Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, October 20, 1963, Image 13

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Medford mail tribune., October 20, 1963, Image 13

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Newspaper Page TextMKDFUKU .MAIL TK1BUNK. AlbUFOKl), OKEfciO hUNUAY, OCTOBER 20. 1963 g j Witnesses Make Pilgrimage To Plead for Action To Curb Air Pollution By MARGARET A. K1LGORE United Press International WASHINGTON (UPI) - Con gress has been asked to help take death out of the air we breathe. A steady stream of witnesses have made the ' pilgrimage to Capitol Hill to plead for federal action to curb air pollution, the unwanted child of a prospering economy. The most alarmed point to smog-plagued Los Angeles, or to London in 1952 when 2.000 per sons died from polluted air. Others admit there is a prob lem, but say it is not yet a menace and could be ended by a not-too-expensive appropria tion from Congress. Local Level Problem Still others say there is no need for congressional legisla tion that pollution can be stopped on the local level. In Congress, the House al ready has passed a cleaner air bill. The Senate still is to decide but the consensus is that there will be no action at this session. Out of the wealth of testimony presented to Congress, two things are certain pollution does exist in some degree all over the nation, but it can be remedied, and has been in some places. In Pittsburgh, the street lights burn only at nights now. The reason: the city moved to curb the blanket of soot that once hung over the steel-making cen ter. Air Is Filtered In Chicago, the average house holder's cleaning bills have been cut by $41 a year because offi cials moved to filter the air. These two industrial cities have been leaders in the fight to abolish "sewers in the sky." Pittsburgh Mayor Joseph Barr says "Our efforts initially were aimed at restricting the use of coal which produced heavy smoke. Thousands of homeown ers changed from coal to nat ural gas for home heating. Die sel locomotives replaced nearly 1,000 steam engines in use around the city." Cooperation among the citizens produced the solution, he said. Different cities have different problems because of variances in climates and fuels. Automobile Exhaust In Los Angeles, the main prob lem is automobile exhaust. In London, it's coal smoke. In New York City, it is ash and smoke from burning garbage and from oil refineries across the Hudson river in New Jersey. Elsewhere, it is smoke and dust and smells from steel mills, cement works, power plants, smelters, oil refineries, paper mills and chemical plants. Industrial air pollution can be reduced significantly by obtain ing the right kind of device. For example, an electrostatic precipitator mounted in a fac tory chimney picks the soot and fly-ash out of the smoke. It works by electromagnetic at traction in the same way a glass rod rubbed with silk picks up bits of paper. Problem of Devices Other devices mix the escap ing gases with water in a whirl ing cyclone, run them through filter bags like those of a vac- STARK'S I "YOUR VACUUM CLEANER HEADQUARTERS" WARRANTED USED AUTOMATIC ELECTROLUX BIG MODEL "60" VACUUM CLEANERS! This Ii the automatic Model Sold for Over $100 When NfwT Feature Pop-Out Disposable lir Do Not Confuse HTTP'S SALE W 0Jx 'H Model. I $TAR i A . That We Sell 1 lll I .it TERMS I 1 i QQWH - Complete with Attachments STARK'S 1 YR. FREE WARRANTY INCLUDED ! COME IN OR TELEPHONE FOR FREE TRIAL . . . PHONE 772-4998 ' 71 ALLOWANCE M-l 0-20-63 622 N. Riverside OPEN T 9 P.M. Mon. & Fri. Othtr Diyll To 6 P.M. uum cleaner, or expose them to chemicals which capture the va pors. The problem with all of them is that they cost money- lots of money. A catalytic cracking unit in an oil refinery may cost $7 mil lion. Smog control equipment for it costs S3 million. An open hearth furnace in a steel plant may cost $200,000. A smoke con trol device attached to it costs another $150,000. The little dry cleaning shop on the corner may need a carbon filter. And that costs about $3,000. Aside from the obvious nui sance value of dirty air, there is considerable controversy as to how much health is adversely affected from pollution. Classic Examples Cited The classic examples which are cited to show the danger of pollution to health occurred in Donora, Pa., in October, 1948, where one-third of the popula tion of 14,000 became ill and 17 died from chemical air pollution. In December, 1953, New York City was pinned under an "in version" that trapped filthy waste between layers of air making the air unfit even le thal for human lungs. The week-long smog was blamed for more than 200 deaths. London has different problems with a pea soup fog, which rolls in frequently, and only last December claimed 340 lives. Following this disaster, the British passed a clean air act designed to reduce pollution. Im proved coal burning practices required by that act have re duced the amount of particle matter in the air. The National Tuberculosis as sociation, which keeps close tabs on the environmental effects to health, says, "Air pollution and its effects on health, while not precisely definable at present, are probably significant over the course nf vears." Putting the Donora and Lon don fogs disasters in perspec tive, the association said: "It is easy enough to recog nize the threat of air pollution when an acute local episode such as these incidents reach the headlines. "But, in all probability, the State Education Board Will Meet SALEM Proposed rules gov- erning distribution of the Basic School Support fund for pupils enrolled in non-public schools who attend public schools on a part time basis will be consider ed by the State Board of Educa tion at the meeting Tuesday, Oct. 22, in Salem. The rules indicate that these pupils may be included by the public school district in claims for Basic School Support Fund aid. Total days membership for such pupils would be determined by totaling the number of hours of public school instruction which was provided in the reg ular session for all of the non public school pupils and dividing by six. Average daily membership would equal the total days mem bership as computed and divided by the number of days actually taught during the regular ses ' sion in the public schools where ', they attended. ! School district reorganization and possible boundaries for a proposed Mid Columbia Area Education District also will be among other matters to be brought before the board. PORTLAND (UPI) Bruce Kelly announced his resignation Thursday as conductor of the nationally-known Forest Grove Gleemen and Girls. A great buy! Both only... $07777 4c- u 0 0 I " LKAI54, UD32X ) fl A two-speed washer... one speed for regulars another for delicates For regulars? A brisk, vigorous wash ing. For delicates? A slower, more gentle agitation. And, you'll like these features: 3 wash-rinse temperatures e Automatically blends in detergent, filters out lint e Washes up to 12 lbs. And two-cycle dryer... one cycle for regulars another for wash 'n wears Special 5 minute cool-down period helps wash 'n wears dry wrinkle free. Other features are: Damp dry setting e Special cycle for air fluffing bed ding, garments Lint screen e Satin smooth drum. NO MONEY DOWN - PAY ONLY $1375 A MONTH Paulsen & Gales Appliance CENTRAL rOT, OKWON PHONE 664-1259 Urge InefaitwmVwil Dealer in Jackson County very people who were felled in these disasters were those who had already become chronically disabled by respiratory disease. One certainly wonders if the day-to-day exposure to the same air pollution at lower levels over periods of years might not have been just as important as the dramatic episode that took their lives." Testifies at Hearing Sen. Abraham A. Ribicoff, D Conn., sponsor of a bill to put the federal government domi nantly in the research field to obtain clean air, testified in congressional hearings on the health aspects. 'Leading scientists feci that air pollution may have a good deal to do with aggravating heart conditions and increasing susceptibility to such respiratory diseases as asthma and bron chitis," Ribicoff said. But no body knows tor sure. So who is to blame and what can be done about it? Industries certainly come out as the prime villains, but they have tried to cooperate, prod ded by local ordinances and civic pride. Their standard objections to pollution control equipment has been cost "You'll drive jobs out of town," or "It will price our product out of the market. Willing To Clean Up Actually, in many cities, a company has shown to be quite willing to be compelled to clean up, provided its competitors are rorced to go to the same ex pense. The states have helped some. Figures from the Senate Public Works committee show that one third of the states have estab lished programs to deal with pollution, but most of these are limited in scope. Local government programs, where they exist, are generally understaffed and without suffi cient financial means to act ef fectively. Only 34 local programs across the nation have annual budgets exceeding $25,000 and seven of these are in California. Of the other 51 local air pollution con trol agencies, 21 try to function on less than $10,000 a year. In the past decade, despite a 30 per cent increase in urban pop ulation, there has been, outside of California, no overall increase in manpower to combat air pol lution at the local level. Major Pollution Problems It has been estimated that in 1961, major air pollution prob lems existed in 308 urban places. This represents an increase of 84 in a decade, the committee said. About 7,300 places, housing 60 per cent of the population, are confronted with air pollution of one kind or another, the com mittee concluded. The federal government did not enter the clean air fight to any degree until 1955 when it passed a law authorizing the Public Health Service to study control. This was followed up in 1960 by a law directing the surgeon gen'-al to study the problem of motor vehicle exhausts and their effect on human health. This has resulted in filters called "blowbys" being required in several states. They (it on car exhaust pipes. 'Smog' Alert System Only this month, a "smog" alert system was put into oper ation by the Public Health Serv ice and the U. S. Weather Bu reau. It is considered unlikely that Congress will take final action this session, but Sen. Edmund S. Muskie, D-Maine, has con ducted public hearings this sum mer on what the federal govern ment should do in the field. The House has passed a bill, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth! A. nooerts, u-Ala., which provides $5 million in grants to be marln for research each year with a four-year limitation. .-: ': Ktbicoff's bill would provide federal grants totaling $74 mil lion to studv air nollution raiisa and effects over a 10-year peri- oa. The Kennedy administration is known to back the bills, but favors providing an unlimited time for research with Congress making annual, unspecified appropriations. OUR TOPS ARE BACK 90 "iVJust an old fashioned wood top. cents Does nothing but spin. Carved from hard woods. from the COLONIAL HOUSE'S International selection of fine and unusual giftware. located at Trowbridge Electric 29 West Main DIFFERENCE IS SIIOWN-Congress has been asked to help take death out of the air. Pittsburgh, Pa., has done a great deal to decrease smog, as these "before" (top) and "after" (bottom) pictures show. The view is toward downtown Pittsburgh from Liberty Tubes before smoke control and after in April, 1951. (UPI) Grading Completed On 13-Mile Section Of Mountain Road Grading on a 13-mile section of the Lake of the Woods high way has been completed and approximately 96 per cent of the sub-base surfacing has been done, according to F. L. Som ers, project contractor. The project, under construc tion for the past three years, is a bureau of public roads con tract. It is part of the Winne-mucca-to-the-Sea route. Somers said that with the completion of sub-base surfac ing in about two weeks a bitu minous surfacing will be placed. An additional five-mile sec tion also is under construction to the west of the Somers proj ect. This section joins the pres ent highway east .of Browns boro which is paved to the boundary of the Rogue River National forest. Being Reconstructed The latter project, in the vi cinity of McAllister Soda Springs, is being reconstructed due to slides in the area. Con tractor is Thomas J. Parker and Associates Inc., Ashland. While the highway is pass able, heavy construction with some one-way traffic, will be encountered, particularly in the western end of the projects, it was noted. Except for the 18- mile section, the highway be tween Highway 62 and Upper Klamath lake is paved. Somers noted that moisture content in the materials in the construction area has hamper ed work, making it difficult to obtain fill material which meets federal specifications. Passing Lane When completed the highway will be 48-foot width except in hill sections where the two lane road will be increased to three lanes, for uphill passing. The high-standard all-weather paved road, when completed, will have no grade steeper than 6 per cent and no curve greater than 10 degrees. Since 1959 the project has cost nearly $4 million. Contracts which remain to be let will be the paving of the 18-mile section. At a meeting of the Winne-mucca-to-thc-Sea Highway asso ciation in Winncmucca, Nev., last month, the group urged that the road be brought into the Oregon highway road sys tem and given a number. This step is necessary, it was explained, before a uniform route number can be assigned the overall route from Crescent City, Calif., to Winnemucca. Association Will Carry Out Project Differently in '63 Jackson County Mental Health association will carry out Its an nual Christmas gift project in a cliltereni manner mis year De cause of the reorganzation of the State Hospital into geographic units, spoKesmen lor tnc associ ation have announced. Jackson county is now in unil VI, which also includes Jose phine, Douglas, Coos and Curry counties. It is estimated that this oi-nn will hnm nhnlll !UHI hnsm- talized patients this year for wnom ine jacKson coumy asso ciation wishes to provide gifts. Gifts for the approximately 300 nnranns will hf SnlifilpH fl'OlTl business, church groups and oth er organizations. Chairman of Project Mrs Hprhprt Clifford is chair man of the local committee and will Hiroci thp nroeram. Officers of the association arc the Rev. Fred Evans, president; Mrs. Phyllis Pesenti, vice president; Mrs. Bruno Rath, secretary, and Mrs. Chester Guches, treasurer. Mrs. Robert Minear, assisted by Mrs. Una B. Inch will serve as liaison person for the hospital project and for the Fairview Home, two separate projects. Mrs rathrvn Snrinecr. direc tor of social services for the State Hospital at Salem, wrote, in urging early action on the project, "Christmas in October? No. It is just that now is the time to begin planning for the Christmas gifts project for our patients. One ol tnc ricnesi Den r;tc nut- nntinnts have is the service provided by the people of the community 10 inane me more meaningful here. Budget Restrictions "Budget restrictions and lack of trained personnel means that only with your contributions will it be possible to provide, for all our patients, especially those without family or funds who would otherwise he forgotten." During October and Novem ber the committees in charge of ioci will ask members to help in getting to individuals and groups specuic imormauun about the project. m s - 4 . You can live the "Happy Days Ahead at Woodburn Senior Estates on a modest retirement income ;ti! vTTfj. tfVft. a - ' r-i ix'f.,1 . - I v wrun 9A 14 mun i n; t 43 ViJ Get Your Furnace NOW WHILE SPECIAL PRICES are N at RITE-WAY HEATING CO. k -k -k THROUGH OCTOBER ONLY 1. Easy Terms 2. No Down Payment RCGULAR FURNACE PRICE I All prictt ineludt complete ) instillation with pipts I rut all now and start pay- manri in December CALL 779-2215 For Free Estimate $530.00 (Gat) $565 00 (Electric) $591.00 (Oil) $625.00 (Gis) $711.00 (Oil) $651.00 (Electric) ... $730.00 (Gi) $805.00 (Oil) $911.00 (Oil) $1051.00 (Oil) SALE PRICES $430.50 $489.00 ..$496.50 .$539.00 .$589.00 .$549.00 .$639.00 .$639.00 .$741. 00 . $889.00 Rite-Way Heating eo. 245 North Riverlid Here at Woodburn Senior Estates you have so much for so little. You can own your own home on your own lot for as little as $325 down and monthly payments of only $74 that include principal, interest, taxes, insurance on a total cost of only $9,475! No founders ur admittance fees. Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this completely new community is designed for active retirement living on a modest income. You may choose from 22 attractive home exteriors ... 1 bedroom and 1 garage up to 3 bedrooms with double garage. Shopping Center, Country Club and shuttle bus service. At Woodburn Senior Estates you may play golf on your own course as often as you wish the year 'round . . . fish or hunt in hundreds of streams and fields . , , take leisurely trips to the coast and mountains . , . and share your many pleasures with interesting friends. This is the happiest, friendliest place in the whole Northwest. Come visit and see for yourself. Drive the flower lined streets and see the new model homes now open every day. Recreation unlimited -All usmng, Lrfir' WilHl hunting Gardens rjj i! jjf.m IF flourlth. k" "i V, KZISaSO Flowers and X I l1'-! vegetablei I I really growl I ' I mpjty "'fie J $m" 9t"M ' "---1 "1 Frlende to hare your pleasures and activities Woodburn Senior Estates i 1405-H Princeton at Counlry Club Rod Woodburn, Oregoa LOCATED lust 20 miles south ol Portland 12 miles north of Salem. Turn right oft Interstate Freeway 9 ! Woadbuw bit. ISJ t.L, let, I I WOODBURN SENIOR ESTATES 1405-H Princeton el Country Club Road Woodburn, Oregon -I'm Interested. Please mall, without any obligation on my part, your FREE COLOR BROCHURE describing Woodburn Senior Estates In lull detail, Send, coupon lodav lor FREE ColorBiochurt j Name- Address- City Stt -ZC -U. 4 O O