Medford mail tribune., May 02, 1961, Image 1

m Leas
life as Fire Stoms lame M
Delayed 48 Hours
Decision Made
As Cloudy Sky
Fails To Clear
Alan Shepard Jr.
: To Be Astronaut
V Cape Canaveral, Fla. - (UPD -United
States today postponed
its first attempt to put a man
in space for at least 48 hours
-rather than hazard astronaut
-Alan B. Shepard Jr.'s life by
'.launching him into a cloudy
'sky.
. The decision to scrub the
shot, originally scheduled for
6 a.m. (PST), came shortly
after Shepard, 37, received
his final physical examina
tions and had toiled into his
zippered silvery spacesuit.
'Minimum Rules
' The National Aeronautics
and Space Administration had
laid down minimum weather
rules for both the cape and
the recovery area down range
in the Atlantic for safety
reasons.
j When it became evident
that a persistent overcast
would not clear up by 10 a.m.
(PST), the deadline for a shot
today, officials canceled the
launching until Thursday.
".Thursday Forecast Good
1 Weather men said the out
look for Thursday was good.
Shepard, a Navy commander
from East Derry, N.H., went
back to crew ' quarters in
NASA's big Mercury hangar
to wait out the next two
.days.
Squally weather vhich set
in Monday drenched the cape
from time to time early today,
. frequently interrupting the
final 390-minute countdown.
.Still Number One
v : Shepard, a calm, philosophi
cal felfow with a crewcut and
confident outlook1, Was still the
No. 1 astronaut for the next
attempt Thursday.
His "backup," ready to "go'
' if anything should happen to
disqualify .Shepard, is Marine
Lt. Col. John H. Glenn Jr.,
39, combat and speed flier
from New Concord, Ohio.
Accident Victim
Slightly Improved
1 i Mrs. Myrtle Lee Tyson, 38,
of 324 Marie st., who was in
jured in a downtown Medford
auto accident Monday, was
laid to be "slightly improved"
at Rogue Valley hospital this
morning.
Hospital attendants said
Mrs. Tyson is suffering from
possible head injuries and
bruises.
. Mrs. Tyson was the oper
ator of a car which collided
with an unloaded logging
truck at the intersection of
Main st. and Riverside ave.
about 5:45 a.m. yesterday. The
woman v. as pinned in the
wreckage of her car, and had
to be freed by firemen and
city police.
Violation Pate in
Cab Case Is March 5
The date of an alleged vio
lation of the city code by Carl
Kellenberger, owner of the
Yellow Cab company, is
March 5, and not May 5 as re
ported In yesterday's paper.
The city of Medford charges
that on March 5, a limousine
owned by Kellenberger was
hired out at rates below those
that are filed with the city.
The city contends that rates
at all times must conform
with the rate schedule filed
with the city.
Kellenberger is scheduled
to be arraigned on the charge
May 15 In municipal court.
Conviction could carry a max
imum penalty of a 1100 fine
nd 50 days in jail.
Durno Says
Serious in Rogue Valley
WashinKton-WIi-Rep. Edwin
Durno (R-Ore.) told the House
Appropriations Com m 1 1 1 e e
Monday that the pear decline
problem was "extremely seri
ous" in Oregon Rogue River
Valley.
Durno said the disease was
spreading to other areas and
that the 1960 crop was 65
per cent of the five-year
average.
He spoke in support of
A
Space Shot
"It' All Right To Seat Them. They're Not
Americans"
A T m,m Tim
Butte Falls Voters
Turn Down Budget;
Others Approved
An "average" turnout of
voters yesterday passed the
rural school board levy, and
local school district levies in
all districts except Butte
Falls.
The rural levy passed,
2,204 yes to 907 no votes.
The vote on the rural levy
by districts was: Butte Falls,
New Building To
House Firm Starts
Crater Lake Motors, Med
ford Ford dealer, today start
ed construction of a new serv
ice and parts department
building across Main st. from
the existing building.
Company President Hugh
Coleman said the total invest
ment in building and proper
ty will be an estimated $200,
000. The new building is
scheduled to be ready for oc
cupancy by July 1 of this
year.
The company's existing
building on the southeast
corner of Main and Fir sts.
will be vacated when the new
structure is completed, al
though the firm will retain
the parking lot at the rear
of the building. Coleman said
he does not know to what use
the old building will be put.
The new building will ex
tend south of the firm's Eng
lish Ford display room and
service building which fronts
on Sixth and Fir sts. It will
be erected largely on proper
ty between the used car lot
and the railroad tracks. .
When the new building is
completed, Crater Lake Mo
tors will use the show rooms
and offices that now exist in
the English Ford building.
The used car lot will be re
tained. The design of the new
building will be similar in ap
pearance to that of the Eng
lish Ford building.
M. O. Bessonette is the con
tractor on the project.
Salem Senator
In Serious Condition
Portland - (UPD - State Sen.
Robert White, 44, Salem re
mained In serious condition to
day at the University of Ore
gon Medical School hospital.
A spokesman said there was
little change in his condition
since he entered the hospital
late last week for treatment
of cancer.
Pear Decline
request by congressmen from
the three West Coast states
for an additional $180,000 for
a research program to study
the pear decline disease.
F. E. Price, dean of agricul
ture at Oregon State Univer
sity, said the crop loss had
become so seveie that it was
causing a "serious condition
of payrolls" among fruit pack
ers and processors.
(Sue Story On Pag (A) -
63 no, 41 yes: Rogue River,
92 yes, 32 no; Evans Valley,
78 yes, 45 no; Prospect, 39
yes, 19 no; Eagle Point, 167
yes, 80 no; Phoenix 583 yes,
268 no; Ashland, 202 years,
36 no; Medford, 635. yes, 257
no; Central Point, 327 yes, 99
no; 9pplegate, 92 yes, 62 no.
Pinehurst, 14 yes, 1 no.
The vote on the local dis
trict budgets and the amount
over 6 per cent, was: :.-
Butte Falls:. 64 no, 41 yes,
$108,153.70.
Evans Valley: 82 yes, 40 no;
$70,300.
Eagle Point: 183 yes, 71 no,
$369,320.42.
Phoenix: 593 yes, 267 no,
$378,459.38.
Central Point: 358 yes, 78
no, $565,184.85. '
Applegate: 29 yes, 4 no;
$34,318.30.
Pinehurst: 14 yes, 1 no,
$14,102.14. "
Sam Harbison was elected
as a rural board member at
large. He was the only candi
date for the post.
Glenn W. Smith was re
elected as a rural board mem
ber from Zone 2 with 830
votes, and Bill A. Sampson
was elected rural board mem
ber from Zone 5, Ashland and
Pinehurst, with 235 votes.
The vote on local school
board candidates was:
' Phoenix: Melvln Lattie, 671,
and Dr. Donald M. McGeary,
758; (Two elected.)
Ashland: Carroll W. Smith,
212.
Medford: Dr. David C.
Boals, 503, Gerald - (Jerry)
Gastlneau, 269, rand LeRoy
Smith, 126. (One elected.)
Central Point: Dr. Alvin
Roberts, 303, and Charles
(Leo) Ghelardl, 134. (One
elected.) ...
Applegate: Lester Hill, 19,
and Clay W. Brion Jr., 14
(One elected.)
Rogue River: Mrs. Betty
Sandeen, 114, and Harry An
drews, 115. (Two elected.)
Butte Balls: Duane Burton,
97.
Evans Valley: Eugene L.
Marrs, 86, and Ford Patter
son, 68. (Two elected.)
Prospect: Clinton M. Blaine,
31, and John I. Davidson, 30.
Pinehurst: Ivo Bairey, 12
Eagle Point: Elmer Harnish,
155, Frank Hopewell (write-
in) 95.
Bids Called on
Highway Projects
Bids will be opened in the
state highway commission of
fices in Salem May 23 for
three Jackson county projects,
Including the Evans creek
bridge.
Plans for the county bridge
project call for a 182-foot re
inforced concrete span across
Evans creek approximately 17
miles upstream from th town
of Rogue River.
Bids will also be opened
for paving 2.81 miles of the
Ruch-Llttle Applegate river
section of Highway 238. It is
a federal aid 'project.
The third project is for
grading and paving .16 mile
of Pine st. in Central Point.
This is a tUU project.
Former Local
Woman Slain in
VancouverrWash.
Hulda Trautman's
Body Discovered
Vancouver, Wash.-fllPD-A 21-year-old
youth early today led
authorities to the body of a
woman church census taker
who had been slain and left
near a trail soma 300 feet off
a county road.
The youth, Donald Pribber
now, Vancouver, was held on
suspicion of murder.
The victim was identified
as Mrs. Hulda Trautman,
about 50, Portland. Coroner
Paul Mylan said she apparent
ly died of stab wounds. An
autopsy was scheduled.
The body was found short
ly after 3 a.m. today, about
12 miles east of here and 7
miles north of Camas.
Police said Pribbernow had
given a statement earlier indi
cating a slaying of a woman
who had come to the home
Monday afternoon on church
business.
The youth's mother had
called police after returning
home and finding blood in the
house. She feared her son had
been injured. The youth was
taken into custody when he
returned home.
Glasses, Cards Found
A woman's glasses and
church pledge cards were
found in the home. Mrs.
Trautman's car was found
nearby. '
Authorities said the youth
led authorities to the body
early today.
Mrs. Trautman was a widow.
employed as a district parish
worker by the Portland head
quarters of the Northwest
District Council of the Luther
an Church.
Mrs. Hulda Trautman, who
was murdered in Vancouver,
Wash., Monday, formerly liv
ed in Medford and was the
widow of Theodore Trautman,
who died several years ago.
Her mother, Mrs. Mathilda
Gemaehlich, resides at 1046
Lozier Lane and her father
was the late Rev. John
Gemaehlich.
A son, Donald, lives in
Portland and another son,
Paul, is a student in Seward
Neb. A brother, John Gemaeh
llch, and a sister, Mrs.. Agnes
Rupp, live in Medford and
several other relatives reside
in the area.
Emigrant May Be
Site of Display
Ashland may hold its an
nual Fourth of July fireworks
display at Emigrant lake, it
was indicated at last night's
meeting of the Jackson coun
ty parks and recreation com
mission. "
Approval is needed from
forestry and county officials.
City-County Parks and Rec
reation Director Robert Ha
worth was asked to study the
possibilities, and report to the
commission. -
Representatives of the Ash
land Junior Chamber of Com
merce requested permission
to hold the display at the
lake. . However, they learned
that another Ashland service
club had also asked to hold
such a display. The two or
ganizations may join their ef
forts. A. recreation commission
member pointed out that the
new concessionaire at the Em
igrant area would also have
to be considered.
The commission held a clos
ed session on concession bids
presented. The commission's
recommendations were to be
presented to the county court
for approval today, and an
nouncement of the successful
bidder made by the county
court tomorrow.
Demos To Consider
Assessor Nominees
A ipecial meeting of all
Democratic precinct commit
teemen and committeewomen
has been called for 8 o'clock
tonight to consider recommed-
lng nominees for the position
of county assessor, recently
vacated by the death of Ray
Schumacher.
The meeting will be held
at the Labor Temple, 24V4
South Grape st.
Democratic Central Com
mittee Chairman Harper Ed
wards said the precinct work
ers will vote on two or more
qualified Democrats to fill the
county assessor position.
These names will be submit
ted to the county court, at
their request, to assist them
in appointing someone to fill
Schumacher's unexpired term.
DST PASSAGE DELAYED
Salem-dlPD A motion to get
the daylight saving time op
tion bill up for final passage
failed in the Senate today.
I.
Regional Edition
Medford
14 Pages
Danger of Dam Breaking Past;
Lowering Water Continues
250-Foot Section
Settles; Causes
Concern in Area
Danger that an 80-foot high
privately owned earth - fill
dam on Lake creek would
break apparently had past
this morning. .
But work continued today
to lower the water level fur
ther, according to Maj. Gen.
Joseph Hicks, director of Jack
son county Civil Defense, and
David Hendrix, Jackson coun
ty watermaster.
Lake creek area residents
became concerned late Sun
day and yesterday when a
250-foot section of the 800
foot long dam started settling
and slumping toward the
downstream side.
Hendrix said the dam was
settling about two inches an
hour at times Monday, and
the lake was being drained
through an outlet tube and
spillway about the same rate
the dam was settling.
Crevasses In Dam
There were crevasses in the
downstream side of the dam,
but no water was seeping
through them, Hendrix said.
If water had started through
the crevasses he said, it could
have meant complete failure
of the structure.
Late yesterday, however,
another spillway was cut in
one side of the earth-fill struc
ture to let the water drain
off. Hendrix estimated this
morning there may be about
650 acre feet of water remain
ing In the 874 -acre -foot ca.
pacity lake. More water will
be drained off. ? -
Residents living downstream
from .dam were warned to
vacate their homes last night
as a precautionary measure,
(-according to General Hicks,
Whether residents actually
did vacate he was not sure,
but indicated that many of
the homes had lights burning
In them until late last night.
Cause Not Known
Hendrix said cause of the
slumping will not be known
until after the state engineer's
office makes its study of the
dam and dam site. Fred Gust
afson, Salem, assistant state
engineer and specialist In dam
construction, arrived late yes
terday, and was on the scene
last night and today.
Gustafson told General
Hicks he believed the dam
would hold, but that more
water would be released to in
sure its holding.
The dam is owned by Rob
ert von der Hellen, Eagle
Point.
Civil defense radio units
were at the dam site and at
Lake Creek much of the
night, and the Jackson county
Red Cross chapter offered
workers at site sandwiches
and coffee. The county civil
defense unit also furnished
portable floodlights last night.
Into Lake Creek
Water from the dam runs
Into Lake creek then into
Little Butte creek. If the dam
had not held, lt could have
had an affect along Little
Butte creek Into Eagle Point,
Hendrix said.
Hendrix said the dam has
some rock on Its facing. It
has an "impervious" clay
core. He said the structure
was originally designed for a
lower height, but was rede
signed for additional storage.
Von der Hellen was grant
ed a permit by the state en
gineer's office to build the
dam In 1956.
Laos Situation
Not 'Written Oil'
Washington - (UPD - Demo
cratic congressional leaders
said at the White House today
that President Kennedy has
not "written off Laos.
After a conference with
Kennedy, they expressed con
fidence that the President
would come up with the right
decision for coping with the
Southeast Asia crisis.
They met with Kennedy at
a breakfast session as the
United States considered ask
ing the United Nations observ.
era be sent to Laos. It also
considered asking SEATO mil
itary action.
1
MEDFORD, OREGON,
INSPECT DAM A group of spectators at the rate, of about two inches an hour,
view the Robert von der Hellen dam and Civil defense, local residents and Jackson
lake two miles from Lake Creek. Yesterday County Watermaster D. C. Hendrix were
the earth fill dam was settling in the middle concerned that the dam would break.
Health, Education, Welfare
Budgets Cleared in House Vote
Salem (UPD Health, edu
cation and welfare budgets
totaling $203 million and pro
posing record - high spending
in this field passed the House
today and went to the Senate.
They call for $108 million
from state general tax funds
and the rest from federal aid,
grants, fees and other sources.
rogetner tney make up
nearly one-third of what the
state will spend in the next
two years; The big item still
to come in this field Is basic
school support, which will
call for more than $100 mil
lion in per-chlld contributions
to schools. -
The budgets passed today
provide for support of col
leges and universities, oper
ation of health and education
departments, welfare and gen
eral assistance.
The final figures are close
to those proposed by Gov.
Mark Hatfield.
The $101 million welfare
budget, calling for $40.8 mil
News
San Francisco -4UPD- The
U.S. government today
dropped remaining charges
in the Powell - Schuman
treason-sedition case of the
Korean war.
The defendants are John
W. Powell, 41, his wife, Syl
via, 40. and Julian Schu
man, 40, all of San Fran
Cisco .. .. ....
Havana (BPD Premier Fi
del Castro today forbad
foreign priests hostile to his
revolution to practice their
religion in Cuba and said
his "socialist" regime will
take over all of th coun
try's private schools. .
Washington 0JPI) Secre
tary of Stat Dean Rusk's
testimony on the Cuban cri
sis appeared today to hav
quieted congressional com
plaints about lack of foreign
policy consultation with th
administration.
Washington -fllPD-Interlor
Secretary Stewart L. Udall
denied "categorically" to
day that he had asked a
friend to solicit the oil and
gas industry to buy $100-a-plate
tickets to a Democrat
ic fund-raising dinner hon
oring President Kennedy.
Unemployment Down
By 533,000 in April
Washington (UPD Unem
ployment fell by 533,000 In
April to 4,962,000, the Labor
Department reported today.
Officials said this was about
the seasonal decline for this
time of year.
WOULD BE EVIDENCE
Salem-IUPD - A driver's re
fusal to take a chemical teat
for drunkenness would be ad-
misjable as evidence In a
court trail under a bill which
has passed th House.
56th
Tribune
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1961
lion in state funds, recognizes
an $11 million federal - state
medicare program for the
elderly.
The $91 million higher edu
cation budget calls for $61
million in state funds. This
figure was reached after the
Ways and 'Means comn Ittee
trimmed about $1 million in
Com m ittee Enters
Final Phases of
Budget Meetings
The Jackson county budget
committee entered what it
hoped would be its last day
of budget sessions today, and
tentatively approved the bud
gets for public libraries and
the county historical fund. '
All budgets considered so
far have received only tenta
tive approval, since the com
mittee will have to fit the
county's projected e x pendl
tures to its total estimated
receipts for the new fiscal
year. The miscellaneous coun
ty fund was the last major
budget awaiting consideration
today.
The budget committee set
an overall tentative library
allocation of $65,686.04. This
breaks down to the , county's
share of $59,217.92 for the
Medford public library, $6,
057.24 for Ashland public II
brary, and $410.88 for Rogue
Durno Asks Quota
On Plywood Import
Congressman Bdwln R.
Durno, in a recent speech be
fore Congress, called for a
revision of the Reciprocal
Trade Agreements Act to im
pose a quota on plywood Im
ports into the United States.
According to word received
here, Durno pointed out that
58 per cent of the total hard
wood plywood used In the
U.S. comes from Japan,' and
declared that such competi
tion is, "seriously affecting
the economy of the west and
particularly of the Fourth
District of Oregon."
Dr. Durno reportedly asked
Robert G. Davis, general man
ager of the Southern Oregon
Plywood company, Grants
Pass, and state Republican
party chairman, to request
that all persons involved In
the plywood problem com
municate with him In order
that their views might be ex
pressed. Durno also said he
would be contacting fourth
district labor leaden to gain
their backing of his position.
Bill Will Require
Firearm Training
Salem -(UPD- The Senate to
day passed a bill requiring
that persons 17 years or
younger must have firearm
training ' certificates before
they can get a hunting license.
The bill went back to the
House for concurrence In Sen
ate amendments.
4
Year Price 10 Cents
No. 35
areas of faculty positions.
travel, research, and general
extension courses.
There was little floor dis
cussion on the budgets. Their
passage marks the near com
pletion of a big portion of
Ways - and . Means work on
spending policies for the next
blennium.
River's public library. ' The
committee increased all three
Items by 28 per cent over the
current year's allocation.
. The budget total of $32,519
for the . Jackson county . his
torical fund was tentatively
approved as presented. The
$32,519 represents an increase
of $6,089. Most of the Increase
is due to the new item of
$3,600 proposed for rehabili
tation of the historic Beek
man bank in Jacksonville.
Yesterday, the general road
fund was approved at a re
vised total of $1,806,372.25.
This compares to $1,772,650
for the current year. Some
of the salaries, including the
county engineer's, were
pared. '.'.'
The planning commission
budget of $20,570 was also
tentatively passed. Th re
vised total represents an In
crease of $4,344.
Jackson county weed con
trol budget of $33,005.11 was
considered,, but no action
taken.
WEATHER
Poreeaet Partly cloudy to
nlfht and Wedneeday. Chance
of ahowera lata Wedneiday
nlrht or Thuraday mornlnc. Low
tonlsht IS. Illih Wednaidajf 7t.
jnmrr.nATVHB
Hlfhait Vaitarday .....4
Lowest this Mnrnlnr 34
PRF.CIPITATION
To S p.m. Veiterday ,SS
To It a.m. Today . .00
Our Skies Tonight
Snnaat today WM.
Sunrlkt tomorrow H
Moonrlao tonight Mn
I.ait Quarter
PROMINENT STAR
T:U p.m.
,.:4 a.m.
f:tt p.m.
Kay J
Capella, low In north-
wett
l:4t .
VISIBI.I PLANRTS
Mara, in the waat
Saturn, rliei Mmt-.
Jupiter, rliei H
Venua, low In tali ,
-1:41 p.m.
I:1I a.m.
..1:11 a.m.
-4:11 a.m.
Maximum Speed Law
Measure Sent To House
Salem (UPD The Senate
today passed and sent to the
House a bill that would give
Oregon its first maximum
speed law in history. Th vote
was 16-12.
SB25 would set a maximum
speed limit of 69 miles per
hour, although th maximum
on freeways would be 70, th
current "designated" speed.
Trucks would hav a maxi
mum speed of 50 miles per
hour, school buses would
move from 45 to 80, and regu
lar buses from 55 to 60.
Sm. Anthony Yturrl CR-
v
Young People
Jump To Ground
To Escape Horror
Many Leap With
Clothing Ablaze
Bolton, England - (UPD- First
raced through a fourth-story
social club Monday night turn
ing a gay dance Into a flaming
horror. Teen-age girls and
young men with clothes ablaze
jumped through windows to
their deaths.
Police said at least 29 per
sons died 8 of them young
girls and 4 others were se
riously injured. Several fire
men were hurt.
The street looked like a
battleground," said one of tha
shaken rescue workers, Lee
Owens. "There were bodies all
over the place."
Most of the victims were
In their teens or early 20s.
Having. Good Time
A few minutes before mid
night they had been drinking
and dancing to jazz music in
the Top Storey club, a danca
hall on the fourth floor of a
building that houses a ware
house and shops.
Pedro Gonzales, 23, was
found wandering dazedly
down the street sobbing.
When he had been calmed
down he told the story.
"Everyone was having a
good time," he said. "The pia
nist had just finished a tuna
when I heard him shout
through the applause.
"I strolled over to the door,
not knowing anything was
happening, and I smelled
smoke. In a few seconds, that
room was hell.
"i snouted as loud as I
could for everyone to get out.
They were panicking and
screaming. The flames sudden
ly leaped up the stairs at a
terrific pace. I half fell, half
ran through them and found
myself outside.
Nothing But Flame
There was nothing but
flames above. Then the win
dows-started breaking and
people began to fall down to
ward me. ! .
With, the stairs blocked by
flames,,', many of thosa
trapped inside hurled them
It was an 80 foot plunge.
Edmund Lomax said he and
others shouted up that tha
firemen were on their way
with ladders "but they went
on Jumping. It was sickening
hearing them hit the ground."
It took firemen three hours
to get the blaze under control.
The blaze was believed to
have started on the ground
floor of the building but it
cause was not determined Im
mediately, .
Hearing Held on
Ashland's Budget
Ashland The Ashland
school board and school dis
trict budget committee ap
proved a 1961-62 budget to
taling $1,695,878.29 following
a public hearing last night. (
The budget includes $1,
303,275 for the general fund;
$150,797.54 In the construe
tion fund; $186,678.75 in tha
bond interest and redemption
fund, and $55,125 In th
school lunch program fund.
No public objections wera
raised. May 26 was set as tha
date fo vote to exceed tha
6 per cent budget limitation.
The budget exceeds the 3
per cent limitation by $1,004,
453.25. Of this amount, $830,.
157.50 lis for the general fund,
and $174,295.75 for bond in
terest and redemption. .
Bulletin
Washlngton-IOT -Howard
B. Morgan, former Oregon
public utility commissioner,
nominated by President
Kennedy ie th Fdral
Power commission, testified
today he hid twe'youthful
arrotts when h filled out
government forms an four
occasions.
Ontario) admitted that the bill
would mean more arrests but
said "we've got to face this."
He - said speed figured In
about 41 per cent of the trat- '
flc deaths In Oregon last year.
Sen. Al Ftegel (D-Roseburg)
called It a "policeman's bill,"
and several senators termed
lt a farce. .
Oregon now operates under
thn "basic rule" meaning that
a person must control his car
in such a fashion to be reason
able under prevailing condi
tions. Th gulda is 55 miles
per hour.
4