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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJesse Winburn - news article The Oregonian - 12-25-63 ASHLANDERS RECALL FIERCE LITTLE PHILANTHROPIST WHO GAVE MUCH TO CITY by Marjorie O'Harra, Special Writer, The Oregonian "Remember Jesse Winburn?" Ask this question of those who lived in Ashland during the 1920's and they all say the same: "Sure, who doesn't? Funny little guy. Made his money in advertising, didn't he?" At one time Jesse Winburn, the man who amassed a fortune by introducing subway advertising in New York City, decided to retire in Ashland. Ashland has never forgotten him. Most people who knew him will admit that the fierce looking little man with his freckled bald head and high squeaky voice did a great deal for Ashland, but invariably they add: "To have put up with him was a credit to local patience." Winburn was rich, philanthropic, generous, hot tempered and eccent~ic. During the two years he lived in Ashland he gave the city a hospital and a womens civic club house, but, he fished in the city water supply. He enter- tained nationally known columnists and newspaper men and gave elaborate parties for children, but, he delighted in antagonizing most everyone else. Oregon Visit Fruitful He backed Walter M. Pierce for governor on the basis of his tax reform platform, but, he made enemies because of his tactics of political persuasion. A man of erratic decision, Winburn spent two weeks in Southern Oregon ir~ ebruary of 1920 and immediately upon his return to New York City announced ~hat he would retire in Ashland and put the city on the map. He said he would turn Ashland into a health resort based on the mineral waters, rail- road, climate and scenic beauty. While still in New York Winburn formed a corporation with Ashland men and took initial steps toward purchasing a hotel. He bought option on the Lithia water springs and purchased a cabin on Ashland Creek for his home. When he returned to Ashland in 1921 he was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Bert Moses. Moses was a writer whose syndicated column, Sap and Salt, appeared iF many papers throughout the nation. Immediately things began to happen. Improvements were started at the cabin and the place was named Sap and Salt in the Woods. The building was enlarged and a crew of carpenters built stables (Winburn loved to ride) and ~ swimming pool. The pool was fed by the ice-cold waters of Ashland Creek and no one but the wiry little man ever summed up the courage to plunge in. Road Plan Started Winburn, dressed in riding breeches and carrying a gold headed cane, became a familiar figure in downtown Ashland. He would appear either in a chauffeur-driven, custom-built red Lincoln, or riding his horse. He would hitch the horse where he pleased whether to a hitching post or some merchant's garbage can. The busy little newcomer started a movement to build a road to Mt. Ashland and he put time, money and effort into promotion of celebrations and parades. This caused a great deal of talk. He lighted his home with gas lanterns but refused to learn how to light ~em and called daily for a service man to make the eight-mile trip from town. He spent a lot of time in court because he insisted on grazing his animals on lands that drained into Ashland Creek, and he fished in that stream which was the main source of water supply for the city. These things caused talk too. Ashlanders Recall... Page Two One spring weekend Winburn hired trucks to transport 300 children to Sa~ and Salt, and, in the open meadow which he decorated with Japanese lanterns and gay festoons he built a stage where Moses played "Hiram Hayseed" to the delight of the young guests. The walls of the forested canyon meadow rang with shouts of laughter, those who were there remember still. There were prizes and presents for all~ Irish potato races, bobbing for apples, feasting on bananas, oranges, crackerjack and strawberry shortcake. Parties, like that one, overnight riding and camping trips and picnics were frequent -- and talk of the town. Winburn drove through Lithia Park to reach Sap and Salt. He felt swans would be a great attraction, so he purchased four for the park. He noted that work had stopped on a club house women's organizations had started, so he completed the building and added a $5,000 pipe organ. Hospital Given City For a time he was confined to the hospital. He didn't like it. He bought all the stock in the hospital corporation, spent $30,000 remodeling the building and gave it back to the city, lock, stock, and barrel. Because of these gifts the city fathers decided to rename a street Winburn Way. At the same time the city law continued to fine the benefactor for his irritating habit of fishing in the drinking water. When the platform of Walter M. Pierce appealed to Winburn he backed him in his campaign for governor. Pierce was victorious. Winburn then took up city politics and during an election made it clear that his plans for Ashland's future would depend on the outcome of the election. His candidate ust win if Ashland were to continue to have him finance civic projects.. His candidate won, but ill feelings resulted. Winburn was beginning to feel irked with his "retirement" town. He became wary because he was continually being approached with ideas which needed financing. The constant hassle over contamination of the city water finally began to irritate him. So, in erratic Winburn fashion, he shelved plans for the resort town, the mineral water development and the Mount Ashland road, sold Sap and Salt, dropped all his projects, and left -- as suddenly as he had come. He went east where he paved his path with generous civic gifts: he presented the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Revenstyn's, "Portrait of a Gentleman"; as president of the Bronxville Golf Assn. he purchased the Hunt Estate in Mount Vernon and turned it into a club house; he spent $10,000 for musical entertainment for Emanuel Brotherhood and as a result was appointed chairman of the Parks and Protective Improvement Commission in New York City; he loaned the French Olympic fund one million francs to assure the Olympic games in Paris, a city in which he had once lived. Winburn purchased a home in Rye, N.Y., and started to rebuild it as a replica of Longfellow's Wayside Inn, but, it was his last project. The "fierce looking little man" who is so well remembered in Ashland died in. 192~ at the age of 58. A gentlemen of contrasts to the end, Winburn, who had been born in poverty, left an estate of more than one million dollars in stocks, bonds, and securities, and a $500,000 interest in the New York City Car Advertising Co.