUE Freestone Peaches and SISKIYOU BARTLETT Pear Halves 5"3.$100 GREEN GIANT PEAS CREAM CORN NIBLETS 5 303 $00 cans HILLS BROS. COFFEE .2-lb. can 99 SANK A INSTANT 99 BEST FOODS SALAD OIL ..quart 49 SUBTRACT BETTY CROCKER NEW FOOD SUPPLEMENT FRISKIES - PURINA - GAINES CHUNKIES DOG FOOD pound ALBER'S FLAPJACK FLOUR 33 2 12! I J I VANILLA AND CHOCOLATE It's Lipton Time SOUPS pkg. 31c nkc. 35c pkg- Tomato Green Pea Onion Beef Tomato Vegetable pkg Mushroom Chick Rice Chick Noodle pk. 45c 37c 37c 31c 97 pkg. Wlto pkg. 39c Lipton Tea Quarter Pound 47e Half Pound 89e pound box Flo Thru Bags 48ba9s69c 100 l29 a 4
