100 years ago

For the week ending July 1, 1906

LUMBERMEN VISIT BEND

Last Friday evening M.J. Scanlon and son R.H., J.P. Keyes and S.A. Blakeley, all of Minnesota, arrived in Bend and spent several days cruising over a large tract of timber held by the Brooks-Scanlon people of Minneapolis. Later the party, with the exception of Mr. Blakeley, departed for Southern Oregon points.

Mr. Scanlon, who has held a large tract of timber south and east of Bend for several years, told Bend parties while here that he was anxious that a railroad be built into this country in order that he might build a mill and begin to saw his timber. It is known that he holds an option on either one of two desirable mill sites on the river at Bend. Mr. Scanlon, at various times, has told Bend people that when transportation facilities warranted such an enterprise his company would build a large mill at this place.

Mr. Blakely and ”Bill” Brock are now cruising for this company in the vicinity of Bend.

WILL HEAR SWEET MUSIC

Last Monday a few of the old members of Bend’s former band, together with several initiates, met at the Triplett barber shop and perfected an organization.

In a few weeks Bend’s citizens will be treated once more to the strains of martial music furnished by their own local band.

Considerable correspondence has been had with Warren Glaze at Prineville, who directed the band last year. It is hoped and expected that arrangements will be completed whereby he will instruct the present organization.

The band is composed of the following members: Creed Triplett, Charles D. Brown, Frank Hodson, Prince Staats, Carlyle Triplett, C.M. Weymouth, O.S. Crocker, H.J.P. McDonald, Floyd Lobdell, Elmer Merill, T.W. Zimmerman and Barney Lewis.

75 years ago

For the week ending July 1, 1931

WORLD-FAMOUS SURGEON HERE ON WAY TO COAST CONVENTION

Dr. William J. Mayo, internationally known surgeon of Rochester Minn., spent last night in Bend at the Pilot Butte Inn, with members of his family and a party of friends, and early today left for Crater Lake, on his way to San Francisco to attend a meeting of a medical society. Dr. Mayo , on his first trip into interior Oregon, came to Bend Wednesday evening from Portland.

”Back in Minnesota we hear much about Crater Lake, so we decided to visit that park on this trip,” Dr. Mayo said when asked why he was driving over The Dalles-California Highway on his way to San Francisco from Portland. He found the north-south road to be an excellent highway and regretted that he did not have the time this morning to drive to the top of Pilot Butte about which he had been told, to get a view of the Cascade skyline. Dr. Mayo and his party are making their drive south in a leisurely manner. Tonight they will stop at Crater Lake, to view the vast caldera at twilight and dawn, and tomorrow night will stop in Grants Pass.

50 years ago

For the week ending July 1, 1956

BENSON HANGS ON (EDITORIAL)

Dean Benson, the big Bend boy who just graduated from Willamette University, has confounded a number of his critics.

For three years now, Benson has had a lot of no-win times in his favorite event – the high hurdles – of slightly over 14 seconds. Critics have said it was impossible for Benson to break 14 seconds.

Last Friday and Saturday the kid surprised them, though, and surprised some of his friends too. He clicked 13.9 on Friday and, came back on Saturday to record the same time.

Next weekend the Olympic tryouts are being held in Los Angeles. Benson has qualified twice for the tryouts, once by placing in the NCAA meet and once by placing in the AAU meet.

If he can make one of the first three places next weekend, he’ll go to Australia next winter for the Olympic games.

At the start of the season Benson was not given much more than an outside chance to make the U.S. Olympic team. His chances still are not the brightest, but they’ve improved considerably in the past few weeks.

In the meantime Benson is making the most of his opportunities. He’s still hanging on. His friends wish him luck.

25 years ago

For the week ending July 1, 1981

MADRAS SHOW LURES ‘MR. OPAL’

Opal merchant Frederick Wilhelm von Brandt may be as rare as some of the gems he takes to rock shows.

The distinguished-looking man, who could claim the title of Baron, is the third generation of von Brandts in the precious gem business.

His four sons, who will carry on the family business in years to come will become the fourth generation of von Brandts dealing in opals.

This week, at the 12th meeting of the All Rockhounds Pow Wow Club of America Inc. on the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, von Brandt was in his usual location in ”Rock City” at the southwest corner of Opal Street.

”That’s Mr. Opal,” said son George. ”If you want to know anything about Opals, he can tell you.”

It is the precious opal which sparkles with many-colored fires while a fire opal is one color only, he explained. A fire opal may be red, green, blue or yellow, but it is not a mix.

But in opals, it is the quality that is important, he said.

The quality of a precious opal, he explained is determined by the variety and intensity of color. The quality of a fire opal is decided by the clarity of a single color.

The von Brandts have been almost as close to the opals as Mother Earth which doesn’t yield her treasures easily to miners of the precious stones.

Starting with the grandfather who mined them in New South Wales, Australia, knowledge of opals was passed on to von Brandt’s father, who was known as the Opal King of the United States in the 1950s.

He, in turn, trained von Brandt who is handing over the business to his sons. ”I worked with my dad and when he died I took over. It will be the same with my kids who cut opals before I did.” George cut his first opal before he was 7.

Von Brandt still carries with him the uncut, 12,284-karat precious opal mined in New South Wales in 1956. He values the gem at $200,000.

Another prized opal he takes with him for display is a 410-karat carving of a mermaid riding a seahorse valued at $50,000.

The myth is that the mermaid named Lorelei, lured sailors to their death as she sang from her seahorse mount among the rocks along the Rhine River.

Another intricate carving von Brandt sold to the Bangle Tree, in Bend. That carving represents the Ghengis Khan and represents a warriorlike figure on horseback.

Both father and son rate the Madras show one of the best among the 10 that they annually attend.