L ib ra ry , U o f O
EDB Church
To Observe
Anniversary
The 75th anniversary of the Ver­
nonia Evangelical United Brethern
church will be observed this com­
ing Sunday, September 16, and
an invitation is extended to every­
one to attend services planned for
that day, according to Raymond B.
Targgart, pastor. Letters have gone
out to many former residents as
well as to former pastors of the
church and many of them are
expected for the occasion.
The observance will start with
the 11:CO a.m. service and it will
be followed by a potluck dinner
and an afternoon program which
will include a review of the history
of the church and informal talks
by those who have played parts
in its development through the
years.
All local persons attending the
dinner are asked to bring large hot
dishes and either a salad or des­
sert. It is expected that many of
those coming from elsewhere will
also bring potluck but local resi­
dents are asked to provide ample
to care for those from a distance
who find it inconvenient to do so.
Friends and all persons interested
in the event are asked to join with
members in this observance.
Demoni a Eagíe
VOLUME 40, NUMBER 37
Candidates
NOBLE D U NLA P
D istrict 2
Users Fail to
Name Officers
Between 50 and 60 persons at­
tended a meeting at the Vernonia
fire hall last Saturday evening
which had been called for the pur­
pose of electing officers for the
West Oregon Cooperative Users
association.
Shortly after 8:00 p.m., the
meeting was called to order by
Hans Slette, who had been named
August 6 as chairman of a com­
mittee to circulate petitions ask­
ing for a special meeting of the
West Oregon Electric cooperative
members to investigate and deter­
mine justification for the recent
raise in rates of light and power
to consumers.
Chairman Slette stated that the
sole purpose of the Saturday eve­
ning meeting was to elect officers
for the organization to be known
as the West Oregon Electric Users
association. He then asked Lester
Sheeley to read the by-laws which
had been drawn for the organiza­
tion.
From that point on, the chair­
man had little opportunity to con­
duct a meeting. Various of those
present began asking suestions as
to why an organization of this
nature was needed and what it
expected to do. The chairman an­
swered queries with a stattement
that this meeting was not for such
discussion but for the election of
officers. However, others posed
similar questions and several spoke
concerning their feelings on the
matter. It appeared that the ma­
jority of those present opposed the
formation of such an organization.
When it became evident to the
chairman that those in opposition
intended to make it virtually im­
possible for the purpose of the
meeting to be accomplished, he de­
clared the meeting adjourned.
Informal discussion continued
for some time after adjournment.
ROBERT U. MATHEWS
District 2
GEORGE L. SM ITH
D istrict 5
Schools Close
September 17
Schools in Columbia county will
be closed September 17. All teach­
ers are participating in a county
institute designed by a teacher
committee dealing with education­
al implications of industrial de­
velopment.
The main speaker will be Robert
Drager, industrial supervisor of the
Oregon planning and development
commission. Mr. Drager has had
the opportunity in many projects
related to industrial development
in Oregon.
Members of the St. Helens port
commission will serve on a panel
to discuss what is being done in
the expanded port district in Co­
lumbia county.
In the afternoon the teachers
will be guests of the Port of Port­
land on a tour of some of the port
facilities on the Willamette river.
Teachers will board the Portland,
a stem wheeler, at Swan Isalnd
and will receive a guided river
tour.
HANS O. SLETTE
D istrict 5
DUDLEY P. SPOFFORD
District 5
VERNONIA, OREGON
THURSDAY, SEPT. 13. 1962
Board Positions to Be Sought by
Five at Annual Cooperative Meet
The five candidates for the po­
sitions of directors on the board
of the West Oregon Electric co­
operative have furnished infor­
mation about themselves to ac­
quaint members of the coopera­
tive with them and their qualifica­
tions.
In district 2, which includes
Birkenfeld, Mist, Pittsburg and
Chapman, the nominees named at
the meeting held at Natal August
28 are Noble Dunlap, incumbent,
and Robert U. Mathews.
In district 5, which includes the
portion of Vernonia west of the
SP&S tracks. Timber route up
Beaver creek and to and including
Timber, those nominated August
29 were George L. Smith, incum­
bent. Hans Slette and Dudley
Spofford.
October 20, at the annual meet­
ing of the cooperative, one direc
tor will be elected from each of
the two district.
A brief statement of facts about
each of the five is as follows:
Noble Dunlap, incumbent, dis­
trict 2, is a native of Mist and has
spent most of his life in this vicin­
ity. His home is a 90-acre farm
near Natal.
He has been interested in power
problems of the valley for many
years and was elected to the Ne­
halem Basin PUD board and was
treasurer of that organization until
it was made inactive following the
formation of West Oregon Electric
in 1944 when he then became a
member of the cooperative board
and has served continuously. He
has held the office of vice presi­
dent and president at various
times. He is a veteran of World
War I and is a member of Vernonia
Post American Legion. He also be­
longs to the Vernonia Barracks of
Veterans of World War I.
He is a long time member of
the Natal Grange and was master
for 14 years. He is active in Colum­
bia county Pomona Grange and
was Pomona master for six years.
He also served two terms on
the Vernonia high school board of
directors.
Robert U. Mathews, nominee for
director from district 2 will oppose
Noble Dunlap at the election Oc­
tober 20.
He has lived in the valley since
1910 when his parents moved from
Portland to the Mellis homestead
on the Burn road south of Mist.
In 1942 he moved to his present
place on the Nehalem river.
Since 1948 he has been in part­
nership with three brothers on
their cattle farm and logging op­
eration. Prior to that the Mathews
brothers operated a steam sawmill
and logged.
He has been active in commun­
ity affairs, is on the school district
47 budget committee, had served
as a director of Mist school board
for over nine years, has served on
the Vernonia high school board
and has been on the Columbia
county budget committee at var­
ious times since 1937.
George L. Smith, incumbent di­
rector for district 5 first came to
Vernonia in 1936 when his family
moved here. He completed high
school here.
During World War II he served
in the Coast Guard. Following
the war he worked for a time in
Long Beach, California. On re­
turning to Vernonia he worked for
the Long-Bell Lumber company
as a welder at Camp McGregor
until operations there ceased. He
then purchased the machine shop
there and moved it to his home on
Timber route, Vernonia. He op­
erates the machine shop on a part
time basis. For the past two years
he has worked for Crown Zeller-
bach Co. on the E P. Stamm Tree
Farm.
He has been on the Cooperative
board since 1957.
Hans O. Slette, moved to Ver­
nonia three years ago when he
purchased the Sunnyside Service
and Grocery about one and a half
miles south of Vernonia. Just prior
to moving to Vernonia they had
lived near Dallas, Oregon for about
six months following a move from
Concord, California where the
Slette» had lived for a number of
years.
While living in Concord, Mr.
Slette had been in various posi­
tions from driving truck to West­
ern Regional Manager for Dealer's
Transit, Inc. of Chicago. He also
was employed by Leonard Bros.
Transportation Co.
Mr. Slette has belonged to the
Eagles Lodge. He holds a with­
drawal card in the Teamster’s
union.
Dudley P. Spofford, has lived in
V?rnonia most of the time since
1926 when he moved here with his
family from Southern Idaho.
Since coming to Vernonia he
has worked in the woods and mills.
He first worked for the Oregon-
American Lumber Co. in 1926.
For a number of years ha was a
contract logger in partnership with
Ray Taylor of Mist. For the past
five years he has been employed
by the Allied J&H Lumber Co.
In his spare time he assists Mrs.
Spofford in the family greenhouse
venture, Spofford’s Gardens and
Floral Service.
He is chairman of the Christian
Church board of trustees and also
president of the Vernonia Federal
Credit Union.
J Vs Schedule
Rainier Game
BLM Approves
10-Acre Park
A park with facilities for 45
overnight campers will be built
on tire Scappoose-Vernonia road
about 10 miles from Vernonia at
no cost to the county for building
or maintenance, according to an
announcement made last week by
Columbia County Judge John
Whipple.
In excess of 10,000 acres of O
and C lands managed by the Fed­
eral Bureau of Land Management
are located in Columbia county
and the erection of this park is a
Loggers Meet
Rainier First
Friday night of this week at 8
p.m., the 1962 rendition of the
Vernonia Logger gridiron squad
will take to the turf at Greenman
Field to play their first tilt of the
season against the always tough
Rainier Columbians. The Loggers
this year under the tutelege of
Coach Bob Wendel will once again
sport the T formation, but a new
wrinkle has been added on defense
with the local eleven slated to use
a 4-5-2 to try and stem the attack
of the Columbians.
The local eleven will once again
be one of the lighter squads in
the league, averaging 170 pounds
on the line and 155 in the back-
field. Injuries have been kept to
a minimum and the local squad
should be at full strength Friday
evening.
With the loss of nine lettermen
from last year’s squad, Coach Bob
Wendel will definitely be build­
ing this year. Friday night of last
week the Vernonia squad played
the alumni with the latter proving
just a little too much for them of­
fensively. The local eleven did
show, however, that they weren’t
going to be a pushover for anyone
this year.
The tentative starting line-up
as given by Coach Wendel is:
Center, Ed Kamholz; guards, Del­
bert Bush and Bill Pringle; tackles,
Mark Medges and John Hilde­
brand; ends, Bob Grimsbo and
Terry Larson; quarterback, Grant
Bowerman; halfback, Boxer Cox
and Dan Steele; and fullback,
Harvey Redmond.
On sale this week are the .sea­
son tickets to all athletic events
for $8.00. Prices at the gate will
be adults $1.00; grade school 50
cents and pre-schoolers, 25 cents.
After three weeks of practice,
the Vernonia JV football team un­
der Coach Manning Bomberger
will have their first game of the
season this Tuesday, September 18,
at the high school field against
Rainier.
Coach Bomberger now has a
squad of 22 boys which includes
16 freshmen who have turned out
for their first year of football.
Coach Bomberger reports that
he has been well pleased with his
boys during his pre-season drills
and has singled out several first
year players who have impressed
him so far: Roger Medges at full­
back Jerry Hanson at end and
Gonzales Cox at center. Cox is
the heaviest man on the team at
170 pounds.
The JV’s will play a six game
schedule with Rainier, Clatskanie,
Banks and Star of the Sea. All
home games will start at 7:00 p.m.
A complete JV schedule and roster
Members of the Vernonia Lions
will be published next week.
club opened the fall season with
a dinner held in the Scout cabin at
the city park at which they enter­
tained their wives with a ladies
night program. The delicious steak
dinner was served by John Wdde.
Special guests for the evening
were Mr. and Mrs. Cass Berger-
Tuesday evening of this week son and Mr. and Mrs. E. V. Robert­
Coach Bob Wendel announced son who were invited in apprecia­
the start of a punting and passing tion of the great amount of assis­
contest for boys aged 11, 12 and tance the men had given to the
13. All boys interested in this can Scout cabin project. Mr. and Mrs.
sign up at the grade school bul­ Don Cameron and Mr. and Mrs.
letin board and become acquainted Wayne Welch had also been in­
with the rules at that time.
vited for the same reason but were
Saturday, September 29 from unable to attend.
10 to 12 the boys will practice at
Bruce Roberts, pastor of the
the high school football field.
Christian church, became a mem­
On October 6 they will hold the ber of the club.
semi-finals from 10 to 11 and on
Art Gardner was given the Dis­
October 12, at halftime between
trict
Governor’s attendance award
the Vernonia - Banks game, the
in recognition for the number of
boys will stage the finals.
There will be three winners new members he has brought into
whose names will be engraved on the club in the past five-year per­
a plaque and placed on display at iod. Art also holds a seven-year
the grade school. The awarding of perfect attendance record.
Joey Acaiturri, program chair­
prizes is not allowed as it would
man, created a lot of hilarity by
damage the boys' amateur status.
part of the recreational program
recently adopted by 18 O and C
counties.
The park will be on the East
Fork of the Nehalem river ad-,
jacent to the highway in section
7, township 4N, 3W between the
Walt Fleeter place and the road
into the Peter-Glenn tree farm»
People familiar with the area cart
identify the approximate location
by the old trestle 23.
Accommodations will include
picnic tables, fireplaces, restrooms
and ample drinking water. Cost
of construction and also of main­
tenance will be provided for by
the U.S. Bureau of Land Manage­
ment.
The name Scaponia, derived
from the names Scappoose and
Vernonia has been given this new
recreation area and park.
Paul W. Arrowsmith who is in
charge of the recreation program
for the Bureau of Land Manage­
ment, stated this week that the
site includes approximately 10
acres. Work of clearing brush,
making roads and laying out trails
will be done this winter.
The sum of $5000 is budgeted
for the development during this
fiscal year and they expect to
spend more in the future to ex­
pand the facilities according to the
interest shown in its use.
He stated that facilities should
be ready for use by next June.
Judge Whipple stated that Co­
lumbia county is fortunate to land
this new park and should be proud
to have a facility for the use of
both residents and visitors.
,
Firemen Host
For Fire Meet
The Vernonia Volunteer Fire
Department will be host Wednes­
day evening of next we?k, Sep­
tember 19, to the Washington- Co­
lumbia County Fire Fighters assoc­
iation, according to Ralph Sturde-
vant, Vernonia fire chief. A dif­
ferent city plays host to the group
each month.
Sturdevant also stated this week
that the fire call Sunday evening,
September 9, was the first one
for the Vernonia department in
three months. The last call was
May 18. The Sunday call was to
the DeLemos home on OA hill and
was for an overheated oil stove.
No damage was incurred.
Lions Open Season Meetings
With Dinner at Scout Cabin
Boys Asked to
Enter Contest
calling on some of the members,
for extemporaneous two - minute
speeches. Some of those called on
were Neil Zimmerman who was
asked to tell how he married hi»
wife and John Jensen who was
asked to explain why he didn't
have a wife.
Acaiturri also acted as auction­
eer for several prizes that were left
over, and proved to be a shrewd,
auctioneer when he was able to
sell the same item several times.
Darrold Proehl and Joe Magoff
engaged in several golf matches
on the park grounds.
Following the meeting, Bill
Horn, zone chairman, held a zone,
meeting at which three members,
from the Rainier club were pres-,
ent.
The Vernonia club will meet-
again next Monday evening, Sep­
tember 17, at the fire hall at 6:30
p.m. for the regular dinner meet­
ing and business session. The St.
Helens club is expected to make
a visitation here at that time.
Prior to the meeting, there will
be a short meeting of the board
of directors at 5:50 p m.
School Figures Increase
By grades, the enrollment is as
Monday of this week, new stu­
dents who entered the schools in follows with the letter L indicat­
district 47 joint increased the fig­ ing Lincoln school, W indicating
ures given last week by 18 and Washington and M the Mist school:
brought the total enrollment to First, L 27, W 28, M 7; second, L
the highest figure since 1957, the 27, W 28, M 3; third, L 21, W 20,
M 6; fourth, W 48, M 7; fifth, W
year the mill closed.
Eleven new students were in 50, M 6; sixth, W 46, M 9; se­
grade schools and seven in the venth, W 50; eighth, W 60; kin­
high school. The total grade school dergarten, 36; high school, fresh­
enrollment is now 479 with 366 at man 45, sophomores 59, juniors
Washington school, 75 at Lincoln 35, seniors 35.
By looking at the figures as
school and 38 at Mist. The high
school now has 174 Total enroll­ broken down by grades, some in­
ment as of Monday was 653 as teresting speculations can be made
about the near future of Vernonia
compared to 680 in 1957.
»
high school. Next May they will^
graduate 35 (on the basis of pre-*
sent figures) and next fall, they
will get a freshman class of 60,
pre-supposing that all 60 of the
present eighth graders enter high
school here. The next year, May i
of 1964, the high school will again J
graduate a small class and admit!
a large one. On the basis of figures,
as they stand now, the enrollment
in 1964 could easily go over the
200 mark.
For a “dead” town, the con­
clusion is that a lot of "Caspers”
must be attending school.