“Vernonia, Gateway to Nehalem Valley Lumbering, Farming, Recreation. ”
Thursday, August 9, 1945
Vernonia, Columbia County, Oregon
Volume 23 Number 32
Army Camp Use School Levies Reduced by School Start THOSE WHO
Gets Attention Income Tax Offset Fund September 10 ARE IN IT
Present Plan
AtPomonaMeet
More Sugar Asked
Of OPA for Home
Canning Purposes
The Columbia County Pomona
grange convened Saturday, Aug.
4th at the Natal grange hall to
pass two resolutions, make var­
ious appointments and hear a
special program arranged for the
day.
A
resolution
recommending
that congress use the abandoned
army camps for veteran’s men­
tal hospitals as the 30 we now
have are overcrowded and also
asking congressmen to provide
veterans with hospitalization in
these abandoned camps, equal to
the excellent care they are now
receiving in regulation
army,
navy and marine hospitals, was
adopted.
Another regulation requesting
the OPA to make an adjustment
in the canning sugar for home
canning allotment per person to
at least the amount allowed per
person in 1944 was also adopted
Saturday.
Clyde Henderson of Natal was
appointed as a new member of
the park board to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of H. M.
Condit. The Pomona charter was
draped in memojium of J. N.
Miller, Clatskanie,
Herbert M.
Condit and E. O. Steward of
Yankton and sympathy extended
to the families.
Appointments made that day
were: home economic committee
—Mrs. Pearl Becker,
Warren;
Mrs. Elizabeth Parker, Clatska­
nie; and Mrs. Anna Mauris, Rain­
ier. W. I. Tracy of Fern Hill
grange was elected as the ex­
ecutive committee member.
4-H Club Fair
August 17 Event
The Columbia county 4-H club
fair will be held Friday, August
17, at the fair grounds at Deer
Island.
Boys and girls who are enrolled
in 4-H club projects are elegible
to exhibit at that time, and take
part in the contests. Livestock
judging will begin at 9:00 a.m.
and the livestock judging contest
will be held at 10:00 a.m.
All home economic club work
will be exhibited, which will in­
clude canning, clothing, room
improvement,
handicraft, camp
cookery and cookery. Demonstra­
tions will be the main feature
for home economic clubs. Exhib­
its must be up by 11:00 a.m. and
judging will start immediately.
Demonstrations, judging, and the
clothing style review will con­
tinue throughout the day.
A special feature of the 4-H
counts* fair will be a horse show
between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m. At
noon there will be a picnic lunch
with all 4-H club members and
visitors bringing their own lunch.
Taxpayers can see the actual
difference in their taxes due to
the apportionment of money from
the state school support fund to
this county in a report by Otto
H. H. Peterson, county school
superintendent. Special levies of
the county districts will be re­
duced by $161,343.58 the first
amount received under the re­
vision of the fund law by the
legislature at its last session.
Previous to this year, 5 mil­
lion dollars was diverted from
income receipts to offset special
tax levies. The 1945 legislature
increased the amount to 8 mil­
lion dollars, 6 million to be dis­
tributed on actual pupil day’s
attendance basis and 2 million on
the teacher unit basis. A teacher
unit is one teacher to every 27
pupils or fraction thereof. Col­
umbia county employes
176
teachers, but only 161 teacher
units were granted.
Special taxes levied by all
school districts in the county ac­
cording to budgets total $551,-
307.11 which is equal to an av­
erage county levy of 39.8 mills.
The apportionment has reduced
the special levies to $389,958.53,
a saving of 13.7 mills to prop­
erty owners. All public school
district share in this apportion­
ment. Assessor Fred Watkins has
been given the certified appor­
tionment list and is adjusting the
tax levies of the individual dis­
tricts.
July Rain Total
Recording Small
July’s total rainfall was prac­
tically unrecordable for this vi­
cinity, only .01 of an inch falling
during the entire month, and
that amount being listed for the
early morning of the 21st. What
the month lacked in rainfall
was made up by temperature for
15 of the 31 days brought the
thermometer to a reading over
80 degrees. Recordings here are
kept by Mrs. Helen Spofford,
cooperative observer.
The warmest day was July 7th
with 93 degrees. On five days the
early morning temperature went
below 40 degrees, the coldest
being the 18th with 37 degrees.
Twenty-three days were clear,
three partly cloudy and four
cloudy, part of them being smoke
clouds. The prevailing wind di­
rection was northwest.
Hop Picker# Wanted
Pickers for hops are being
sought here again this year by
the Hartwick brothers of Banks.
They have made arrangements
for a sign-up of those wishing
work with Mrs. Frank Hartwick
who will keep a 1st of the names
and give out information as to
when the work will start.
OFFICE MOVED
The T. B. Mills real estate of­
fice ims been moved into the
building recently purchased by
Frank Hirsch. Hirsch bought the
building last week from Mr. and
Mrs. Ed Horn.
Effect of the apportionment on
school districts in the Nehalem
valley is listed below:
Present
District
levy
apport.
NATAL \
1,926.78
622.76
$ 2,549.54
BIRKENFELD
558.80
868.20
1,427.00
VERNONIA
54,372.74 19,555.17 34,817.57
MIST
3,216.37
1,149.69
4,366.06
VERNONIA HIGH SCHOOL
35,107.50
6,632.18 28,475.32
District
tax levy
Wildey Services
Held Here Sunday
Funeral services were held
here Sunday at the Bush Funer­
al home for John Wildey who
passed away last Friday, August
3rd at 7 p.m. at the Portland
General hospital. Rev. W. O.
Livingstone officiated and in­
terment was at the Yankton cem­
etery.
John Henry Wildey was born
in La Pier County, Michigan,
December 24, 1869.
He resided in Michigan until
the year 1928, when he came
to Oregon. He had been a res­
ident of Vernonia for about one
year. His wife Anna, preceeded
him in death March 4, 1937.
He is survived by three sons:
Leslie, of Grants Pass, Floyd, of
Redondo Beach, Cal., and Ed­
ward of Oxford, Mich; three
daughters: Ella Dewey of Ver­
nonia, Ida Hopper of Grants
Pass, and Maud Tennant of
Orraway, Mich; two half-brothers:
Albert Rogers of Orraway, Mich.
Darriel of Fostoria, Mich; and
four half-sisters,
Eva Robbins,
Ida Chambers, Estelle Robbins
and Mina Carlson, all of Michi­
gan. He is also survived by 21
grandchildren
and
12
great
grandchildren.
New Sugar Stamp
Expected Sept. 1
Housewives who are getting
panicky because they do not
have sugar stamp 37 or spare
stamp 37 in war ration book 4,
and are wondering what will
happen when sugar stamp 36 ex­
pires August 31, need not wor­
ry-
Because a lot of people by mis­
take sent in sugar stamp 37 in­
stead of spare stamp 37 last
summer as identification to get
canning sugar,
the office of
price administration cancelled the
both of them months ago.
This was done to avoid con­
fusion and will not result in a
loss of sugar. A new sugar stamp
probably No. 38, will become
valid September 1.
More Walk Poured
Additional sidewalk was being
poured at the Washington Grade
school Tuesday along the west
end of the building where stu­
dents embark from the school
busses. The work was done by
contract with Noble Dunlap.
Do It Again, Opinion on Clean-up Day
Were the results worth the
effort? That seems to be the
question about last Thursday’s
clean-up day here when most
business houses closed and the
owners turned out to cut and
burn grass and pick up deposits
of junk. Some say it was worth
the time spent and others say
it wasn’t.
Take, for example, the burn­
ing of grass on vacant lots. That
proved to be a bigger job than
it was first thought to be and
those who undertook to bum
found that they needed more time
to reduce this fire hazard than
just one afternoon. A lot of
grass was burned but there still
remains some which needs re­
moval. To top it of, the fire
truck was called again the next
day to stop a small fire in
some brush on Corey hill. Defin­
ite cause for the start of the
brush fire is not known but it
could have been from the grass
burning a ahort time before.
Some sidewalk caught fire, too,
from the grass but did not lead
to much damage.
From the standpoint of truck
pick-up crews, a lot of the ma­
terial gathered should have been
burned at the place it was found
instead of being hauled to the
garbage dump. A large propor­
tion was grass which could have
been burned by obtaining a per­
mit and which would have been
much easier to dispose of in
that manner.
Then, of course, there were
some who didn’t offer their help
when the time to do the work
was at hand. That left a bad
taste with those who did work,
especially when not all the clean­
ing was done that could have
been accomplished had a larger
crew been available.
However, the general opinion
seems to be that, with better
organization and a similar pro­
gram next year, a lot can be ac­
complished by having a general
clean-up day. By making the
event an annual affair, greater
attention can be given to the
things that need to be done and
the work can be carried out
with greater dispatch.
Let’s have a bigger and better
clean-up day next year seems
to be the general opinion.
Teachers Needed on
Both Staffs to Fill
Present Vacancies
Preparations for the opening
of school on September 10 th
are being carried out by both the
grade and high schools with the
teaching staff vacancies being
major problems for both districts.
Most of the repair work at the
Washington grade school has been
completed and that work under­
way at the high school will be
completed before the opening.
Contracts with bus drivers by
«District 47, call for the opening
date to be September 10th. The
busses will follow the same sched­
ule this year as last unless a
change is determined after the
start of school to meet some new
condition.
Grade school superintendent
Paul Gordon mentions that it is
necessary this year, as last, for
pupils to purchase supplemental
work books. An important de­
tail for parents of children just
old enough to enter the first
grade to remember is: any child
entering the first grade must be
six years of age on or before
Novembr 15, 1945.
Grade Student* Divided
Parents who may not know to
which school to send their child­
ren are informed that the Lin­
coln school on Corey hill will
accomodate students of the 1st,
2nd, and 3rd grades who live
west of the S.P. & S. railway
tracks plus
youngsters
from
Camp 8 and Riverview who ride
the busses to school. It may be
necessary for youngsters riding
other busses to also attend, but
that will be determined on open­
ing day when the number of stu­
dents can be determined.
The complete teaching staff for
the high school cannot be an­
nounced by Ray Mills, new prin­
cipal, for two vacancies yet re­
main to be filled. Paul Gordon,
grade superintendent, also is
seeking teachers for vacancies in
the grade staff.
Farmers to Get
Gas From OPA
Effective as of August 1st,
farmers will receive all truck ra­
tions necessary for farm work
from their local war price and
rationing board.
Previously, the county farm
transportation committees of the
AAA is ued the certifications of
farm truck gasoline. By mutual
agreement between the district
office of defense transportation
and the office cf price admini­
stration this certfication has beer,
discontinued. Now, when a cer­
tificate of war necessity has been
issued a farmer and for so long
as the truck involved is used in
farm work, the local board may
issue the necessary gasoline ra­
tions as the farmer requires from
time to time, regardless of the
gallonage designated on his cer­
tificate of war necessity.
Large Window Broken
One of the large plate glass
windows at the Vernonia Service
station was broken last Thurs­
day about 8:30 when a load of
piling swung into the building
while the truck was turning the
comer at that point. Also dam­
aged was the city concrete mix­
er parked nearby. The truck was
owned by the E. L. Merritt Log­
ging Co.
GRASS FIRE STOPPED
A fire alarm sounded Wednes­
day afternoon shortly after 3
p.m. brought fire fighting crews
to the Oregon-American hill. The
blaze was stopped in a few min­
utes.
HOME FOR VISIT
Aer. M2c Ellis Austin arrived
here Sunday for a 20-day leave
during the time his ship is un­
dergoing repairs. He will visit
his mother, Mrs. A. L. Austin,
and friends. He has seen action
at Okinawa.
FORMER STUDENT HERE
Naval Photographer Art Kilby
was here last week for a few
days to visit friends. Art has
had considerable training in
photography in the navy and was
at Pearl Harbor at the time of
the Japanese sqrprise bombing.
He attended and graduated from
Vernonia high school. He left
Sunday for Newport to visit his
father.
GEl* DISCHARGES
Two local boys have been given
discharges from the army within
the last few weeks. They are
Andy Brimmer and Elmer Mich-
ener. The latter plans to work in
Portland.
AWARDED BADGE
Pfc John J. Lee, son of Mr. J.
R. Lee, who lives in Vernonia,
has been awarded the Combat
Infantry Badge
for exemplary
conduct under enemy fire. He
is with the 32nd infantry divis­
ion in Northern Luzon, P. I.
Entering the army in July,
1942, Pfc. Dee has been with the
126th Infantry of the famed
32nd (Red Arrow) Division in
the SWPA for 31 months. He
it a veteran of the Saidor, Ai-
tape, Morotai, and Leyte oper­
ations, and saw action in the Vil­
la Verde-Sante Fe area in north­
ern Luzon,
where
the 32nd
killed more than 9,000 Japanese
during its 119-day drive rp the
tortuous Villa Verde trail in the
Caraballo Mountains.
DISCHARGED
Several boys are back after
getting their discharges from the
army and navy. Bill French is
homq with his release after four
years with the navy during which
time he saw a lot of action in
the Pacific, including some in
Alaskan waters. He has been in
the hospital for some time with a
stomach ailment.
Pvt. Ed. Ade also has his dis­
charge from the army and Pvt.
George Turner is expecting his
this week. Both have been in the
service five years, going in with
the national guard and seeing
action in New Guinea and Other-
Pacific posts. Turner intends to
spend a few months working,
then attend school. Frank Lus­
by is the only one of the local
boys who remains in the service
of those who entered with the
national guard.
Sidewalks Get
Consideration
Of City Council
Building of Walks
To Be Controlled by
New Ordinance Rule
The building of sidewalks on
Vernonia property drew the at­
tention of council members Mon­
day evening and led to a move
ordering City Marshal A. D.
Lolley to again check the num­
ber of lots which do not now
have walks or which have walks
which are dangerous to pedes­
trians.
A check was made seme time
ago by Marshal Lolley and H.
H. King to determine the lo­
cations where walks are needed
and those property owners have
been requested to make the ad­
ditions. Some walks have been
built since then but others re­
main either unrepaired or non­
existent.
The new
check-up
ordered
Monday evening will definitely
list the property where walks
are needed and will provide the
basis for an ordinance which City
Attorney R. M. Burley will be
requested to draw up foir adop­
tion. It is the present plan to
have the ordinance include de­
tails which will make it possible
for the city to construct walks
then assess a lein against the
property, if that procedure is
necessary to enforce payment. *
Paving Work Hindered
The city paving project also
presented another problem not
anticipated when the improve­
ment was planned. Since then
the crushing of sufficient rock
to complete the work has arisen
as a possible hinderance to com­
pleting the full amount of pav­
ing originally planned. The crush­
ing difficulty, according to Road
Supervisor Cleve Mellinger, aris­
es principally from a labor short­
age.
However, the city does plan
to cover as much of the original
project as possible with the sup-
uly of gravel available and com­
plete the work next year when
the labor situation has improved.
Other council business for the
evening was the sale of a lot to
Cecil Johnson for $25, setting
a price of $2.50 for the use of
the city cement mixer by con­
tractors and ratifying the first-
of-the-month bills.
Juice Points Off
Sunday Morning
Effective at 12.01 a m. August
5th point values wcie removed
GRAY ASSIGNED
S-Sgt. Paul A. Gray has been from tomato, mixed vegetable
and
orange-grape­
assigned to the occupational air grapefruit
force in Europe as a member of fruit juices by the OPA. This
the 97 th bombardment group, emergency action is necessary
a veteran B-17 Flying Fortress because of an additional 3,000,-
unit of the 15th air force. Sgt. 000-case cut in government rc-
Gray has served
overseas 16 • quinnents on tomato juice.
Citrus juices are being reduced
months as an aerial engineer. He
wears the Air Medal with 2 to zero because of the degree
Oak Leaf clusters in addition to of substitutability and a good
civilian supply is expected from
other decorations.
His group, the 97th bombard­ the coming pack starting in No­
ment group left the States on vember.
Point values still
apply to
June 4, 1942,
and sailed for
England where it flew the first grape juice and pineapple juice.
daylight Flying Fortress mission
against Europe on August 17th
of the same year.
The 97th bombardment group
has chalked up a total of 483
missions in the three years that
The Loggers, junior softball
it has been overseas; a record
surpassing any other heavy out­ team, leads league play at the
fit in the air forces. Sgt. Gray city park, having won both their
attended high school here and Tuesday and Friday games last
week from the V8’s and The
was active in sports.
Wildcats. No game was played
His home is at Clatskanie.
Tuesday of this week because
HERE ON LEAVE
several of the boys could not
S-Sgt. Francis Davis and Mrs. be present. Another game is on
Davis arrived here Saturday for schedule for Tuesday morning of
15 days of furlough from Lowrey next week in the double round
Field near Denver. He is the robin to determine the champ­
eon of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Davis. ionship.
Hi's brother, Harold, is also at
Two pick-up teams also played
home now, having been placed Wednesday evening to a 12 to
on the reserve officers inactive 12 tie in 14 innnings, the game
list.
being called for darkness.
(More 'Those Who’, page 6)
Line-ups appear on page six.
Loggers Lead
Softball Play