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Medford
News 1930 Medford-related news items from
1930. Also see descriptions of Medford and Jackson
County for
this year.
Rogue River Valley Fruit
Shipments Climb to $6,127,640 in 1929.
Medford,
Ore., Jan. 3.--Fruit shipments from the Rogue River Valley for the 1929
season totaled in value $,127,640, according to a report filed this
week with the Rogue River Traffic Association. Of this sum $611,360 was
for apples and $5,516,280 for pears.
The pear shipments by varieties were:
Cars
The
traffic committee was
instructed to request that in making out its schedule for hauling
Medford district fruit over the Alturas cut-off next year, arrangements
be made by the Southern Pacific so that the fruit shipments would not
be delayed at Klamath Falls and in Nevada.Cannery Bartletts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610 Packed Bartletts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695 Howells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Boscs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727 d'Anjou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873 Comice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Winter Nelis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 Assorted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Excerpt, The Chicago Packer, January 4, 1930, page 13 FUTURE OF VALLEY IN OWN HANDS
If the
residents of Medford and the Rogue River Valley work together as one
unit, a successful industrial future for Southern Oregon is assured,
and if complete support is given the industries already here, other
manufacturers will come to Medford, was the gist of several speeches
made last night at the first annual community inventory dinner at the
Hotel Medford, attended by over 200 people. K. I. Dazey, president of
the newly organized Central Civic Council, presided as toastmaster.Central Civic Council Banquet Brings Out Need of Support-- Local Industry and Home Products Lumber Use Cited--Fruit Business Reviewed--Products Listed. Leonard Read of Seattle, assistant manager of the western division of the United States Chamber of Commerce, delivered the closing address of the evening, "Growing Responsibilities of Business," touching matters of importance to all business men. Awards in the Christmas outdoor lighting contest were presented the winners by E. C. Gaddis of the chamber of commerce publicity committee as the first number on the evening's program. Lumber Big Revenue.
The lumber industry, providing a giant's share of Medford and Southern
Oregon's payroll, was discussed by Gain Robinson, sales manager of the
Owen-Oregon Lumber Company, which has its sawmill situated on the
northern edge of the city."There are at least 27 sawmills in this county," said Mr. Robinson in part, "in addition to a number of box factories, planing mills, cabinet works and retail lumber yards. Many of the smaller sawmills are located in out-of-the-way places and operate only intermittently throughout the year. I have not been able, therefore, to determine how much lumber is manufactured, nor have I been able to have available the number of men employed in the lumber industry. 550 Men Employed.
"I can, however, give figures on the Owen-Oregon company, from which
conclusions can be arrived at as to the value of this manufacturing
concern, established here in 1924, but it was not until the spring of
1927 that the present plant was built. Last year 65,745,000 feet of
lumber was produced, or 2975 carloads in round figures, and shipped
approximately 2625 carloads or 57,681,000 feet. In producing this, 550
men were employed the entire year, the number exceeding that figure at
certain times of the year. Allied industries give employment to 55 more."There is ample timber available," continued Mr. Robinson, "for a cut of 125,000,000 feet a year, and our facilities will take care of such cut. Records reveal that the company shipped 7,081,000 feet locally last year. Our last year's sales therefore were a little over 10 percent of our production, and as closely as can be estimated. 5,000,000 feet were shipped in from outside points. From those figures were furnished 58 percent of the lumber used in this city, and at our labor costs the people of our city have contributed to northern sawmills to the extent of $62,500. "We do not expect local people to pay a premium for our product, against stock of equal quality shipped from the outside, but believe that everyone interested in the development of Medford should determine of his lumber dealer whether he is quoting on locally manufactured stock or lumber manufactured elsewhere," concluded Mr. Robinson. Scherer Reviews Fruit.
A review of the fruit industry by Paul Scherer of the Southern Oregon
Sales Company revealed that 4961 carloads of apples and pears were
shipped from Medford last year, having a value of over $6,000,000. Of
this amount $2,000,000 were expended on payrolls in producing and
marketing the fruit. M. Scherer, who returned recently from an eastern
trip, reported that market conditions had greatly improved during the
past three years and that Rogue River Valley fruit has come into its
own in eastern markets, no longer giving first place to fruit grown in
the Santa Clara district of California.The speaker also told of the success of the Winter Pear Committee in promoting the sale of 19 cars of Bosc pears in Detroit, where only a limited amount had been sold before, and reviewed the work of Professor Hartman of the Oregon State College, who has been spending several months in the East in the interest of valley fruit. Over half a million dollars was spent in Medford and Southern Oregon last year for increased fruit facilities, Mr. Scherer said in closing. Farmers Prospered.
That the farmer of Jackson County enjoyed a prosperous year in 1929 can
be seen in the payment of taxes by sons of the soil, said County Judge
Alex Sparrow in reviewing 1929 as a year for the farmers. He said that
more prompt tax payments were made last year than for some time, and
many delinquent payments were also made. He declared a big need of the
county was the increase in dairy and beef herds, which could be made
possible through the use of cheap capital, which, at the present
8-percent interest rate, is regarded too high for any farmer to pay.He also was not particularly impressed with the government farm relief measures, which, he said, attempted to solve the problem in an awkward manner. He declared the farmers must become better organized and lose a portion of the spirit of independence that has characterized them for so long. Industrial Future.
"The industrial future of Medford is just what you make it," W. H.
Gore, president of the Medford National Bank, told his listeners in
speaking of the industrial future of this city. "Over 50 percent of the
state's payroll is in the lumber industry, which we must protect. In
Jackson County our billions of feet of lumber can supply a payroll of
$105,000,000 if the industry is properly protected by a tariff."Our present payroll in Medford is estimated at $3,000,000 annually on industrial pursuits, in addition to the money expended by fruit interests," he said in part. He told of attempts to interest a pulp pear manufacturing concern to locate here, this section having the best pulp material on the coast, but the interested parties were not convinced the people of Southern Oregon would be behind the project in a determined manner. He also told of the railroad possibilities of Southern Oregon, and declared in the future the Union Pacific railroad would find its way to Medford, already having a good start in Eastern Oregon. He suggested people of Southern Oregon must organize to bring this dream to realization. He told of the tonnage such a line could take from this section and dwelt at short length on the mining resources of the section. C. of C. Work Told.
Carl Swigart, president of the Medford Chamber of Commerce, reviewed
the work of that organization for 1929, including activities in
industrial expansion, land settlement work, aviation, Community Chest,
Better Business Bureau, agricultural council and other important civic
work. The budget for the next year's work has been increased to include
a larger territory.In making the closing address of the evening, Leonard Read declared that the United States Chamber of Commerce figures revealed that 15 percent of the retail stores in the United States are responsible for 85 percent of the nation's retail business. He stressed the buy-at-home idea, but declared the retailer was more at fault than the consumer. The retailer fails to have the goods wanted and fails to use proper methods. An observation that struck his listeners as an interesting disclosure came when Mr. Read declared he had counted hats in the hotel lobby and found that 58 percent had not been purchased from local stores. Mr. Read was an interesting speaker but confined his speech to a few minutes. Products Listed.
A program given diners included a list of Medford manufacturers and
gave information that the dinner, held in the big dining room, was
given by the civic council, composed of the Medford city council, city
planning commission, Kiwanis Club, Medford Chamber of Commerce, Rotary
Club, Lions Club, and the American Legion. The committee in charge
included H. S. Deuel, Marc Jarmin, Gus Newbury and B. E. Harder.Music was furnished during the dinner hour by the Medford High School musicians. MEDFORD, HAIL!
The
traditional great blare of trumpets and the herald's declamation of ye
olden time would be a very faint squeak, sadly limited as to audience,
as compared with the results of the modern method of announcing
important developments. Today the heralding is delegated to the
newspapers and the radio. In this connection modern efficiency was
recently demonstrated at Medford, Oregon, the occasion being the
official opening of this company's new district offices there.
During the period from January 22nd to the 28th, ninety-three news stories about the Standard Oil Company, its new divisional headquarters, its personnel and its activities in general appeared in local papers; and some seventy-five business firms and individuals participated in congratulatory advertisements, to which might be added to the advertisements the company itself caused to be published. The local radio station rearranged its entire program on two different days in order to accommodate two Standard Oil broadcasts. These were both given by remote control, one from the new company offices and the other from the Medford Airport. During the broadcast from the offices, Mayor A. W. Pipes gave an address of welcome, and District Sales Manager T. G. Travis responded. At the airport, the flights of "Standard of California No. 1," which was there for the occasion, were described, and scores of those who accepted the company's invitation to take their maiden flight in the big tri-motored monoplane told the radio audience about it immediately after landing. Also, as a part of this broadcast, Medford's new $150,000 airport was described. The keynote of the celebration was sounded by Mayor A. W. Pipes, of Medford, in the following statement: "In establishing its new sales division for southern Oregon and northern California, with Medford as its capital city, Standard Oil Company of California continues to demonstrate its interest in the welfare and development of this great area. "For nearly half a century, the company has assisted in the upbuilding of southern Oregon. Every city, and every citizen in town or country, is better off today because of Standard Oil service and cooperation all these years. "I take pleasure in welcoming to Medford and southern Oregon the new management and personnel of the Standard Oil Company and in wishing them all success." Here is a word picture of this new sales division, as it was presented in one of the company's own advertisements: "A vast and glorious region of great mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes, forests and plains. And on its surface man is diligently carving the word Progress; for it also is a region of thriving cities and towns, of horticulture and agriculture at their best, of railroads and growing industries, and one of the finest systems of paved highways in the United States, including the great Pacific Highway coming up from Dunsmuir, California, on the south, over the Siskiyou Mountains and down through the fruitful Rogue River Valley; and the world-famous Redwood Highway, reaching from Crescent City, on the California seacoast, to Grants Pass. . . . Whether it be fruit or any other of the wide variety of products of the soil grown in this region, whether it be lumber, hydroelectricity or whatnot, petroleum products virtually without exception factor in their creation, or at some stage of their handling. Here as elsewhere the refined products of petroleum are indispensable to modern industry and life, including the pursuit of happiness. Because of this fact, the Standard Oil Company, through its products and service, has a very definite and highly important part to play in the present and future of this area, now a Main Station Division with headquarters at Medford, Oregon." Standard Oil Bulletin, February 1930, pages 10-11 COUNCIL
GIVES DOG SITUATION HUMANE SOC.
A contract was completed between the city council and the Jackson
County Humane Society, in special session this afternoon, covering a
period of five years, during which the society will have complete
charge of the dog situation in Medford, under the jurisdiction of the
council, if contract terms are not kept. Elmer Maddox, experienced in
dog business, is expected to arrive in a few days to begin duties for
the society as dog catcher. He comes from Portland highly recommended.A letter received from Mrs. Vivian Barto, police matron, asking the council to place her on a salary basis and limit the number of dances in Medford on any one night to one dance, began a long discussion which was still in progress at press time. The salary and dance limitation was frowned upon and a motion was made to place the entire dance business under the supervision of the police department, the chief doing as he sees fit in dance supervision. The motion had not been voted upon at 3 o'clock. The matron situation was thoroughly discussed and the present situation did not appear entirely satisfactory to council members. Further action may be taken later. Medford Mail Tribune, March 27, 1930, page 1 Ralph G. Bardwell Has Organized Own Firm
Medford,
Ore., April 4.--Ralph G. Bardwell, who for the past eight years has
been special agent for the Stewart Fruit Company, has severed his
connection with that firm and recently organized the Bardwell Fruit
Company and opened a large modern packing house in Medford. His concern
will represent Simons, Shuttleworth & French in the Rogue
Valley
district he announced.
The Chicago Packer, April 5, 1930, page 20 Estimate 4,366 Cars of Pears in
Medford Area; 700 Cars Apples.
Medford,
Ore., June 20.--The fruit
crop, apples and pears, of the Rogue River Valley (Medford district)
during the coming season will exceed the 5,000-car mark, according to
the forecast of Guy W. Conner, local packer and shipper. He estimated
that the pear crop, for all varieties except Howells, will exceed the
1929 figures by 100 cars, and predicts an apple crop of approximately
650 to 700 cars. Mr. Conner makes the following estimates by varieties:
Carloads
The pear car shipments of last year
totaled 3,656 cars.Boscs . . . . . . . . . . . 817 d'Anjous . . . . . . . . . 973 Comice . . . . . . . . . 325 Winter Nelis . . . . . 516 Howells . . . . . . . . . 75 Bartletts . . . . . . . . . 1,660 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,366 Present weather conditions are pronounced as ideal for development, with the fruit coming along in excellent shape. Damage from hail and frost is placed at 10 percent of the total crop, a negligible factor. The Chicago Packer, June 21, 1930, page 14 Human Foot Found in Boardman
Street Excavation for Cellar
It may have walked in the paths of Caesar or over the Siskiyou
Trail--stood with the conquered Indians when the Table Rock Treaty was
signed or kicked a goal over the Oregon line. But today it's just a
foot--a foot with two toes missing found in a bank of dirt at 408
Boardman Street yesterday evening.James Bradley was excavating dirt to build a fountain at the address given when his shovel brought forth the strange skeleton. The bones of three toes and the arch, which may or may not have been fallen, are in perfect condition and the places where the two missing toes were severed from the foot are still in evidence. The bottom of the skeleton is still protected with a thick layer of skin, which resembles old leather. No other bones were found with the foot, except some very small ones, which were thought to be a part of the foot itself. Whether it was torn from the body of some unfortunate and buried alone or merely survived the rest of the skeleton because the owner was the victim of some quaint old custom which involved the opposite of Achilles' experience, no one could say this morning. At all events, the foot stands alone unless further excavations unearth a body to top it off. Medford Mail Tribune, June 30, 1930, page 1 Favors Regulation.
To the Editor:I notice in Sunday's Mail Tribune where there is some talk of stationing a traffic officer at the corner of Eighth and Oakdale, which is greatly congested around the midget golf course located there, and to tax the golf course a sufficient sum to pay the salary of this officer. I think that this is a fine idea, and would not only provide employment for some worthy man, but would not be any hardship to the owner of the golf course, as it would appear that his profits must be enormous. I am informed that he only pays $20 a month rental for the grounds, and anyone who desires only has to count the enormous number of players present each evening to reckon what immense profits he must be making. However I believe that an officer situated at this course every evening could render greater service than merely directing traffic. There are several abuses of law and convention which are perpetrated nightly around this course; and I am sure that the owner and operator of the course means well and that it is his intention to have an orderly course, frequented by ladies and gentlemen who wish to entertain themselves in this healthy, interesting and innocent pastime. However, there are always certain persons everywhere who have little respect for law and conventions, and a police officer would have a very good effect on this kind of person. One of the nuisances to which I refer is absence of any sanitary equipment on the golf course, an objectionable feature to owners of adjoining property. Also, there is some drinking going on which has taken place in a wood shed of an adjoining property holder. I do not wish to argue the merits of wet or dry here, but do believe that everyone will agree that property owners and taxpayers should not be annoyed by people drinking on their premises. Also, practically every night the alley is completely blocked with cars, which works an inconvenience on the people who wish to get into their garages, besides constituting a serious hardship to the proper operation of the apparatus in case a fire should occur in this district. Cars are frequently double parked in the streets adjoining this course, all of which I understand is directly against existing city ordinances. To sum up, I believe that an officer on this corner could be of great service to the neighbors, as well as to the owner of the course, whom, I would think, should welcome police assistance in keeping order, as it would make his course more attractive to the better chases of people, which after all, I am sure is the class he wishes to cater to. A NEIGHBOR.
"Communications," Medford Mail Tribune,
July 14, 1930, page 4(Name on file) Rogue River Pear Crop Promises To
Be
Greatest in History of Valley
Medford,
Ore., July 18.--Ideal conditions are prevailing in the Rogue River
Valley for a bumper crop of pears, harvesting of which will commence
about August 1. By the setting recently of the established coast
canners' prices at $48 to $42.50 per ton for No. 1 Bartletts, and $25
for No. 2 Bartletts, there is considerable thought being given now by
growers and shippers to the proper disposal of the heavy tonnage of
pears which will soon be ready for shipment. In view of the low prices
set by the canners, it is believed that the bulk of the crop will be
shipped this season, and practically all packing houses are making
preparations for the biggest packing season in the history of the
valley.
The pear crop is maturing in fine shape, and it is believed that the fruit that will be shipped this year will be the best that has ever rolled from this valley, as growing conditions have been ideal. The Chicago Packer, July 19, 1930, page 15 Medford, Ore. News Notes.
The Chicago Packer, August 9,
1930, page 40
Medford, Ore.,
Aug. 8.--The New York City account of Rosenberg Bros., Bear Creek
Orchards, extensive growers and shippers of Rogue River fruits, has
been changed to Sgobel & Day, and will in the future be handled
there under the personal supervision of Kenneth Day.
----
General picking, packing, and shipping
of the
Bartlett pear crop of the Rogue River Valley, from present indications,
will start the week of August 10, though several of the orchards,
notably the Modoc and Van Hoevenberg, started to harvest this week, as
they are a week earlier than the average orchard. It is expected that
the first full train of Bartletts will depart for the east August 11.
It is estimated that the Bartlett crop of this section will total 1,500
cars, and the fruit is in about the same condition as last year.----
The Rogue River Traffic Association was
advised last
week by the Public Service Corporation of Oregon that it would assign
W. P. Ellis as attorney to represent the Rogue River and Hood River
districts in the rehearing before the Interstate Commerce Commission on
pear freight rates from the northwest areas. The Public Service
Commission will pay all costs, the letter stated. The rehearing granted
will be upon the emergency pear rate of $1.60 per cwt. to eastern
points, which reverts to the old rate of $1.73 per cwt. August 3, as a
result of the recent decision of the Supreme Court holding that the
Hoch-Smith resolution, upon which the emergency rate was
based,
was unconstitutional. The Oregon pear growing districts will base the
plea on other angles than the California case, including alleged
discrimination.
Fruit Shipping Season at Maximum
at Medford, Ore.
The Chicago Packer, September
6, 1930, page 28
Medford, Ore.,
Sept. 5.--The peak of the fruit shipping season will be reached locally
between September 5 and 12, with picking and packing of Bosc and
d'Anjous. Fruit is now being shipped at the rate of about 55 cars per
day.
It is estimated between 350 and 400 cars of Bartletts are in storage here, at Chicago and New York, awaiting the clearing away of the California crop. The New York pear committee is watching the situation and will forestall any glutting of the market with pears of inferior quality and loose pack. One objective is to keep a steady flow of pears into the eastern market. Some of the local growers have announced plans to keep their Bartletts until late in October. The second picking of Bartletts was completed last week. This week will see some Bosc picked, with Comice and d'Anjou closely following. Pear Shipments Ahead of Those of
Last Year.
Medford,
Ore., Oct. 10.--Up to
October 1, 3,308 cars of pears had rolled from the Medford district.
Last year the total shipments up to the same date were 2,572 cars.
Information gathered recently indicates that the following figures
approximate the total Medford storage holdings of the several
varieties: Bartletts 142 cars, Bosc 50 cars, Anjous 140 cars.Picking of apples is under way here and will continue throughout the month. The apple tonnage consists principally of Yellow Newtowns, with some Jonathans, Delicious, Winter Bananas and Spitzenbergs. Along with the apple picking will come the harvesting of Winter Nelis pears. It is estimated that there are about 300 cars of Nelis pears in the valley this year. The Chicago Packer, October 11, 1930, page 13 Some Things the Present City
Administration Has Done
In Improving City of Medford
The following improvements were made during the present city
administration.
Shipments of Fruit from Medford,
Ore.
Show Gain Over Those of Year Ago.
Medford, Ore., Nov. 14.--Final report on the 1930 fruit shipments shows
a gain for all varieties, save cannery Bartletts and winter Nelis. The
increase in shipments, apples and pears over 1929 is 806 cars. Total
pear shipments, all varieties, were 4,218, last year 3,618 cars. The
total apple shipments to date are 649; last year 405 cars.
The total shipments by varieties for the season and last season are:
1939
1929
Of the
crop remaining in storage
in this city, 17 cars d'Anjous, six Comice, 14 Nelis and 32 apples,
have been sold for export. The total storage capacity at Medford is now
796 cars.Cannery Bartletts . . . . . . . . . . 331 610 Packed Bartletts . . . . . . . . . . .1,116 695 Howell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 101 Bosc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 792 717 Anjous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,079 873 Comice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 223 Nelis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 416 The Chicago Packer, November 15, 1930, page 26 BLIZZARD KILLS RANGER
MEDFORD, Ore., Nov. 18.--After battling
his way through a mountain blizzard for twenty-four hours Chief Forest
Ranger William C. Godfrey died Monday night of exposure a few minutes
after he was discovered by a rescue crew.Forest Chief Dies Few Minutes After He Is Discovered By United Press
The Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 18, 1930, page 1 Last revised July 13, 2023 |
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