Antelope
Continued from page 1
Since moving in, about 280
followers have transformed a
worn-out sheep ranch into a
productive farm The new
mobile homes and ranch
buildings are immaculate and
visitors are welcome at the
ranch
Headquarters of the ranch is
about 18 miles away and out of
sight of Antelope Local
residents say that isn't far
enough away to suit them
They were even less happy
when the sannyastns, as the
disciples call themselves,
bought the town's only com
mercial enterprise — a tiny
cafe, store gas station — to
distribute books and tapes to
people The cafe was renamed
“Zorba the Buddha' and
serves only vegetarian dishes
The followers also own five
or six houses in the community
and have pressured and
cajoled Antelope citizens to
sell their property Hill says
The followers say they
would rather keep to them
selves on the ranch, but strict
Oregon zoning laws forced
them to buy property already
designated for commercial
use Because the formation of
their own city is now on hold,
they want to work on other
enterprises
Matters came to a head
when the Antelope City Coun
cil refused the Rajneesh a
permit to build a printing plant
on other commercial property
The council then set the
emergency disincorporation
election
On Monday Wasco County
Circuit Judge John Jetderks
approved the special election
despite a challenge by the
Rajneesh
Hill echos fears of citizens
who say that if the Rajnee
shees cannot incorporate their
own city, then Antelope may
be the next best thing The
nearly 300 ranch-dwellers
could easily outnumber the 40
Antelope residents
To ‘take over'' Antelope,
the sect can move enough fol
lowers into the city to control
the November election in
which three council positions,
the city recorder's job. and the
mayor's post would be on the
ballot The current voter
registration tally is 39 Antelope
residents and 35 "new res
idents "
The concern of the Antelope
people is mainly financial. Hill
says If the Rajneesh had poli
tical control of the city, they
could expand municipal ser
vices and pave roads to
accommodate large numbers
of followers — and levy the
taxes to pay for the services If
Antelope residents were taxed
out of town. Hill says, the
probable buyers for their
property would be the
Rajneesh They could then set
their own price
Disincorporation would
prevent this because Wasco
County would assume control
of land use and taxing
Disbanding the city is not
something the citizens of
Antelope look forward to
Antelope was chartered in
1901; the first post office dates
to 1872. Hill speaks with pride
as she tells of the old-time
saloons, wooden sidewalks,
livery stables and cowboys.
"This is a sad ending for such
a town ”
Hill predicts the townspeo
ple will all vote in favor of
disbanding But the election is
not guaranteed A growing
number of followers now live in
Antelope and are registered
voters, she says Under
Oregon law. Rajneesh fol
lowers could move as many of
the 174 registered voters on
the ranch into town and regis
ter them to vote as late as
election day
"I’m not conceeding yet,"
Hill says “It's still a toss-up,"
adds her husband and former
Antelope mayor Phil Hill.
In spite of the hassles, the
loss of sleep, and sharp cri
ticism brought to her by the
followers, Hill says, "On a
one-to-one basis, some of the
Rajneesh are charming, well
educated, very personable."
Hill has recieved letters from
all over the world — some
warning her, some expressing
sympathy She has also
received unsolicited dona
tions ranging from $2 to $250
to help cover Antelope's bills
But what happens if
Antelope remains a town?
Hill looks out the window A
few blocks away, a newly
painted black-and-white sign
hangs on what was formerly
the Antelope Cafe It reads
“Zorba the Buddha.”
She remains quiet Hill
hasn't an answer
Photo courtesy ot the Eugene Register-Guard
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