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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1963)
J.. Air iiffems Network Declared Penetrated Dire Trouble on Nation's Main Street Is Seen By' GEORGE H. BELL Mail Tribunt Stiff Writer Main Street, U.S.A., is and has been for the last several years in serious trouble. Since the early 1950's, an exodus has been taking place that threatens, if it continues, to remove literally, the hub from the community wheel. Businesses without so much as backward glance, have been abandoning their traditional downtown locations in favor of moves to outlying suburban areas. The sight of vacant stores in a town's central business district with "Moved to New Location" signs in their win dows is now commonplace. Downtown office buildings, which a few short years ago had waiting lists of professional men eager to move In, now stand empty, or are threatened with closure by a steadily declining occupancy rate. Hollywood brags hollowly that movies are "Better than Ever," but it's an open secret that attendance at downtown theaters is not. Unable to withstand the competition of tele vision and drive-in movies now boarded-up theaters with trash-littered foyers grimly contribute to the atmopshere of decay on downtown streets. Large chain operations, able to thrive on a minimum margin of profit, have put increasing pressure on the small, local business, and their victims' empty stores dot main streets like a pox in communities across the country. Direct Result of Massive Change What has happened is the direct result of a massive change in the shopping habits of the American customer, .a change the average downtown business man is only now beginning to recognize and attempt to understand. When World War II ended in August 1945, a public, its appetite whetted by years of denial and rationing, and its bank account fattened by war-time salaries, flocked to buy goods as fast as a rapidly retooling industry could turn them out. It was a sellers' market, and downtown merchants never had it so good. Salesmanship was not necessary, and it was during this period that many clerks developed negative atti tudes toward customers that are as out of date today as wide lapels on a man's suit. Store and property owners in the downtown area gave little thought to remodeling. It wasn't necessary. People were buying, everyone was making money and a kind of false economic euphoria pervaded the country. But gradually, as the supply of material goods met and then exceeded the consumers' demand, the picture began to change. Competition, virtually unused since the start of the war in 1941, revived and grew more and more fierce as each year passed. Downtown Scene of Traffic Jams Suddenly, everyone could afford an automobile (some times two) and downtown streets became the scene of traffic jams, and frustrated motorists learned the trick of driving around and around a block, in the hope that a parking place would magically appear. Discount houses had a brief vogue in the 1950's, but soon faded when people discovered that most of them made no provisions for service or replacement of broken parts. - Gradually, the consumer's frustration and resentment built up. He got tired of never being able to find a place to park, of getting Ignored by aloof clerks, Of having to shop in cold, run-down stores with pre-war fixtures and indif ferent merchandising. . In short, he was ready for a change, a change the down town merchant was either slow or loathe to provide. With a sudden revolutionary development of the shop ping center in the last decade, the buyer found his needs and desires abundantly answered. Next: The rise of the shopping centers. I Regional Edition Jack Billings To Be Top Duncan Aide By A. ROBERT SMITH Mail Tribune Washington Correspondent Washington (Special) Rep. clect Robert Duncan has hired as his top assistant an Ore gonian who once worked for two of the contenders Duncan defeated in becoming Oregon's new Democratic congressman. Student Enrollment AtSOC Hits 1,562 Ashland Winter term registration at Southern Ore gon college Friday exceeded the previous all-time high, ac cording to figures released by Mrs. Mabel W. Winston, reg istrar. At the close of the third day of registration Friday, some 1.562 students had enrolled, which represents an increase of 18.9 per cent over the 1,313 students enrolled on a com parable day last year. The previous record of 1.503 en rollecs was set in January 1962. Of the number enrolled to date, 868 are men and 694 arc women. This represents an in crease of 14.4 per cent in men and a 25.3 per cent increase in women. Winter term enrollment will end Jan. 16, Mrs. Winston said. Jack Billings, former Eugene radio newsman, will head Duncan's Washington of fice staff which is now being organized. Billings served in the same capacity for Rep. Charles O. Porter from 1957 until Porter's defeat in 1960. Since then he has worked for Rep. William Fitz Ryan (D N.Y.). Worked for Fisher Before coming to Washing ton with Porter, Billings was a news commentator for a Eugene radio station operated by Carl Fisher. Duncan de feated Fisher, the GOP can didate, in the recent general election, after having trounced Porter in the May primary. Duncan spent last week in Washington getting organized while his family visited rel atives in New York. He went to New York Sunday to bring his wife and four of their six children to their newly rented home in suburban Silver Spring, Md. preparatory to the convening of the 88th Cong ress Wednesday. The two eld est Duncan children, Nancy, 19, and Angus, 17, are in school in Oregon. DEATH IN BATHTUB Portland - IPO - The body of Mrs. Thelma Stearns, 61, was found in a bathtub at her home Sunday. Water covered her head and police said death apparently was accidental. NEIVSCBRIEFS I8TH CONGRESS TO CONVENE WEDNESDAY Washington-lPt-The (Sth Congreis will convene Wednes day facing Immediate battles ever its rules and long-range proposals by Praiident Kennedy for income tax cuts and new spending programs. THANT ACCUSES TSHOMBE GOVERNMENT United Nations. N.YtPI'-Secretary Generel Than! today accused Cangoleie secessionist leader Msiie Tihombe and bis provincial government of abandoning their responsibilities to Katanga. Nrwc.DS.PFR STRIKE INVESTIGATION DELAYED New Yerk-PN-Striking printers Indicated today they would deley en Invtitigttiooj of the month-long newspaper Medford 57th Year Price 10 Cents Tribune 20 PAGES Three Sections MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1963 No. 249 Elected County icials, Staffs Sworn in Today Faber, Leigh Plan To Study Their Offices Two new county officers in dicated this morning they would spend some time study ing their new positions be fore making any definite plans. County Commissioner Don ald Faber and Sheriff De Ar mond Leigh were sworn in this morning with re-elected County Clerk Marvin Mad den, County Judge Earl Mil ler and County Assessor Thad Hatten. County Clerk Mad den, who also administered the oath to himself, swore in personnel in the assessor's and sheriff's offices. Others would be sworn in as they come into the clerk's office later today. Madden said. Faber noted the most im portant thing to consider in the next few weeks will be the new county budget and emphasized a shorter budget study period is needed. Con sidering the needs of the coun ty, Faber indicated the coun ty roads department is the most important and requires the largest expenditure. Faber said he has no ob jections to the proposed pub lic health center building, but feels it should be in the court house area instead of at the proposed location on the fair grounds. Vote on Stadium The proposed multi-purpose stadium would require a lot of thought and should come to a vote of the county's cit izens, he said. , i , ' Parks and recreation is one of the major new fields in the county and will require more attention. The new coun ty commissioner strongly rec ommended the proposed Mt. Ashland ski resort as plan ned by the U.S. Forest serv ice. He noted people are against strict county planning, prob ably due to lack of under standing, and hopes for a more peaceful relationship be tween the county's residents and county planning commission. Economic Growth Jackson county's level of economic growth is well above the state average, Fa ber noted. More industry will come to the Rogue valley and White City is one of the best industrial areas in the west, Faber said. The county court will not have much of a role in such industrial develop ment since its duties are "pretty well prescribed by law," he noted. Leigh said he wanted to become better orientated and acquainted with his staff be fore setting any policy or organization. He strongly de nied the rumor that he may appoint former sheriff Joe Walsh to his staff. The new sheriff, said he be lieves strongly in home rule for law enforcement. The people should never lose con trol of it, he said. There should be competition with the other law enforcement agencies, but all should co operate, he added. He said the department will continue its close coordination with the small town. Central Point Home Burns This Morning Central Point-The home of a Central Point family was gutted by fire this morning. Cause of the fire was not im mediately determined. The fire, at the home of the Robert J. Blank family at 360 Freeman rd., was report ed at 9:45 a.m. The Central Point Volunteer Fire depart ment responded to the alarm and was still at the scene at noon. Although six of the family's eight children live at home, no one was in the house when the fire broke out, except a dog. who died of suffocation. The family lost all Its pos sessions in the blaze, but is being cared for by the Ameri can Red Cross. Donations of clothing and household Items for the family may be made to the Red Cross, it was stated. 3 ft itf A. ' . ,i5-.-w--i5, . r-t v.v.. AREA VISITED A group of persons interested in the de- and during the day some of the ski enthusiasts velopment of a proposed ski area just below the summit vantage of the ideal conditions to ski. Travel in of Mt. Ashland, toured the area Saturday. The trip was was by Tucker Sno-Cat. (Whitland Locke photo) sponsored by the Mt. Ashland Recreational Developers took ad the area Bunche Confers On Resistance by Katanga Forces Leopoldville, The Congo-(IPD-The central Congolese government today created a special mission to take over administration of secession ist Katanga Province and its rich copper and cobalt resources. Elisabelhville. Katanga, The Congo -CUPD- Dr. Ralph Bundle consulted with United Nations military commanders today on wiping out the last resistance against reunifica tion of Katanga with the Congo- " The UN undersecretary flew into Elisabethville Sun day from Leopoldville and immediately quashed any idea that he would try to reopen negotiations with Katangese President Moise Tshombe. "I have nothing to say to Mr. Tshombe," Bunche told newsmen. He said he regarded the secessionist-minded Tshombe as a spent political force. Tshombe was believed to be in Kolwezi, a heavily forti fied stronghold 150 air miles northwest of Elisabelhville. UN forces moved 10 miles to ward Kolwezi from Jadotville over the week end. Try Persuasion British and French consular officials were trying to per suade Tshombe to end his re sistance and go to Elisabeth ville to talk to Bunche, but there was little sign they would succeed. Tshombe has been Issuing a stream of defiant statements and vowing that his forces will launch a guerrilla war If all else fails. ncports reaching Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, said a trainload of weapons and am munition, including four tank cars of gasoline, had been sent to Tshombe from Portu guese Angola. There was no immediate confirmation of this but such action would explain why the United Nations is anxious to capture Dilolo which is on the border between Angola and Kolwezi. BOARD TO MEET Salem - IW - The State Water Resource Board will meet Jan. 24 in room 36 of the Slate Office Building In (Portland. ; Home Is Damaged By Sunday Blaze Considerable heat, "smoke and fire damage to the entire house resulted from a fire yes terday evening and this morn ing at the residence of Ross J. Foster, 4019 South Pacific highway, city firemen report ed. Firemen were first sum moned to the residence about 5:35 p.m. yesterday. They found that an overheated fur nace had caused damage to the floor area near the fur nace. There was heavy smoke throughout the house. At 8:15 a.m. firemen were called to the same address and learned that the fire had rekindled. The house was full of smoke. The fire had burned the kitchen floor and a 2 by 18-foot section of the living room floor. Proposed Site for Ski Development Visited by Group More than 40 ski enthusi asts, businessmen, govern ment officials and others visited the proposed site of a ski development just below Ashland Building Drops During 1962 Ashland The amount of money spent to construct new residences in Ashjand during 1962 was almost one-third more than the total spent for the same purpose in 1961, the Ashland Chamber of Com merce noted today. City building permit fig ures show that permits total ing $829,200 were taken out to construct residences dur ing 1962, compared to $639,- 800 in 1961. Total dollar volume in 1962 building permits was down slightly from 1961-S1,-325,935 as compared with $1,412, 125-but this was at tributed to a sizable drop in construction of public build ings. Permits for public build ings totaled $106,000 in 1962 as opposed to $430,000 in 1961. Residence remodeling also was up over 1961: $87,040 as compared to $74,725. Permits for new commer cial buildings were down $228,500 as compared to $241,800. But commercial re modeling permits totaled $59,- 300, up considerably from $13,250 during 1961. Miscellaneous permits total ed $15,895 in 1962, $12,550 in 1961. Rural Mail Carrier Name Is Confirmed Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.) has confirmed the Jackson County Democratic - Central committee's recommendation that Walter Collins, 204 Jean ette ave., be appointed rural mall carrier for route 3, Med ford. Central Committee Chair man Jean Mills said he re ceived a telegram from Morse Friday confirming the recom mendation. Morse failed to mention anything about the committee's recommendation of County Clerk Marvin Mad den for the temporary ap pointment of Medford post master, Mills said. WEATHER FORECAST; Cold drnu fo nd tmokt In lower valley through TuetfUy. Komr ptrtul clearing TurMlav afternoon. Fair and mild ahove fog. High hoth dayk ia-37 In fog arrai and SO-SO ahovt fog. Low tonight 21-10. Tamp. Hltheit Vetterdar It Lowet Tbla .Morning .. 24 Our Skies Tonight Sumet today ItSlp.m. Sunrte tomorrow T:4I a.m. Moomel tomorrow t:2) a-m Full Moon Jan. At thli t nil Moon there will be a penumbra) eellpe of the Moon In whlrh oar aatelllte enters the partial ihadow of the Farth. There will be no percep. Ubli darkening of the Moon. the summit of Mt. Ashland Saturday. The trip was soonsored by the Mt. Ashland Recreational Developers, an informal or ganization seeking to promote creation of a 'ski lodge and tows in the area. Bill Patton, chairman of the group and also president of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce, or ganlzed the tour, which was made in private cars part of the way, and via Sno-Cat the rest of the way. The day was perfect, with warm sun shining through clear air on powder snow ranging in depth up to three feet in the shadier spots. Both Mt. Shasta and Mt. McLough lin were clearly visible. Those who have been ac tive in promoting the develop ment explained the tentative plans, which include a lodge, restaurant, and one or more ski tows. Problems of bid ding, construction, drainage, sewage, and others, were also discussed. Practice Sport Most of the skiers on the trip took advantage of the ideal conditions to practice the sport; Among those attending were Patton, Charles Collins, Medford, chairman of the gov. ernors Outdoor Recreation Council and executive vice president of the Cal. Ore. Recreation association; Rich ard Konnstamm, manager of Timberiinc lodge on Mt Hood; Jack Nichols, bureau of land management official who has had experience in ski de. velopment; Dave Kaiser of the U.S. Forest service, Coun ty Commissioners Ed Taylor and Chester Wendt, and Com. missioncr - elect Don Faber; Ashland Businessman Lloyd Selby, one of the develop ments promoters, and repre. sentatives of the p ess and television. The Forest service will open bids April 1 on the de velopment and it is hoped to have the development in at least partial operation next winter. Two Skiers Circle Crater Lake Sunday Two local skiers circled Crater lake Sunday, covering a distance of some 37 miles through what they described as the most beautiful winter scenery in Oregon. Outdoorsmen John Day and Odd Bjerkc left Government camp at 3 a.m. Sunday and completed the circuit of the lake in a matter of 12Vi hours. Using cross country equipment, the men employed the Norwegian running tech nique to cover the most dis tance in the least possible time. The rim road has never been kept open in winter and this "wonderland" is visited by few people after the snow falls. Crystal clear weather added to the pleasure of the trip, Day said. Average Family's Postal Bill Up $1.80 Annually Washington (UPD Starting today, the average American family's annual bill for post age will go up about $1.80. The reason: postal rate hikes approved by Congress last fall went into effect at midnight. The cost of mailing a letter or postcard rose by a penny,' making the new rates: Five cents for first class letters. Four cents for regular postcards. . Eight cents for air m a 1 1 letters (one ounce). Six cents for airmail post cards. 'Still a Bargain' The hike will raise the nor mal family's mailing bill to about $9 a year but Postmas ter General J. Edward Day said a stamp "still is one of the consumer s best bargains. Mail rates to overseas coun tries remain unchanged. But rates to Mexico and Canada will increase the same as for U. S. domestic mail. The cost of living has Jump ed 118 per cent during the past au years, LJiy said, but the cost of mailing a letter has risen only 66 per cent from 3 cents to 5 cents. The new rates which hlso apply to second, third, and fourth class mail are de signed to produce about $260 million in new revenue for the Post Office department between Jan. 7 and June 30 when the current fiscal year ends. The additional revenue is expected to reach $578 million in fiscal 1964 and slash the post office deficit to about $100 million. Russia, Red China Exchange Bitter Denunciations Editorial Charges Soviet Cowardice Moscow - OIPD - The Soviet Union and Communist China denounced each other through newspaper editorials today in the bitterest terms either has used since their ideological battle began. A two-page editorial in the Soviet Communist party newspaper Pravda for the first time directly identified Red China as a backer of 'dogmatic, divisive views" within the Communist bloc. It virtually accused Peking of trying to "provoke war" with a "philosophy of sui cide." It said critics of Mos cow's Cuba policy "do not know what they are talking about. Charges Cowardice In Peking, Red China's leading theoretical journal Red Flag devoted more than 17,000 words to articles that, in effect, accused the Soviet Union of, cowardice before Western strength and of be trayal of the Communist cause. Red Flag did not men lion the Soviet Union by name but the references were obvious. Pravda suggested the dis pute might be solved through conferences but indicated the Chinese would have to cease their attacks on the Kremlin first. The opposing editorials raised the interesting but still highly speculative possibility of a spectacular top-level con frontation at the East Ger man Communist party con gress opening Jan. 15. Plans to Attend Soviet Premier Nikita S Khrushchev already has said he will go but there has been no word on who Pekinir is sending. The Chinese Com munists might try to avoid a clash in such a Khrushchev stronghold. Up to now, Peking and Moscow have avoided direct attacks on each other. Peking has used Yugoslavia as the whipping post for Moscow -and continued to do so to day - while Moscow has used Albania as the target of its criticism of Red China. Mrs. Hamilton Joins Mail Tribune Staff Eva Hamilton, long time Medford newspapcrwo man, today joined the news staff of the Medford Mall Tribune. Mrs. Hamilton, widow of the lale Moore-Hamilton, Med ford's postmaster until his death last year, worked for the Mail Tribune for about five years In the early 1930s. Subsequently, she has been Medford correspondent for the Oregon Journal and Sac ramento Bee. Mrs. Hamilton is widely known throughout the state. She is a member of the Slate Board of Education. She Is a former member of the board of trustees of the Library of Medford and Jackson County and the board of education of School District S49C. Her duties will Include straight news reporting, fea ture writing, and desk work in the Mail Tribune news room. "We believe Mrs. Hamil ton's addition to the staff will greatly strengthen the news gathering and reporting fa cilities of the Mail Tribune, and are glad to have her as part of the paper'i news team.." Eric W. Allen Jr.. managing editor, said today. Children's Farm Home Superintendent Named Corvallis (UPD Don A. Miller, lone, Calif., has been named superintendent of the Children's Farm Home near here, according to H. B. John son of Eugene, chairman of the board. Miller succeeds Larry Bell who resigned last August to accept a position In the Polk county juvenile office in Dallas. British Reports Declare Bomber Simulated Attack Spokesman Calls Report 'Nonsense' London -HTli- British news papers and radio reports said today that British jet bomb ers successfully penetrated the U.S. air defense network a few weeks ago in a simu lated H-bomb attack that caught the American early warning system napping. A U.S. spokesman called the reports "a lot of non sense." A British spokesman said such an exercise was staged more than a year ago but declined to discuss the results. Key Cities 'Bombed' London newspapers said 600 mile per hour Delta-winged Vulcan bombers, the RAF's most modern striking force, staged a mock H-bomb attack a few weeks ago that pierced U.S. defenses and "bombed New York, Wash ington and other key cities. After a lenathy inquiry, the Air Ministry confirmed the bombers took part in such an exercise "around Oct. 14, 1961." But a spokesman said "it is not policy to state whether exercises are suc cessful or not." In Washington, the U.S. De fense department was report ed to have said the last time the British participated in a "raid" was 1960. Reports of a later raid were labeled by a spokesman for the North American Air Defense Com- mand as "just a lot of non sense." Changed Its Mind The Air Ministry earlier had said the exercise took place "about two months ago," but changed its mind. The 1961 exercise was code- named "Skyshlcld 2" and "we put out a bulletin about it at the time," a spokesman said. The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that the Vul can bombers have penetrated U. S. defenses' "on a number of occasions on exercises. This has been achieved by an elec tronic device on the aircraft used to confuse radar de fenses. Considered Superior ' "Senior RAF officers con sider ' these British devices superior to those carried by bombers of the U. S. Strategic Air Command," the BBC said. The British aircraft were re ported to have flown over the North Pole and Canada to make their attack. The British press said the U. S. early warning system was "caught napping." Reports of a mock raid were printed by the London Daily Express, Dally Telegraph, Daily Herald and Dallv Sketch. Loyd Center Store Damaged by Flames Portland - (UPD - Investiga tors today were trying to de termine the cause of a fire that caused some $20,000 dam age to the J. J. Newberry store In the Lloyd Center here Sunday. ' - About $15,000 of the dam age was to merchandize by smoke. )) ,. pSU', i (A? MgM a NEW POSTAGE STAMPS U. S. letter wrltcri will be see ing a lot of the new five-cent and eight-cent postages stamps, shown above, now that the new postal rates are In effect fy regular and air mail letters. (UPI) j
