MtutUMD mail IHlBUMt, Mt-UtUHU, OHLGOM SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 24, 1963 g j
dward Mead, Among the Last of the Northwest Barnstormers
& ..,,- . By ARTHUR S. TAYLOR somewhat chilly. We waited car, purchased wagons and ot hall. Ed tells us in his land, Oregon. We visited Sur-miles distant over some of the Bay For a time he ran a little
v ' ' Southern Oregon College for the stage from another di- horses, and we covered 2.000 book, "Doubling Back," that prise Valley with its four lit-1 most beautiful summer roads store, then bad health inter
..!. . ' Historian rection, hooked on four hoi es miles of mountain roads, the accomodations were often tie towns snuggling un to the in existence. We oneneri nn M if u .i (hi. t:n. ik.i
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A
7
EDWARD MEADE
Northwest Barnstormer
Street Dedication
Request Is Denied
By Medford Council
A request to dedicate El
Mar ave. was denied by the
Medford city council Thurs
day night.
The dedication had been
requested by Mrs. Madeline
Inskeep, through her attorney,
Harry C. Skyrman.
It was explained that the
proposed avenue and the sur
rounding area had been plat
ed in 1911. The street was
later vacated, but the plat is
still in force. It would be be
tween Capital and Hillcrest
ave.
Since the area was plated
prior to being annexed by
the city and prior to the city's
subdivision ordinance, It was
stated that if the street was
dedicated, the city could not
require them to meet present
street standards for a subdi
vision. Minnimun Standards
According to the city's sub
division ordinance, minimum
standards are set forth for
streets used to separate land.
This would not be the case in
this situation, it was explain
ed, since the plat has been
on file for some time.
The vote was 6 to 2, reject
ing the request. Voting for
the request were William
Singler and Joe Hosick. It was
opposed by Robert Cunning
ham, Al Bradford, Robert Van
Sickle, R. L. Baccus, Richard
Travis and Terry Green.
In other action, the council
approved a report from the
airport committee concerning
the fixed base and private op
erations at the Medford Mu
nicipal airport.
Adequate Parking
Flight operators are requir
ed to provide adequate park
ing, office space, and restroom
facilities; maintenance shop
operators would provide rea
sonable shop space for their
services under cover in a
clean and workmanlike man
ner; and all new operations
will pay a minimum annual
rental of $500 in advance. It
will be applied against rent
owing the city for the first
year, it was stated.
Each applicant of a new
operation would have to
establish financial and moral
responsibility and integrity
and qualifications as to train
ing and experience to provide
service.
Rental rates were set at 4
cent Der sauare foot npr vear
on all ground area, improved
or unimproved, leased to each
operator; 3 cents per gallon
for gasoline and 5 cents per
gallon for oil for all petrole
um products to be paid to
the city; tie down fees will be
divided one-half each between
city and operator designated
to handle tie down spaces,
and that private hangar own
ers pay 2 cents per square
foot per year for all space
leased.
Paid Each Month
It was stated that all fees
and charges, except private
hangar rents, be paid to the
city monthly. Annual flat fee
charges are to be pro rated
and paid on a monthly basis.
Other recommendations ap
proved included scheduling
expiration dates of future
leases to coincide with time
schedule for proposed de
velopment and improvements
to airport facilities and to
avoid differences in lease
terms resulting from changes
in rate schedules, to establish
and post speed limits for ve
hicular traffic and private
parking, and to create a per
manent airport committee to
advise and work with the city
administration. It was sug
gested that the committee in
clude a member of the coun
cil, an airport commercit op
erator representative and one
member at large.
A suggestion that bids be
called to operate the tie down
space was tabled.
In other matters concern
ing the airport, the applica
tion of Robert E. Osborn, 725
Pennsylvania ave., for a lease
at the airport to operate a
helicopter was accepted by
the council on the condition
his operation meets the re-quirements.
Flyway Survey
Shows Increase
Washington TOP0 The In
terior DeDartment said Fridav
die 1AK3 annual survey of
wintering waterfowl in the
Pacific flyway states showed
a slight increase over the
1QR2 roiint.
The number of ducks count
ed increased 10 per cent, but
a 14 per cent decrease in
geese was recorded. Tallies on
fonts wprp down 15 Der cent.
and on black brant. 18 per
cent. A 42 per cent increase
in whistling wans was re
corded. Compared with a 10-year
average. Pacific flyway ducks,
geese, brant, and swans were
found to be 4 to 14 per cent
above average.
The department said 28 per
cent more mallards were ob
served this year than in 1962,
principally in Washington and
.Idaho.
Army Reserve
Plans Open House
Young men of military age
and their parents will be
guests of the second batallion
414th regiment (BCT), at the
Armed Forces Reserve Cen
ter, 701 North Columbus ave.,
Medford, from 8 to 10 p.m.
Monday. Feb. 25, according to
Lt. Col. John F. Rush, com
manding officer.
Officers and men of the
local reserve group will be
ready to answer questions and
supply information to those
interested in serving the re
quired military time close to
home and for extra pay.
"This is he first time the
Reserve program has been
able to interview and enlist
qualified men," Colonel Rush
noted.
He invited all Interested
men and parents to join in the
evening's program. He noted
that the unit has vacancies
for instructors, armorers,
mess personnel and supply
people. Vacancies, he added.
are limited and will be filled
during this month.
Capt. Ted McDaniels of the
Medford Reserve unit has
spoken before several youth
groups recently and will be
available Monday night.
Colonel Rush aLso pointed
out that Sgt Kenneth Olds it
available at the Reserve Cen
ter for Inquiries and Inforrr.a
tion concerning military
jervice.
"I remained at the smelter
as a copper weigher, mingling
with Senator Paris Gibson,
Charles M. Russell, the cow
boy artist, and spent my sal
ary among the boys trying to
drown my sorrows until Jan.
1, 1900.
"Then I joined Andy Mc
Phee's bloodhound - Uncle-Tom's-Cabin-troupe.
I slept in
a two-foot bunk with a real
double-in-brass-bloodhound-ac
tor for two weeks. Then I re
ceived my two weeks' notice
because I could not do Eva
and a bloodhound at the same
time. I quit the Private Palace
Car at Spokane with $5 in my
pocket and the thermometer
at 20 below zero.
'I stepped lively and called
all the theatres. While talking
to the manager of the last one
on the list (the toughest free
and easy joint in the city), the
telephone rang and the man
ager answered the same, then
turned and asked me if my
name was Meade. I answered
'yes' and he told me that
someone wanted to talk to me
at Davenport. I did not know
that there was a town by the
name, and thought he meant
Davenport's famous restau
rant. However, I took the re
ceiver and said 'Hello.'
"When I had received my
notice to quit the McPhee out
fit, I immediately sat down
and wrote to my old friend,
Robert Buchanan, who recent
ly organized a dramatic show
in Spokane and was on the
road. I had taken a chance
and my letter had been for
warded. He now wanted an
actor and had been chasing
me by telephone all over Spo
kane. I was glad to hear him
say, 'Is that you, Meade? This
is Buchanan. When can you
join? Fifteen and cakes. Will
send ticket. Call at railroad of
fice. Come on first train to
Davenport, Washington.' I
said, 'Goodbye,' hung up the
receiver, and double-quicked
it to the railroad office, got
my ticket, and the next morn
ing I was on board Buchan
an's private car. When I shook
hands with old 'Bob,' I re
marked, 'Once more you have
proven to be the Good Samar
itan'," Such experiences were com
monplace to Ed Meade, who
was about the last of the old
barnstormers. A "barnstorm
er" is an actor who tours
through rural districts staging
theatrical performances i n
barns and makeshift theatres.
In the second decade of this
century the term also applied
to aviators who gave flying
exhibitions.
Practically all of Edward
Meade's adult life was spent
as an actor in small communi
ties in the Pacific Northwest.
He was born in Sandwich, De
Kalb county, Illinois, Aug. 1,
1863. He came to the Oregon
country as a professional ac
tor about 1900.
Ed Meade could play any
part, double in brass, and take
a part in the olio. He could
also load a wagon with trunks
and properties, and then drive
two teams of horses hitched
tandem over the roughest of
roads to the next town.
The old actor never played
the big towns. Probably Med
ford, in southern Oregon, was
the most sizeable place in
which Ed's company ap
peared. Ed played little places.
As he said: "I left Vale one
morning on the stage-and af
ter riding over rocks, ruts,
and corduroys for 15 miles, I
arrived at Westfall, popula
tion 50, consisting of cow
punchers, stockmen, etc., with
about 75 more within a 12
mile radius. I billed the town,
arranged hotel accomodations,
rented the town hall (no scen
ery), ate a square meal, and
talked like an auctioneer
while the stage driver was
changing the horses and the
other passengers were eating.
We rode 15 miles more to a
stage station at the foot of a
lofty mountain, arriving there
after dark, lt was April, and
and proceeded to climb the
mountain.
"I rode nearly 48 hours and
billed Drewsey and Harney
while the driver and passen
gers ate and changed horses.
They were small places, like
Westfall. I arrived in Burns
the next night at 12 o'clock
and realized that I had been
experiencing something. I
went into the barroom of the
hotel, put dates on some half
sheet posters to send back by
the stage driver to Harney,
then asked the bartender for
a drink of brandy. His name
was Baldy and he asked me if
I was a preacher. I said 'Put
me to bed.'
"We did a wonderful busi
ness. Each one of us doubled
many parts with all kinds of
whiskers and wigs. Bob Bu
chanan said that we did not
need more actors, but we
needed more whiskers. We
went north from Burns by
stage to Canyon City, Oregon,
then to Sumpter, Idaho, and
by rails back to Weiser and
the private car, which had
been left there in care of the
cook.
"The trip proved a financial
and healthful success, so much
that Buchanan took the car
and troupe to Boise, sold the
car, purchased wagons and
horses, and we covered 2,000
miles of mountain roads,
through Idaho, Utah, Nevada,
and California that summer."
Stuck in Mud
As Meade related, other
things happened, too. "We got
stuck in the Strawberry
Mountain mud. The sheriff,
four horses, two deputies, one
murderer, and five horse
thieves en route from Burns
to the state prison at Salem,
pulled us out."
What were the names of
some of the plays? "The Fatal
Wedding," and "Old Ken
tucky" were favorites in
southern Oregon. "East
Lynne" did good business in
Ashland. "Beyond the
Rockies" was another. "Edge
wood Folks" was a rustic mel
odrama with plenty of slap
stick. And you may be sure
that Meade worked at one
time or another in "Uncle
Tom's Cabin."
Then there was "Thelma, a
Tale of the Northland."
Among the musical plays were
"Two Merry Tramps." the
"Sultan of Sulu," the "Rajah
of Bhong." Of course, names
were interchangable. Some
times the "Rajah of Bhong"
changed into the "Sultan of
Bhong" and vice-versa.
Those early barnstormers
would play in almost any kind
miserable.
Play in Butcher Shop
"In one town we showed In
a large butcher shop for a
week, with quarters of beef
hanging all over the room. At
another place it was in a gran
ary, with the audience sitting
upon great piles of wheat. And
still at another freight divi
sion point we actually gave a
performance in a round house,
and half the audience were
Blackfoot Indians.
"The troupe went out to
their camp, smoked the pipe
of peace with the seven big
chiefs while big chief Black
Feather and his bride escorted
us back to town where we
gave them reserved seats on
a board across the ash pit for
a wedding present.
"At the end of the week,
everybody in the troupe had
Indian trinkets galore, which
the Indians had traded for
tickets at the door. They
could not understand the
plays, but enjoyed the knife
fights and the music.
"We opened in Colfax, Cal
ifornia, to light business, then
railroaded to Nevada City
and did not see a railroad or
a train of cars for nearly 2,000
miles, except when we crossed
the Southern Pacific in Ash
tle towns snuggling up to the
east slope of the mountains;
then to Lakeview, Oregon,
for a five-day celebration of
the Fourth. The celebration
consisted of horse racing,
bronco -busting, Indian war
dances, and sheep shearing
contests.
Over Livery Stable
"The Opera House was
over a livery stable where the
people purchased four square
feet of floor space for a re
serve seat to our show and
furnished their own chairs.
We did a rollicking business
at Lakeview. The next year,
we rented Charlie Snider's
furniture store, built a plank
stage, hung our own scenery,
and the citizens packed to the
doors every night.
"From Lakeview It was a
long ride, 100 miles west, to
Linkville, (Klamath Falls),
then a small town of 600 in
habitants. Here we found a
real opera house. The mana
ger, John V. Houston, was in
San Francisco, but we showed
under the management of his
brother.
"We soon went over the
mountains to Ashland, Med
ford, and Jacksonville. We
played at Jacksonville and
Grants Pass and from there
went to Crescent City, 100
most beautiful summer roads
in existence. We opened on
Monday night in Crescent
City at Endert's Opera House.
"We traveled up the Oregon
coast to Gold Beach, Port Or
ford, and Bandon, then to
Marshfield, on Coos Bay. We
went through Curry and Coos
counties, but did not do very
well. Hal the Healer had Just
been through Coos county,
and picked up all the easy
money.
"We crossed the Klamath
Reservation to Cratiir Lake,
played in an agricultural im
plement house, at Fort Klam
ath to well-educated and be
haved Indians, then continued
to Klamath Falls."
Ed Meade spent his later
years in Marshfield, now Coos
Bay. For a time, he ran a little
store, then bad health inter
fered. It was at this time that
he also wrote his book,
"Doubling Back." He died in
Bedford, Va., April 2, 1926, a
fpiv years after nnhliralinn nt
his book.
RUMMAGE
SALE
Fehl Building
Wed. Feb. 27
9 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Women's Association
PHOENIX
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Collection ot Items Call
535-2912 or 535-1147
YOU Cfln Still A High School Diploma to vltat to'
f illicit ?our ""urcan b yurt quickly,
nnisn toli 0, j,m n Ipar tmfi ia
: only subjtctt you mtd for Diploma.
; Study or your own paco. Lattit,
approvtd textbook, yours to tctop.
GroduotB Now A" 'nc'u-e-' n 'ow tuition.
Sind for Frti "Opportunity look"
T0U ENROLL BY MAIL
No silesmcn muni lowir coits
for us, lowtr tuition for you.
National School!
HIIHICHOOLREPT.ltllMllMlT.CalH. "imt
A dimion ol National Uthnleil Schools j Addrns.
National Schools I
GH SCHOOl rjtrmMmTtBllntlUlST.ClllM
I PIhu itnd FrM Hih School
Opportunity Book
Dept. f
1020 I
A, I
18 Held Od Enough
To Buy Cigarettes
Salem 0JP1) If you're 18
you're old enough to buy ci
garettes, the house committee
on state and federal affairs
decided Friday. It tabled a
bill to raise the age to 21.
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Just two score . . . one decade . . and 4
years ago . . . JCF was founded.
Since February of 1909 Jackson
County Federal has engaged in the
encouragement of thrift and home
ownership.
In the past 54 years, JCF has
provided ... for the people ... a safe place
to save . . . and receive better-than-average
earnings on savings.
Since the founding date . . . JCF has
provided home financing for the
building . . . purchase . . . remodeling or -refinancing
of homes.
Through these many years, and in
the ones yet to come, Jackson
County Federal has and will
continue to meet the savings and home
financing needs of the customers with
sound and efficient management.
Therefore, it is with pride that our
age is 50 and 4 years, and to be of
service to you . . . providing
safe-insured savings . . . and home
financing designed to fit your individual
income.
Dated: February, 1963. .
i.i
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I
I
f
jf
life
JCF
ii
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JACKSON COUNTY FEDERAL
SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSN.!-
i
: Home Office -2 East Main, Medford
Ashland Branch - 337 East Main, Ashland