MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDfOHD. OREGON
MONDAY. AUGUST 5. 1963
Small Worlds
Around Us
By LYNN M. WATKINS
(Regiiter and Tribunt
Syndicate, -.963)
Horsehairs Used As Fish
Leaders On Floppy Poles
The old gentleman was
reminiscing regarding fishing
in the early days and it
brought up some peculiar,
questions, some of which were
difficult to prove or disap
prove. One was the relative
strength of horsehair. He
maintained that black horse
hair was stronger than white
horsehair, basing this conclu
sion on his early fishing ex
periences. This was the way
he based his deductions:
"I've been fishing for nigh
on 75 years, even more for
I'm 85 now and I was fish
ing when I was 5 or 6. Fish
ing then was as complicated
as it is today." He stopped
talking, leaving the argument
dangling in mid air, so we
asked, "Just what did black
or white hair from a horse
have to do with fishing?"
He was ready for that one.
Horsehair Leaders
"Well, son, horsehair was
what we used for leaders
long, black hair, good as any
leader I've ever used since.
Of course you had to use it
with a floppy pole but they
weren't hard to come buy;
willow was best. We cut the
pole right by the stream or
on the shore of the pond. We
didn't have tackle boxes, reels
or fancy poles or leaders
just home hooks, the willow
pole and the horsehair.
"On the way to the fishing
place we kept our eye out for
a big, black horse. The horses
that pulled the brewery wa
gons were best. A hair from
one of them might be as much
as five feet long. It didn't
seem to hurt the horse, they
never even twitched when we
pulled the hairs.
Floppy Pole
"Arriving at the stream or
lake we cut the pole, attached
the line, tied one end of the
horse hair to the line and the
other end to the hook. We
took particular pains to cut
a very floppy pole since the
more limber the pole the less
strain it put on the leader.
The pole absorbed the shock
of the striking fish.
"You see," he explained as
he detected - look of doubt
on our face, "the black hair
was not only much stronger
than a white hair but it didn't
look like it was there to the
fish. That's about all a leader
on a fish line is meant to do:
to fool the fish. The poor sap
can't see what the baited hook
is attached to. He thinks the
food is just hanging there in
the water.
"When we hooked a fish,
and we did more often than
we do today, we didn't lift
the fish out of the water.
That would have put too much
strain on the leader and the
floppy pole. We reached
down and lifted the fish by
hand.
Were Alive
"Funny thing, too, about
those horsehair leaders. They
were alive, you know. In fact,
they would live for a week or
two and it would twist and
squirm in the water turning
and twitching the bait, giving
it a lively action. A fish
could see the bait moving and
come charging in to grab it.
"Yes, sir, I remember when
the first leaders were on sale
at the general store. They said
they were gut leaders made
GUNS CAPTURED - Capt. A. H. Rowley, UN Command
Armistice Affairs officer, of New Milford, Conn., exhibits
Russian-made submachine guns and pistols captured from
four North Korean Communists killed in clashes with U.S.
troops and South Korean policemen near the Korean truce
line. The two submachine guns were made in Russia In
1945. (UPI)
from silkworm gut, but they
didn't work any better than
black horsehair.
"Then came the steel lead
ers which outlasted all the
others. Now I guess they are
made of synthetic materials.
Perhaps it's just as well for
there aren't many horses now
adays. But at the time, you
can't beat horsehair for a
leader, especially black horse
hair it was stronger than
white."
THE LOCKS THAT FAILED
Menlo Park, Calif. IUP0 Ev
ery available locksmith
around here was put to work
by police Sunday at 133
banks, jewelry stores, phar
macies and other establish
ments. A thief broke into the
office of a local janitorial
service and stole the keys to
the firms.
Suburban Chicago
Community Symbol
Of Racial Tension
Application Filed To
Set Aside River Lands
By AL KUETTNER
UPI Correspondent
A few blocks south of the
famous Chicago stockyards is
the suburban residential com
munity of West Englewood,
population about 20.000.
On a peaceful day in West
Englewood, a visitor on
South Morgan St. would fancy
himself in a typical small
American town, but one with
a strong accent of old Ire
land. Small homes, long owned
by the families within, have
their shade trees, lawns and
garden plots. Comiskey Park,
home of the Chicago White
Sox, is nearby.
Right now, things are far
from peaceful in West Engle
wood. The place thai was
once known as Canaryvillc,
for some obscure reason, has
become one of the outstand
ing examples in the nation of
"phase two" in the desegre
gation struggle.
Press for Rights
This is the stage in which
Negroes are pressing for full
implementation of laws and
regulations that long have
banned racial barriers le
gally. One problem in West En
glewood is neighborhood tran
sition from White to Negro
occupancy. Another is the
strong determination of the
White Irish to hold fast
against moving.
They have stuck together
through thick and thin in
Canaryville - wars, birth,
death and marriage - and
they consider this bit of Chi
cago their own private do
main. West Englewood has pro
duced many of the Irish po
licemen who are now on duty
there trying to keep racial ',
trouble from exploding into
a major riot.
It also was home to many
hoodlum youngsters who went
on to the underworld.
Negroes Moved Closer
Over the past several
years, the Negro population
has pushed over closer to
West Englewood. But re
cently, when Negro families
moved into flats at 565!) and
5754 South Morgan, the white
residents nearby reacted as
though their street had been
invaded.
The pattern of changing
neighborhoods in the area has
been more or less traditional.
As Negroes moved closer,
"for sale" signs went up and
within weeks entire blocks
changed. But there are few
"for sale" signs on South Mor
gan st. Apparently, the Irish
plan to stay. '
They blame real estate in
terests who gained control of
some South Morgan st. prop
erty for selling them out.
Although the most explo
sive problem in the Windy
City, West Englewood is but
a symbol of growing racial
tensions that plague public
and civil leaders.
The bureau of land man
agement has announced that
the forest service has filed an
application to set aside 815
acres of scenic land in the
Siskiyou National forest in
Curry county.
The lands are within a rug
ged section of the Rogue Riv
er canyon and are needed for
development of the Lower
Rogue River Recreation area.
Stanley D. Lester, BLM
land office manager, said some
of the land included in the
addition has been acquired
through exchange since the
original withdrawal of lands
for this recreation area. The
lands are requested to be
closed to location and entry
under the general mining
laws, subject to valid existing
claims.
The application is a part
of the continuous activity by
both the BLM and forest serv
ice to preserve and develop
scenic lands having signifi
cant recreation values for pub
lic uses. The BLM and the
forest service administer ad
jo i n i n g recreational areas
along the lower Rogue river.
A detailed description of
the affected land will be pub
lished in the "Federal Regis
ter." It will also be posted
in the BLM land office in
Portland, the courthouse at
Gold Beach, and in local post
offices.
The department of the in
terior will give the public 30
days from date of publication
A 5
Hitchhiker Wanted on
Charges of Larceny
A hitchhiker arrested by
state police Friday night is
wanted on charges of parole
violation and larceny of auto
in "which to comment on the I charges, state police have
proposal. Written comments
should be sent to the manager,
land office, bureau of land
management, U. S. depart
ment of the interior. 710 NE
learned.
Robert Gene Wiggins, 25,
Greenfield, Ind., is being
held in the Jackson county
jail after being, arrested on
Holladay
Ore.
ave.,
Portland 12, ; Interstate 5 near Medford, of
ficers said.
ANSWED TO A SCARE
San Francisco - IUP1I - A
post office clerk casually toss
ed a small package into a bin
the other day, heard it begin
to whistle and summoned au
thorities. Army demolutiun
experts arrived on the scene
and carried the package gin
gerly to a parking lot. They
unwrapped two small walkie
talkies, whose switches ap
parently had been turned on.
I
- sss
WORDS that COMFORT
C7
J will lift up
mine eyes
Unto the hills,
fromwhencecometh myfoXp.
essiMBM
PERL
FKKEHAL HOME-
CORNER SIXTH AND OAKDALE
Spacious Parking Lot
We promptly res
fiond to all calls,
day or night.
MEMBER BY INVITATION
dn3ntcrmilwiuilcdffiliatimofrDrulalU(huiemffl
STANDBY
tiORT'NING
Pure All Vegetable
3-lb.
tin:...
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Orange, Creme, Root Beer
28-oi.
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CHEESE LOAF CHEF'S DELIGHT 2-Lb. Pkg. 59e
SALAD OIL westirn chef , 39'
INSTANT POTATOES 10e
DOG FOOD delight "10 . 89'
BISKIT MIX 29'
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fcartrf DEL MONTE GARDEN No. 303 Tin W tor m M
PAPER PLATES 77e
Ml kit I kH I mm PURITY 9" WHITE 1 00 Count Pkg. M M
GREEN BEANS, 8,.,99c
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IT
53
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PORK & BEANS
FLOUR
ENDEN SHAMPOO
STRAW HATS
VAN CAMP'S No. 2 Tin
HACIENDA Bleached Alt-Purpose 10-lb. Bag
DANDRUFF
REMOVER. Reg. 89c.
WESTERN STYLE. Values to $2.19.
MIDWAY MEAT GO.
Completely Tenderized
SMOKED
HAM
Whole or
Shank Half.
ail iy c s
REG. 5 TO 6 LB. AVERAGE
C0LOHED
Spotlessly Clean,
Wonderful to
Fricassee
FOWL
FANCY BTOIT SALE!
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23 s
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Tree Ripened Red
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19S
GRAPES
Sweet, Juicy, Plump
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AM
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Tasty Ripe,
Luscious Eating
23 s
Chop Suey
ROLLS
623
CINNAMON
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623
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43
Buttermilk
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is-oi. ar m
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