Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, June 27, 1963, Image 12

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Medford mail tribune., June 27, 1963, Image 12

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 27, 1963)

Prev Page of 37 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (3.1 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 37 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextI MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON Thursday, june 27. 1963 25th (Editor's not: It was 25 years ago. on June 23. 1938. that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law tha Civil Aeronautics Act legislation that era. atad a Civil Aeronautics board with complete au thority over the nation"s airlines. The following dis patch goes back tor a com parative look at U. S. com mercial aviation in 1938.) nmversary Spotlights Tremendous Growth in Air B Travel ' By ROBERT J. SERLING UPI Aviation Editor Washington - CPU - It was year when the airlines cut coast-to-coast travel to 16 hours and proudly boasted they were carrying nearly 2 million passengers annually, i Twenty-five years later they were carrying more than 60 million passengers, ' the transcontinental trips .were down to less than five hours, and supersonic flight of only two hours was a for mal government-industry pro ject. , The DC3 was the queen of the airways in 1938. In fact, the big technical aviation news of the year involved the initial test flights of the na tion's first four-engine air liners - the Douglas DC4 and the Boeing 307, the latter to become the world's first pres surized transport, i "Sovereign of the Skies," Douglas advertisements dub bed the DC4. "It provides pace for 42 passengers or luxurious sleeping berths for 30. It had a bridal suite, charm room for ladies, a sep arate dressing room for men, an electric kitchen, and a din ing service up to the stand ards of exclusive clubs. The plane is sound-proofed, air conditioned and steam-heated with hot and cold running water." Only 25 years later, not a single DC4 was flying in scheduled U.S. airline service although there still were still about 200 DC3's operat ing. Expert Denounces Not everyone looked with optimism on four engine flight. One expert denounced four-engine planes as "im practical." He . said the air lines didn't need bigger planes because they couldn't fill a 12 or 21 -passenger airliner. "I'm worrying about where they are going to get 40 or SO passengers at a clip," he wrote in unwitting anticipa tion of the day when airlines actually would worry where they were going to get 125 or 130 passengers at a clip. . The airlines in 1938 were 'George Fox College Building Condemned . Newberg (UPD George Fox college will be barred by the state fire marshal from hold' ing classes this fall in the three-story Wood-Mar hall. College President Dr. Milo Ross said the school faces a serious crisis, since no funds 'are available to make needed Improvements, e s t i mated to cost from $50,000 to $100,-000. carrying 3,500 passengers ev ery 24 hours (in 1963, a single large airline carries that many every two hours). But the industry was well aware that the air travel market was untapped. One study showed that while the total number of passengers carried was just under 2 million, only about 200,000 actually flew enough times to reach the 2 million figure. Fear was the chief obstacle. American Airlines In 1938 stunned its competitors with an advertising campaign that dared mention an unmen tionable subject safety. American's ads, personally written by President C. R. Smith, carried the caption "Afraid to Fly?" Safety Begins United wasn't quite that daring, nut came out with a delicately-worded bit of reas surance that "It is United's policy to fly at least a half mile above any elevation on its system." In retrospect, many of the safety -items taken for grant ed today were unheard of 25 years ago. The federal govern ment, for example, was just beginning to test and evaluate an instrument landing sys tem. Hamilton-tSandard's big project of 1938 was develop ment of the first propeller feathering device, to keep the prop on a dead engine from windmilling and creating con trol problems. Airport inadequacies were a hot topic of the day, par ticularly with bigger planes around the corner. One na tional magazine published an article warning that only five airports in the country were capable of handling a plane as big as the DC4 Cleveland, Oakland, Memphis, New Or leans and Wichita. "The U.S. has hatched eagles for the world's airways and provided them with wrens' nests," the magazine said. Douglas didn't agree-and proved it with the DC4 test flights which showed that a DC4 required no more land ing or takeoff room than the DC3. The DC4 prototype used In these flights carried a triple tail like . the Constellation that would follow it a few years later. Douglas later shifted to a single tail and sold the 'prototype to the Japanese government which promptly crashed it into Tokyo Bay. Talk Mergers Merger talks were in the news in 1938 just as today. TWA tried to buy Eastern for $3.2 million and was blocked only when Capt. Ed die Rickenbacker raised about the same amount to purchase control of the air line he was working for at the time. Another merger rumor of the day was a well founded but never-to-materal-ize report that TWA would absorb Braniff, Delta and Chicago and Southern. That $3.2 million price tag on Eastern underlined the air lines' poor financial standing. The same amount today would be half the cost of a single jet. The airlines need ed customers so badly that five of them started carry ing wives free if accompa nied by husbands. It was for a one-month experimental period but was dropped due to an enormous lack of in terest on the part of wives. Nor was the infant industry aided much by general apthy on the -part of the federal government. The old , bureau of air, commerce, predecessor of the CAB, had a total ap propriation of $14 million for fiscal 1938. That sum might be compared with the current federal aviation agency budg et of $800 million. The airlines in 1938 had 375 planes, 1,400 pilots and 300 hostesses or stewardesses. iThey now have nearly 2.000 planes. 13.000 pilots and 10, 000 "flygirls.") New Sleepers The, most heavily-traveled market was New York-Chicago, which the airlines serv ed with 44 daily scheduled flights. On an average week day in 1963, there are 140 scheduled trips between the two cities. For coast - to - coast trips, American and TWA introduc ed new sleeper planes, DC3's with berths. But the idea nev er really proved effective, mainly because the berths cut down seating capacity. Some of the scheduled car riers of the day have long since passed into limbo. Boston-Maine Airways, for ex ample. Grand Canyon Air lines. Hanford Air lines, May flower Airlines. Miami-Key West Airways. Wyoming Air Service. TWA's corporate name was Transcontinental and Western Air. Chicago and Southern would soon merge with Delta and Pennsylanvia Central would become Cap ital. J The civil aeronautics act of 1938 brought a measure of benevolent control to the struggling industry. Until the law was passed, aviation au thority was divided among three agencies. The bureau of air commerce, which was part of the commerce department, provided . regulatory activi ties; the post office depart ment awarded air routes and airmail contracts, and the in terstate commerce commis sion fixed cargo and passen ger rates. Rules of Act The 1938 act: Made the airlines' routes permanent and protected from outside competition. Provided air mail pay as a regular federal subsidy in stead of requiring competitive bids, an outgrowth of the Army's abortive attempt to carry the mail when FDR cancelled all private airmail contracts. Established an independ ent civil aeronautics author ity composed of an admin istrator, a five-man civil aero nautics board to regulate air line economics, and an air safety board, charged with in vestigating accidents. Two years later, the act was amended to set up a civil aeronautics administration un der the commerce department (predecessor of the FAA), abolish the air safety board, and continue the still-inde-pend CAB with Its economic regulatory powers plus ac cident investigation. Thus, June 23 actually was the CAB's silver ; anniversary more than the birthday ob servance of a long-outmoded law. But it still seems oppor tune to honor legislation that ended chaos among the air lines and set the stage for the progress that was to follow. FOLDING CHAIRS for RENT at A to Z Rental 1211 N. Riverside 77-1474 lid ONLY 2 MORE DAYS! A SEWING MACHINES NEW OWNERS: ALL OLD STOCK MUST GO , . . We mutt make room tor new mer chandite . . . No reasonable offer refuted . . . Come in today for bargains yea nerer believed possible . . Entire Stock Must Be Sold Regardless of Price ! SINGERS WHITES PFAFFS ELNA KENMORE VIKING MORSE CONSOLES Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. BE HERE EARLY Sewing machine of any make or model, find what you are looking for at prices you can never dup licate. All new machine af frac tion of tha regular price ... All used machines at give away prices. 120 Bass Accordion Used Piano Used Organs PORTABLES ELECTRIC PORTABLES PLAIN STITCHES A low f As DESK MODELS Fancy Stitches 3Q50 150 A Low i AS Used Cabinets To Fit Your Machine TERMS and ALL MACHINES GUARANTEED SEWING MACHINE CENTER Come to 420 So. Central You Can Count on Us... Quality Costs No More at Sears RECLINER SALE SAVE 30.07 3 DAYS ONLY! fa il -'A Choose VH o I - jyA from s WmWM Decorative 1iWamM .colors- Complete Home r&jjVVlfMiwiS Cleaning Service! VfYVdi 31l I (Furniture, w.ll.. He) , I INjl J I lh -p , I For Free Estimate I KaSful -I 'J ' ' tjL I Call Seam I Hi JS.1W-.. JTsJt 1 . 773-6661 I fl IffTi Ju y "Ohrar ." I ' ''t!T?ai' r km LOOK. . Save 30 NOW! . . . A Fabulous Value at this Low Price Complete Dunk Ded Outfit Includes 2 BUNK BEDS, I 1 FULL LENGTH I GUARD RAIL, PLUS V. STURDY 3 RUNG LADDER Value Priced for Immediate Delivery Regular 9995 Bunk I e a (salute double doweling and glueing at all stress points, estra heavy posts In beautiful Sa lem Finish. Solid Maple ends. INNtitSPRING BUNKIC MATTRESS ES. Unit constructed of 126-coil count. In nersprinf m e 1 1 r ess ever Bunkie pad that serves as a box spring. Priced VIII a-Tl 7 NO MONEY DOWN On Sear Easy Payment Plan ACT NOW... THIS GREAT BUY WILL GO FAST Check these Quality Features, 2-inches of Serofoam in seat over a 9-coil drop in spring unit, kiln dried hardwood frame. Expanded foam vinyl covers for hours of comfort and relaxation. SEARS BETTER 3 Position Rccliners Regular 129.95 SEARS LOW PRICE (IT) 01)88 QJ QJ complete Dunk Deds as Low as . . - 39.95 Bunk Convert Tt Twin Bed Sale Priced Regular 109.95 HARMONY HOlKf Dad never had It so toft, as in this big hand some chair. Covered in heavier expanded plastic. Back in deep, puffy pillow style. Ad justs to 3 positions. A terrific value, so hurry and choose from many colors backed with luxurious polyfoam. PRICE INCLUDES FREE DELIVERY IN NORMAL DELIVERY AREA rvm vk torn i I mm. I TrWrw MuMt B m Mmon V Chck tha Feature! Com pure Our Low Price SU- SAVE $50.07 2-Pc. Living Room Suites Regular 299.95 Check Sean Sale Imagine this (tunning 83-in. sofa and chair In your home. Covered in lush long-wearing nylon frieze, with panel arms and deep-sewn back. Buoyant polyurethene foam In seat cushions and back. Cushions are reversible and zip covered. Wide range of colors. Shop at Sears and Save Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back lattress over 63-coil Box Springs Almost entirely hand built, just as the finest bedding is. Promises yean of firm support and comfort. Coil design and prebuilt bord ers resist sagging. Heavy-woven stripe cover. . Etch full or twin mattrtu and spring itt. 'i bin fifctJ' - I ft- .,.,4 . . t V XI I t? , i ' I i l : '1 I J ' MID-SUMMER CUSTOM DRAPERY SALE SAVE UP TO 50 ON CUSTOM DRAPERY FABRICS BUY NOW... SALE PRICED FOR 10 DAYS ONLY WALL-TO-WALL CUSTOM DRAPERIES Regular 2.50 yd. SAVE NOW yd 5r l-l Other Fabrics Regularly $2.50 to $3 yd NOW $2 yd. NO MONEY DOWN en SEARS EASY PAYMENT PLAN ANY SIZE YOU WANT AT LOW SALE PRICES., Choose the fabric you like . . . then let us custom-make draperies to suit your style of windows. Smartly tailored, then de livered custom-folded, ready for hanging. Free Decorator Consultant In Your Home Rtlji in cemlort of your ewa heme. Our eVotator consultant, Mr. Ralph Kinemen will krinf etcerailnf magic to you, five you pro tetiional adice on the use et pattern an4 color to blend in with the test of your tuniiahines. Complete estimates en slipcovers, draperies, reupholsterv. Ne ehlifetien. Ne shatfe, -' - '.iMV SEARS 501 E. JACKSON STREET PHONE 773-6661 FREE PARKING STORE HOURS TUES., WED., THURS., SAT.,' . 9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. . MON., ' m, 9:30 A.M. to 9 P.M.