L ib ra ry U n i v e r s i t y o f Oregon Sum ene, Or op on > Demoni a Eagle VOLUME 51. NUMBER 52 ---------------- --------------------- VERNONIA. OREGON 97064 — 10c Per Copy Fnel Shortage Grows Worse Throughout Area With winter barely u ‘ -way the future as presented by the news media -doesn't look to cheerful for both heating oil and gasoline Reports are flooding in from throughout the state of gas shortages resulting in the closing of stations and cars lined up for blocks waiting at those few that do have fuel. At. St. Helens, Rainier and ScuppiMise. in Columbia County, the gas shortage has ceased to be a myth and become an ir r ita - tin g -if n o t c ritica l-re a lity From Portland. Beaverton and other surrounding areas the word is coming loud and cle a r- that they to are suffering from a luck of gasoline with station after station sporting signs "Out ol (¡as Only the fact that the weather has been relatively mild has preventing heating oil from disappearing in a like manner hut if winter should prove severe it to could follow the route gasoline is taking Is this situation being shared by the whole nation? Not neces­ sarily. "When you cross the border into Oregon you might as well say someone pulled the curtain,” said one eyewitness to the "gas shortage" in California “ I drove all the way to Los Angeles and out into the suburbs and found no lack of fuel," he stated, adding "on the way home stations were o|M'rating in Southern. Central and Northern California as late as 11:30 p.m. with only one showing a lim it of $lO--not ten gallons hut $10. From the time I came into Oregon I found only one station open between there and home In the heart of the oilfields in Texas the story is a bit different They to are feeling the pinch of a lack of fuel with one man saying, "1 drove home from work, ate supjx’r then went down to the station to fill up only to find they were sold out and didn’t expect to get more before the end of the Dealers in the Vernonia area have already felt the pinch of the fuel shortage with their supplies cut hack from ten to 33 percent of last year's December allotment. It's not uad yet, commented one independent dealer, "but we just don't know Things could get a lot worse ” Strangely enough despite pro tests to the contrary—electricity no longer seems to be in short supply Winter rains and snows in other areas have nearly filled the reservoirs and left a snow pack that should hold, giving this area, at least, the electrical energy it needs “ People should start thinking about using electricity instead of burning all of their fuel oil because right now it looks like there may not lx- a whole lot of oil around unless quotas are raised,' stated one local dealer. "We have no guarantees that we w ill get the same quota next month It could be raised and then, again, it could be even less than now There’s no way of telling ” Financially dealers are hurt mg too With their normal amount of gasoline cut they just can't sell as much and many have had to improvise their own brand of rationing with sta tions -ordinarily open six or seven days a week—cutting back to four or five and some lim iting the amount of gasoline they w ill sell at any one time By using these stratagems they hope to eke out their quotas and make them last until the end of the month. 'sorry no gas' but when its gone, it's gone " The older man smiled and shrugged, “ What else can I do." Stations have managed to stagger the days they are closed so that some station can be open not last long if the require­ ment—p r e s e n t 1 y a sugges­ tion—tha' stations close on Sun day should lx- put into official effect. Suggestions for saving gaso­ line were readily given by some none already prevalent car pool. Others were more novel. One which could find favor with many parents was stopping the use of cars by high schoolers for driving to school and letting them take the bus instead Also suggested was persuading young people to give up their cars for joy riding up and down the streets of town "Some of these kids spent three and four dollars a day on gas and then I see them driving up and back on Bridge Street, nine or ten times in an evening That's gas that could be used to get someone to w ork." While kids may or may not agree with the suggestions the time could be near when it becomes a question of just who w ill get gas with government rationing imposed, a situation which could be more than incon vient. m onth." He laughed ruefully as he commented, “ and I can practically look out my window and see those pumps working away ” In some ares of Columbia County the worsi hasn't happen ed yet but each day brings the moment closer to when they must cease operating until a new "quota" is delivered Voluntary gas rationing has worked (or "home folks" but those who come from out of town seeking gas they can't find in their own neighborhoods greatly deplenish the remaining supply "What can I do," one dealer said “ I certainly can’t turn them away if they want gas yet 1 need it for my regular custom­ ers. It's a heck of a fix ." Reports from Washington show that most areas there are not yet hard hit by the shortage. “ We're getting gas all right but 'he price keeps climbing That hurls If you have the money you don’t seem to have any prob­ lem .” Is the fuel shortage a myth bred from the fertile mind of some one person or is it being handled so badly by both government and oil companies alike as to threaten some areas with a complete shutdown'' No matter what anyone's personal feelings are on the current fuel crisis it does point up one fact The year 1974 should prove to be an interesting one THURSDAY. DEC 27, 1973 CZ Newsprint Price Increase Granted Alien Address Report Needed Crown Zellerbach announced that it has received Cost of Living Council approval for a cost-justified price increase for domestically - produced news print sold in Western U S m ar­ kets. The company said the current price for domestically produced 30 pound standard newsprint is $183 68 a ton, compared with $177.50 a ton prior to the Cost of Living Council decision Albert Conversano, Jr., Dis­ trict Director, of the Im m igra­ tion and Naturalization Service advised this week that the annual alien address report pro­ gram is again under way. According to M r Conversano, 23,791 aliens reported their ad dresses last year in the State of Oregon The number this year is expected to be slightly larger. The Im m igration official pointed out that the address reports are required by law and w illful failure to comply with these requirements may lead to ser i ous consequences. Forms with which to make the reports are available at all Post Offices and Im m igration and Naturalization Service Offices. After fillin g out the card the alien may place a stamp on the card and m ail it directly to the address preprinted on the re­ verse of the form. Aliens who complete the alien card at a Service Office w ill give the completed card to the service employee For those unable to personally return the cards may mail them to the address on the card. Conversano added that trained personnel w ill be on hand in all offices of the Im migration and Naturalization Service to answer any questions the reporting aliens may have regarding Im ­ m igration and Naturalization matters Sufficient trained per­ sonnel are not available to furnish this assistance in all Post Offices. Fatalities Hit New Low T raffic fatalities in Oregon are down about 100 this year as compared to 1972. This has prompted Gil Bellamy, Oregon T raffic Safety Commission Ad­ m inistrator to predict that there w ill be fewer traffic deaths in 1973 than any year since 1964 Bellamy points out that during the ten year period from the first day of 1964 through the last day of 1973 it is estimated that the following changes w ill have oc- cured: Licensed drivers 36 per­ cent increase; registered vehic­ les 52 percent increase; and miles traveled 60 percent in­ crease. Approximately 30 of the 100 reduction in the number of fatalities for the state has been recorded in Portland. T raffic deaths are down 40 percent this year in the city. HELP, Inc. To Assist State During Energy Crisis HELP, Inc , the Information and Referral Center in Columbia County, has agreed to be the local information Center for the Oregon State Energy Inform at­ ion Office dealing with the fuel shortage All persons can get information aliout Hardship As­ sistance and what they must do to get such assistance. The of­ ficial application forms for get­ ting Hardship Assistance w ill also be at the HELP office, or they can be mailed out to callers Thv Program does not cover gasoline at this time. The basic purpose of the Energy Hardship Assistance program is to get heating fuels to those home and business that are without such fuel to heat the home and business, and to operate the business The State has the authority to re-allocate about 10 percent of existing supplies to hardship cases They are pre­ sently able to act on applications for hardship assistance in about one week The normal procedure is to call the State Energy Information Center in Salem on the toll free number (1-800- 452-0340) The State then would send out to the caller an ap­ plication form, which the caller would fill out and return to the State Office. The State would then determine whether a hard­ ship did in fact exist, determine how much fuel the applicant should have, and order the fuel delivered. With HELP, Inc. an­ swering questions in person at their St Helens Center, or by its toll free telephone (Commerce 9882-call operator to get), and with HELP, Inc. either giving the applications out in person or by mail, the time period should be reduced, which would mean that eligible home owners and businesses would get their need­ ed fuel sooner It is hoped in the future, that the State Energy Office would have personnel in Columbia County to make the final decision on whether a person would or would not get such Hardship Assistance and therefore reduce the tim e period even more, but for now with HELP, Inc giving information and providing the application forms, some time w ill be saved even though the final decisions w ill be made in Salem and not by the HELP, Inc. center staff. So if anyone has any questions about fuel for home or business, call the operator and ask for Commerce 9882. In St Helens you can call direct to 397-3511. The HELP, Inc. office is located at 351 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens If you prefer to call Salem direct, the toll free num­ ber there is 1-800-542-0340 Their office is located in Room 6, State Capital Building. K «!■*•••... rre held December 29 at Alice's Timber nook please contact Sue Torger son, Canby, Oregon SANTA'S MASK was removed, following the d osing of the Mystery Santa Contest, sponsored by the Vernonia < hamber of Commerce and beneath was found the genial features of Sam "Buck" Hearing. I