Demoni a
VOLUME 43, NUMBER 5
VERNONIA, OREGON
WHITE outline shows area being purchased by Shell Chemical com
pany on which they announced plans Sunday for construction of
fertilizer manufacturing plant. Lined area inside outline will be loca-
City Accepts U.S. Bank Offer
To Buy Building for $10,000
The Vernonia city council voted
Monday night to accept the offer of
the United States National bank to
THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 1985 purchase the Vernonia bank building
which the city now owns, if certain
legal technicalities can be met. The
price offered for the building was
$10,000.
Stipulated in the consideration was
the payment of all closing costs and
of heating the building through June
of this year by the purchaser. When
an agreement is reached, the sale
will be confirmed by ordinance.
In a report on a meeting of school
authorities and council representa
tives the city attorney, Robert Vagt,
stated that he did not approve of
the rules set up by the school au
thorities to control the use of vehicles
on school property. His feeling was
that some terms used were vague
and unenforceable under existing ci
ty and state laws. His belief is that
any rules should be legalized by of
ficial resolution which should be
adapted to existing law by refer
ence.
The council directed the city re
corder, Walter Linn, to set up a
“complaint log” to list instances of
reported wrong - doing especially
those arising through the schools,
even though no official action had
been taken. This was a suggestion
made during the conference between
the mayor, city police and school
authorities.
The drainage problem at the Ho
mer Fuller property at the comer
of Bridge and Missouri avenue on
OA hill, was again considered. Cor
rections under way or being consid
ered are the opening of plugged
drains and ditching.
Fuller, representing the fire de
partment, asked about the progress
of condemnation proceedings on se
veral buildings. The recorder was
Band Parents
Slate Election
tion of plant. Additional land being acquired, totaling 800 acres, will
be used for future expansion of facilities. Construction is scheduled
to start this year, but fairgrounds will be available for the 1965 fair.
Shell Chemical
Outlines Plans
Shell Chemical company will build at the present location.
a multi-million dollar plant at Deer
A state forestry station, also sit
Island, company officials told coun uated within Shell’s acreage, will be
ty newspaper representatives Sun relocated on another portion of the
day when they released information company’s property, according to of
about the extent of their plans. Their ficials. The Kinder cemetery, resting
announcement ends s p e c u l a t i o n
place of many of the area’s pio
heard for several months about an neers, will be preserved as is.
industrial plant coming to that area.
In discussing the new plant facility,
The new facility, which will be lo Hyde stressed that the operation is
cated on the Columbia river some 35 clean. No obnoxious odors will be
miles north and west of Portland, emitted, he said. Shell also will
was described Sunday by James W. build an effluent treating process
Hyde, Shell Chemical’s general man into the plant to insure that no harm
MARK MEDGES
ager of the ammonia division.
ful waste material is added to the
The plant will cost in the order of river.
ten million dollars and will produce
Most of the water required by the
anhydrous ammonia, prilled urea, plant, however, will be used to cool
and mixed fertilizers. The two for the chemical processes. The water
mer products are used in industry used in the cooling process will have
as well as agriculture.
no more of a direct contact with
Mark Medges, V e r n o n i a high
Construction is scheduled to begin chemicals than a refrigeration gas
school
senior, was named as student
this summer, with completion esti has with food in a freezer, so there
mated in mid-1966. The project will is no danger of contamination, Hyde of the month for January at the stu-
include a processing plant, office pointed out.
dentbody meeting held last Friday.
and bulk storage buildings, a dock
In the cooling process the plant will This is a new feature at Vernonia
and railroad spur.
use 15,000 gallons of water from the
The site is an 800-acre parcel of Columbia river a minute. The only high school and Mark is the first
land on U.S. Highway 30, fronting material to flow into the air will be student to be so named.
Nominations for the student of the
on the Columbia River. The Spokane, steam vapor, he concluded.
Portland and Seattle Railway passes
The new plant will enable Shell month are made on the basis of ser
through the property.
Chemical, which has been market vice to the school, courtesy, integri
An estimated 80 to 90 persons will ing ammonia and urea in the Pacific
ty, personality, appearance and co
be needed to run the plant, Hyde Northwest for many years, to supply
stated. The annual payroll will be the area’s needs locally. Presently operative attitude and a student must
about $750,000. The large majority of products are shipped from San Fran maintain a grade point average of
these people will be drawn from the cisco and Los Angeles to storage de 2.00 to be eligible.
local labor market. The company, pots at Pasco, Washington; and Will-
A committee composed of a student
however, is not yet certain how ma bridge. More photos, page 4.
representative from each class and
ny of the 80 to 90 people will be add
the class advisors considers the nom
ed directly to the Shell payroll.
inations, without any discussion, and
“We wall be employing people to
handle jobs of operating departments
selects the student of the month by
and in the office. We may contract
secret ballot.
with local firms for various types of
Mark, who is the son of Mr. and
maintenance work,” the official said.
The Vernonia JVs defeated the Mrs. Joe Medges of Capitol Hill, was
During construction, an estimated Jewell Bluejays last Tuesday in a named for his vocational achieve
500 persons will be needed by build very exciting game 69-66.
ment, his being named as an all-
ing contractors.
With Fred Smith scoring 21 points state football player, his track par
The plant initially will produce in the first half, the Loggers pulled ticipation, his friendly attitude to
150,000 tons of nitrogenous products away to a 45-32 halftime lead, but ward other students and his willing
annually, according to Hyde.
had to fight off a fourth quarter ral ness to help others, his participa
Hydrogen and nitrogen are basic ly on the part of the Bluejays to tion and achievement in shop skills
raw materials used in the manufac gain their victory.
contests and his all-around good per
ture of these products. Hydrogen
Smith, with 30 points, led all Log sonality.
will be produced by processing nat ger scorers and he was followed by
ural gas supplied by the Northwest Joe Curl and Keith Cameron with
Natural Gas company, and nitrogen II and 10 points respectively.
will be taken from the atmosphere
Scoring: Pederson 8, Curl 11, Cam
As a result of Shell's move into eron 10. Smith 30, Peddicord 2, Ming
For those who wish assistance or
the area, Columbia county will get a er 0, Larson 8, Mattson 0.
have some question on filling out
new, modern fairgrounds. Shell pur
The Vernonia Freshmen team lost their income tax forms the following
chased the present fairgrounds land to the Jewell JVs 64-58. The Fresh places will be available to them: St.
and buildings for part of its plant men were led by Larry Elton with Helens courthouse, March 25, 9 a.m.
site and donated an additional $66,000 28 points. He was followed by Pete to 3:30 p.m.; Portland state office
so that the county could build a mo Brunsman with 13.
building, 1400 S. W. 5th avenue, Mon
dern facility at another location.
Scoring: Forcier 8. P. Brunsman days through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5
Through agreement of the county 13. A Brunsman 2, Proehl, Burton, p.m. and Clatskanie city hall, March
and Shell, the 1965 fair will be held Elton 29, G. Hanson 6.
24, 2 to 5 p.m.
Senior Named
First Student
JVs Win Over
Jewell Team
Tax Help Offered
Council Asks
Safety Class
Registration
L. E. Atkins, chairman of the Ver
nonia Hunter Safety Council, has is
sued a plea to all interested youths
of the area to sign up now for gun
safety classes. Dates and instruc
tors will be assigned as soon as regis
tration is completed this week.
Same interest in an adult class, or
possibly an all-mother class, has
been indicated by inquiries directed
to Atkins. If enough adults are in
terested such a class will be con
ducted. Also, any parents wishing to
take the course with their youngsters
may do so. Persons wishing to take
part in an adult class are requested
to call Atkins at HAzel 9-5032.
Any youths who did not register at
the schools this past week are asked
to contact Atkins or any Hunter Safe
ty instructor right away so they
may be worked into classes.
County Youth
Group to Meet
The Columbia County Youth Oppor
tunity committe established recent
ly by the Columbia county court to
study ways and means to provide
on-the-job training for youths 16-21,
training and further education for
high school drop-outs and means to
provide summer employment for
young people still in school, will meet
at Vernonia high school tomorrow,
February 5, at 9 a.m.
The committee, headed by County
Extension Agent Don Coin Walrod,
has as members Joey Acaiturri, Ver-
onia school superintendent, Mrs.
June dromons of Scappoose, county
park committee member; Ray God
sey, county school superintendent;
and J. C. Cranford, news editor for
the St. Helens Sentinel-Mist.
All members of the Band Parents
club are urged to attend the next
meeting Monday evening, February
8, from 7:30 to 8:30 in the grade
school band room.
There will be the election of offi
cers and the aims and purposes of
the club are to be discussed for the
benefit of new members.
Plans for the luncheon to be serv
ed March 20 to the grade school
band festival students are also to be
discussed at this time.
James Fiske, band director, has
expressed his appreciation to all
members who helped prepare and
serve the potluck dinner January 29
to the Willamette University band
students. He also expressed special
appreciation to the high school girls
who helped clean up after the din
ner.
The band parents feel that Ver
nonia was very fortunate to have
the Willamette band give a concert
here. There was a good attendance
to enjoy it.
Heart Drive
Head Named
Mrs. Harold Kerry of Scappoose,
who has been appointed as Columbia
county chairman for the 1965 heart
fund drive, was in Vernonia last
Thursday to confer with Mrs. Marie
Atkins, who has been named chair
man for this area, about the fea
tures of the drive.
Mrs. Kerry also presented to Mrs.
Atkins a certificate of appreciation
for the outstanding work she did as
local chairman in 1964.
The American Legion auxiliary has
been enlisted by Mrs. Atkins as the
sponsoring organization for the Ne
halem valley. They already have
sent letters to other organizations
asking for their contributions to the
fund.
Mrs. Atkins stated that Mrs. Kerry
had left with her a supply of plas
tic heart coin collectors which will
be placed in all business places by
February 15. Also, plans are being
made for the Heart Sunday solicita
tion February 21.
directed to send letters to persons
concerned asking permission to burn
the building. The fire department
will conduct burns as training exer
cises when the proper authorization
is obtained.
In other business, angle parking
was approved on J e f f e r s o n
street
by
the
Masonic
tem
ple on the sloping portion only. Wa
ter and drainage problems in various
areas were discussed. Some sunken
back-fill and unsatisfactory finish
ing in the Riverview wafer system
prompted the withholding of final
payment to the contractor.
With regard to the control of rats
within the city, Councilman Horace
Hertel had conferred with the coun
ty health officer who advised, as the
first step, a thorough community
clean-up, after which the services
of a commercial exterminator was
advised.
Some unauthorized cutting of trees
in the OA hill park area was report
ed and steps are to be taken to
wards warning offenders.
Committee appointments, payment
of bills and other miscellaneous dis
cussion completed the business.
The next council meeting will be
February 15.
Non-League
Games Lost
The Vernonia Loggers lost two
non-league games this past week end,
losing Friday night at Yamhill-Carl
ton 94-77 and to Clatskanie Saturday,
77-53.
Friday at Yamhill, the Ix»ggers, led
by guard Denny Holsey with 21
points, had four men score in double
figures but couldn’t stop the high-
scoring Tigers, particularly in the
second half. Fred Smith, Jim Belling
ham and Danny Steele had 16, 11
and 10 points respectively.
The Loggers led at halftime 38-35
but in the second half were outscored
59-39.
Scoring: Bellingham 11, T. Smith
8, Larson 5, Johnston 2, F. Smith 16,
Steele 10, Bateman 4, Holsey 21,
Redmond 0.
Against Clatskanie on the Vernon
ia court Saturday night, too much
height on the part of the Tigers
proved to be the downfall for the
Loggers in the second half, after a
close first half which saw Clatskanie
ahead by only one point, 30-29.
Scoring: Bellingham 5, T. Smith 1,
Larson 6. Johnston 5, F. Smith 10,
Steele 11, Bateman 2, Holsey 13,
Redmond 0.
The Vernonia JVs lost two close
games last week end also, losing
Friday night to the Yamhill JVs 66-
65 and to the Clatskanie JVs on Sat
urday in three overtime periods, 57-
54.
Against Yamhill-Carlton, the young
Loggers were led in scoring by Dave
Larson and Joe Curl with 24 and 12
points respectively.
Scoring: Pederson 8, Holsey 5,
Cameron 6, Curl 12, Ellis 2, Larson
24, Peddicord 8, Minger 0.
Against the Clatskanie JVs Dave
Larson and Joe Curl once again led
the Logger scorers with 16 and 11
points.
Scoring: Pederson 2, Cameron 7,
Holsey 6, Curl 11, Ellis 6, Larson 16,
Mattson 1, Peddicord 3, Minger 2.
Friday, the Loggers travel to War
renton to take on the Warriors in a
very important league game. Tues
day they travel to Banks to take on
the Banks Braves.
Film to Show
History of Art
The Vernonia Society of Arts and
Crafts will present a 20-minute col-
lored movie entitled “The History
of Art” Wednesday evening, Febru
ary 10, at 8 p.m., in the West Ore
gon building.
This film covers art from cave
and prehistoric paintings to modern
werks. The meeting is open to ail
interested persons and is free of
charge. Following the picture, there
will be a craft demonstration on the
making of parchment note paper
Assessor to Offer Senior Citizen Tax Assistance
Columbia County Assessor Frank
LeMont will be at the fire station in
Vernonia February 10 and February
11 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
to assist senior citizens with their
property tax exemption applications.
The assessor is also reminding
senior citizens that they must file
an application for property tax
exemptions before April 1, 1965, oth
erwise an exemption can not be al
lowed.
New applicants are requested to not exceed $2500 00 during the last
bring their birth certificate or some calendar year (including income of
other record of historical nature that spouse or joint owner i.
will establish their date of birth, al
The inhabitancy of the property is
so bring the last tax statement for limited to the senior citizen and their
the property in which they actually spouse, their unmarried minor chil
live and are claiming the exemption. dren, any blood relative that the tax
Senior citizens property tax ex payer actually supports or a nurse,
emptions are limited to those prop housekeeper or companion whose
erty owners who are 65 years old presence is required by the physical
or older on March 1, 1965 and whose condition of one or more of the tax
gross receipts from all sources did payers.