County
News
COUNTY QUOTA FOR
DRIVE 13 $4CO3
ST. HELENS — Tlx March
of Dimes campaign, which pro
vides funds for treatment of
victims cf infantile paralysis,
started in Columbia county Jan.
14 and will continue thru Jan. 31.
The Columbia county chapter
of the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis’ treasury is
almost depleted because of pay
ment for infantile paralysis cases
in the county.
Medical and special treatment
for Columbia county patients has
amcunted to about $1200. In or
der to continue the care of these
cases and to have a backlog of
money in the event new cases de
velop, it will be necessary to in
crease the county quota for the
coming year to at least $4000. In
order to do this, the contribution
from each man, woman and child
in the county must at least be
two dimes.
ADMIT GUILT IN
ROBBERIES HERE RECENTLY
ST.
HELENS —-
Marian
Sprcuse and James Ronald John
son, arrested Sunday afternoon
at Rainier by Oregon state police
and Columbia county Sheriff M.
R. Calhoun, are on their way
back to Yakima, Wash., where
they will face charges of three
safe-blowing robberies in Yakima
county.
Before they were taken back
to Yakima Thursday by Deputy
Sheriff W. A. Burleson and Capt.
Floyd Luce, captain of detectives
of the Yakima city police, Miss
Sprouse and Johnson admitted
that they had been involved in
similar robberies cf the Jordan
Motor Co. in St. Helens and the
union high school at Rainier.
WINTER RUN OF SMELT
FAILS TO MATERIALIZE
CLATSKANIE — There just
aren’t any smelt, according to
all reports. So far this -season
the little silver smelt have left
the fishermen holding an empty
bag.
The run is late. The biggest
catch so far this season was 100
pounds.
Fishermen who have fished in
the Columbia for the past 50
years, say this is by far the slow
est season they can recall.
QUOTA SET FOR
RED CROSS FUND
ST. HELENS.— The 1'945 quota
for the County of Columbia has
been set at $26,000, consider
ably above the 1944 quota, but
still under the amount actually
subscribed. The 1944 quota was
$19,000 and the amount sub
scribed was in excess of $27,000.
THOSE WHO
ARE IN IT
RETURNS
UNEXPECTEDLY
Bob Schwab, son of Lee
Schwab, arrived home unexpec-
tedlp last week for 21 days while
his destroyer is laid up for re
pairs. Bob left Vernonia high
school about a year ago to en
list.
CAPTAIN RUSHING HOME
Captain Robert Rushing, form
er resident cf Vernonia and em
ployee of the Oregon-American
mill, is enjoying his first fur
lough after three years over
seas with the 41st division. He
is with his wife, Maravine, and
daughter, Judy Lee, in Portland
and after about 27 days will re
port to a rest hotel near Santa
Barbara and then will be re
assigned for duty. Captain Rush
ing has been in two major bat
tles and js the wearer of the
Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple
Heart.
NEPHEW VISITS
HERE
S-Sgt. W.C. Bristlin, nephew
of A. L. Kullander, visited here
last Thursday .The Sgt. has seen
action with the 8th Fighter Com
mand operating out of England
and was interned in Sweden for
some time before escaping.
HOME FOR TWO WEEKS
Pvt. Wally East, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Ernest East, arrived
home Sunday from Breckinridge,
Kentucky where he has been
taking a medico course. His fur
lough is for two weeks after
which he will leave for Camp
Ellis, Illinois.
GETS 23 DAYS
Pfc. George Turner arrived
home Sunday night for a fur
lough of 23 days here with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tur
ner, and friends. At the end of
that time he will report to Santa
Barbara, California.
STATIONED IN TEXAS
RIVERVIEW—First Lt. Phillip
J. Millis sends word here that
he is now stationed at Victoria,
Texas while Max Millis writes
that he is stationed at San Diego,
Calif, where he will get his first
naval training.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Washington Wins
From Scappoose
The Washington grade school
first team defeated the Scap
poose basketball team last Fri
day afternoon 29 . to 12 in the
first competition this year for
the Washington players.
Plans are developing for a
tournament in February at St.
Helens to decide the Columbia
county championship. Winner in
this ccunty along with county
champions from seven other
counties near Portland have been
invited by Hill Military to play
in that school’s new auditorium
later in the year.
Boys intramural play has also
started at the Washington school,
games being played during the
noon hours.
Surveys Completed
Clerks from the Vernonia war
price and rationing board office
have just completed two surveys
here, one of the restaurants and
the other of automotive repair
services. The office reports that
all posted prices are being main
tained.
A memorial service for Gerald
Turner, who was killed recently
in action on the European front,
will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the
Christian church Sunday after
noon. The service will be con
ducted by the pastor of the
church.
WRITES
FROM
PHILIPPINES
From somewhere in the Phil-
ipp:nes, John McKenzie writes to
Geo. Johnson telling of what he
has been through, what he has
seen and what he has eaten. He
says there is a Jap in every fox
hole. Tanks, field pieces, rifles,
equipment of all kinds scattered
along the roads. “I even saw a
Jap bicycle and bugle but what
use the bicycle would be I don’t
know, as the roads were knee
deep in mud,” he says.
He also mentions that he has
caught chickens, pigs, dug up
sweet potatoes, pounded rice to
eat, picked a few bananas ,and
even pulled peanuts out of the
ground and eaten them green. At
that they all tasted good when
he was hungry.
His Christmas was not very
happy as he was cold, tired,
and hungry, but they had a
nije New Year’s dinner to make
up for everything.
In closing he adds that he
would be" glad to go back to
New Guinea as he has seen all
the action he wants and is wait
ing for the day when he can
come back to Vernonia.
Dime Boxes
Placed for
Polio Help
Paul Gordon, local chairman
of the infantile paralysis “March
of Dimes”, has received 50 coin
collection boxes and over 200
birthday cards which
will be
mailed out this week. The col
lection boxes have been placed in
business houses here to mark
the start of the local campaign.
Mr. Gordon, in announcing the
local part of the “March”, has
mentioned that a news reel con
cerning the importance of the
drive is scheduled for showing at
the theater between now and the
end of the. month and that a
solicitation for dimes is intended
at that time.
Contributions here will be fur
ther swelled by a dance which is
planned for Saturday, January
27th. The dance is being spon
sored by both the American Leg
ion and Auxiliary for that night,
decision to sponsor the benefit
being made Monday evening of
this week by those groups.
Any individual or organiza
tion wishing to donate more than
a dime may do so by making
the contribution to Mr. Gordon.
Printed at the bottom of this
page is a coupon to fill in and
mail with your contribution. Do
so today.
"State Kits"
Being Prepared
The Over-Seas department of
the USO serving men stationed
in the Western hemisphere out
side the continental U.S. has
struck upon a novel idea to
entertain the men and women in
these outpost areas. This idea is
to gather items of interest as
well as souvenirs to be put into
kits known as “State Kits.”
Request for interesting items
from this community was re
ceived Tuesday by Mayor George
Johnson who started collecting
items that day. He urges that
anyone
having articles that
would be useful turn them in
to him, the Eagle office, or
leave them at the city hall.
When the collection is made it
will be forwarded to Portland
for inclusion with a kit from
Oregon.
Suggested items are scenic
posters of cities within the state,
human interest photographs such
as sports, girls, animals found
in the estate, descriptive book
lets, and other items especially
characteristic of the state.
County Nurse Here
STREET SIGNS
BEING PAINTED
Welcome news to residents
here will be the announcement
by Mayor George W. Johnson
that the job of painting new
street signs for Vernonia is
started and that the signs will
be placed to mark the streets
as soon as the painting is fin
ished.
Lettering will be done by
means of a stencil and the sten
cil paint being used is one that
has been obtained from the state.
In previous years the stenciling
used was not durable and the
signs soon became blurred and
illegible.
It is hoped that the signs may
be mounted on poles carrying
electric wires so that they will
remain in service longer than has
been true in the past when the
signs were mounted on poles
specially provided for the pur
pose.
Work of stenciling the signs
is being done by Marshall H.
H. King.
Seaside Snatches
Win Here Friday
The Seaside Seagulls invaded
the Loggers’ lair last Friday
night and after being complete
ly outclassed the first half, re
leased a scorching offense after
the intermission to snatch a wild
ly-exciting encounter from the
local boys 31 to 30. A capacity
crowd witnessing the second en
counter of the year between the
two teams saw a Vernonia half
time lead of 17 to 7 melt away
before the determined drive of
the towering) seacoast five.
Pandemonium broke out in the
local court in the dying minutes
cf the game as the Seagulls
knotted the score with three min
utes to play. The lead changed
hands three times in the closing
minutes as both teams battled
desperately to hold their lead.
The timer’s gun was raised as
Alberts, Gull scoring ace, swished
the net with a midfloor howitz
er to cinch the victory for his
team. The gun ended the game
before the locals could get a
shot.
Tomorrow night the Loggers
journey to Rainier to meet the
Columbians in a doubleheader.
This game will be the first Dis
trict 14 game fdr the local team.
Tuesday night, January 23, the
boys return to the local floor
for a District 14 doubleheader
with the Scappoose Indians.
Coach Robbins has been ex
perimenting with various lineups
in an effort to fill the vacancies
left by Max Millis and Ralph
Sturdevant. Likely starters for
Friday’s game are Byers .and
Packer, forwards; Rollins, cent
er; and Nance and Larsen,
guards.
Miss Ruth Peffley, county
health nurse, spent Tuesday in
Vernonia and will be here again
Thursday for a periodic check
up of students at the Washington Auditor Here
and Lincoln schools. Examina
Randall W. Pratt, auditor from
tions will be made of eyes, throat the district OPA office in Port
and ears and of problem cases land, spent Monday and Tues
which have arisen and which re day here going over the books
at the local rationing office.
quire further investigation.
MAIL THIS
COUPON TODAY!
Mr. Paul Gordon:
ABOUT THROUGH TRAINING
Pvt. Paul Adams is just about
through training as a paratrooper
with the 101st Airborn division
in Georgia and expects to be
shipped out soon.
Enclosed is my contribution to the “March of
Dimes” campaign for the fight against infantile
paralysis.
JOINS MERCHANT MARINE
JANUAR Y 14-31
Dean Lionberger, son of Mr.
and Mrs. James Emmons, left
Saturday for Catalina Island
where he began training for the
merchant marine.
More “Those Who,” page 6
Name ......................................................................
Address ...................................................................
Publication of Notice
Tells Date of Large
Land Sale by County
With this issue of the Ver
nonia Eagle is the first publica
tion of what is probably one of
the largest single deals ever to
be undertaken by the Columbia
County Court. This is the Sale
of a Limited Interest in some
95,000 acres of county-owned
lands. The provisions of the pro
posed sale will impose upon the
successful bidder the obligation
to drill a well for oil and gas
and to maintain a surety bond to
guarantee performance.
Timberline to
Enter Contest
It is reported that the sale will
he to the highest bidder and will
be held at the county court
house in St. Helens on February
19th. It is not known whether
there will be many bidders but
at least there will be considerable
interest shown.
Copies of the Timberline, Ver
nonia high school publication,
will again be entered in the an
nual school newspaper contest
which has been announced by
George Turnbull, acting dean o'
the school of journalism at the
University of Oregon.
The Texas Company, according
to reports, has been active for
some time in Columbia county
and it has expended large sums
of money in geological and other
exploratory work and also has
been engaged in the acquisitio 1
of oil and gas leases. Because of
such activity it is anticipated
that The Texas Company will
To enter the
contest high
schools must send copies of two
issues published during the cur
rent school year to the school
of journalism at the university.
Community
Ceiling Effective
As of January 8th, commun
ity ceiling prices have been in
effete for food sores in Ver
nonia the local rationing office
announced this week. Previous to
that date, merchants established
prices for items they sold by
applying a mark-up as specified
by OPA on the basis of whole
sale costs of the item. From
now on lists will be posted
in all food stores showing ceil
ing prices.
For items on the community
ceiling lists, th ecommunity ceil
ing price is always the ceiling
price which is applicable. Retail
ers may sell below but not above
that price. If costs go down,
•.he merchant gains; if costs go
up, the merchant will be caught
in a price squeeze. Posted lists
will be revised as needed.
Chief Selected
Virgil Powell has been select
ed as plant protection chief for
the Oregon-American
Lumber
Corporation. Mr. Powell started
his new duties January 8th and
takes the position which was for
merly held by E. G. Roediger,
who resigned a short time ago
to devote his full time to carry
ing mail from Scappoose to Ver
nonia.
Mrs. Soule
Passes Away
Funeral services were held in
the Forest Grove Undertaking
chapel Tuesday, January 16, at
2 p.m. for Rebecca Soule, 96,
who died at her St. Helen’s
route 1 home January 14. In
terment being in Hill cemetary.
Mrs. Soule was born in Ohio
November 1, 1848, and had
lived in Vernonia and vicinity
for a period of eleven years be
tween 1895 and 1909. She then
moved with her husband to Gas
ton but after his death she made
her home with her sons and
daughters until she moved to
her home near St. Helens.
She is survived by one daugh
ter, Mrs. Alice Malmsten of Ver
nonia, two sons, Thornton F.
Soule, Gresham, and Telle Soule
of St. Helens and a half-brother.
Winfield Stevens of St. Helens.
be the principal bidder.
New discoveries of oil and gas
are acutely needed particularly
in connection with the successful
prosecution of the war. Such
products are needed in the manu-
facture of ships, tanks, airplanes,
guns, ammunition, high explo
sives, high octane aviation gaso
line and synthetic rubber.
Winning awards,
heretofore
based on the work of the previ
ous year’s staffs, will be given
to the present staffs this year.
This year’s Timberline is ed
ited by Shirley Ray. Business
manager for the publication is
Phyllis Bonislaw and Miss Freda
Beck, high school instructor, is
advisor.
Funeral Held for
Otto Malmsten
Funeral services were held
Monday, January 15, at the
Evangelical church in Vernonia
for Otto Burdette Malmsten of
Seaside who died at Astoria Jan-
uary 12. Arrangements were
made through the Forest Grove
Undertaking company.
Malmsten was born in Vasa,
Minnesota July 17, 1867 and
came to Vernonia in the spring
of 1889. He was married in 1900
to Bertha Gillihan, who preceded
him in death. He moved to Sea.
side in the fall of 1920 and made
his home there until his death.
He is survived by two sisters,
Mrs. Eva West and Mrs. Eda
Lindstrom, both of Seaside, and
three brothirs, Franklin, Charles,
and Sidney, all of Vernonia.
SOS Call Made
An SOS call is being made
for women to knit sweaters and
socks for men and women of the
armed forces. The Red Cross
has sent the Vernonia Service
Club enough yarn for 25 sleeve
less sweaters and socks for the
Vernonia quota. Anyone inter
ested may call Mrs. Isola Morris,
Vernonia 83, and obtain yarn. It
is hoped that a number of wom
en will respond as the call is
urgent.
Unique Service Planned
A very unique service will be
held at the Vesper Hour in the
Christian church Sunday evening
at 5 o’clock. The subject will
be “The Fabric of Life”, and
will be illustrated with the opera
tion of a loom, and the products
of the weaver’s art. Mr. Liv
ingstone will give the sermon
and Mrs. Livingstone' will preside
at the loom. The platform will
be decorated with the woven art
icles. Text will be found in Job
7;6, “My days, are swifter than
a weaver’s shuttle”.
New Clerk Employed
Miss Vivian Latrd is employed
now at the Vernonia post office
as clerk to replace Mrs. Robert
Holcomb who has resigned there
and who started work Monday
as secretary at the Oregon-Amer
ican office.