The first photo I am sharing this week came out of the March 1925 special advertising section in Western World and tells the story of how Capps Motor Company began. "Two years ago, C.Y. Lowe took his family on a trip that took them into Canada and over a goodly portion of the country to the north. They were gone about a month and took in whatever offered an opportunity for learning about the habits of tourists and the ways of folks who go about the country on rubber wheels.
"Auto camps and garages came in for close attention, for it was in C.Y.'s mind to put up a garage building when he got back to Bandon. His observations convinced him that Bandon offered just the chance he wanted, so on his return he began drawing up the plans that were later incorporated in the Lowe-Capps building -- one of the largest and best arranged fireproof garages in this part of Oregon. Interested with him is the building is his son-in-law, Ed Capps, who conducts the Capps garage and service station on the lower floor of the concrete structure.
"The location of the service station is a splendid one, being at the Oregon avenue entrance to the town, and on the main street of the city just across from the Bank of Bandon (first photo) making it handy for Ed to deposit his money, and a good place for cars to fill up with gas before they tackle the hill."
The hill being referenced is across from the Bandon Fisheries Warehouse and heads up the hill toward Holy Trinity Catholic Church, as this was once the main entrance into town.
"Ed was raised in the good, old-fashioned way in the northern part of Curry County where he was introduced to most of the vagaries that a car is capable of before he came to Bandon."
Unfortunately, many people believed that the Capps garage was, indeed, fireproof and during the Bandon Fire of 1936, many stored their vehicles and belongings there, but the building burned. Ed Capps (second picture) can be seen digging through the wreckage of his garage days after the Fire.
"Electric Power Brings New Industry to Bandon" is the headline of the Jan. 26, 1922, Western World.
"The first new manufacturing enterprise coming to Bandon as a result of the availability of hydro-electric current (third photo) at a low rate will be established within the next 60 days. The Bandon Cedar Manufacturing Company is the newly founded corporation. It is to take over the plant of the White Cedar Lumber Company of Coquille which has been operated by a stock company of Dalen, Reid and Jacobson. The interests of Reid and Jacobson have been purchased by The Perry Veneer Company, T.P. Hanly and J.F. Kronenberg, all of Bandon.
"The Coquille plant has been engaged largely in cutting battery separators but is designed to manufacture various kinds of woodwork. It has maintained about 20 employees. The steam power now used will be displaced with electric motors and the entire plant will be electrically operated."
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Although I do not have any details, since I just learned about an accident south of Bandon late Sunday afternoon as I was preparing to write my column, I did learn that it was a fatal motorcycle accident. One post said that it occurred on Highway 101 about 4 miles south of Dew Valley Lane, between Bandon and Langlois.
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The deadline to file for a Bandon city council position is fast approaching, and as of Sunday, Aug. 11, four candidates have been certified for the November election, including Gerald "Bear" Slothower and incumbent Geri Procetto for the city council, and Angela Cardas and incumbent Mary Schamehorn for mayor.
Several others have taken out the paperwork to run for council but have not yet returned their signature sheets. They include Wilson's grocery owner Archie Garrett, former city manager Dan Chandler and Bandon school superintendent Shauna Schmerer.
Incumbents Peter Braun and Brian Vick are not running for re-election. Vick, who is undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer in Medford, has resigned from the council, and Slothower, who was the chair of the planning commission, was chosen to replace Vick in a 3-2 (Procetto, Madeline Seymour and Braun) vote of the council. Chris Powell and Josh Adamson voted for Garrett who also submitted his application for the vacant seat.
Official deadline to file is Aug. 27, but Coos County elections requests that signature sheets be filed earlier so they can be verified.
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I was so sorry to learn of the death of Bandon native Jeffery Johnson, 56, husband of the former Lorie Erdman, who suffered a heart attack while on his way to his job Thursday. He is the son of Jerome Johnson of Bandon and is a 1986 graduate of Bandon High School. Lorie and Jeff had been
together seven and a half years and lived in Tarpon Springs, Fla, where they had a beautiful home, which they had shared with Lorie's son, Kyle.
Jerome lost his older son, Jason Johnson, years ago, following an accident in California. Both men grew up in Bandon.
Lorie said a celebration of life will be held later in Oregon.
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I also learned that Paul Mounts, 94, died in Bay Area Hospital last Monday, according to his wife, Evelyn Cook.
Paul had called me several weeks ago offering to help pay for the holiday community meals, as he often supported community groups and causes.
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The news is spreading in Curry County that the Sheriff's Office has taken a 41 percent budget cut as a result of the failure of the public safety levy in May.
Curry County Sheriff John Ward reported that he has been forced to cut 19 positions.
"We lost two positions in 911/Dispatch, two positions in Corrections and 15 positions in Criminal/Civil Patrol. Throughout our office we had seven open positions, and those were cut along with 11 filled deputy positions, which resulted in layoffs or positions being eliminated," he said. "Because of budget and positions cuts, we have also lost Patrol and Corrections deputies to other agencies." The Curry SO will be down to three patrol deputies and will not be able to provide the service they have in the past, said Ward.
The ballot measure would have imposed a tax of $2.23 per thousand, which would have funded 24-hour sheriff patrols.
A Rotarian from Port Orford said that Port Orford continues to maintain a four-person police department.
Bandon is fully staffed with seven officers, according to Chief Cory Dhillon, who was the guest speaker at the Friday Rotary club meeting.
In an earlier interview, Coos County Sheriff Gabe Fabrizio said that his office suffered a $550,000 reduction in the current budget, which required laying off one patrol deputy, and a part-time evidence position. Also, he said the sheriff's budget for new vehicles was eliminated and some services were cut as well. The voters of Coos County turned down the public safety levy, which would have resulted in an added tax of 98 cents per thousand.
One of the biggest impacts of the Coos levy defeat was to the District Attorney's office, which is down two assistant DAs, resulting in a big backlog of cases.
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I mentioned Brian Vick earlier. I spoke with him several times last week, and he said that he was going to begin a new round of chemotherapy this week, after he had contracted Covid the previous week and also had a medical event that caused him to return to the hospital for a short stay.
He sounded optimistic about his ongoing treatment, and his friends are hopeful and wishing him well.
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It was fun to see the two members of Bandon's Cranberry Court, Cayleigh Holman and Camden Kappa, passing out popcorn and chatting with the big crowd of people who turned out for the Bandon Police Department's National Night Out celebration Aug. 6.
Cayleigh, a senior at Bandon High School, is the daughter of Marc and Stephanie Holman, and served as class president.
Camden is the daughter of Sam and Jamie Kappa and is an active member of the BHS Leadership Club.
The 78th Cranberry Festival, sponsored by the Bandon Chamber of Commerce, will be held in Old Town and City Park September 14-15. Events include a parade, festival market, food court, evening dance and more. The dance will be held in Old Town, with the festival market and food court held in City Park.
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The Meet and Greet speaker for the Aug. 13 noon event at Bandon Fisheries Warehouse is Dr. Neil Nathan, who is part of Southern Coos Hospital's Silver Anniversary lecture series. He will speak on "Chronic Inflammation" including information on Lyme disease and mold toxicity.
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Don't forget to get your tickets at Bandon Playhouse.org for the Celebration of Theatre Gala Night Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Sprague Theater. There will be three no-host food trucks available, two free drinks included in the ticket price of $25, live music by Skeet (John Gretzinger) and juggling by Nameer El Kadi, fun scenes from the Playhouse's upcoming season and, for the grand finale, the one-act play, "Tales from the Kitchen Table, written and performed by Corrie Gant.
Doors open at 5:30, the auditorium opens at 6:30 and the show starts at 7. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
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My weather guy reports no recorded rainfall for July.
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Don't forget to look at the Coquille River Lighthouse Keepers website, and if you are willing to chip in with a donation to help bring electricity to the lighthouse, it could be sent to P.O. Box 21, Bandon.
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