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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
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49. haw CrMar niclu near 19. i
Tmj. !
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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.
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Tfct Twtni, tvfcost (ht Moon.
VJ.ffrK.t PLAJVtTa
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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.)