MILL CITY BEFORE DAM
Dam. Building
First Story
Of Year
MILL CITY
IDANHA
The year 1949 ushered in a pros­
perous and momentous era for the
town of Mill City, with construction,
and adoption of a city charter, mak­
ing the headline highlights for the
local area.
It was voted upon by residents to
adopt and have drawn up a charter,
giving the community of Mill City a
position of township and city in story
releases and on the maps. On Jan­
uary 20, a charter was readied and
approved by the city council, to be
This is an aerial view of Mill City taken from the air in March of 1949, before actual construction of Detroit
approved by the voters.
dam took place which has had a great influence on the town's growth.
(Picture taken by Buzz Fleetwood)
Petitions were inaugurated into the
community in February of 1949 to
NUMBER ONE PICTURE OF THE YEAR
ask for revocation of the charter.
Enough signatures were obtained to
grant the act. but the council, in the
c
meantime, had accrued franchise
C* S
debts to the Mountain States Power
company for electrical installation of
street lights and to the sanitary ser­
vice. The Marion county court said,
under the conditions, the charter •
legally could not be revoked.
The charter was finally brought
before the public for approval in
November, giving a majority vote
favorable to the adoption. The city
of Mill City became a reality soon I
after the election.
First election of city officials will
ABRUPT
take place January 16 of 1950 for
two council positions and annexation
I RISE
of five tracts of land. Following
SHIFT
1 GEARS
this election, the position of mayor
willbe filled by a city council member
who will be elected by the council.
Largest construction job in the
immediate locality for the year was
the grade school building, with more
than $200,000 going into its building.
Financing of the building had to be
made by the district because of lack
of funds by the schoolboard.
Highest monthly percentage rate
This is a picture of what happens when a heavily loaded truck tries to climb one of the hills on
of permits for construction were
Banfield's roller coaster while traveling through Mill City. This picture takes the number one
spot in 1949's Enterprise editions.
(Picture by Charles Wolverton)
granted in April of 1949 with more
than $30,000 issued during the first
Telephone service was disrupted and Consolidated Builders Incorpor­
week of the month. Hill Top store
was granted a permit for $10,000 for between Mill City and Detroit for ated of Portland, a Henry J. Kaiser
LET GEORG
construction of the building to house several days and February 10th, elec, concern.
WHAT?
trie service was out for nearly 20
The project brought with it loca­
the store.
Nearly $2,000 in permits were ' hours in Mill City because of damage tion of offices for the concern to Mill
OF COURSE
granted the second week of the rainy by snow and slides. The heavy City and a proposed $200.000 to $250,
AI.I. KINDS OF SAWS FILED
month, and CBI took out $145,000 in ! white blanket also stopped rail and 000 home building program in Mill
Any Time
road traffic through the Canyon area City for company officers, Many
permits through the third week.
Be Rvaily for Chains Feb. 1st
during
most
of
the
bad
weather.
area,
moved
into
the
new
industries
Construction of the Later Day
New records were made by the as well as new business houses, to vie
Saints church started the year’s big
fall with 132.5 inches covering for economic position in the com-
building program which eventually | ' snow
»•HONE 924
the ground in Detroit, Mrs. Parker, munlty.
led to many new buildings to house
Located '2 Mile W. Mill City
came into its own
weather observer commented, which
Mill
City
commercial interests throughout the
exceeded the old record, established through the year industrially, politic.
town and industry on the outskirts.
in 1937, by two inches.
ally and economically, with a bright
Old man weather made the head­
Education came into its own dur­ future shining before its very eyes,
lines in and around Mill City during ing the year with university exten­ A big year is in store for this once
the past year with one of the coldest tion courses offered by the local high small logging community that
years recorded in several years here. school for the first time. Enrollment
now become a city.
Ice covered the North Santiam river increased more than 100 percent in
for the first time since 1937 and a the Detroit-Idanha school system in PORTER RELEASED FROM
-recorded minus two degrees was re­ September, warranting construction JAIL AFTER POSTING BOND
corded at Detroit. Lowest mark of a new building for grade school
Dave Porter, held in lieu of $500
registered in Mill City for the year students by the army engineers, as bail on an assault charge with a
was two degrees above zero.
well as the local building of a new deadly weapon, was released from
Nearly all of the local logging grade school building.
the Marion county jail recently after
operations were closed down from
Individual publicity man for the posting bond.
the first of the year to the first of city was Mr. Paul Smith, local aged
Porter was taken into custody
March because of heavy snow. The distance runner, who not only com­ after he allegedly attacked his co­
white blanket also caved in the De­ peted against man. but accepted an partner, Les Mullins, as the victim
troit theatre roof, the Canyon Moon invitation to race with a horse. Al- entered Viv’s steak house. The two
dance hall roof, and many house | though he lost a race with a horse at are co leashers of the eating estab­
roofs were damaged by the weather. Lebanon last spring, Mr. Smith lishment.
At the same time, fire at the gained much favor from spectators.
Local police took Porter into cus­
famous Breitenbush hot springs re­
Automobile accidents, fires, log­ tody immediately following the epi­
sort caused more than $50.000 dam­ ging operations, and police reports sode and then transfered him to the
age with both the postoffice and gen held predominate positions in the county jail Monday, where he was
eral store gutted by flames. A re­ headlines of the newspapers from the held for two to three days, Chief J
port of the fire and snow damage local area. The biggest story of the T King stated.
there was not obtained until several year, however, was the realization of
Mr and Mrs. Ed Cooke, daughters
days later when two men snowshoed the Detroit and Big Cliff dams,
out from the area for supplies.
carrying in with them a major effect Carol and Donna, and son Jim drove
to Portland Wednesday.
They will
It was also in March that help on most of the stories.
return Thursday or Friday. Jim will
broke through snowbanks and drifts
At the first of the year, the con­
to get supplies into six snowbound struction program was yet on blue leave from Portland for the Univer­
sity for California, where he is at­
miners at the Amalgamated mine. 15 print only. Within a very few months
miles above Elkhorn. The six had however, government finance of the tending college.
File Your Saws
George Cree
been marooned by slides and drifts
from mid-December to the first of
March without new supplies or con­
tact with the outside world.
llm inlx r 29, 1949
3— Tilt: MILL < ITI ENTERPRISE
project was carried through Con
gress and it was in the last part of
February that a $28,000.000 contract
was signed between the government
As New os
1950
Mildred Toman, a student at Lewis
and Clark college in Portland, is
home for the holiday vacation period
visiting her parents Mr and Mrs.
Albert Toman.
Mrs. Grace FV Stover and daughter
Marlene of San Francisco, Calif., are
holiday guests of her son and daugh­
ter-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. W. G.
Stover. They were Christmas dinner
gue-is of Mi
I .Mrs Ken Neilson.
Mis. W. G. Stover is the daughter of
Mr. an 1 Mrs. Neilson.
Among guests present at a family
reunion dinner held at the Don Peter­
son home Monday evening were Mr.
and Mrs. Walter Peterson and sons
Ramon and Gary, Mr. and Mrs. Ed
Cooke and daughters Carol and Don­
na and son Jim; Art Davis, George
Hopkins, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Dahlen.
Holiday guests of the Lloyd Girod
family are Mr. and Mrs Reuben Jen
sen and son Johnny of Astoria and
Mrs. Anna Girod of Salem.
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Pittam and
| family of Roseburg were weekend
guests at the home of his brother.
Jerry Pittam and family.
Spending the holidays and an ex­
tended visit at the Edison Vickers
home are his step-mother, Mrs. Anna
Vickers of Manzanita, Ore., and Mrs.
'Vickers mother. Mrs. H. Steinbrueck
of Centralia, Wash.
Mrs. Gertrude Klane of Lincoln,
Nebr., is here for the holidays and
an indefinite visit with her daughter,
Mrs. Warren Stoll and family. Mrs.
Klane came by auto to Burley, Idaho,
and on to Idanha by bus.
Mr. and Mrs. George Cannon and
family of Grand Ronde were Christ­
mas day guests at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Orval Lady and family.
BARGAINS
A weekend guest at the Frank
In Furniture, Stoves. Dishes
Clothing, Housewares
New home was Miss Marylas Howe
of Eugene.
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Stoll and 145 S. Church, next to Salem Parking
family and Mrs. Stolls’ mother, Mrs.
Gertrude
Klane,
were
weekend
<«
•%•. - sk - -x ■»z- .mot
guests in Silverton at the Lawrence
Lierman home.
Clifl Ambers'
Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Brown spent
the four day holiday with friends on
the coast.
Mrs. Winifred Johnson of Portland
spent Christmas with her parents,
JUST EAST OF GATES
Mr and Mrs. Walter Reynolds.
K5OK •»
•» -•» » 4» «K 4
MAC’S
THE
M aples
W!
The Commercial Book Store
Has Everything for Your
OFFICE NEEDS
FURNITURE AND BOOKKEEPING SUPPLIES
141 N. Commercial St.
Phone 3-4534
SALEM, ORE.
Kiln Dry Lumber
and Finish Lumber
Retail Dept
Idanha Lumber Co
Phone Detroit 7( 24
( ffr
WE WISH TO EXTEND HEARTFELT THANKS
TO OUR MANY PATRONS WHO HAVE HELPED
MAKE 1919 A SUCCESS.
TO ALL, A VERY
NEW YEAR
Wood’s Dry Goods Store
NEXT TO POST OFFICE)
Baseboard Heating
Prosperous
New Year
Toy & Hobby Shop
N Commercial
ommerctal
Salem
Solar heating, radiant hr»tmg and heating with warmth ex­
tracted from the ground—new dev«-l< pmenta have bwn coming thick
and fast in the heating industry m recent years.
One of the newest and most interesting innovations is baseboard
heating. Hot water from a boiler la circulated through metal base
boards which take the place of the conventional wooden baseboards.
The introduction of heat at thia low level provides comfort with
fuel economy Tests at the University of Illinois have shown that the
baseboard warms the walls on which it is installed and produce« >
irtion of the floor
radiant heating effect from the walla and portion
Full and unobstructed use of the wall and
___ floor apace arid
and com-
rlete freedom in decorating an 1 furniture arrangement are among
the advantages of baseboard heating
Baseboard heating may be installed in existing houses as well ■«
r«w homes or other types of buildings, with or without basements
Forced circulation hot water la the heating medium arid the type >f
* »el is immaterial
wish to thank our many friends
for thier patronage during
the past year
MILL CITY VARIETY
Jim O’l/eary
and
Irene O’l^eary
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