Image provided by: North Santiam Historic Society; Gates, OR
About The North Santiam's Mill City enterprise. (Mill City, Or.) 194?-1949 | View Entire Issue (March 31, 1949)
Serving the Xorth Santiam Valley The North Santiam’s Mill City. Cates, Mongold, Detroit and Idanha Mill City Enterprise VOLUME IV, NUMBER 13 S2.M A YEAR. S CENTS A CBPY MILL CITY. OREGON. THURSDAY. .MARCH SI. 1949 Looking Up House Votes $11 Million $250,000 Housing and Down For Detroit Dam, 1950 the Canyon Project to Start By CHARLES WOLVERTON Salute to Bob Veness! Last week The Enterprise saluted the town and its organizations for the alert and wise way they have met t'.ie problèmes ami the opportunities that have come with the great De- roit Dam project now under way on the North Santiam Canyon. But this week we ought to get down to cases, to people, to a partic ular person, in the distribution of praise, the ungiudgingly offered ap plause of the entire community. That man is Bob Veness. From many who have themselves been active and hard at work in be half of the community these words have come: “If Mill City gets the CBI housing project, the credit for it belongs to "Bob Veness.” We concur with that, and could add a lot moie to the ac- compl shments of this tireless work er for the city and for the Canyon. A newly activated Chamber of Com merce owes much to Bob’s enthusi- astic labors. A garden club recently was foi med. Bob helped initiate it. The list of his works does not end there, by a good deal. It all adds up however to days upon days spent exclusively for the community—good deal more than a 4> hour week for the past couple months or more, con tributed willingly and without stint —and to the neglect of his own bus- iness. Sometimes a man who gives a $10 bill to eveiy drive that comes along feels he’s doing his part flor his home town. And cash does mean a lot. But there are too few of us who will give our time, day and night, to the ■rv: -e of our ew.rwn’ty.* 'I nat is the larger contribution. I don't think the town knew, I don’t think Bob knew, h ■ had so much to contribute to use here. Like the stranger said to the gal on Whistle Corner: “Wher ehave you been all our lives’” The Detroit Dam fared better than ordinarily this week in the House of Representative*, which voted to ap propriate $11.000,000 for its construe- tion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1950. Word of the artion was sent to the Salem Chamber of Commerce by Rep Walter Norblad. The appropriation Ts subject to a 15 per cent reduction if lower build ing costs warrant. The Army Engineers requested $11,300,000. No word was leceived on the nirtrnm. of a request for a $2,000,000 deficiency appropriation in Unionization Discussed for High School Action on unionization of the high schools of Gates and Mill City, with several non-h;gh districts included, this week awaited meetings of the two boards to decide further ste’is. An enthusiastic meeting was held by taxpayers of several districts at the Gates school last Thursday night. About 50 attended the meeting call ed by the Gates school board. They heard Mrs. Agnes Booth, Marion County school superintendent, and Don Emmerson of the State Depart ment of Education, present argu ments ftsr ufiionizotion. Both officials asserted that better school standards and wider curricula were possible in schools with a wider tax base. At present there are between 20 and 25 students in Gates High and about 80 in Mill City. Next steps toward unionization, if they are taken, are elections in the separate districts and petitions. The meeting heard the issue dis cussed, but was not an official school session and could take no action, be seen at Silver Saddle station, Mill 4 City. $1800. Bi ought out at the meeting was the fact theat Bob Van Eaton of this community had walked over the hill above Gates the last two years to attend high school, bad weather fi nally ending his daily 10-mile trek this winter. 1 aould name a half a dozen in stances of people in ho've put out- landish prices on their land losing out here ttfflh those who are coming in to start new businesses and other developments Tn variably, there are other people, with the better inter ests of the town at heart, who are willing to offer ground at prices that are acceptable—the result being that everyone, including the landowner, THEY LIKE OUR STORES being better off thereby. Twould appear that Mill City bus Towns have developed into cities by actually giving industries sites to inesses are so popular with custom establish upon. And it pays off for ers that they can’t even wait to get everybody. A good payroll is worth out of their cars Tuesday, several U. S. Employ more than any initial high price on ment officials, of Salem, were attemp a plot of unused land. ting to park in front of the Mill City • • • Looking about the town and seeing Pharmacy, and their car got out of what could be done, what needs to be control and ran into the store. The window pane done to beautify it, I »*r reminded door, supports, and a were broken. of an old German woman in my home The same day Mrs. Wendell Gil- town in Kansas. She bad rooms foi bert of Salem ian into the storeroom rent, nice ones, too, but her hor un of the Mill City Funmiture Co. when fortunately was located near the creamery, which manufactured but she release.! the brake of her car as termilk powder. That process c:rates she was backing it out. No damage • a powerful smell, one which makes was don*. Pittsburgh, Pa., seem like a fresh air resort. The gentleman looked at the room, liked it and was about to rent it when Funeral services for Mrs. Marietta he opened a window. The o<ior of Navarra Smith, 82. who died Thurs the buttermilk powder plant almost day at the home of a on. Charles E knocked him down. Smith, of Gortes, were held in the “Madam,' he said, “I like the room chapel of the Weddle Funeral Home very much, but I'm afraid I couldn't i n Stayton Sunday afternoon, the stand that smell.” Rev. Willard Buckner, Staytim. ofli- “Ach.” she exclaimed. “It var no- I elating. Burial was in Fairview Ce tingkl After awhile, Mister, you If«“* metery, Gate«. «o you sorts like dot shtink ’’ Mrs. Smith was bom in Toledo. O., It’» the same with much of our i May 23, 1866 where *e marr ed Wil town. We’ve become accustomed to liam Jack Smith in 1896. They came seeing unsightly spectacles. We don’t to Gates in 1901 and since 1938 ahe even notice them any more. mS'Ce her home in Mill City. It’s up to the new garden dub to She was a member of Rebekah point them out to us. lodge for 42 years and a past noble • • • grand of Santiam Lodge No. 166 This is no BULLetin: Y’our editor’s of Mill City. new crop of hair, which started re Surviving are five »one. Robert J.. cently beca-.se of a secret formula Salem; William J.. SHtherlin; Charles on a head that looked like • weil-1 g- E., Gates; Raymond J.. North Bend; a ged-off mountaintop, is still in and George French. Toledo. Another thriving condition and continue* to son. Amoa French, died during the amaze even the most skeptical. first world war. And two daughters. EdUth McCann. Burlington. CaU Mr».___ GRAVEL FIRM REGISTERED and Mrs. Alice Hoeye. Mill Cityt a The Colgan Construction Co., of brother. Ru-' -lph Navarre, of Toledo, Mill City was registered under that and a sister in the east name this wwek in the eourthouaa Mrs. Smith Dies the current year. In Salem Friday, Col. 0. E. Walsh, district Army engineer, Portland, told an audience of Salem busine«- men that the engineers were plan ning to divide the reservoir clearing job in smaller parcels to enable local logging concerns to share in U»e job. He also told many details of the plans for the dam. Al Bauer, gener al manager of Consolidated Builders, Inc., contractors on the dam, also at tended the meeting. Robert Veness, secretary, repre sented' the Mill City Chamber of Commerce at the meeting? at which Gov. Douglas McKay and other state officials were present. The $11,000.000 fund also includes the initiation of work on Big Cliff Dam three miles below the big pro ject. I ■ŒI ! Enterprise Will Get New Office In A Month BONNEVILLE GETS FUND OK The Bonneville Power Administra tion’s full request for $6,917,000 for the Goldendale-Detroit-Goshen (Eu gene) transmission line was approved this week by the House Appropria tions Committee in Waihington, it: was announced today by W. E. Troffi- merhausen, district manager, in Eu-' gene. “All transmission lines, substations and power facilities requested by the administration were approved,” he said. The favorable action virtually as- sures work according to schedule on lines and other facilities being built to serve the Detroit dam. Last year j BA suffered a drastic cwt in its re- qest. Although all projects were approv ed as requested in the President's budget message, the House commit tee «commended a 15 per cent cut if construction costs sow a decline. In recording all the developments around the Canyon. The Enterprise, two week« running, has failed to re cord that the Enterprise is soon to move into a new building. (If sonne folks complain theii sto ries don’t get into the paper, our defense henceforth will be that we sometimes ilon’t even get in our own stories.) Frank Blazek is building a two- story structure on a higway corner above the downtown section, cnstruc- tion under way with Roy Beebe in charge. The second ftoor'will house two apartments. The Enterprise, a soil of orphan among the boson esses around town, will soon emerge from the cobwebs into what, i n contrast, i s nothing short of a castle. Stiffler’s radio store will use the vacated ¡«pace for expansion. The move will be made within a month. “ • i ......... Blast Rips GARDEN ( LI B MEETS The Milt City Garden Club was to meet Thursday evening at the home of Mrs. Albert Toman to bear a re port by Mrs. Kerr, who has been In touch with the State Highway De partment in regard to beautify ng the north bank of tha highway on the Marion County *»de, above the buai- neas section. A suggestion the tn angle at bridge be planted with shrub« and flowers. Cleaning of On Clearing Land Titles TAVERN NAME CHANGED A major housing development of at least 25 homes costing between $21X1.000 ami $250,000 will piobably be under way by next week here on a tract in the vicinity of the Canyon Park. Virtually all transactions transfer ring about seven or eight acres from several owners to the Consolidated Builders, Inc., Detroit Dam contrac tors, were completed early this week. A last minute hitch in the plans was encounteied when it was found that Linn County owned a small par cel that was thought to be included in another tract. However, this frac tion af an acre was bought from thff county. Inasmuch as all the property in volved had been given guaranteed ti tles in previous transactions, further legal details are felt to be easily ex pedited. —• The 25 homes will house key per sonnel, and their familyoes, of CBI. Property for the housing develop ment was purchased from th Lions Club, Robert Swift, l<eunard He man and Mrs. Ogden, with the additional county-owned land. The price pai for the Lions Club tract waa $2400. The entire piece was bought for about $6000. Streamlined Construction Planned. Joe McNeely ,CBI housing expert, »aid that the homes would be built with assembly line methods. A cen- tial sawing ai.d assembly shop will be set up. Here all timbers and lum ber will be deliverer!, and then taken to each home site pre-cut and ready for the carpenters. Union labor will be used. Tentative landscaping calls for h sweeping, cuived street entering In to the site from two points on the north. A side street connecting the arc also has be, n considered. How, ever, exact platting has not yet been undertaken. Officials of the company were hop ing to break ground by Apill 4. CBI liked the site because it was convenient to the school and its lo cal offices. The company is considering some additional temporary housing for la ter on. The name of the Idanha Tavern, which wae purchased recently from Bud Gesher by Marion Aiderman of Myrtle Creek, has been changed to the Spillway Tavern by its new own PLY .MILL BREAKS DOWN er. The Idanha Veneer Co. was shut Mr. Aiderman'» family will move to Idanha as soon as housing is av down for several hours last week as the result of a broken drivedhaft on ailable. one of the large motors. It’s Old Home Week as Gang Of Oregonship Starts on Dam CARS COLLIDE A car driven by Even Evenaon, Id anha, collided Saturday witn another automobile while he wa* en route to Redmond, damaging both can bad ly. No one was injured. The arevdent was blamed ou wind and snow. The Evenaon car lost two fenders and a headlight. His son, Ed die, was with him. Subcontract A modernization plan for Detroit and Idanha was discussed Tuesday in a joint meeting of the Canyon Com mercial Club and the Women’s Civic Club at the high school in Detroit. Street lighting, sidewalks, i a water system, sewage disposal and law en- forcement weie discussed. Denver Young, Marion County sheriff, talked about his plan to additional deputies assigned to tne upper Canyon communities. Sam Palmerton, Detroit - Idanha fire chief, called upon Detroit men to respond to drill calls. Ed Sischo, Elkhorn Pioneer, Dies Sheriff Denver Young of Marion County snl<: la»; week he wo rld re quest the couu.y court Vr fun..» to h rt another deputy for th* upper Canyon area. He added “at a survey recently rr.-de show* I liiat at lo»»t five more men would be nteded h> next year. Col. Jack Miles, resident Army en « neer, to1 i M.- Young that 1500 rren, tn peak - npluyment, would be st work on the dam, about a00 in ; leai ing operations and another 500 or Big Cliff dam. With aux’lary em- p'oyment a total of about 100" «ould te at work in the area, he sail. The «he.iff assigned Larry Wright as deputy last summer after numer ous petitions from Idanha and De troit were presented to the county court. Before then an occasional state cop got up that way when the aroma of venison ipoasibly illegal) «afte«', down tho Canyon. Waits Find Detroit and Idanha Plan to Dress Up 35 Unhurt A steam explosion heard for many miles in the upper Canyon area de- i molished the Idanha Lumber Co. boi- lerhouse and mill Monday, but 35 workers escaped without injury. It was the mill’s first day of oper I ation after a shutdown of three months. Huber Ray, manager, esti mated damage at $20,006 and said it will take 30 days to get the mill back in operating condition. The blast was believd caused by the failure of a governor on the en gine which runs the power plant to function. A large flywheel picked up so much speed it literally flew apart, and pieces of it penetrated a six-inch steampipe ner by. Mr. Ray said the trouble probobly Ed (Dad)) Sischo, one of Elkhorn’s oldest rrridents. died Wersaay last developed as a result of machinery deteriating during the long shutdown. week in Salem' at the age of 81. Ed Hansen, fireman on duty in the Mr. an Mrs. Sischo and son R.y moved to Oregon from Wisconsin boiler room, somehow escaped injury. nearly 50 years ago. At first they set Heat became so intense a firs started tled in Salem, but in 1913 they moved in acetyl ne gas tanks, but it was quickly extinguished by the Canyon to Elkhorn. Ilod Sischo came to the Elkhorn Fire Patrol whnh had mdhed to the countty by team and wagon over the scene. Eveiythang in the boiler room was Gates hill, which then was the only destroyed, including generators. The • routr. For many years he drove a freight metal roof was stripped off the build wsgon oxer the route to the mmts ing which housed both main boiler room and mill. above. Early the san e morning a email He is survived by a son, Ray. of Elkhorn, and a grandson. Terry Ray. boiler in th* dry kilns, located south of the main building, blew up cau»- ing some damage. Fireman Carl I Schaffer had ju»t left the bo.ler room. Need Deputies, Says Sheriff Byers Wins The R. W Byers Construction Co. was awaided the subcontract last week on clearing about 140 acres of rough terrain in and near the dam site of the Detroit Dam. Consolidated Builders, Inc., main contractor on the big project in the Noith Santiam Canyon, annouiiced Ch award to the Byers firm, which has been engaged for the past six months in this area clearing 21 miles of right of way for a power line be tween Lyons and the damsite. Bidding for the subcontract was spirited. A local concern, formed of several logging outfits a month ago, placed a bid, but it was far out of line. The company ended up with on ly three outfits of an original six. The clearing apecifications call for grubbing in parts of the area: the damsite, the pirwer house site, part of an access ioad on the Marion side and about 11 acres at the Cuniley Creek quarry ske, most of which is above the top crest of the dam. The subcontract calls for comple tion of some tracts ae soon as 30 days, thers 70 and 110 days. Work will begin next week. ; Idanha Mill; MONTAG AWARDED CONTRACT A contract to build the Detroit- Lyons 230 kv transmission line was awarded last week ta C. J. Montag & Son, Portland. The concern, which has been a sub- contractor on the North Santiam highway, bid $694,654 on the 21.4 mile project, part of the McNary- Detroit-Goshen line which will sup- ply power for building the Detroit Dam and later will transmit power produced art that source to the Bon neville grid. 4 I It’s been old home week in Mill city for a fabulous group of men— the ones who built Bonneville a n n other big dame and then, without previous experience, became the top ship builders of the world. For the clan that built Boulder, Bonneville and Grand Coulee is back building dams again, right here in the North Santiam Canyon. It’s head ed by Russell Hoffman who was with the Herny Kaiser organization at all three dams and came to Portland to build ships In 1941 TTiat is a Aory all by itself. How an alert group of men, who didn't the portside from the po<»p<ieck man- aged to set a Wrld’s record of 400 Liberty and Vickery ships in two or three yeans. Another story is that <rf Willow Rbn. a huge war plant which Ka.ser- Frazer converted into an automobile factory—with the same gang of ex Sam builder». Among the other Kaiser personnel who have r*gx»rt*i at the Mill City office are Roy Kendler. ex paymaster at Oregonehip, later at Willow Run; I Ken Nielson, purchasing agent at Swan Island, later Willow Run; Ray Walker, warehouseman at Oregon- ship, later Willow Run; Ray Steiner, Unionmelt superintendent at Oregon- ship; Osay Mikkelaon, master mech anic at Oregonehip, later at K-F; Vince Palmer, a superintendent at Oregotiship and recently assistant to Al Bauer, general manager of CBI- Swan Island; Jack Lacey, cost en gineer at Oregnnship; Bert Provost, assorts nt superintendent at Oregon- «hip, later chassis asserrtbly boos at KF and now a concrete man on the Detroit dam; George "Scotty” Wright, erection superintendent at Oregonehip, later at K F; Ernie Bau er, BMistant office manager at Van couver yard, since at Swan Island; Eldon lent«, an administrative offi cial at CBI. Along with these are dozens of others, like Big Fred Snyder, now a Salem contractor, have renewed old frierwinhipH with the men with whom he worked at Bonneville this week, and Russ Kelly. Mill Ci(r lumber man, who worked with the aameclan.
