Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, January 10, 1963, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., January 10, 1963, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextP1BE 13) MS j mm Pomona's Mall Installed to Combat Blight By GEORGE H. BELL Mail Tribune Slaff Writer Southern California, with its heavily populated suburban areas adjacent to large, metropolitan cities, proved fertile spawning ground for many of the first post-war shopping centers in the country. The area in and around Los Angeles, probably the world's most sprawling city, was unusually attractive to the develop ers. Within the space of a few years, huge shopping com plexes sprang up like dragon's teeth at choice locations along the freeways. Pomona, with a 1960 census population of about 68,000, like most of the other communities which ring Los Angeles, began to feel pressure almost immediately in its downtown district. Business dropped off sharply. But unlike many other cities, Pomona recognized its prob lem early and began to do something to overcome it. Initialed Series of Discussions An unusual group of civic leaders, representing all aspects of the community, initiated a series of discussions and pro grams in the early 1950's Which ultimately led to the creation of a shoppers mall in the central business district, the only one of its kind west of the Mississippi river. But between the first halting steps and the final dedica tion of the mall about two months ago; there was a stagger ing number of seemingly insuperable obstacles to be hurdled. First, parking spaces had to be provided far a new gener ation of shoppers more mobile than ever before in history. Since 1951, private capital financed the construction of 18 lots containing about 2,000 parking spaces on land imme diately adjacent to the downtown area. The lots acquired were vested in the name of the city. Some were metered, some were not. In each of four separate parking districts, cost was assessed on the basis of benefit. People of Pomona Join Together As part of a program to reroute vehicular traffic, the peo ple of Pomona joined together in June, 1958, to approve a $1,850,000 railroad underpass bond issue to finance the city's share of an underpass construction program totalling $5, 830,000. Mainline railroad tracks running parallel to the central business district had for decades been a source of irritation and confusion to traffic attempting to reach the business district. , With construction of three underpasses, together with redesigning of the city's arterial streets structure, Pomona took a giant step toward improving access to its core area. With imagination and determination, Pomona's city fa thers turned to the massive problem of revitalizing the downtownr area itself. There was much to do. Store front after store front stood empty. The buildings along nine blocks of Second St., heart of the business district, were dirty, run-down and old-fashioned. The economic pulse beat more faintly each day. Courageously, the city hired Millard Sheets, nationally known artist and designer, and instructed him to draw up plants for a permanent shoppers mail. . With an artist's sensitivity for the beautiful, Sheets de signed a mail that was visually appealing to the shopper as well as being laid out in a manner to promote a feeling of spaciousness and convenience. Old asphalt was torn up the length of the street and was replaced curb-high with new special paving materials. Al ternate strips of black concrete and white pebble-impregnated concrete made an attractive base for the mall. Stone planters with native shrubs and trees dot the mall area. Six fountain pools, with specially commissioned pieces of sculpture and statuary, add esthetic relief and beauty to the mall. Soft music wafts from strategically placed loud speakers. Transformed Into A Garden The cumulative effect is everything the Pomona's city fathers could have wished it to be: a dirty noise-filled street has been transformed into a virtual garden.. Perhaps most important of all, the economic rejuvenation the mall was supposed to stimulate seems actually to be taking place, though, admittedly, it is still a bit early to regard evidence as conclusive. A wave of new building in the core area has begun with a $4.5 million department store at one end of the mall, and a $2.5 million savings and loan bank building under con struction near the other end. Secondly, there were more vacant stores leased in the core area during the last three months of 1962 than in the previous three years. But the acid test was - would the shoppers come back downtown? Apparently they have. At the U.S. Mayors' Mall Workshop in mid-November Pomona's merchants were, to a man, wreathed in smiles and making confident predictions about the future prosperity of their community. Next: Mediord at the crossroads. 'Scorched Earth' Off, Tshombe Says United Nations, N.Y. - iUPtl- Seccssionist leader M o i s e Tshombe has assured the United Nations that he has called off his scorched earth policy in Katanga, a UN spokesman said today. The spokesman said Tshom be also pledged that the UN force could advance to the Rhodesian border without op position to reopen a supply line vital to the UN-held pro vincial capital of Elisabeth ville. The spokesman said Tshom be technically had never been under house arrest.' Secretary Ceneral Thant Wednesday night ordered the UN Congo Command to re strain Tshombe "from further irresponsible acts." The UN spokesman said then that this meant house arrest. CROSS RAISED - A 70-foot steel cross was raised this week at the site of the new First Christian church, 1800 Crater Lake ave. The cross, boiled to a base of concrete and steel embedded 18 feet into the ground, is in the center ot a drive-around at the church. It towers above the new church building which is only 49 feet at the peak of the "bonnet." Snow Surveyor Sees Fairly Good Water Supply in Region ihe outlook for 1963 irri gation water supplies for the Rogue-Umpqua area at this time 'is. fairly good, although the mountain snawpack is close to the poorest of record, according to W. T. Frost, snow survey supervisor for U.S. department of agricul ture, soil conservation serv- Judge Miller Asks For Figures on Farm Operation County Judge Earl M. Mil ler yesterday afternoon called for "factual and accurate sta tistics" to present the county budget committee on opera tion of the county farm. "I want to know how much it saved the food bills of the county jail, farm homo, and juvenile home," Miller told other members of the county court. . ' "Our budget figures on this operation are not - realistic. Wo are not going to use any more funds from our welfare budget for operation of the farm home," Miller said. Miller declared that all three county institutions should be saving on their food budgets due to the farm oper ation, but present budget fig ures at mid-fiscal year indi cate they will barely get by Tunisian troops surrounded Tshombe in his presidential palace in Elisabeth ville. But j on allocated funds. the guard was withdrawn six hours later and Tshombe set out on an apparently tri umphal drive to meet his aides and troops at Mokambo, near the Rhodesian border. The spokesman said that rather than house arrest, Thant's order meant that steps should be taken to prevent Tshombe from issuing further inflammatory statements such as his "frequently announced" program of scorched earth and sabotage mentioned by Thant in a statement Wednesday night. The spokesman said the palace guard was withdrawn s when Tshombe agreed to end I the scorched earth policy. He directed Purchasing Co ordinator William Cochran to obtain the figures. Favors Raisins Beef , County Commissioner Don ald Faber said he favored rais ing beef on the county farm but fell it uneconomical to keep a full time man there "just to take care of 17 or 18 cattle." Miller said the county spent $1,500 (or the farm operation early in the fiscal year. He noted County Commissioner Edwin Taylor spends half of his time there. However, Taylor declared he spends less than fourth of his time there, attends all im portant county court meetings and also constantly supervises the other county Institutions. The $1,500 paid for a pump, elevator and some cattle, Tay lor said. "This is a pilot year for the farm-tbe first year. Clacka mas county makes it work by using prisoner labor, Taylor said. I Miller said he is also unhap-j SPACE. UBUitAium j-aoj mahs rLAniitu py with the transportation ot Washington-! Pl-Tht tpac agency said today it will send j prisoner work crews between c robot laboratory past Man nxt year to find out whether the Jail and farm home. Tay- the plane! is capable oi harboring lite. If postponed plans tor lor noted that the nvsdcmea- a second probe of Venue. jnor prisoners should be kept I in barracks at the farm as SEAT BELTS AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT STUDIED (they are In Clackamas coun-DeiTOil-tft'-The auto industry it considering a plan tojty. He urged Miller to visit make teat belts itandard equipment on all new can itarting j the Clackamas operation with in 1964. ii was learned today. I hi 5 it MEWS j BRIEFS (TIMS fROM AJtOUNO TMI 01OM Regional Edition 32 Pages Four Sections MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY JO, 1963 57th Year Price 10 Cents n3UgUrafj03 0 Tribune Haifiewcoysd Be Postponed No. 252 Legislation To Control Price Of Milk Approved by Dairymen ice, cooperating with Oregon State university and state engineer. Stored water supplies are better than a ycBr ago and soils in the mountain water sheds have been well recharg ed. Frost said. Practically no snow exists below 4,000 feel, Bnd water content of the snowpack above 4.000 feet is one-fourth of the 15-year average (1943-57) and only one-fourth of last year's snow at this dale, he said. Heavy fall precipitation which resulted in substantial flooding on Rogue river, has amply recharged the soils In the watersheds (178 per cent; normal since Oct. 1 at Med-: ford). Frost said. ! Stored Water Supplies Stored water supplies forj the Medford and Rogue River i Valley Irrigation districts inj Fourmile Bnd Fish lakes are about 80 per cent of the aver- ! age storage, but 135 per cent ! of lr.st year's figure on this date. Total water now stored Is about 10,000 acre feet com pared with 7,400 acre feet a year ago. Talent Irrigation district water supplies In Emigrant, Hyatt and Howard Prairie lakes totals about 74,000 acre feet compared with 43,000 acre feet one year ago Jan. 1. Flow of Rogue river at Raygoid has averaged 145 per cent of the 1S43-57 average since Oct, 1. In spite of flooding and above average slresmflow. Frost noted that flow of southwestern Oregon streams dropped aft to about one-half normal in the last week of December. Statewide, the early winter outlook for Oregon's 1863 ir rigation water supplies is fair. Snow cover in measurable amounts is found only at high elevations and surveys there range from 0 to 33 per cent of the usual Jan. 1 snow water amounts. Reservoir storage ts much better than last year at this time and, coupled with good soil moisture conditions over most of the state, is likely to be the safety factor needed to offset a low snow year, Frost said. Administration Of Controls Left To Agriculture New Advisory Committee Asked Salem -ffiPS- New legislation to control the price and pro duction of milk was approved Wednesday by the Oregon Dairymen's association. IE it clears the legislature, it would replace a temporary law that expired at the start of this year. The dairymen voted to leave the administration of milk controls under the State Department of Agriculture, They called, however, for a new advisory committee to work with the department. Appointed by Governor The advisory committee would be appointed by the governor. It would include four producers, two independ ent processors and one co operative . processor. The advisory committee also would have the power to approve regulations set by the department. The proposed legislation calls for a three-price system to set minimum prices on bot tle milk, ice cream and cot tage cheese, and butter and hard cheese. Hearings would be bold to establish prices. Pool Possible j The proposal also would f make it possible for producers io estaoiisn a mine maraet pool in an effort to control surpluses. Through private contracts, the market pool could extend across state lines. Frank Rood of North Bend was elected president of the association. Other officers in clude Richard Barrios of Sii verton and Frank Setnikcr of Hillsboro, vice presidents; H. P. Ewall of Corvailis, sec retary; and Fred Roberts of Corvailis, treasurer. Directors include Bertil Nel son of Bend, Fred Knox of Gaston, Peter Pon ot Rose burg, and Dale Scheilar of Hillsboro. Mrs. Peter Pon of Hoseburg was chosen president of the dairy wives. WEATHER FORRCAUT; fir Mnrcht n 1 Ft Idly. Murh fiJM. J.ow lt- ntjht t-S. Hifh r?tUy XS 49. haw CrMar niclu near 19. i Tmj. ! Htthtrt YltnUv ..... 4 I.onfit Ttitt Mnrninc ... 3Z Vttc. to 1ft t.m. 7o6y, Trace Our Skies Tonight mwt totfer ?" SwntW tomorrow . . V t, MmtrU toMsM . . 4 C p.m. l.tt tftirtr . ietn. l? Tfct Twtni, tvfcost (ht Moon. VJ.ffrK.t PLAJVtTa it, :W p.m. 4upt, u ft: p.m. Urt, tn the itt t.Jt p.m. Vt, in in toolh ui , i: i..m. liM Wi 'tv sSy ,f ".! li ill ft t r. .v .- i I 4 M m a City Parks Group Elects Sullivan Its New President The Medford park and rec reation commission elected new officers last night. The group elected James R. Sullivan, 1844 WoodJawn dr., president; John North, 2639 Hillerest rd., vice president; and Dr. James W. Bayltss, 100 SlewBrt ave,, secretary. Newly appointed commis sioners Tod N. Tibbutt, 2213 East Main at., D. J. Hever man, 40! Holmes ave., and John E. Kent, 922 South Oafc dale ave., attended the meet ing. As one at Its principal Hems of business, the commission voted to request a Joint meet ing with the city council, at its "earliest convenience," to discuss matters outstanding between the two groups. I Report on IntieUatian j Park and Recreation Diroc-! tor Robert Kaworth reported to the commission that depart-; ment crews had finished in stallation Wednesday of an underground sprinkler system at Jackson park. He said the next step was to prepare fr planting lawn seed at the pBrjs in time for the spring grow ing season. Haworth also stated he ex pected to have preliminary plan for the redesign of Haw thorne park available for study at the February meeting of the group. Haworth Informed the com mission that the recent flood caused an estimated $1,500 in damBgp to city parks. He said however, that department crews hve completed restor ing the parks to their original condition. FIRE IN INSULATION - A firemen inspects disruption of operations in the building, pipes in the pipe shaft on the 3Jst floor of which was immobiiiied for several Iraurs the Empire State Building In New York . Wednesday by a series of simiiar biazta in after a blaze broke out In pipe insulation the pipe shaft. . UPI) , material today. There was no immediate ' ' ' Temperatures Will Drop Lower Tonight Temperatures in the Med ford vicinity are expected to drop to the lowest of the sea son tonight. The Medford station of the U.S. weather bureau has fore cast a low of 10 to 15 degrees tonight and near 10 on Friday night. The weather bureau said that Bn outbreak of dry, cold air from northwestern Can ada already has moved Into northern Oregon and is con tinuing into southern Oregon. A generally cold week end with cloudless sonny days is predicted. H was Indicated that the coldest air will be past and that some moderation wilt be felt in southwestern Oregon Sunday evening. Portland -iiFli- The nuclear powered ship ff.S. Savannah left here today Bftcr a visit ;f nearly a week. Its next port of call is San Diega. Another Blaze Erupts in Empire State Building New York -mi- The third fire to break out In the Em pire State Buiirfing in the Jast tour days sent firemen rush ing SnSo action again todssy. Firemen were summoned at 7:55 a.m. to the SJst floor ot the world's tallest build ing when the Maze was dis covered In pipe insulation In a tank room adjacent to the five-foot wide shaft In which Wednesday's fire, which burn ed for several hour, broke out. Controlled Quickly Today's fire was brought under control a few momcnis after a workman in itc build Ins? reported the bla2e. Unlike Wednesday, when thousands of workers were delayed getting to work in the 102-story structure, there was no disruption of opera tions In the building today. Ninth Battalion Chief Ber nard Wynne said firemen "were ready", for today' hlaiw and fix firemen who had been patrolling fee nuliei ing went into action when to day's alarm was sounded. "We were expecting thia one," said Wynne, "and we were ready for it." Wynne explained that a tol-ow-un fire was not onaitiai in the aftermath of a blare like Wednesday's. The first, oi the buHding"! three fires this week was a minor one which broke out let the basement late Monday. Because ot the rash ot tires, Wynne said firemen wiii be on a 24-lraur alert at the build ing for about a week. Setrtott, Montgomery Voice Differences . Salem -&OT- A lwe party power play erupted here to day thai could delay Mon day's scheduled inauguration of Qov. Mark Hatfield af She convening of the 18SS session of the House of Hepresenta Sivesv The battle between Speafc-er-iiesigaie Ciarence Bartott iD-Goquitle and House Minor ity Leader F. F. Montgomery R-Eugenel developed aver eomroiSfee assignments, and hinges an the cttness ot representative's wife. The wtce o Rep. Stdney Leiken (D-HoseSrg was tak-" en to Los Angeles Wednesday for medical freatmenS. IS i not known If Letkett will be able to return to Saiem in lime for Sunday night's Kause caucus, or Monday's schedul ed opening of the 1S6S session. Hoase membership is split 31-29 In Javac ot the Eemo- crais. Lelken's absence would cost She Democrats a constitutional majority, and leave them but a one-vote margin for organi zation of the House. Barton Not Sura Barton says he is ix$ sure the House could be organized without a eoosSStutisjiai ma jority. He toid United Press International today "I might not be able to organize the House Monday If tile Hoase is not organ ized, the constitutional re quirement si the House can vassing the vote for governor could not be met, and the in auguration woBid have to be delayed. , , . , Barton has a proxy vote trom Leikett but Montgomery has not agreed So aiiow the proxy to be used. Wantt To Know Plant MonSgomery Sold UPf the Republicans want to know what eoironiSSee- assignments Barton plans to make. "We want So know Jf Bar tort is going fa organize the House on foe basis si partisan ship or statesmanship," Monf gomery said. A siosed Republican eauetx will be held here at ? o,m. Sunday - one noure before a scheduled open faH House ' caucus. Montgomery saii Hepabjf- cans want to know what the committee assignments wiif be when they hold their closed caucus. ' Barton said Tm not telling anyone what committee as signments wiii be until Mori- ' day morning. I'm not telllna She Democrats or She Hepub ttcans." Montgomery indicated al though he did not say so that Leigen'a proxy vote would oat be allowed t Bar Son organized She house on a "partisan" basis. Both Barton and Montgom ery said they doubted the to- auguraiion would be de layed. Bui Barton said adamcnt- iy, "if we can't organize the House, we'll. Just have to wait." Montgomery has stated pabiiciy severs) times that the Republican, delegation wants commiiiees named on the basis at "ability and ex- perience." He is tearful Barton, will make aii key committee as signments to Democrats. MonSgomery said if Sfia Democrats are partisan, the Republicans wiii aiso be par tisan, and It the Democrats show "statesmanship" ShaS . is, respect the Republican pleas for reeognition Shea the Republicans will cooper-aie. Stamp Sales Exceed Pre-Christmas Rush Stamps sold at the Medford post office Monday, Jan. 7, exceeded the Christmas vol ume, making ft necessary for the staff to keep three win dows open in continuous op eration, according to J. A. Eidswick, acting postmaster. The pace was slowing down Wednesday, giving clerks time in which to take a second look at the most desired picture in town She one of George Washington an that little green square with g!ue on She back. The demand for one-cent stamps was so great that the staff had to unwind coils to satisfy She need. Medford bor rowed stamps trom larger of fices and smsiier offices of the county borrowed them from ; Medford. The Portland stamp ' section was able to supply I Medford on a delayed basis. ISurpiis Probltm Onsj ot the surprise p cab le! resulted, Eiriswtck said, from the fact that many peo ple put live one-cens stamps on Sheir Setters instead ot Just adding one to the four So get She same result. The post office's estSmaSe of 100,800 stamps for the rush period was tar under She need. The office had sold !81, C00 when Eldswlck was Inter viewed Wednesday, ifc said the demand would undoubted ly expand to 25O.O0& before normalcy sets in. He was or dering aa,aae day oat of Portland. ffew envelope stock order ed Nov. 19 had not yet been received , here nor in other ttrst class offices of the vicin ity. idswick couid make no forecast as to when stamped envelopes would be available, ho said, : Velum 8aurd The first day of five -cent : postage, c large number of letters were mailed at the old rate, but each day since that volume has been reduced con siderably, Elds wick said. These letters were marked "one cent due" end sent as usual except in cases where the same sender mailed 10 or more ieSSers w.iih inadcrjaaSe postage. The outgoing leSSer volume was much heavier than usual on Jan. & and S, also. She post office staff noted, the Increase reflecting the desire ot many peopie Se- "beat She rSe in crease" it possible. There were S.8S1 letters mailed on Sunday, Jan, 8, compared to the Sfitia normal for that day. Sisrop Book Popular Another thing that has in creased in popularity with the rate change is the stamp book, Eldswlck said. Before She rate change the customer paid one cent for the book, Now he geS full !ue for bis money la stamps, 2fl five-cent stamps for 1. Instead of buying sheets of stamps many people buy five books. Five dollar coils have aiso been in more demand. Most patrons accept She postal increase without com ment, according So She- post office clerks. But some pa. Srons, usually She ones who buy four or five stamps, ob ject to the cost. One customer questioned the cost to each individual, estimated by She governmenS, insisting that the gt.SQ quoted did noS represent She increase to be borne by each Ameri can. She was positive that her , own stamp bili would far ex eeed that sunt, and would not accept Cierk Paul Kursvsky ' explanation at how the amount was computed by the government. (This was done ' by using the total national list of users.)