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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 2, 1963)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON TUESDAY, JULY 2. 19S3 Small Worlds Around Us By lynn W. Watkins (fceglstftr & Tribune Syndicate, 1363; Ever Been Chased by A Speedy Blue Race? "Blue racers - man those critters were fast! A man had to be pretty fasti A man had to be pretty spry on his feet to outrun one. "I remember the time I was chased. It was in haying time, and I was a young man. The blue racer was hiding un der a haycock. I uncovered him, and he started for me. We went across the hayfield and along the road for a good mile, with me running as fast as I could. "Yes, sir, those blue racers were fast babies." The man finished the story, tapped his fingers on the chair arm, apparently glad that he had escaped and had lived so long. The Amazing Chase It still lives, that old super stition . . . the tale of the chase between man and snake. And, of course, it is as un true today as it was when the legend started. The man who told the story really believed it had happened, back a half century ago. This gentleman was no ex ception. It's not difficult to find others who tell the same story; that it either happened to them or to someone they knew real well. Those must have been wild times, when a man working in a field had to be ever on the alert and ready to spring away at full speed whenever a blue racer was encountered. And the wide distribution of the racers was such that just about anyone, anywhere might meet one sooner or later. Funny that such a ridicu lous superstition should have persisted, but there are many things regarding snakes that people insist on believing. Snakes seem to generate su perstitious feelings, perhaps because so few folks take the trouble to understand them Reversed Chase Perhaps one reason the gullible swallow this wild tale, is the name of the snake - blue racer. This conjures up in minds cluttered with superstitions a speedy reptile j than can move like a "blue streak," and the name "racer" suggests something pretty fast. Some folks elaborated on the already ridiculous story by claiming the racer would be the one doing the chasing until the one being chased be came tired of the game, and turned around and started chasing the snake. This re versal of the chase put the shoe on the other foot and both snake and man ran until total exhaustion overtook them both and caused them to fall into the dust of the roadside. Most of us. never having been chased by a blue racer - or never having chased one - still might believe a snake is pretty fast on its stomach. So, as someone once said, "Let's look at the record." Seven Miles an Hour Granted, the blue racer with the blue-black body and white chin and throat, is prob ablv the most aggressive and active American snake. But out-running a man would be somewhat beyond its greatest efforts, unless the man were crawling along on his stom ach, or even on his hands and knees. Even if a husky, four-foot-long blue racer were in fl hurry and running downhill with a strong tail-wind, he could not exceed a speed of about seven miles an hour. Even then he couldn't main tain this breakneck speed for much over a few hundred feet. This may explain why there is r.o record, or even soundly based superstition, of any of those old boys ever being overtaken by a blue racer. The stories always end with a dull plop. hi 1 .5 -V . 11 . i jJi it . I f v 'A ' 'm t In v .-. . ADMIRED BY TOURISTS - The wax effigy of playgirl Christine Keeler, arms raised as if in horror at the wicked ness of the world, is admired by girl tourists at Promenade Waxworks at Brighton, England. The statue went on display recently following the scandal involving Miss Keeler and ex War Minister John Prufumo, which is continuing to cause a sensation. (UPI) Quotes From f he News BY UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL Miami A 34-year-old refugee from Cuba who said he had played hooky in Cuba to escape Communist indoctrina tion in school: "I guess I'll have to start packing ihe books again." Los Angeles George Waegell, of Elk Grove, Calif., when asked by a House subcommittee on un-American activities whether he would fight for Cuba in the event of a war: "If there is another war, we're through. I don't care which side I'm on. I'm dead and so are you." Couple Honored at Retirement Party William R. Crawford, Med ford, who Is retiring after more than 12 years of gov ernment service, was hon ored at a party given by the bureau of land management recently, Honored with htm was his wife, Grace. Nearly nine years of Craw ford's service wim the gov ernment were spent with the BLM. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford plan to continue their resi dence at 515 West Second St., Medford. S-o-o Pretty The Medical Roundup by ft Dangers of Acute Sunburn Now with summer here, H is well to warn persons who are headed for the mountains and the sea shore to go slow when they start surt bathing. Espe c t a I I y when a per son has a fair skin, and does nnt tefri well tanned alt the time, he or she can burn badly in. a few mmutes, in the tropics, as in Hawaii, 1 have seen people get so badly burned on their first day on the beach that by night they were ill and run ning a fever. I have seen fair-skinned or red-haired people who, when Jackson, Miss. Circuit Judge Leon Hendrick, deploring recent Supreme Court decisions on Bible reading: "We can't do without the Bible or God. We need all the help we can get to get along in Shis life." Chicago Executive secretary Roy Wiikins of the Nation al Association for the Advancement of Colored People, con demning "southern diehards" for allegedly holding up the administration's civil rights .bill: "These people have never cared about anything except the right to kick Negroes in ihe ieeih without federal interference." Cool seooped-neck pinafore becomes a party-pretty dress by adding the cottar , She'll love this style, you will, too it s sew-very-easy! Pattern 7186; embroidery transfer; directions, pattern sizes 2, 4, 6, 8 included. THIRTY - FIVE CENTS for this pattern - add 15 cents for each pattern for first-class mailing and special handling. Send to Alice Brooks, Med ford Mail Tribune, Needle craft Dept., P.O. Box 163, Old Chelsea Station, New York 11, N.Y. Print plainly NAME, ADDRESS, PATTERN NUM BER. 1983 s Biggest Needlecraft Show stars smocked accos soreis - it's our new Needle craft Catalog! Plus over 200 fresh-to-you designs to knit, crochet, sew, weave, embroi der, quilt. Pius free pattern. Send 25c now! Promotional Plan Will Be Outlined Details of Faeifie Power & Light company's "Sell Big T in '83" program for promoting total eleetrie-iiving will be presented tonight to electrical contractors and suppliers for the company's Jackson coun ty system area. Frank Benesh, PP&L's Meci ford district manager, report ed the promotional plans will provide guidelines for the al lied trades of the electric serv ice industry during the forth coming months of the year. Slated to participate in the district presentation are Frank Reis, Portland, general sales manager for PP&L, and Sam Smith, the company's Copco f WOrk chemical injury to fluids Emeritus Consultant tis Medtctn Mayo f'linie Smerttttt ViQtetmt ot Hedtctft Mayo Clinic (Register anS Tribune Syn&este, they . got themselves badly sun-burned, were left with big freckles which did not please them, and which never entire ly cleared away. Skin specialists hate to see people tannins; themselves -they know that this ages the skin; it tends to bring wrin kles, and it invites the forma tion of cancer. And yet this warning from skin specialists is not likely to do any good, because today the fad of sun bathing is so popular. According to a recent edi torial in the New England Journal of Hedtcme, some people feet unusually well after their first day on a beach, while others are made sleepy and tired and slightly nauseated. Recently, physicians have grown Interested in the harm ful effects of strong light on the skin. In some persons, it can bring out nodules and blebs. It is worth noting that a number of now commonly used medicines can sensitise the skirt to light, sa that it can even more easily be burned. Also, a number of diseases have been found such as porphyria - in which the skin is abnormally sensitive to strong light - sometimes so much so that tittie ulcers form, which leave scars. Labo ratory workers are finding out what happens chemically in the skin that makes It so sensitive. Enthusiastic sun bathers should know that with repeat ed injury from sunlight, the skin of some persons cart be come more and more sensitive rather than less sensitive, It is possible that the light can Subsidy Asked for Supersonic Plane Washington - (BP - U. S. plane manufacturers have told Congress they cannot dfeveiap a supersonic airliner without Loan Applications From Vets Accepted Satem - (t - The state de partment of veterans affairs has started accepting farm and home loan applications under the new higher loan amounts approved by the 1963 legislature. Director H. C. Saalfeid announced today. The legislature increased ihe maximums from $13,588 to $15,0tt0 for homes and from $30,000 to $48,008- for farms. While the increase don't become effective unit! Sept. 2, applications will be accept ed now so the loan closings may be completed as soon as possible after Sept. 2, Saalfeid said. a a government aid. The Aerospace Industries association presented a state ment Monday to the House Commerce eommittci showing it would cost nearly $2 billion to develop, btttlcS and test a 2,000-miie-per-bour transport by !&?&. The organisation of air frame and engine makers pointed out that the totai net working capital of the five airframe companies interested in the project is only $?& mil lion. Federal Aviation Adminis trator Najeeh E. Hataby has outlined a plan which calls tor the government to pay 15 per cent of the estimated $t bil lion costs for development alone. The AIA statement I hinted that the industry might ! be unable to foot ail of trtej remaining 25 per cent. The association reminded the committee that the air- craft industry lost more than ! $&50 million building subsonic jets. Now !t said the. United States must fouiid the super sortie jet unless it wants to "declare itself out" of the nexs stgrrff tcartt sni logical step irt commercial aviation. SAMBO'S OPEN 24 HRSe Rivaniria division sales manager. The group will meet at Kim's res taurant. "Although the southern Oregon area enjoys the bene fits of electric living to a greater degree than most oth er parts of the nation, the con tinued advances in the ap plication of electricity to pro vide comforts and conveni ences for the households are going to see more and more power used m the future trt our homes, Benesh an nounced. The PP&L district manager reported the program in cludes promotional plans for greater use of electricity for commercial purposes in of fices, stores and cafes and mo tels as well as by residential consumers. which constantly are flowing through the blood vessels ist the skin. TO MUCH PUSH Kansas City, Mo. - BPS -When Sawnie Alexander ask ed a friend, Horace Watson, to give his stalled car a push Monday, the friend complied with his own automobile. The stalled vehicle struck a parked ear and a tree, went through a fence, under a clothesline filled with clean wash, and then into another fence, where a steel pole brought it to rest. 4a mm ml HURRYr Tomorrow Last Day! UNBELIEVABLE BARGAINS STORE-WIDE!! SALE TABLES ON ... , 1st Floor Balery 2nd Floor DOORS OPEN 9:30 AM, Daily NO LAY-A-WAYS London tl!P! Mrs, Minnie Haiseiden, B5, who taught in a London school from lli to 1948, returned there to dayas a student In after noon sewmg" efasses. tl COME EARLY! GET FIRST CHOICE! Mas OHUS for CASH! EXTRA C0 30 DISCOUNT OH SALE ITEMS OPEN FRIDAY NIGHT SALE ENDS WEDNESDAY, JULY 3RD 4 Amelia Earhart Missing 26 Years Atchison. Kan.-tlW-Amclta Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared somewhere in the Pacific 26 ""years ago today. The famed aviatnx and Noonan were on a leg of a round-the-world flight. Miss Earhart .was born here July 24, 1898. On July 24, the city will salute the "first lady of aviation." The program will include the iirst-day issue of a commem orative air mail stamp, and U. S. Postmaster Gen. J. Ed ward Day will be the main speaker. The ceremony will be at Amelia Earhart Stadium. Atchison's municipal airport also is named after Miss Earhart. H JIM 1 . If ?c r i'i , vr. 5 bus BB&Ui.ijJUHW mill m m mi imui . . - J 4 Entertaining idea: A bedroom extension phone Whrrs yoaVc cstieflafriftsg gtsssls ai item!?, haw nice it is ta sayr "t'w &ar twftrwMH plwsfse. AfirJ rSarsitg ihe t?ayt a herfrcoffi exfes stEon phottp, jsvrs yott jirps when yoa're dmrtg iFse haaseworfef cfTers yott priceless jecurtiy whert yoa're afotte in ihe hsuse at mgitt.To wffer yoiiFsjiiH eaH ihe tetejvhmte huHttess office aad ask Beverly, the Exietwitm GirL ?mim H08,mm$r SEU-
