Looking Up
and Down
the Canyon
By CHARLES WOLVERTON
This week is my last as editor and
publisher of the Mill City Enterprise.
It marks the end of a little more than
three years when it was my privilege
to publish the events of the week of
the Canyon and Mill City.
It was a real privilege. For no
stianger could have been given a
more cordial welcome or a happier
environment in which to print a pa
per.
I say cordial in its real sense. Not
the cordiality of showy hospitality,
or even great outward friendliness.
But rather, that kind of cordiality
that tolerantly overlooked the mis
Mill City’s first charter electeion
takes with a good-humored chuckle;
the kind that willingly gave the ed has been postponed till Nov. 8 due to
itor the right to his say, whether in ' delay’ in posting notice, the city coun-
I cil ruled Wednesday night.
agreement or not.
In the three years of my editor
Copies of the charter can be pro
ship never once did a businessman cured from Earl Ragsdale, City re
threaten to cancel an ad out of a de corder, or are posted at City Hall,
sire to dictate what should or should the postoffice and the Enterprise of
not be printed. Never once did co- fice.
eicion of any sort appear.
Voting places are the City Hall on
Friendly words cheered us on when the Linn County side and The Enter
the going was rough, my family was prise office on the Marion side, from
welcomed as hospitably into the life 1 to 8 p.m.
of the community as if we had been
Mayor Harold Kliewer postponed
natives.
the
regular counciimanic election,
I’ve often read or heard tales df
city folks variously tieated when they which according to the proposed
move to small towns. There are grim charter would have been Nov. 8 this
stories of cruel gossip, or hopeless year, to the second week in Decem
boredom, or patronizing accounts of ber, the 13tlh, so that the charter’s
dear, quaint characters encountered. provisions for a 30 day period for
For my own part my life here has nominations and notice could be com
plied with.
found none of these.
The terms of Albert Toman and
The town, the Canyon, has been
Carl Kelly expire this year.
wonderful to me.
Theie must be something in\the
heritage of the town and the Canyon NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION
that makes them happy places to live
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL ELEC
in. The narrow-minded souls are sub
TION
TO BE HELD ACCORDING
merged by an overriding tolerance.
The dictatorship of cliques has to TO LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF
give way to a natural and pioud and ADOPTING OR REJECTING THE
vigorous democracy.
Cheap stand PROPOSED CHARTER FOR MILL
IS HEREBY
ards of money-grutbing make way CITY, OREGON.
for a generosity that comes from the GIVEN.
Pursuant to the provisions of an
heart.
These feelings I cherish about the ordinance passed by the Common
town and this legion perhaps gave | Council of the City of Mill City, Ore-
me the incentive to want to fight for . gon, there will be a special election
it—and I have done so,, often no held upon the Sth day of November.
doubt, with harsh words that were 1949, at the City Hall in Mill City,
not wise. Yet as time passed their Oregon, commencing at one o’clock,
sting, and the resentment that en P. M. and continuing until 8 P. M.
of said day, for the purpose of sub
gendered them, have gone away.
The Enterprise has grown since mitting to t£ie qualified voters of said
that laiiny October day we came—to city the proposition of adopting or
face three years of the hardest work rejecting the proposed CHARTER
we ever undertook, three years of for Mill City, (copies of said pro
tension and no little worry. But that poser CHARTER are now posted at
giowth has not been but in part our the City Hall, in the Post Office ami
contribution. It has been the result 1 in the office of the Mill City Enter-
of generous support of a friendly i prise; al) in the city of Mill City,
Oregon), and additional copies of
community.
If I have any criticism of the town, | said CHARTER are available for ex-
it is criticism which just as easily | amination at the Recorder’s office at
can be directed at me as a member | City Hall in said City.
of the comirjunity. Chiefly, our gieat-
The follotwing act shall be submit-
est fault here is a reluctance to join i ted to the ©lectors of said City for
together on programs to build and I their approval or rejection, to-writ:
strengthen our town. I have been as
"To enact a charter for the City
guilty as anyone else in this sin of of Mill City, Linn and Marian
omission. Yet we must strive to over Counities, Oregon.”
Said ballots
come this laziness in community en- shall also contain the words “Yes,
deavor.
I vote for the proposed Charter”
In the future—and the Canyon has and “No, 1 vote against the pro
a wonderful future—several import posed Charter” which ballot each
ant tasks remain to be done.
voter shall mark and cast accord -
First of these—even ahead of man j ing to law as each voter may de
ufacturing, is the development of a sire to vote.
stable agriculture in the feitile hills First Publication, October 27, 1949
nearby. Fruit finds a natural environ Final Publication, November 3, 1949
ment here. The vine and the tree, ! First Posted de,Occh’,TTrHHA ETA
even untended, yield as magnificent I First Posted, October 27, 1949
ly as the Land of Honey. Yet that's
Earl Ragsdale
the story—untended, undeveloped, un
City Recorder of Mill City,
used.
Oregon, by order of the
Along with the need of basic wood
Common Council of said city
industries to ieplace those that have
timidly quit is the need for a more
Hold at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
extensive use of labor on the raw
L..
A. Rada Saturday was a combin
products that are here. A more com
plete processing of wood, beyond the ation surprise birthday party for her
stage of dimension or planed lumber. daughter, Carolyn, and a hallowe’en
Third, is the need for a more full party for her grandchildren, Terry
use of wood waste, including the mil Lee and Tammy Lou Morris of Sa-
lions of feet of down timber. The ! lem and Linda Lou Copeland of
idea of rayon or cellophane appears Springfield. Attending were Mrs. Lo
well Stiffler, Neal and Wayne, Mrs.
logical, in this instance.
Fourth, to strengthen the process Ba trice Jones, Ronnie and David,
al eady underway of building a strong Mrs. Ella Caswell and granddaugh
ters Patty and Pamela SI a ten of
trading center here.
Fifth, the continued beautifying of Portland, Mrs. George Crook and
tire town, carrying on the good work Dickie. Mrs. Jack Carey and Phillip,
.Mrs. Barbara Walter. Mrs. Sig Jep
done the past year.
Lastly, keeping up the drive for a son, I.ucdle Ziebert and Mrs. T. H.
Morris and Mrs. E. L. Copeland.
modern highway into the Valley.
Joe Taman and daughter, Irene, of
• • •
Scio had dinner with the L. A Radas
IVn confident than I’m turning over Saturday.
to Don Peterson a better paper than
Later in the evening T. H. Morris
I took over three years ago. Because of Salo r and E. L. Copeland of
he comes, for the first time, to a vast .’ringfield, sons-in-law of the Radas,
ly improved town than the one that arrived from eastern Oregon with
I first saw.
•'■eir limit of ducks and geese.
T'-ie-.e is consolation in the fact that
Don Peterson will continue the pro-
aL’ ough I am resigning from the
paper. I'm still going to be a fellow *ss of improvement of The Enter-
citizen. Charles Sprague wrote that pri e To it he will add a rtrbstantial
it was part of the lure of Oregon that new industry to the town—a printing
* which I was unable to do
I «x>u!d choose to remain after the bos-new*
j’l«‘ire to.
piper was sold.
Charter Vote
Postponed to
November 8
T he MILL CITY
ENTERPRISE
VOLUME V, NUMBER 13
Chest Solicitor
Turns in $300
H. 1 Plymale, volunteer solicitor
for the Community Chevt, has oollect-
ted over $300 for the drive and ex
pects to reach $500 for the campaign.
And that’s more than the entire
collection last year.
A big boost to the drive has been
the formation of an incorporated
Community Chest for Mill City and
Gates. Under the new setup, about
70 per cent of the collection remains
in th« two communities, to foster and
aid sponsored organizations and pro
grams.
Mr. Plymale's districts were part
of the Linn County side and the bus
iness area.
Total collections to date have not
been announced.
Idanha Firsti
MILL CITY, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 194»
LYONS, MEHAMA
ELKHORN, MILL CITY
GATES. MONGOLD
DETROIT, IDANHA
1X90 A YBAR. 5 CENTS A COPY
Blast
Wrecks
For Water
System Begun, Gravel Plant
$20,000 Tank
Mountain States Power Co. this
week started construction of a 150,-
009 gallon water tank at the site of
♦he old tanks which have been re
moved.
The tank, which will cost about
$20,000, is the final big project of
the company's local improvement pro
gram. Last year a $25,000 settling
tank and pumping equipment was in
stalled. In addition, several miles of
larger mains have been put in.
The new tank will be about 40
in diameter and will set on a founda
tion of crushed rock. A Portland con
it ract ing flam is erecting it.
Again to Goal Paper Awaits
For .the third consecutive year,
Idanha iis thy first town in Marion
County to reach its Community
Chest quota.
This week’s Enterprise is the last
Sam Palmerton, local chairman, re-
proted Idanha ha I- gone over the top one to be published by its present
owners, Charles and Elsbeth Wolver
in its $500 quota last Wednesday.
ton.
Ownership and management
Huber Ray was co-chairman. I
passes to Don Peterson, lately of He
lena, Mont., with the next issue.
Mr. Peterson, a printer of over K0
years experience has been foreman
of the Educational Co-operative Pub
lishing Co. of Helena and a director
of that concern. In a story published
A tree planting project w-ast start in that company’s publication, Mr.
ed last week by the Forest Service, Peterson was referred to as‘‘one of
S. T. Moore, district ranges, has an the finest printing artists in the
nounced.
state.”
Forest Service workers are plant
Leo C. Dean, present foreman of
ing a 50 acre tract in the vicinity
ale
hack shop of The Enterprise, will
of Beard’s Saddle. About 30,000 trees
will be planted. The trees are two- take care of the advertising and ed
year-old fir seedlings from a Wind itorial duties of the new management
Mr. Dean has pulished weeklies in
River, Wash, nursery.
It will take a crew of five about the midwest, and was advertising
three weeks to complete the plant manager of the Capital Press, Salem,
for many years.
ing.
Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have pur
JOB OFFICE SEEKS QUARTERS chased a home here. They have six
Representatives of the Oregon Uu- children.
Mr. Peterson plans to develop the
employirrent Compensation Commi
sion said this week that it may have job printing department, and a new
to discontinue its local office this win Kluge automatic press, capable of
3500 impressions an hour, has been
ter if quarters are not found.
purchased by him.
Mr. Peterson wrote he expects to
TICKETS OUT FOR BENEFIT
Tickets were in the hands of vol arrive Saturday or nnfflLignorcad
unteer firemen this week for their arrive Friday or Saturday.
fifth annual benefit and dance Oct.
19. In anticipation of bigger crowds (Bl ROLLS UNCHANGED
Jack Murray, Consolidated Build
than ever, the firemen are preparing
ers,
Inc. executive, reported employ
for a bigger evenin.g
ment at Detroit Dam as unchanged
Harold Wiltse is general chairman
from last week when 490 were on the
of the benefit.
To newcomers in this region who job. Continued work on main projects
weren’t here in previous years, the of the dam was reported and pro
gress made.
affair usually draiws the biggest
crowds of any event in the Canyon.
Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Hoffman had ax
Lt is held in the high school gym, and
their
guests over the week end Mr.
proceeds go towards the purchase of
and
Mrs.
E. D. Andrews and sons
fire fighting or first aid equipmetn.
Jack and Dick.
Sunnie Hoffman went to Portland
The Lions Auxiliary met Tuesday
with
Mr. ami Mrs. Ray Steiner and
at the home of Mrs. Vernon Todd
children.
Sunnie visited Roosevelt
with nine members present. After the
High
in
the
afternoon and went to
business meeting a lovely luncheon
the football game in the evening.
was served by the hostess.
She spent the night with Mr. and
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wargnier and
Mrs. E. D. Andrews.
family drove to Springfield over the
Mrs. Lyle Roberts and children
week end visiting his sisters.
visited bis parents in Vancouver over
Th© newly oganized Bluebird group
the week end.
had their first meeting at the home
Mr. and Mrs Merritt Becfiler and
of Mrs. Vincent Palmer.
Mrs. Bechler’s sister and daughter
Miss Daisy Hendricaon spent Mon
day ami Tuesday in Portland visiting fom California spent the week in
Mr. and Mrs. Court«r.anche, former Portland and at the coast
Mr. and Mrs. George Vote to were
Mill City residents. Mrs. Albert To-
guests at a pheasant dinner Monday
•
evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
so were in Portland the same time.
R. C. King.
Stopping at the Lowell Stifflers on
Mr. and Mrs. George Veteto are
Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Frank
leaving for Portland this week end
Maloney, former neighbors, who are
to visit friends.
now living at the coast.
Attending National Campfire con
Hostesses at the opening of the
clave
in Portland this week are Mrs.
Mill City State Bank Saturday af
Vincent Palmer, Mm. Arthur Kriever
ternoon included Mrs. Clifford Trask,
and Mrs. Charles Harmon.
M s. W. W Allen. Mrs. C. E Mason,
Mr. ami Mrs. Carl Harr mon of Sa
Mrs. J. W. Scott. Mrs. J. K Harris,
lem stopped to see the C. E CbviHes
Miss Helen Wilson, Mrs. D. B Hill
Sunday.
< nd Miss lela Mel Kelly.
Byron and Tally Davie and Benny BILI.Y ROSE SAYS:
B'-nnett thought they saw a half-
‘The editor of a New York dai
c'lieken • ha'f duck in the Worden ly once told me that if he could
yard at Fox Valley Monday. The develop half the reader interest of
Wor ens report it's just an old hen. the average weekly newspaper, be
Kenneth Hickle and Clyde Bamey would be justified in doubling hi«
have pun-based lots in the Swift ad advertising rates.
dition.
New Owner
Tree Planting
Project Begins
Serving
Santiam Mills
Avalanche
Expand Plants Of Rock Hits
A big planer, capable of processing
Crusher
timbers up to 24 by 80 inches, was
put in operation at the Mill City I .
A big rock crusher near Highway
Planing and Processing Co. last week.
Called a ‘(bull” planer, it is one of 222 above the Detroit damsate was
the few of its kind in this timber virtually demolished Monday when a
producing state. The installation, in rock blast went awry, piling an av
cluding a new building which houses alanche of etone upon thousands of
dollars of equipment.
it, cost an estimated $10,000.
According to workers at the site,
Carl and Russell Kelly, partners
in the company, are now using it to a “coyote” blast had been set off with
a big charge of dynamite.
Faulty
produce 2x12s and larger stock.
Next step in their development will rock formation was blamed for the
accident, Which partly covered a big
be the construction of a dry kiln.
crusher and conveyer plant and sev
eral pieces of equipment.
The plant, set up by the Rogers
Construction Co. of Portland to pre
pare rock for the new North Santiam
highway, was being shipped out this
week far repair. Thursday the com
The Idanha Lumber Vo. has just pany was still digging out from the
completed the construction of <a large blast that covered an estimated $50,-
dry-kiln lumber starage building.
000 worth of equipment and with a
The building, which will be used a damage total of about $20,000.
to store surplus luYriber, is 136 feet
No one was injured.
long ami 72 feet wide, with a height
Workers said that the "coyot®”
of 42 feet. It is «imported by piers. blasting had been done at the same
The building, part of a big expan spot before without any trouble. But
sion program: of almost a third of a Ahis time the entire rock formation
million dollars at the big Idanha in around the explosion slipped and
dustry, wast started in July.
rolled over onto the equipment.
I (A coyote bole was explained as a
CAR SHORTAGE STYMIES
type of excavation where a email cut
LUMBER TRADE GAIN
Is made, then blasted out, followed
A serious shortage of freight cars by a bigger charge in the original
in the area has almost wiped out the opening.)
benefits of a stronger lumber market,
The crusher was set up not far
local mills reported this week.
from the slide area which gave the
Carl Kelly of the MS 11 City Planing Kuckenberg Construction Co., con
and Processing Co. said his yards are tractors on the highway, so much
full of lumber already on order but trouble the past year. The company
held here because of a lack of rolling finally had to carve out a series of
stock.
benches above the road to protect It
For over a month, other anillmen from falling rock.
The geological
reported, there has been a steady formation is rock creased with looae
gain in orders, and No. 2 and better dirt in that area and is subject to
grades are up about $5 a thousand frequent slide«.
above their low marks of the earlier
The Detroit office of the Bureau of
part of the year.
Public Roads declined to comment or
Continued good weather has given give infonmation about the mishap.
local mills good production figures.
The Willamette Shingle’s sawmill
between Gates ami Mill City, set up
to produce about 30,000 feet daily, cut
39,000 one day last week.
Most logging operations have con
tinued unihampered, and »now whitffi
More than 250 people attended the
fell in some of the higher shows has
opening of the Mill City State Bank
disappeared.
in its new quarters on First Ave. and
Front St. last Saturday, and another
Martin's Trailer Court.
50 or more stopped to see it the next
By Trigger Howard
day.
-
Mary Keitih entertained the child
The new interior, one of the most
ren of tfhe court with a birthday par-' modern and attractive in the Vallfy
ty in honor of her daughter, Beverly, • area, wax banked with flowers.
who is four years old. After the op- | D. B. Hill, cashier, said many of
ening of gifts, games were played the visitors were from out of town,
and refreshments served.
Fifteen an many tourists stopped to inspect
were present.
the building, where not long ago an
Opal Werner tangled with a cup unattractive <Ad red brick structure
the other day. The cup won, though. Stood.
It broke and cut an artery in her
Congratulations to the directors
wrist. She was rushed to the doctor came from many sources.
where several stitches were taken.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Hansen and ' The Carl Construction Co. of Sa
lem completely remodeled the old
daughter Sherry spent af few days
building, inside and out.
in Ixmgview thim week. They came :
home Wednesday.
Mert and Hip Carlson visited Mr. '
and Mrs. Ed Getz at Detroit Sunday |
afternoon.
I
Bobby and Evans Yates and Bell ;
and Todd MeGw saw the Show in Mill
City Sunday.
I A lively discussion on means to
Happy McElvaine took Gertrude expand local payroll wa< held at the
Woodrum and Trigger Howard into , Mill City Chamber of Commerce noon
Salem on business and shopping on , day meeting last Thursday.
Suggest ions included seeking new
Tuesday.
Edna anti Lou McCabe stayed at mills, investigating the idea of wood
hare Sunday and finished painting waste for the manufacure of cellulow
and the development of a recreation
their trailer.
Lee and Harvey Parks and friedns, ami tourist trade
Edna and I»u McCabe and Ralph | President J. C. Kimmel proposed
and Alice Jetton celebrated Harvey that publicity abbout Mill City be di
Parks' birthday Sunday. Helen and ( rected to the trade journals He will
Marion Wiley went hunting Sunday. set up an active committee to seek
out new industries for the Canyon.
Further discussion on the problem
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Veness and
children weed to Portland Tueaday. will be held next week
Idanha Mill Adds
StorageJShed
Bank Opening
Attracts 300
Chamber Ponders
Need for Industry