Looking Back to 1950: Water expansion banned, local has Grand Canyon adventure
This look back at Paso Robles history comes from local newspapers in the Paso Robles Area Historical Society collection. News for this column is selected with the assistance of Research Director Jan Cannon. Newspaper photography by GiGi Green.
Excerpts from the Thursday, June 22, 1950, Paso Robles Journal
Council to refuse outside water service
Present lines operating at capacity and additional users too great a drain
Water service to a house on Capitol Hill on the east side for Mrs. N.M. Forrington and to a house in the Keefer tract on the west city limits to Harriet Cooper and Charlotte Reideman were granted by the city council Monday night and then the trustees clamped down on further expansion on the water system as they unanimously adopted the following resolution:
“Whereas, the city council of the City of El Paso de Robles finds that the residents within the city require increasing amounts of water, and
Whereas, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the water department to furnish water to water users outside the city limits, and
“Whereas, water mains outside the city limits have reached their maximum capacity and are inadequate to furnish water to additional users outside the city limits,
“Now, therefore, the city council of the City of El Paso de Robles does resolve as follows:
“That all applications for water to be furnished outside the corporate limits of the city be denied.”
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Ed Hudson and son in canyon crash
‘Most thrilling adventure of my life,’ local druggist says of accident
“The most thrilling adventure of my life,” said Ed Hudson, local druggist, who started off a week ago on another of his attempts to navigate up the treacherous Colorado River through its Grand Canyon course only to crash on the rocks Saturday.
Accompanied by Ed, Jr., and two others of the adventurous party, William Belnap of Boulder City, Nev., and William Taylor of Berkeley, Hudson started out in a specially built 26-foot highly powered boat to again force a way through the rapids.
Having motor trouble, he started to run the rapids back to headquarters when the engine failed entirely and his craft crashed, leaving father and son stranded on a sand bar. The other two were carried downstream and picked up by another boat.
Mrs. Otis Marston, wife of a partner in the exploration party, discovered their plight when she sailed down the canyon in a helicopter and immediately reversed her plans and went to help. Two helicopters came to rescue and one carrying Ed., Jr., made a successful landing but the one carrying Hudson crashed on the way out and landed on a cliff 300 feet above the river and 1000 feet from the top.
Hudson spent the night perched above the torrent and the next morning another helicopter rescued him. Neither he nor his son incurred any ill effects of their adventure.
Hudson’s pictures of the annual attempt to conquer the stubborn current of the Colorado, which has never yet been ascended, are popular with Paso Roblans and many showings have been made at the various service clubs, private parties and other occasions.
Five in hospital after collision
Five persons were injured and taken to Atascadero Hospital following a collision that occurred on Highway 101 north of Atascadero at 9:05 p.m., Saturday. Edward Joseph Baltizar, 31, of Paso Robles, driver of a coupe was injured as was his wife Esther, and a second passenger, Aulius U. McWhorter, 26, of Atascadero.
The driver of the second car, Arthur Goodwin Alen, 46, of Atascadero was also hurt. Receiving the most serious injuries was his passenger, Minnie Plagman, 64, of Atascadero. The case is still being investigated by the CHP.
A hotrod driven by Jackie Zerkle, 16, of Atascadero overturned at 12:50 p.m. yesterday, one and a half miles north of Atascadero on Highway 101. Zerkle was northbound and turned into a bank to avoid hitting a slow-moving vehicle. He was cited by the California Highway Patrol for driving too fast for the mechanical condition of the car. Zerkle was shaken up but uninjured.
Read previous Looking Back articles
- Looking Back to 1935: Big names featured at rodeo, 72 graduate high school
- Looking Back to 1935: Council orders business owners arrested
- Looking Back to May 1956: Direct air mail service begins
- Looking Back to 1955: Flood project approved, county delays cloud seeding
- Looking Back to 1932: Seven-year-old shoots self, largest ever voter turnout
Thank you to the sponsors of Looking Back
Paso Robles Pioneer Museum – Come take a real look back into local Paso Robles history. Open Thursday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 2010 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles, CA 93446, www.pasoroblespioneermuseum.org (805) 239-4556.
Estrella Warbird Museum is an aviation museum dedicated to the restoration and preservation of military aircraft, vehicles, and memorabilia. Woodland Auto Display is also open. Hours: Thursday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. 4251 Dry Creek Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446, ewarbirds.org, (805) 227-0440.
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