As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
February 23, 2022
This week I am featuring the small community of Langlois, with information and pictures which appeared in a special section in a July 1929 issue of Western World.
I have separated the photo into two parts so it will be easier to see the buildings and read the identifying legend at the bottom.
Langlois, 1929
The headline reads: "Langlois, Busy Trading Center."
"Langlois is located 13 miles south of Bandon in Curry county, the main Roosevelt highway forming its main street. It is a busy city of about 150 population with a large rural population tributary.
"The little city boasts in particular of its fine school, gymnasium (first photo, No. 4), churches and many other features that make it most attractive as a place to live.
"Various lines of mercantile pursuits are represented and these are in a thriving and growing condition.
"The farmers of this neighborhood make Langlois to a great extent their main shopping and trading center.
"In the immediate neighborhood are located some of the finest and most productive ranches, farms and dairy herds of the country. Langlois itself has one of our flourishing cheese factories (second photo, No. 11).
"Some of the highest producing dairy herds are seen in the neighborhood.
"Located on the Roosevelt highway, it is also of course accorded a great deal of tourist trade and there is an excellent garage to render auto service (No. 5).
"I the immediate neighborhood you can reach some of the finest of our hunting and fishing grounds. The country adjoining is in the main devoted to agricultural pursuits with dairy farming leading. There is also much logging and lumbering and sheep and poultry raising. The farmers are prosperous and the business people are likewise. If you are planning a new location, the people of Langlois are inviting you to investigate their country before you make a decision."
Another article on the same page talks about the Cheever Hardware company (No. 2), owned by E.H. Cheever, a resident and businessman of Langlois for the past 35 years.
"The store is in charge of C.E. Corrick who has managed it ably for the past eight years and is himself one of the staunchest boosters for the Langlois region."
The cheese factory mentioned earlier was known as Langlois Cheese Factory, manufacturer of the well known "Cream-O-Curry" cheese.
"The plant is owned and operated by A.W. Britton, a native son of Coos county whose people were pioneers of the district and who is a most able man in the cheese making profession as he has spent more than 10 years at the work. This plant was started by him in 1925 and in those few years has enjoyed a steady and increasing trade. The plant has a capacity of a ton of cheese daily.
"Some idea of the volume of business done here in this one product alone may be gleaned from his records which show that in 1926 he produced 440,411 pounds of cheese and including the next two years, to date his total production shows nearly two million pounds, or an approximate money value, wholesale, of more than $340,000.
"In the plant as his assistant he employs G. W. Hawkins, who is also recognized as an expert cheese maker."
I believe they are probably referring to George Hawkins, father of Warren Hawkins, who worked as a cheese maker for the Coquille Valley Dairy Co-op for many years.
The third picture belonged to John Lorenz, who died recently, and was sent to me by his wife Jean. It was dated April 1959, and Bo Shindler and others have helped me identify some of the boys, who apparently were members of a Scout troop. We do know that Myron Spady was the Scoutmaster at that time.
Scout troop, 1959
Standing, from left, may be David Berry (whose father was the Cubmaster), Mike Spady, Bill Wehner, Jack Chappell, Skip Longanecker or Royce Embanks (in hat), Mickey Shindler, Bill Palmer and unidentified. Seated from left are John Lorenz, Dwayne Peacock (in front of John), unidentified, Bob Ray (in beret), Rex Nuttbrock and Sam Mason.
If any of you know the boy at the far right, top row, or the boy kneeling, third in from the left, please let me know. Also we would like to know if the boy in the hat in the back is Skip or Royce.
I certainly appreciate Jean sharing this with me, as well as a lot of other Bandon history pamphlets and photographs that she found in John's collection.
* * *
It was neat to learn that both the Tiger boys and the girls basketball teams are headed to the state 2A playoffs.
Bandon girls, under head coach Jordan Sammons, will host Western Christian Saturday (Feb. 26) at 5 p.m.
The winner will play the winner of the Enterprise/Gervais game at the state quarterfinal game, which will be held in Pendleton, host for both the boys and the girls 2A tournaments. The game will be at the Pendleton Convention Center on March 3 at 3:15 p.m.
Bandon shared league honors with Coquille, who will be playing at Lakeview on Saturday. The winner of the Coquille game will play either Bonanza or Central Linn in the quarterfinals. That game will be at 8:15 p.m. on March 3 also at the convention center.
Bandon's boys, under head coach Vince Quattrocchi, will play at Heppner on Friday, Feb. 25, but as I write this, the time had not yet been determined. The winner will play the winner of the Toledo/Knappa game in the quarterfinals, on March 3 at 8:15 p.m. at Pendleton High School.
The semi-finals will be held March 4 at the convention center, with the championship game to be held March 5 at 5:45 p.m. at the Pendleton Convention Center.
Gold Beach shared league honors with Bandon and will host Kennedy on Friday.
* * *
I checked with the Coos County Elections Dept. website for the latest filings for county offices, and learned that Pam Lewis and the incumbent John Sweet have filed for Position No. 2 on the board of commissioners; Chase Carlson and incumbent Melissa Cribbins have filed for Position No. 3 on the board of commissioners; Matthew Borgens and Diane Rich have filed for county clerk, and Mike Kinnaird and Gabe Fabrizio have filed for sheriff.
I did see that the county Republican central committee is holding a candidate forum and they listed Rod Taylor as a commissioner candidate, but so far he is not listed among those who have submitted their paper work, so it may be that he has filed but the website has not been updated. I will update people next week on the filings for the May election. And a bit about each candidate, which I will glean from their applications.
March 7 is the deadline to file for office.
* * *
I saw on a web site known as "Best Things Oregon," that Alloro Wine Bar of Bandon was listed among the nine best wine bars in Oregon.
The others were Nebbiolo Restaurant and Wine bar, Oregon City; Arrevederci Wine and Jazz, Milwaukie; The Harvest Wine Bar, Lake Oswego; The Wine Shop and Beer Tasting Bar, Bend; 503 Uncorked, Sherwood; The Dundee Bistro, Sherwood; R. Stuart & Co. of McMinnville; and Wine Kraft Wine Bar, Astoria.
This is quite an honor and I was not surprised to find Alloro listed as among the best!
* * *
Recently, I saw in The Oregonian that there were fewer foster care placements during Governor Brown's tenure than in past years as emphasis was placed on reunification of families. I do not necessarily see that as a positive as I realize how many youngsters are left in homes where drug use and abuse are prevalent, often times because of a break down in the child welfare system or because decent foster care is simply not available.
The same night that I read that article I watched a horrific 2020 story about a case in the state of Washington, which ended with the grieving grandparents, through the children's estates, receiving $98 million dollars after the jury found that Washington State officials were partially responsible for the deaths of the two boys at the hands of their father. Josh Powell was a suspect in the presumed killing of his wife when he killed their two young sons and himself in an explosive house fire.
If you want to read more about this, Google "jury awards $98 million in murder case."
As one person said it best: "You cannot have reunification as a goal ... at the expense of a child's safety."
* * *
I often hear people wonder why the city doesn't annex more property into the city limits.
There is a line of thinking that cities are always anxious to annex property because it increases tax revenue. That may be the case in some places, but not Bandon. Property taxes themselves are probably a break-even proposition for the city, compared to the increased costs of police and other services. Bandon does not have much financial incentive to annex property just to add it to the city tax rolls.
Bandon's permanent tax rate of 46 cents per thousand is among the lowest in the state. Coos County's five other cities' average permanent rate is $6.80, almost 15 times higher.
Even adding the local option street tax and voter-approved water and sewer bonds, Bandon's property taxes are only a fraction of most cities.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
February 16, 2022
While looking through a special section in a July 1929 issue of Western World, I came across a photo of the First National Bank of Coquille (first picture), and a great story about the bank.
First National Bank of Coquille, 1929
It is so timely this week as the building, now referred to as the Sherwood building, is being torn down brick by brick because it was found to be unsafe following damage in the recent windstorm.
Here is the story behind the stately old building, that graced downtown Coquille for over a century.
"The excellent conditions that are shown in the bank statements of Coos and Curry counties are in themselves one of the best advertisements for this country.
"One of the leading financial institutions and one that has served the public and grown with the country's progress for many years is the First National Bank of Coquille.
"This bank bears the distinction of being the first national bank to operate here and the oldest bank in the county operating continuously under one management and stock ownership.
"The bank was organized originally in 1903 with a capital of $25,000. Among the prime movers in the original organization were A.J. Sherwood, L.H. Hazard, R.C. Dement, L. Harlocker, I. Hacker and R.E. Shine. These were all local people and stock and management to this date has always been in the hands of prominent local people. Four of the original organizers are still with the bank. These are Messrs. Sherwood, Hazard, Dement and Shine.
"In 1910 their business had grown to such proportions that more modern quarters were deemed necessary. The above structure was erected in this year and capital increased to its present figure of $50,000. Some idea of the strength and reliability of this important Coos County institution may be gleaned from looking over their last statement. It shows a capital of $50,000, surplus and undivided profits of more than $33,000 and total resources of more than $700,000.
"Officers and directors today are as follows: A.J. Sherwood, president, who has been a resident and identified with the business life of this county since 1883; L.H. Hazard, vice president and general manager, who has safely conducted the affairs of the firm since its inception in 1903; O.C. Sanford, vice president; E.D. Webb, cashier; Bess Maury, assistant cashier.
"The management of the bank has great confidence in the future of this country and looks in particular to great future agricultural development.
"With more farmers will come more production, more development, more industries and more general prosperity."
I found the second photo of the industrial area of the waterfront, taken in the late 1920s, to illustrate an article I found about Standard Oil in the December 11, 1930, issue of Western World.
Standard Oil, late 1920s
A week earlier an article pointed out that the Standard Oil company had received a permit from the city council to erect a 30x71 fireproof building and an additional 6,000-gallon storage tank for gasoline on their property at Elmira and Second street (Highway 101), which is still at that location today.
"The company is discontinuing its scow service on the river and its receiving station (pictured) on the wharf. It may be a bit hard to see, but the Standard Oil facility is to the east of the Nestle's complex, which was later the Moore Mill truck shop.
The work on the new building was to be done by local contractor Herbert Brown, who was also mayor in the late '20s and a councilor from 1911 to 1913. He was the grandfather of Judy Brown Densmore, who became the first woman to serve as mayor of Bandon.
The article explained that Standard Oil's steel building is now located at the wharf at the foot of Elmira Avenue, and will be torn down with the material used in erecting the new structure on the Second Street property.
"The company plans to bring its gas in by tank truck rather than by scow on the river in the future and has chosen this particular time to make the change in order to help the unemployment situation. Mr. Brown will employ between 10 and 15 men."
The Goddard family operated the Standard Oil plant for many years, with Donny Goddard taking over when his father, Don Goddard, retired. I learned this week that Donny will soon retire from the business. Surely will be the end of an era for that business.
The third picture that I am sharing was part of a feature article I wrote over 40 years ago about Mary (Copple) Cooper, who was still working at Bandon Beauty Shoppe at the age of 82. Here she is fixing the hair of Eloise Bowder; in the background, beautician Nancy Brown is pictured with her customer, Marge Boak.
Bandon Beauty Shoppe
At that time, Mary had been working as a beautician in Bandon for over 50 years, having moved here in 1923 with her husband, Oscar Copple, who owned a barber shop on First street before the fire.
The article points out that "in 1929 she started as an apprentice beautician for Beulah Kay, who had a little shop down by the old Westland Hotel on First Street.
"At the time of the fire of 1936, Mary had her own shop on the mezzanine of Shindler's Rexall Drug building. After the fire, and as soon as George and Annie Erdman rebuilt their building on Second Street (now Lloyd's Cafe), Mary and Oscar moved into that building, where her husband and the late Van Spiller ran a barbershop and Mary operated a beauty parlor next door. That was in 1936 and Mary ran her own shop until 1945."
You can still see the doors to the shops that opened onto Baltimore Avenue.
In 1944, Mary had married Allen Cooper and she went to work for Beulah Kay who had a shop near her Bates Road home. Later Beulah and Denny built the Kay building. Today the building, located just west of Face Rock Creamery, houses several businesses including Bandon Rain and is owned by Heidi Sause. Among other owners of the building through the years were Thelma and Herbert Lindvall and later Don and LaDonna Holman Hinerman.
* * *
Bandon made the news this week in a website called only in your state, which lets its readers know about excellent weekend getaways, saying "Located on the South Oregon Coast, Bandon is a delight of a town that makes for an excellent weekend getaway in Oregon."
It is wonderful free advertising for our community. If you want to view the article, go to www.onlyinyourstate.com/oregon/weekend-getaway-bandon-or.
It's a fun piece ....
* * *
Although I still continue to receive Covid data from both Friends of Public Health and the Oregon Health Authority, I had not seen the latest information as to where outbreaks had occurred in the various schools of Coos and Curry counties. I found that info in the Feb. 9 issue of The Curry County Reporter out of Gold Beach.
By now the info is a bit outdated, as it was from late January, but it still provides a look at where Covid cases are occurring.
In Bandon, Harbor Lights Middle School reported seven cases (all students) as of Jan. 26; Ocean Crest Elementary reported 26 cases (all students) as of Jan. 23, and Bandon High School reported 10 cases (all students) as of Jan. 24.
Other schools in the area include Pacific High School, with three cases (two students and one staff) as of Jan. 19, and Driftwood Elementary in Port Orford, which reported four cases (three students and one staff) as of Jan. 24.
As we near the end of the mask mandates, which are expected to be lifted on or before March 31, it is important to point out that even though the Omicron variant appears to be less serious, I have two friends, both men in their 60s and 70s, who just recently were very ill; one (unvaccinated) spent four days in the hospital and the other (vaccinated) had a very high fever. It can still cause very serious health problems.
* * *
Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center has a new CEO. As secretary of the hospital board, I can only say that Raymond Hino was the unanimous choice of the five board members and we can't wait until he and his wife Gayle become members of our community.
Housing continues to be a big stumbling block, but Ray will be renting a studio apartment from a hospital employee until he can find a place to rent. If you know of a place that may not have yet been listed as a rental, you might email me at marys@coosnet.com and let me know.
Hino will assume his new role on Feb. 28. He has more than 35 years of health care leadership and operations in for-profit, not-for-profit and health care district settings. He will be relocating from Northern California, where he served as the Western United States Vice President of Operations for PE GI Solutions, a company that partners with doctors in the ownership and management of ambulatory surgery centers in the United States.
* * *
I received a press release last week titled "SDA Investments in Rural Oregon Spur Economic Growth and Pandemic Recovery."
The USDA Rural Development director announced Oregon's recipients of fiscal year 2021's Business & Industries Loan Guarantees, the B&I CARES Act Program, and Value Added Producer Grant funding.
Nearly $35 million in grants, loans and loan guarantees were awarded to Oregon businesses, "bringing much needed relief to local economics exiting a long and challenging pandemic. The recipients range from ranches to renewable energy projects," said the press release.
"As part of the Business & Industries Loan Guarantees program, Virk Hospitality Bandon, LLC received $5,000,000 for the preservation of The Bandon Inn, a historic boutique hotel in Bandon. The project will save 20 well-paying jobs and support tourism in the small coastal community," according to the press release.
Virk Hospitality recently purchased the Bandon Inn from Peggy Backholm.
According to the press release this appeared to be the only recipient in Coos or Curry counties.
Not exactly sure what they meant by "historic" as the motel was built in the 1980s.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
February 09, 2022
I'm always thrilled when I find the information to go with one of the really old pictures that I have in my collection. In a special section in March of 1925 there is a story about Bandon port commissioner and businessman F.E. Drane, who had installed a new engine in his small tugboat (at right) which he used to take building sands out of the Coquille River and in digging drainage ditches and building dikes. Here his tug, aptly known as The Diesel, is pulling the U.S. Dredge in the Bandon harbor.
Tug 'The Diesel' pulling U.S. Dredge, 1925
In the background you can see the Nestle's Condensery building and part of the waterfront.
I love the way articles were written in those days, and I believe this was written by my grandfather as he was owner and editor of the Western World at that time. I found the picture among my uncle's photos, which meant that it was one of the treasures that survived the Bandon Fire.
Here is what the article had to say.
"This is an age of efficiency. The man or the system that cannot produce results at low cost is a candidate for the scrap heap. A good machine must be set aside when a better one appears on the market, else the competitor with the more economical equipment will get the business.'
"Three years ago Elmore Drane, who was operating several boats on the river, towing logs and scows, decided he needed better engines than he was using. The old type of gasoline engine delivered power, but they were too expensive to operate. Gasoline was getting higher in price, and the distillate that was formerly used was no longer to be had.
"Drane went to Oakland and looked over the engines that would burn cheaper oil. They seemed to be doing the business, but the cost was excessive. A hundred dollars a horse-power was the price on most of the models, and the size needed on the river in towing was from twenty to thirty horse-power.
"After canvassing the situation, Mr. Drane settled on the Atlas Imperial, full diesel engine, bought one and brought it to Bandon.
"Figures are not available to show just what this first engine did in the matter of reducing costs, but so certain was the saving that it was only a short time till other boats made the change from the old type gasoline engine to the Atlas Imperial, full diesel.
"Later one of the larger river boats, the Charm, (second photo) carrying passengers to and from Coquille was equipped with one of the money savers."
The Charm
I love this picture of the Charm, with neatly dressed passengers either leaving or coming into the harbor. Two of them are standing in the lifeboat on board, which apparently held eight people. In the background you can see the Breuer building and at right, you get a better understanding of the distance between the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper's residence.
"The new engine cost about $9,000. That meant that the savings would have to be heavy if the expense was to be justified. The fuel cost for the gasoline engine had been $23 a day while the boat was making two round trips a day between Bandon and Coquille. With the new diesel engine, the cost for Diesel No. 24 oil was $3.75 a day.
"And that was something the boat men on the river could understand. Today there are six Atlas Imperial full diesel engines on the river."
The third picture features the east side school, as well as the gymnasium which was built as a result of efforts by the high school students who needed a place for basketball games and general athletics to take place.
East Side School & gymnasium
The issue of paying for the gym had gone before the voters in 1914, but was turned down. As a result the students began a subscription list of those in the community who would be willing to donate the $1,000 that they needed for the building.
An article in the Oct. 23, 1914, Bandon Recorder indicates that they were within $225 of raising the money they need to turn over to the school board before construction could begin.
"The necessity of a building in which the basketball team may practice and play their games this year made this move urgent after the gymnasium proposition was defeated at the school election last week. Had there been any available room in which the games might have been played this year the students would not have asked for private aid in building a structure which, when finished, will be for the use of the public. As it is, the high school student body is giving $150 out of their general fund toward the project."
Both the high school and the gym survived the Fire of 1936, and after the grade school in west Bandon (where Ocean Crest sits today) burned, the grade school students went to school in the gymnasium. As late as the 1950s, it was still used as a gym for high school students. It was not until the 1980s that it was torn down and burned by the Bandon Fire Department in a "burn to learn" operation.
* * *
I was searching through the county elections website this week and discovered that there have not been many filings for the May special district election, except for Coos County.
Pam Lewis of Coquille, a retired registered nurse, has filed for Position No. 2 on the board of county commissioners as has the incumbent, John Sweet.
Incumbent Melissa Cribbins has filed for Position No. 3 on the board of commissioners.
Two employees of the Coos County Sheriff's Office have filed for sheriff, including Captain Gabe Fabrizio and deputy Mike A. Kinnaird, both of Coquille. Kinnaird is a graduate of Bandon High School.
I contacted Sheriff Craig Zanni, who said he has not yet decided whether he will seek re-election.
The deadline to file for open positions is March 8 at 5 p.m.
Although I am not positive, my research seemed to indicate that there are no vacancies on either the Port of Bandon commission nor the Bandon School Board, and if that is not correct, I will let my readers know next week.
* * *
The front page of Sunday's Oregonian carried a long story about the fact that Governor Brown, who is not eligible to be run again because of term limits, is making herself well known on her way out ... by offering clemency to 1,204 people in the justice system. Most, according to the article, without regard for the victims or the victim's families.
She says she is offering clemency to so many people to "correct injustice." It is hard to believe that she knows more than the courts, the judges and the juries, but that is what it looks like, and I can tell you for sure that the state's district attorneys are not happy about the decisions she is making.
* * *
If you thought it didn't rain much in January, you were right. My weather guy recorded only five inches for January, compared to 14.13 last year. The total for December and January has been 17.33 inches compared to 23.96 for the same period last year.
But looking back at the rainfall totals for the last 18 years, I discovered that we've had under five inches of rain four times in January, including 2009, 2113, 2014 and a low of 2.56 inches in 2015.
If the rest of February is like this first week, the rainfall picture won't improve much.
The average rainfall for February for the last 17 years has been 8.13 inches, with a high of 21 inches in 2017 and a low of 2.69 inches in February of 2020.
* * *
I learned we lost another BHS graduate recently, with the passing of Raymond Clarke, Class of 1958, who died Dec. 25. I remember Raymond as he was just one year behind me in school.
After high school he joined the Navy and served more than 20 years on submarines. In later years he was a volunteer for the Des Moines, Wash., senior center, delivering Meals on Wheels and driving for many activities. He is survived by two daughters, Dawn Tuthill and Raelynn Hulse.
* * *
I saw a recent letter to the editor in the Eugene paper which expressed how a lot of people feel. It was titled "Legalizing pot opened up a mess."
Here's what the writer had to say: "I chucked after reading the AP article 'Awash in illegal pot farms, state plans millions for relief' in The Oregonian (Dec. 19). When marijuana and pot farming was legalized, it sent a message to drug cartels to set up shop in Oregon. The result: cartel control of illegal pot farms, theft of water, worker abuse and threats to neighbors.
"The Oregonian Legislature has now committed $25 million for law enforcement to clean up this mess. Advocates of legalizing marijuana claimed it would reduce law enforcement costs. Instead, it has opened a Pandora's box of crime."
Most of the illegal operations are in the Southern Oregon counties of Jackson and Josephine, where the theft of water continues to be one of the major problems.
* * *
I enjoyed dinner Friday night at Alloro with council president Madelyn Seymour, Rae Seeley and Madelyn's mother, Patricia Seidler, who was celebrating her 98th birthday.
Patricia is an amazing woman and it's really hard to believe that she is only two years away from celebrating her 100th birthday.
We also very much appreciate the efforts that Alloro owner Susan Hayes and her staff take to protect their guests from Covid.
As I See It
by Mary Schamehorn
February 02, 2022
"The steamer Fifield, disabled and beached near the south jetty on Feb. 29th, passed into history early Monday morning when during high tide the breakers pounded her to pieces (first photo)," read the headline in the April 27, 1916, Western World, ending the nearly two-month saga of one of the area's most popular steam schooners which plied the waters between Bandon and San Francisco.
Steamer Fifield, 1916
The March 2, 1916, paper explained what had happened as the steamer of the Estabrook Line was thrown on the submerged jetty while attempting to enter the local port unassisted.
While bucking a strong current from the north accompanied by rain squalls from the same direction, the Fifield "swerved from her course, drifted onto the submerged rocks at the end of the sunken portion of the south jetty and now lies on the beach just south of the jetty, almost high and dry at low tide."
There were 26 people on board, including four passengers and 22 crew members, and a cargo that consisted mostly of 44 tons of hay bound for the Bandon Warehouse and a small amount of dairy feed consigned to Geo. P. Laird. The total value of the stuff was $1,000, without insurance. Two yellow pigeons for local businessman Paul Stephen were being brought up on the ship and were released from their cage by the steward when the vessel struck. They joined the flock of pigeons that made the city streets their feeding ground, reported the article.
"Everyone was taken off by Capt. Robert Johnson and his Coast Guard crew with the aid of the breeches-buoy (second photo). The last man off was Carl Bakman, captain of the ill-fated ship, who reached land about eight-thirty o'clock.
Removing passengers with breeches-buoy
If you look closely, just off the end of the ship, you can see a man being rappelled down a cable toward land.
After arriving off the bar at about 10 o'clock Monday night, both the Fifield and another vessel, the Brooklyn, waited outside the bar for conditions to get better the next morning. At 6:15 a.m. the Brooklyn started for the bar and although the current and wind carried her out of her course to some extent, she kept in the channel and made the river in safety.
Seeing the trouble that the Brooklyn had in crossing, the captain of the tug Klihyam was preparing to go out after the Fifield when he saw her start in. The tug had not yet reached the bar when the ship struck the rocks and sounded the distress signal. No attempt was made to get a line aboard the disabled craft from the tug. The captain stated that he could not get near enough to her to be of any assistance and that had he been able to get a line aboard he could not have pulled her back to safety. While neither Capt. Bakman nor local representatives of the company will make any statement regarding the action of the tug, the captain of the tug is coming in for a goodly amount of criticism from other quarters for not attempting to assist.
"When it first became apparent that the Fifield was in trouble Capt. Johnson and all of his crew except two men crossed out over the bar in the surf boat. The two had remained behind to get the breeches-buoy and rigging to the scene.
By the time the CG crew returned after realizing there was nothing they could do, "the equipment had not yet reached the beach due to the fact that the boys left behind had been unable to get a wagon in which to transport the apparatus through the deep sand to the beach. Gatchell Brothers hitched up one of their teams and had the rigging on the beach before a line had been secured to the wreck.
"While the Coast Guard crew was taking the passengers and crew off, two or three hundred spectators gathered on the beach to watch the excitement, many of them crowding down among the driftwood. Among those was W.M. Kay, a local lumberman, who was watching the working of the breeches-buoy so intently that he failed to see a huge breaker as it rushed in on him, carrying with it considerable drift. He was carried off his feet and sustained a broken leg. He was carried to a nearby wagon and Dr. R.V. Leep was summoned."
The next issue of the paper explained how the Fifield would be repaired, and it was expected that she would probably be back on her run within 100 days.
It was planned to haul the vessel up on the beach out of reach of the waves and make the necessary repairs, and pull her through the surf and tow her to San Francisco.
Two weeks later the paper explained that the work of pulling the boat onto the beach had been completed), and a powerful tow boat from San Francisco would arrive soon.
But optimism turned to pessimism by mid-April when an article explained that the attempt to pull her off with the aid of the tug Iaqua was to be suspended because of dangerous conditions (third photo).
Steamer Fifield & tug Iaqua
"Although the Fifield is filled with a cargo of 50 oil drums, which were placed aboard the latter part of the week to enable the wreck to be kept afloat as it is moved into deep water, the sands have sifted into the ship during the past few days and the ship is held rigid in the sand now even at high tide."
A week later came the news that during high tide, the breakers had pounded the Fifield to pieces.
Succeeding tides have completed the work of destruction and what was formerly one of the finest among the smaller coasting steamers on the Pacific is now but a mass of kindling wood and tangled iron, strewn for a mile down the beach."
* * *
Recently I represented the City at a county commissioners' meeting of officials who are trying to figure out a way to get additional pods open at the Coos County Jail. Among those present were Sheriff Craig Zanni, District Attorney Paul Frasier, police officers from Coos Bay and North Bend, and city managers from Coos Bay, North Bend and Coquille.
I understand that Coos Bay City Manager and former police chief Rodger Craddock has volunteered to spearhead a committee to talk about what is needed to improve public safety, including more people in the DA's office and at least two more pods (50 beds) of the jail to be open. At present, only 48 beds of the 250-bed jail are open.
Historically, the Coos County Jail was built to provide 250 beds with the county's expectation that they would rent beds to the state and federal government as both, at that time, were short of space for the number of inmates in their care.
However, Sheriff Zanni pointed out that as the jail was being developed and built, both entities had started construction projects for new facilities of their own and the rental program collapsed. "I don't know if the jail ever operated at full capacity," said Zanni. "I do know that in the early years it did operate with 200 beds being available."
Financing has always been the main issue, but staffing is also a problem. Currently there are three vacant positions with four additional corrections deputies off due to illness/Covid protocols, injury or emergency leave.
I believe since that meeting, at least one other deputy has left the sheriff's office, further compounding the issue of staffing.
Judging from the recent posts on Facebook, crime has continued to increase in the north end of the county, with reports of people entering occupied homes, prowling around neighborhoods, stealing gas, stealing vehicles, etc. And the list goes on ... and on.
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The part of my column that gives me the most grief is letting my readers know who we have lost in recent weeks.
I learned that Bandon native John H. Kronenberg, who graduated from BHS with the Class of 1954, died shortly before Christmas in Portland, where had made his home for several years to be near his sister, Jean Kronenberg Rittenour.
He will be buried in the Parkersburg Cemetery along with other members of his family. His great-grandfather was Captain Judah Parker; his parents were Jack and Agnes Kronenberg. George Kronenberg was his uncle.
The community also is mourning the loss of Careen Molthu Pierce, 91, who taught elementary school here for many years. Careen was born in Riverton to Adolph Leonard and Mabel Molthu, and she graduated from Coquille High School.
She is survived by her son, David; daughter, Tauna Rae Pierce, and her husband Ken Tiscornia; and her brother, Don Molthu, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her husband, Don, who was the public works director for the City of Bandon, died years ago.
I also learned that Tokie Osborne died Jan. 19 at the age of 93. She had operated the state liquor store from 1971 until 1994. Her immediate survivors include her husband, Wes Osborne; son, Barry Osborne; and two daughters, Jaine Tipple and Grace Trupp.
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I saw an update on TV the other night about the city councilor from Dune City who reportedly took off his jeans during a council meeting. He said he was trying to make a point, which is the reason he gave the cameraman $20 not to take his photo from the waist down ... because he actually carried a second pair of jeans with him, and those are the jeans he showed to the TV camera and the TV audience. He said he was upset because the Siuslaw News (the Florence paper) does not cover their meetings, and only gets their news off what they see on zoom or from the TV. He claims because of this they often make mistakes. An official from the newspaper was contacted by a TV reporter and they said to date no one from Dune City had ever complained about mistakes in their meeting coverage. Oh well, I guess he made his point ... whatever it was!
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I receive information from Becker's Hospital Review daily as a member of the local hospital board. One day last week an article about Covid-19 hospitalizations said that five states have reported new records this week.
Oregon, unfortunately, was one of the five. It said that pediatric Covid-19 hospitalizations hit a daily record last weekend -- 32 children hospitalized statewide, according to Health and Human Services data cited by The Oregonian.
Previous columns by Mary Schamehorn
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