Library, U of 0
“Vernonia, Gateway to Nehalem Valley Lumbering, Farming Recreation.’’
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 36
THE
WEEK
IN REVIEW
Drivers must practice greater
care with the opening of school
because of a new law adopted by
the last state legislature con­
cerning school busses. Under the
new ruling, a full stop is required
by cars or trucks when meeting
or catching up with a bus stopped
to load or unload children and
must remain stopped during that
time.
The law has its merits. Children
will forget to look before crossing
a road, no matter the number of
times cautioned, but drivers of
rars are suppose to be capable of
remembering to stop. The new
law will be a decided safety fac­
tor as far as school children are
concerned.
And speaking of school, Tuesday
morning’s turnout of small fry
was remarkable to some observers
In one respect at least.
The
y oungsters asesmbled for the lower
grades were all bright and shining,
a picture that very likely is ap­
parent only at the start of the
day because, being youngsters,
the first opportunity to play after
the start of the day can be de­
pended upon to bring smudges of
dirt, disheveled hair and clothe«
and perhaps bruises and cuts de­
pending upon the roughness. That
early morning scene is a once-a-
day view.
The Teen Age group needs more
help. The group has been active
during the summer, but there is
the likelihood that interest will
increase even more during the
coming months, hence the call for
assistance issued by Floyd Otis,
manager of the group.
Mr. Otis has plans that, should
they be helped by local groups, will
make the club more active. He
intends to visit each organization
here personally to discuss possible
backing and will also conduct an
open meeting in the future at
which he will attempt to answer
all questions concerning the club’s
activity.
In addition to financial help, the
Teenagers want a hall which can
be open for use more frequently
than is now the case and where
they can have a small snack bar­
in addition to the Coke dispenser,
juke box, Ski Ball game, ping
pong table and other features
now available for entertainment.
Mr. Otis point out that the
Teenagers should not have a
definite outlined program to fol­
low, but should be allowed to
choose their own programs under
the advice of competant, under­
standing adults.
The club has been in operation
10 months, but it needs help to
continue as a much-needed means
of recreation for the younger
people.
Unique Show Set
For November
An unusual production entitled
“Laff It Off” is being planned
by the American Legion Auxiliary
for presentation sometime in No­
vember, the organization announ­
ced earlier this week.
Local talent will be used foi
the show for which rehearsals
will start soon under a profes­
sional director who will arrive to
take charge of all the arrange­
ments.
The Auxiliary hopes to make this
one of the most outstanding pro­
ductions to be presented here.
Teenager» Given Game
The Teen Age club has been
given the gift of a Ski Ball
game. Floyd Otis, manager of the
club, said last week. The game,
which was donated by Roger Fol­
gate, will be added to the club’s
amusement equipment.
Folgate
is a regular visitor here to service
the music machines located in
business places.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 1949
VERNONIA, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON
Program of
Paving for
City Begins
Future Trees
Long Council Meet
Needed to Decide
City Problems Tues.
Monday evening’s council meet­
ing was one of the longest, if not
the longest since the new ad­
ministration took office and the
reason was a lengthy slate of
business for this September ses­
sion. Examining and ordering the
payment of bills occupied con­
siderable time and problems pre­
sented the officails occupied the
remainder of the evening.
Cleve Mellinger, road super­
visor asked the council if there
were any special locations in the
city where paving was needed and
also explained that little new pav­
ing could be done this year because
of the amount of patching and
repair work needed to maintain
present pavement.
More work
will be required on Maple street
including the installation of curb­
ing and grading before that street
will be suitable for parking. No
more paving will be done on
Maple this year, however.
The council gave its sanction
to a proposed move for Oregon
Motor Stages busses to load and
discharge passengers and express
at the Hotel MacDonald. Don
Bayley appeared bfore the group
Bayley appeared before the group
to ask permission for the change
hotel. The space now being used
in front of the Palace Cafe will
again be available for passenger
car and truck parking.
Henry Ade asked the opinion of
councilmen regarding a fire ha­
zard on property owned by W. O.
Porterfield next to the IWA hall.
He pointed out that the IWA
wished to obtain a reduced in­
surance rating. The council re­
ferred the matter to the fire
marshal.
A definition of charges for use
of the city cement mixer was
inked by John Erickson, who uses
the equipment frequently. Con­
tractors are asked $10 and indi­
viduals $5, councilmen explained,
the difference being the estimated
amount of use of the machine.
Repair work on the swim pool
Jam, which was removed earlier
this week, was again brought up
by Mayor Sam Hearing. An
engineer will be asked to estimate
the amount of materials and cost
of the work to be done so that
it can be started. The beach re­
taining wall will be part of the
work to be done. Upon recom­
mendation cf the park committee
which had examined the cabin
since the last previous meeting,
orders were issued to rebuild the
top of the flu, repair steps and
plumbing, install eaves trough
over the doorway and eventually
gravel the walk leading from
Second street to the park. The
construction of an abutment on
the east side of Weed avenue
where Bear creek crosses was
also ordered.
Army Joined
Henry V. Ade, Jr„ has enlisted
in the corps of engineers of the
regular army according to ai an­
nouncement received here early
this week from the Portland office
of the recruiting service He took
his oath August 30 and is now at
Fort Ord, Carfcrnia >n basic
training.
HERE IS a load of uncleaned seed picked in this area for Crown
Zellerbach for use in growing trees in • he future. Standing by the truck
is Bob Lindsay, resident forester for the Columbia Tree Farm.
I his
load weighed 950 pounds and consisted of' hemlock, Douglas fir, spruce
and silver fir cone*.
City Tax Levy Increase Brings
Vernonia Total to 121.6 Mills
In a release of combined tax
levy figures last week by James
M. Anliker, county assessor, was
contained the total tax rate that
property holders in the city of
Vernonia will pay for the 1949-50
year along with figures on coun­
ty levies.
In Vernonia, an increase in the
city levy from 24.6 for last year
to 51.2 mills this year is respon­
sible for the total combined levy
increase from 101.3 to 121.6.
Total ad valorem tax for 1949-50
is $1,311,132.04, a gain of $50,761.-
65 over 1948-49. This increase is
considerably less than the year
before when the total jumped from
$834,411.83 in 1947-48 to $1,260,-
370.39 in 1948-49.
Overall levy for the entire coun­
ty increased just .7 mills over a
year ago with the county general
fund levy up from 8.0 to 8.7. The
county general road fund levy re­
mained at 5.8 mills while the road
oiling fund is also the same, 3.0
mills.
The combined levy for the
county rural elementary school
district jumped from 23.8 mills to
25.1. The rural high school levy
dropped considerably from 18.2
to 9.3 but the non-high levy
climbed from 10.3 to 20.1.
Bus Depot to
Be Moved Soon Rummage Sale
The location of the Oregon Mo­
tor Stages depot will be moved
sometime this week, probably Fri­
day or Saturday, from the Palace
cafe to the Hotel MacDonald, Don
Bayley, local agent, said earlier
this week. He asked permission
for the busses to park in front
of the hotel of city councilmen
when they met Tuesday.
Parking space for busses will
be marked off in front of the
hotel to warn auto owners cf the
location.
Death Claims
Logger Friday
A logging accident near Jewell
last Friday claimed the life of
Frank Cechmanek, ex-serviceman,
logger and farmer. He was crush­
ed by the root of a tree as it
fell. The deceased had lived in
the Nehalem valley from childhood
and attended the Mist grade school
and Vernonia high school. He en­
listed in the U. S. Navy February
3, 1942 and entered active service
February 12 of that year. His
service included 19 months over­
seas duty and he was discharged as
machinist mate 1st class Novem­
ber 16, 1945.
He was united in marriage with
Eleanor Corll April 25, 1948 and
they made their home at Mist. He
was self-employed as a farmer and
float mill operator.
Frank Harold Cechmanek was
born September 13, 1917 at Rainier
and passed away September 2 at
the age of 31 years, 11 months
and 20 days.
Surviving are: his wife, Eleanor;
mother, Antonia Cechmanek and
father Jcseph Cechmanek, all of
Mist; a brother, Joseph, Jr., and
two sisters, Lydia Day and Ann
Brault. all of Portland.
Services were conducted Sunday,
'eptrmber 4, at the Mist gym with
the Bush Funeral Home. Vernonia,
in charge and interment was at
the Mist cemetery. Rev. G. Wm.
Anderson officiated. Acting as
pallbearers at the service were
Shalmon Libel, Richard Banzer,
Lou Choate, Fred Busch, Norman
Hansen and Walter Mathews.
Totals $143.11
Income from the four-day rum­
mage sale conducted the latter
part of August totaled $143.11,
figures released a this week indi­
cated. The sale was arranged by
the Pythian Sisters and the mer­
chandise was displayed at the
Eagles’ hall on Bridge. Individuals
contributed the items offered for
sale.
Income each day for the affair
was: August 24, $28.56; August
25, $40.24; August 26, $47 and
August 17, $27.31.
The Pythian Sisters expressed
their appreciation for the use of
the hall and to the people who
contributed articles for the sale.
All proceeds will be turned over
to the library building fund.
Cedarwood Mill
Owners Change
Ownership of another local busi­
ness has changed hands as the
result of a transaction which be­
came effective September 1, last
Thursday.
At that time The
Cedar wood Timber company
shingle mill was sold by L. C.
Cotner of Los Angeles to Eddie
Miller who previously has been
local manager of the plant.
Mr. Miller will handle local
sales of shingles, a procedure that
has not been done before and he
plans to operate the business con-
tinously,
using
one machine
through the year. Previously, op­
eration of the mill has been on a
two-shift basis part of the time
and has been shut down some
months.
High School
Enrollment
Up This Year
Number of Student»
In Grades Up as
Compared with 1948
The enrollment of students in
the Vernonia high school will ba
higher ’his year than last as
indicated by first day figure« of
the number of students released
Wednesday by Principal Ray Mills.
His total of students was 193 as
compared with an opening day en
rollment last year of 183. This
year’s figures is also above 1947
when the total was 189 at ths
opening day.
True in both the high school and
the grades is the fact that en
rollment increases gradually for
the first few weeks until all
students have completed summer
work or have returned from vaca­
The Vernonia Community Sing tions which prevented their at
met last Sunday afternoon at the tendance at the opening.
Evangelical U. B. church.
Judging by other years, ths—
The popularity of this pleasur­ total of high school students will
able bi-monthly get-together of exceed 200 before long, Mr. Mill:
neighbors has been shown by said. By classes the freshmen
its rapidly increasing attendance, number most with 66. Totals for
which starting in June with about the other classes are sophomores
30, reached a peak at this meeting 49, juniors 40 and seniors 38.
of 128, nearly filling the main
In the grades the first-day total
auditorium of this large church. is above that of last year with
This interesting meeting was 548 registered Tuesday as com­
in charge of Howard Frank who pared with 531 last year, accord­
divided the singing into four sec­ ing to Paul Gordon, superintendent.
tions, each under a different song This figure, 548 students, is con­
leader. These leaders were: L. E. siderably greater than the total
Stiff, Luther Herrin, Mrs. W. A. of 516 for 1946 and 465 for
McBride and Rev. Joe Smith.
1946.
A number of beautiful quartets
Likewise an increase can be ex­
solos and duets were given and pected in the next few weeks. The
many requested songs were sung first-day figure this year again
by the entire gathering.
brings the problems of insuf­
Near the close of the meeting, ficient room capacity and teacher
Marshall Crowell, president of the overload. State standards indicate
group, led several songs, welcomed a maximum teacher load of 30
new attendants, expressed appreci­ students per teacher in the upper
ation for the co-operative spirit grades and not more than 25 in~
shown and led a farewell song to the primary grades. Some teachers
Miss Beverly Herrin, secretary of are now teaching more than the
the group, who is leaving for Fort maximum with one teacher having
Worth, Texas where she will at­ 37 students, he said.
tend college at Texas Christian
It is possible that another
University.
teacher may be required and that
Next meeting will be Sunday another room at the Lincoln school
afternoon, September 18 at 2:00 be opened for classroom work.
p.m. at the Baptist church where
Over 300 students ate hot
the sing was organized.
lunches Wednesday noon, the first
day a meal was Berved, Mr. Gordon
said.
Attendance Up
To 128 at Sing
Society Plans Sale
The food sale being sponsored
by St. Mary’s Altar Society will
be held Saturday, September 10
starting at 10:30 a.m. It will be
held in the Eagles’ hall, corner
of Bridge and Second. Coffee
and pie will be served and the
food will be of the same high
quality and delectability as in
former sales.
Lions to Meet Mon.
The first fall meeting of the
Lions club, which has been inac­
tive during the summer, is sched-
uled for Monday evening of next
week, according to Bill Wilson,
secretary of the group. Members
are asked to assemble at the Ver­
nonia Golf and Country club.
RELOAD station in Oregon-American Iaimber corporation logging operation. At this point log« are trans­
ferred from motor trucks operated by eke trucking contractor. C. N. Day and Son. to trains operated by the
company over its own and SPAS Ry. Co. tracks to the mill pond at Vernonia. (No. 6)