The San Francisco Examiner du lieu suivant : San Francisco, California • 4

Page 4-i Sept. 17, 1 963 Wide Open paces In Madera Conn ty 'S 1 1 -L I 1, Maurice alia ban, 247 Willow Road, Menlo Park; "We were wined and dined, told our property would double in value in 10 years. It's still a deserrt. They said a freeway would go right by our property." Don Schwartz, 1442 Frebird Way, Sunnyvale: "We still have hope. The lot cost $5500, but it's commercially zoned.

I still don't understand how I got taken. I'm a salesman myself." Marshall "Spike" Marlowe, 2483 Gallup Drive, Santa Clara: "I saw that orchard land in Sunnyvale was selling for $24,000 an acre. I drove down to Madera, saw the plans for schools and expressways. So I bought it. What a joke." Perhaps this would never have occurred but for two Los Angeles speculators, urr 1 LAKE COUNTRY ESTATES PROGRESS aftermath A MADERA COUNTY SUPERVISOR JACK SCHMITZ Behind him, a $42,500 plot with no market value From Page 1 quired by the bis Boise-Cascade Corporation, comes an appeal signed by manager Jeff Dennis.

He urges "investment by the month" in Calaveras Ranchos. Each of these projects has antecedents in Madera County, where the empty subdivisions are populated only by promotional dreams of (see above) Jeff Dennis, John Bo-nadelle and Jerry Fender. The Madera promoters did pardon the expression, land office business. With George Abrahamson of 1130 Waverly Drive in Palo Alto, it began -with direct mail. 'i came home one evening.

Here was this salesman, talking to my wife. I guess she sent back one of their postal cards from the mail. The guy was selling lots near Madera. This was a few years ago, he said. "The salesman had these plats, loaded with red dots ha, ha where people had already bought.

'Get in before it's too he said. "Now that I look back on it, it's really comical. That was seven or eight years ago. Well, these maps showed schools, churches and all that And we wanted to invest in something stable, like land. "So we decided to visit the place.

He drove us to the proposed golf course, to the proposed dam. He told us to buy a big chunk, about 1xk acres, wait and divide it in half. We would double our investment in five years. "There was no high pressure, but we bought. That was in Madera Estates, I think.

Then as we left, I saw another lot, smaller, in Madera Acres, and I thought, 'What the heck, it's only $85 a month for I NO ACTIVITY The total price was $5500 with 10 percent down. After a year or so, with no visible Abrahamson decided to sell. "I finally began to smell something fishy. But when I wejit into Madera to sell out, the real estate people just laughed. Finally one realtor said, 'You've been Abrahamson kept on making payments and hoping.

Today the land is probably worth no more than his original down payment. flies prospective customers to -Klamath River Country Estates in Siskiyou County. The salesman said the land would double in value. Dennis' next project in Lake Don Pedro on the shore of the reservoir to be expanded by San Francisco, the federal government and the and Turlock irrigation districts on the Tuolumme River. The official subdivision report for Lake Don Pedro warns buyers on cost of septic tanks (as high as $4300 per' lot because of rocky leaching fields), power extension charges and wells (up to $1500).

Dennis' Pacific-Cascade is now under the corporate wing of the U.S. Land Company, another new subsidiary of Boise-Cascade, which will be discussed in tomorrow's report on dreams, lakes, advertising and reality in, land investment. Editor's note: The boondocks boom has significant implications, especially for buyers In "promotional subdivisions" created by mass marketing of remote lands. Some will find profits; other will find pleasure. Many will find neither.

This scries, based on two montns of research and investigation, reports specific problems in an objective manner. However, these reports should not be interpreted as indorsement or condemnation of any particular project. Purchase of real estate is uniquely personal. Property scorned by one may be cherished by another. One point is stressed: Investigate before you invest.

YEARS, THIS IS MADERA center is the clubhouse; dark financed recall election, but he emerged with an 85 percent testimonial by voters. Poorly planned subdivisions, he says, are "a blight on our county." Haley and Fender went on to greener pastures. A sales representative said they are holding 200,000 acres for fu ture development in the Western states. Those include Lake Pills- bury Ranch, a 550-lot devel opment on the old Gravelly Ranch of the late George Fuller in the Mendocino National Forest. This is the "Gate Keeper" project where Fender is building a house of his own.

Haley and Gleason are co-partners, the sales representative added. OTHERS JOIN Other developers entered the Madera County boom. John Bonadelle, prominent builder of some first-class subdivision housing in the Fresno area, handled several promotions in Madera Coun Monday thru Saturday TttephontiEXbrook 7-4500 area isn't grass, but weed fire ty which have resulted in vir-i tually no building activity. He is now selling off the Squaw Valley Ranchos described by his salesman as "dirt" -for "investment." Jeff Dennis promoted Valley Lake Ranchos and Indian Lake Estates in Madera County in 1966. His salesmen talked of "18 miles of shoreline," presumably on banks of Dry Creek or the ragged shores of three ponds.

No building has yet taken place. No lake is visible. Dennis later sold his Pacific-Cascade Land Company to Permabilt Homes, which later became a subsidiary of the giant Boise-Cascade Corporation. He remains sales manager of the subsidiary land company, now completing sales of Calaveras Ranchos near Jenny Lind. Only seven building permits have been issued for the 7000 lots.

The salesman' stressed investment. The same land company f.M. $LOTHIHO; i AFTER FIVE Building in Settlers stayed away. In dustry stayed Worst of all, Lake Madera, a $500,000 project financed by the State Department of Fish and Game, developed a leak in its bottom. As soon as the weather gets hot, it drains like a giant bathtub.

NO CREST The colossal waste of land become evident when the visitor stands at the desolate corner of Avenue 18 and Crest Drive in Madera Acres (no crest is visible). On one side of the empty avenue lies land produc tive use, a young orchard of plum trees planted and irri gated by a local farmer named Charles Mosesian. On the other side is an ee rie tract of empty streets, stop signs and withered little trees planted by the develop ers. Not far away is Madera Golf and Country Club, a lo cal project which inspired a "country club estates" devel- opment where prime lots went for $9000 to $12,000. A few homes were built, but owners are not invited to join the club.

The membership is com posed of Madera's sensible aristocracy, who wouldn't pay the inflated price of lots next to their club. In the best neighborhood of Madera, lots are $5000 to $6000 with all utilities in. The county government no longer welcomes developers. The change was spearheaded by a farmer, Supervisor Jack W. Schmitz who asserts that the empty tracts are costly, foolish, wasteful sprawl at its worst.

The developers dislike him. Last month he faced a well Alternate Jurors Sought Special to The Examiner SAN JOSE Selection of alternate jurors resumed here today in the murder case against, two young Washington state men after the prosecutor's angry outburst. 'MINGLING The jury panel was thought to have been completely selected yesterday when three alternates were chosen. But today, alternate Ken Christopherson, a young mechanic, told the court that his employer has refused to pay his salary for the estimated two months of trial, so Christopherson was excused for hardship. Mendocino County District Attorney Arthur Broaddus yesterday complained to superior Judge Joseph P.

Kelly that some defense witnesses were "mingling" with jurors. INFLUENCE He said that Mrs. Sharon Maine, 19, wife of one of the defendants, took coffee breaks with the jury. "I have noticed defendant Maine's wife, in particular, almost moving with the jury," declared Broaddus. "I feel it's influencing the jury in a sense." Hi: i ft iii i.i its praiser concerning-his $3290 lot purchased in 1961 in Madera Country Club Estates.

The appraiser said the county has approximately 80,000 lots and parcels available as building sites, amost twice as many lots as people. MANY STORIES The appraiser continued, "Indeed, it is diffcult for a resident of this valley to imagine what reason there could have been for any de mand in the first place." Agnew formed the Madera Owners Group which exists to inform the public of prob lems with investing in du bious land promotions. He invites any victim of similar sales tactics to send him de tails. There are hundreds of sto ries: the list was a demand that Capri be removed. Students accused him of calling police and breaking faith with them in getting more black curriculum courses.

Black student leader Bailey Grant, 18, a senior, said that the issue was not really between white and black students, but that attacking white students seemed the only way to get Capri's attention. MANY ANGRY The area around Fremont seemed unnaturally quiet yesterday after the goings-on of last week, but many whites in the area were angry. Mrs. Lillie Ross, 64, who owns an eatery near the school said that whites were being discriminated against. She said that her windows had been broken three times last week by black students and that nothing had been done.

White and black students said that the real story of what is happening at Fre-amount remaining in the lobby account $23,000. mont is yet to be printed. Black students say that the many acts of discrimination have never been discussed. White students who have been beaten said that the extent of the terror in the school has not been described. Mr.

and Mrs. Carmelo Di Grande of 2102 Harding Ave. in Redwood City were taken Jack Haley and the late Bud dy Taub. (The Fender" of today's mail is Jerry Fender of Lafayette, nephew of Taub and formerly an executive with the Taub-Haley ventures in Madera County.) HEARTLESS ROLE Haley, 65, remains active in remote developments but is known better as a popular movie and stage entertainer of the 30's. In the "Wizard of Oz," he was the Tin Wood man without a heart.

The names of other Holly wood personalities, including Jackie Gleason, a former limited partner, have been in voked in sales presentations concerning the bright future of Haley-Taub developments, The first Haley-Taub subdi vision appeared in 1957. Oth ers followed rapidly. By 1966, 10,864 lots on 15,461 acres had been peddled to buyers from Hong Kong to Chicago. Plans for new freeways, schools, shopping centers and recreation facilities were discussed by salesmen. The price was not always low.

Mrs. Lilia Calderon, a Chi cago widow, paid $42,500 for three l-acre lots now un sellable at any price. THE PEAK The peak was reached with Madera Lake Country Es tates, a vast and empty tract today next to a "country club." Memberships were sold for $500 up. The clubhouse remains as a kind of monument to folly A Grecian-style facade is nearly half a block long, but it encloses a smalj building and a swimming pool, Through columns, the swim mer sees foxtails and weeds It looks like something from the Land of Oz in the middle of Kansas. Inquiry In School The newly created San Mateo County Human Relations Commission has its first task an investigation of a student strike that closed Ravenswood High School for two days last week.

The County Board of Supervisors today voted to ask the commission to investigate what it called "the Ravenswood incident." James V. Fitzgerald, chairman of the supervisors, said the commission should enter the issue because it appeared to involve racial and community matters rather than routine school matters. Students demanding a Negro principal and more Negro counselors brought the East Palo Alto school to a halt last Tuesday and Wednesday and prompted Principal Malcom Taylor to resign. Taylor said he "threw in the sponge to avoid violence." The school district's trustees have agreed to appoint a Negro principal for Ravenswood. Temporary chairman of the human relations commission, organized last month, is Ed Morgan, superintendent of Jefferson Union High School District in Daly City.

There are 15 memb-s. Upheaval Guard to Patrol Opening Of Troubled Fremont High on a "free" overnight inspec-1 tion of Madera Acres. They bought two lots for $4600 plus interest, taxes and road maintenance costs. They were offered $300 recently for each. Self-Help Enterprises, a small non-profit group that assists low-income families build their own housing, made the offer.

The letter proposed $800 as a fair price for property that is "barren, dry, hilly, hardpan on surface and isolated." In 10 years, only nine homes have been built in the 2700-lot subdivision, one of many. PROFESSIONAL AID For Robert Agnew, who resides at 28 Selby Lane in Atherton, the dawn broke in 1966 when he sought the opinion of a professional ap three bombs made of one-inch pipe filled with powder and capped. All three detonated, one heavily. Damage was confined to shattered windows. Meetings with Fremont teachers and administrators began Sunday.

TEACHER ASSAULTED Fears that the BSU would not be able to operate this year was said to be a major source of the trouble. Black students said that they had been unable to get a sponsor. They claimed that none of the 10 black teachers were willing to sponsor the BSU because of a fear for their jobs. Fremont Principal Jack Capri said that had been ironed out with black students at a Friday morning assembly meeting, but that some students became angry over the presence of police around the school. One boy was arrested for smashing the window of a patrol car with a tossed bottle Friday.

Eight other students were arrested in the fights which followed. The amount they will borrow is the same as the A teacher was assaulted after it was announced that classes were dismissed for the day. Some black students sent down a list of demands yes-terday to Superintendent Stuart. Phillips. At the top of colorful highlights for Fall OUR FINE OWN MAKE SPORT JACKETS Making your Fall selection of sport jackets at Brooks Brothers is always a satisfying experience.

For, in addition to our own design and tailoring of fabrics woven for the most part exclusively for us there is always the knowledge that what you wear will be in unquestioned good taste today, and for years to come. For the coming season we invite you also to inspect the Odd Trousers, sport shirts, sweaters and other casual items that are so distinctively Brooks. Our Orxn Make Tweed Sport Jackets, jrom 1 3 0 Oci' Make Odd Trousers, from $42 Sport Shirts of Imported Fabrics, jrom $12.50 Sweaters, from 1 8.50 Odd Vests, $25 OISIRVINO OUR UOTH ANNIVERSARY i From Page 1 ion; that more classes in Negro culture will be set up if interest warrants and that attempts will be made tohire more Negro teachers. There are but 10 now of a total of 92. Capri told newsmen a class in Afro-American culture was started, but only about 20 students expressed interest in it.

The faculty was to meet with parents tonight and student leaders tomorrow. WEEK OF VIOLENCE The racially mixed school 40 percent white, 35 percent Negro, 17 percent Spanish surname and 6 percent Oriental was closed Friday afternoon after an opening week of violence. Some white students were requesting transfers, a move opposed by others. "We've got to get together with these colored dudes," said senior Bob Shackelford, who said he was beaten Thursday after school when a large group of black students surrounded 40 whites. "What we're really fighting is segregation." WINDOWS BROKEN In the bombings, residents told police, a station wagon with four white boys drove up.

Two of the youths got out and inspected the grounds, then all four reconnoitered around the block. -pn their return ey lit the lm ploys' furnishing, flats -f hoes 1 201 POST COR. GRANT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. 9410 KEW YORK BOSTON PITTSBURGH ATLANTA CHICAGO LOS ANGELES.