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About The Bend bulletin. (Bend, Deschutes County, Or.) 1917-1963 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1955)
Region's First Tourists Give Industry Start There were few In Central Ore gon a half century ago who rec ognized in the occasional automo biles that chugged over wagon roads the start of a new Industry. Yet those few cars, White Steamers and their kin, blazed tiie trails for the region's all-im portant tourist industry of the present. It is an industry which annually 'yields an income sur passed only by those from lum bering and agriculture. Even 30 years ago only a doz en or so cars nightly checked into Bend's primitive city camp ground, site of Pioneer park of the present. They registered there with the late H. E. Michael, Bend's first tourist camp operator, told of their woes in crossing rut ted, dusty roads, and camped un der stare or under tents. "Tourists" Seek Job Fire blazed nightly in the camp area, as those "tourists" of three decades ago moved from camp to camp to get acquainted. Few of the tourists of early days were hunting scenery, or scenic spots. Some were anglers , "campers," but most were job seekers who remained overnight to look into the local job situation, then to continue on their way. Those early day travelers left little in the community. They car ried their own bedding and their own food. Some even carried car fuel, in extra cans. However, they did leave here oc casional dollars for car springs, or other extras that might be needed before the next town could be reached. Start New Industry But those travelers of the "dawn years' of the tourist business gave the region's new industry its first impetus. Soon gasoline sta tions were set up independent of garages, and tourist "courts, lit tie more than cabins of frontier type, were established. That industry has expanded into a multimillion dollar business en tailing service seasonally for tens of thousands of visitors from all parts of the United States, Can ada and even countries overseas. Growth of the industry was largely due to the development of Oregon s fine highway system. In this year of 1955, many of the tourists moving over interior Oregon roads are following the na tion s park to park trails, from the Yellowstone and the TetonB. to Crater lake and between Crater lake and Rainier. Distances Shorter Thirty years ago, Crater lake was a day distant from Bend, over roads blanketed with pumice dust roads that twisted through jaokpines. Now the national park, 100 miles distant, can be reached In two hours, over modern, fast highways. Three decades ago. The Dalles California highway from the Co lumbia south to the Klamath! re gion was mostly a dusty road, with a few macadamized units. It was a slow road of many curves, and Included a crossing of Crooked river at the bottom of a winding grade. That was Trail crossing, abandoned when the present bridge was completed in 1926. Forest Camps To Be Improved (Made possible through a JiiO.OOO allocation by the U.S. Forest Serv ice, rehabilitation and expansion of recreation areas at East and Paulina lakes and in the Crane Prairie-Wickiup areas are planned for the next two years. The funds will be used in con structing GO tables, 25 stoves, 15 toilets, and In creating additional parking for 100 cars and sinking 20 wells. Plans for the rehabilitation of the various camping areas were recently announced by Rep. Sam Coon and the U.S. Forest Service iuiM)M i niiiwiiiM i nm mmm i -.j- WASHINGTON ON THE SKYLINE Thi h a nw viw of Mt. Waihington of th Santi am Cascade!, taken from tha adga of ht naw Fortit Servica road up Cacha craelt. (Photo by Tha Band Bulletin) THE Bend, kvyp fm ;f$:'tls t : IMMIGRANT TRAIN, 1955 VINTAGE This photo was taken earlier in the season when a portion of "The Indian Fighter," a Bryna Production film starring Kirk Douglas, was "shot" on Crooked river. Cameras were on the opposite side of the river and the road visible here did not show in the film. (Bend Bulletin Photo) Big Gain Noted In Use of Parks Oregon's state parks were used by more than 5,800,000 persons this past year, state highway com; mission officials recently an nounced. Parks in Central Oregon were among those that showed heavy in crease in use. Previous record at tendance in Oregon parks was in 1952 when over 5.390,000 persons used the areas for various types of recreation. New facilities, redeveloped and newly developed areas at least partly accounted for the increased use, highway officials believe. Though a great number of out- of-state visitors have used Ore gon's parks during the year, the highway commission stressed the fact that the increase in attend ance in the past several years is mostly due to a larger number of local patrons being able to use them. " i Ninth In U.S. Oregon's park attendance ranked ninth in the United States. Despite the heavy use, the parks division of the stale highway de partment was able to keep expen ditures within the budget and pro vide the public with clean, pleas ant and modern facilities, highway officials said. Central Oregon's popular parks of the state system Included the Cove Palisades park, deep in the gorge of Crooked river; the new Deschutes river park near Tum alo and the Lava River tunnel Dark on U.S. hiehway 97 south of Bend. BEND Central Oregon's Deschutes County, Oregon, Wednesday, August 24, New ION Highway Link Feeds Traffic to U.S: 20 It is possible to drive from Bend to Salt Uke Clly, Utah, be I ween dawn and dusk these late summer days and average 50 miles an hour over highways nol yet discovered by Oregon motor ists. One of the new links in the fait route between Bend and Salt Lake is Oregon 78. from Burns south east to a connection with U. S. Highway 95 near Scotts Butte, in Malheur county. It is a link which, when dis covered by motorists, will feed new traffic from the east into the Central Oregon highway at Burns and west across the state to coast points and Portland. Proof that the newly surfaced road from Crane south to the ION cutoff has not yet been found by motorists was obtained recently by this traveler in a drive to the east. Fews Cars Met In the 125 mile evening drive on a Saturday between Burns and the Junction ot Oregon 78 with U. S. 95, he m( only five cars. The Bend-Sail Lake City route via the new Oregon 78 cutoff, south through Nevada to Winne mucca, then east through Elko and Wendover to Utah's capital, is a bit longer than the drive through Boise and the Burleigh junction. The southern route Is about 15 miles longer than the generally used northern route. But the route southeast from Bums to the ION cutoff and Neva da and east to Utah is much faster. BULLETIN Daily Newspaper Tangents are long, some '20 mites In one unit; traffic is light and highways are modern and fast. Only heuvy traffic encountered is that in the southern Great Suit Lake valley. One of the fastest units of the entire route is the modernized Central Oregon highway between Bend and Burns, a distance of 130 miles. The 700 mile route between Bend and Salt Lake City might be considered a lonely highway by some. It is a route of great distances and few stopping places But it is an intriguing drive, over tilled land masses, across the arid bottoms of great lakes; of the ice age, through broad val leys, over short stretches of de sert and, in driving east, across the salt flats of Great Salt lake, above which loom the water marks of prehistoric Lake Bonne ville. South from Burns into the in terior of Malheur county, the high way crosses a northnrn spur of massive Steens mountain, bold ramparts of which are visible in the south. An electric storm .was breaking over Ihe tilted rims of the Steens as this motorist moved into the south on a summer after noon, and huge thunder clouds bil lowed, mountain like, over Uie buckled earth. Fast Time Mudo Over Blue mountain pass, the ear moved at a 60-mile an hour clip, toward the rangelnnd Ore gon- Nevada town of McDermitt. ind out into a valley which long igo was flooded by an extension of Lake Lahontan that reached up the Quinn river valley of the present. This motorist, who did not leave home in Bend until cfter noon, did not attempt to cover the 700 mil's in one day, and the lights of Win nemucca were blaing ah.-ad when lusk came. Thp following morning, we moved east wan) over U. S. -10 through heaviiT traffic, but across wide roads that permitted an av erage ot 50 miles an hour. Thrill of th" trip (Kinsihly whs the first sight of the great Bonne ville salt flats just east of Wen dover, with a mirage telescoping mountains to the noith. Suit l.nke Kenched The drive Into Salt Lake City! called for a short swing to thf south around the tip of Grrnt Salt Lake, and the afternoon sun wan high when we reached "town". The following week, a member of this motorloggrt-'i family made the Salt Lake City Bend drive. east to west, and covered the 700 milei in one day, after starting at 8 a.m. It was a 14 hour drive, but light was still lingering around the Oregon Cascades when he 1955 Tourists Visit Riverside Park Additional proof was obtained in the present season that signs erected on arterial highways through Bend and calling attention to Drake park and the Deschutes river are paying off. . More tourists are stopping at the park this season than ever be fere, and among those arc per sons who "found" the park the first time last year in driving north from California to Oregon, Most popular hours at the park are in midday, when visitors rest the shade of park trees, eat their lunches and engage In the popular pastime of "feeding the ducks." Ducks are O renters Waterfowl have been serving as sort of unofficial greeters lor tourists, meeting visitors at the park edge, where they are waiting. noon or night. Most of the tourists who visit the park In the late evenings are those who remain here over night, note the park direction signs, ask their motel or hotel hoyts about the area, and wander into the sunset hours. Bend residents believe the park is the most photographed area in Central Oregon, with the possible exception of the Petersen rock gar dens half way between Bend and Redmond. Ducks, geese and swans are In most of these pictures, which have Rack ground Scenic as their background the mirroe- like Deschutes that reflects homes that reach to the river's edge. Because neigher U.S. 97 or U.S 20 touches the Deschutes In this area, few of the tourists visitors know of the Mirror pond, unless they read the signs erected in 1933. People who visit the piirk are unanimous In lauding lis scenic beauty. Motel Listings In Bend is High Bend's position in Oregon as a tourist center Is Indicated by Its tourist accommodations. No other eity In Oregon oul.ddf of Portland has as many motels and courts n gistered with thf the Oregon Motor Court nssocla tlon, as Benrl, according to a list Ing In the association's "Oregon Travel Guide." Bend has 23 motor court listings In the 1905 booklet, to surpass larger cities like Eugene, Salem CorvtllU arv4 Pendleton. Surfaced Roads In Deschutes At High Mark A record-breaking 36-mile oiled I toad buHdinu piorpn lust year, lions v.imc men, and, In a lew mid a 17-mile addition this year cases, women, are guarding the have brought the total oiled raid pinelands east of the Cascades, mileage in Deschutes county to Stationed at a few of the look 186, an unparalleled achievement outs, mostly In lonely parts of the . . forests, are some newlyweds, on state. - .County Judge C. L. Allen said that the county expects to build an other 20 miles in 1956. All county roads to date total 1,320 miles. In citing the road record, Judge Allen explained that all county road funds come irom state mo tor vehicle fuel tax, car licenses, driver's licenses, and national for est receipts. He added that the good record is partly due to the fact the soil in this area is bet ter than in other counties for road construction. Roads Hold Up The weather is also more favor cble to the. roads than in other places. Deschutes county has nev er had to rebuild any road entire ly. Severe winters and snow often cause other counties to recon struct long stretches ot roads, Judge Allen observed. Possible new oiled roads under consideration 'include six miles east of Bend, two miles near I-aPine, and two miles near Red mond, the judge revealed. How ever, nothing definite has been de cided by the county court for next year's program, for which more than $415,000 has been budgeted. The policies of the county court n road construction are that pri ority consideration is given to res idents who live farthest from paved roads and to densely popu lated areas; the longer stretches of dirt roads are considered for oiled surface before the shorter ones. The depreciation of the automobile- on a long dirt road is greater than on a short one, he added. The construction of oiled road. though seemingly costly, is actual ly an economy to the county in the long run. Judge Allen figured that it costs just as much to maintain a dirt road for seven years as to build an oiled road. Dirt roads require frequent filling and other repairs. Has Big Mllense The judge said that the county has enough oiled road (state high way excluded) to go from Bend to Forest Grove via Portland The man who lakes charge ot the construction of county roads is Roantnasfer George H. McAllister. The county road department un der McAllister, hits a regulur crew of 25 and does all grading and leveling work. The oiling is usually handled by private con struction firms. McAllister recalled that the oiled road program started in 10-16 with 100 miles as a target. The larger has now been exceeded by 80 : miles. He estimated that anoth-l er 40 mites of oiled road would take cate of the immediate needs f the county. Budget Outlined Budget for 1955 is ahout 195,- &X, with which McAllister has built the following: 1. Hall road, seventh-tenths of a! mile, west of Terrebonne, con-' necting with Lower Bridge. 2. County Road 50-1, one mile, connecting Highway 07 Mouth of Terrebonne. 3. Ik-1 m hoi tz road, 6 1 miles, northwest of Redmond. 4. Camp Polk road 4.5 miles north of Sisters In the canyon area. 5. Plalnville road, 3.5 miles, off Bend - Sister highway, circling around Cloverdale. G. Euston Atkinson road. '1.8 miles, southwest of Redmond. 7. Ward road, 2 miles, southeast of Bend. Of the 1,320 miles in the county. 186 miles are oiled, close to 60 miles graveled, more than 400 are graded and drained, and the re rn alnder are chiefly fire roads and camp trails In the far Interior of the forest, desert and mountain areas. ;. sm . ,r S - -y-', j?,tyn4 '' , " 4 v , , j'y i,j "i T,r-''. ff -tiitfiHinV i-i v ''itTtm liiirfiirtfr fm iNi - -ryVr kf T.I'd RUGGED GOING Pictured hr li a unit of a ttratch ot a logging road being constructed to th Santiam lummit through th Cach creak area of the Siiteri country by th U.S. For est Service, to open up new tracts of. timber. In places the road was blasted Into the side of. e steep hill. (Bend Bulletin Photo) Lookouts Guard Wooded Areas Of Deschutes Recreationlsta visiting high points of the Deschutes national forest this season are meeting many "new faces" at lookout sta- school in the fall. Only regular woman lookout at the start of the season was Mrs. Sylvia Andrews, back on her old post on Paulina peak a lookout that was whitened by a snow storm as July came to the mid- Oregon country. Several of the men back on duty this season are "old timers" with the Deschutes National forest Lookouts Listed Lookouts on duty as the season got well under way follow: Carl DeMoy, Black butte: Law rence Nicholson, Trout Creek butte; Howard Anderson, Abbot butte; David Jones, Alder springs; Bill Coyner, Round mountain; Bill Curtis, Tumalo mountain; Vondis Miller. Odell butte; John Epley, Walker mountain; James Davis, Davis mountain; James Brewer, Deer butte; Sylvia Andrews, Pau lina peak; Mike Chamberlln, East butte; Ralph Kirsch, Fox butte; Russell Hnrtman, Spring butte, and Marshall Lundsbeig, Pine mountain. Some of the lookouts ore teach ers, and others are students from forest colleges. One of the teach ers Is Howard Anderson, Abbot butte lookout. He teaches In Madras. . Red Hat Day Program Set Oregonians will join In the ob servance of a new day this fall, on Saturday, Sept. 23. This will be Red Hat day. and all Oregon hunters will be asked1 to wear red hats, as symbols of good sportsmanship. Governor Paul Patterson has named a state-wide committee to head up an education program aimed at improving hunter con-' duct and the relation between land1 owners and sportsmen. The Red Hat day program is be ing sponsored by timber, agricul tural and livestock interests; labor organizations, federal and state Innd use agencies and conserva tion organizations. J The Red Hat day program will emphasize three major points of n code ot ethics. The three points are: 1. Respect for the properly and rights of others. 2. Care In the use of firearms, 3. Care in the use of fire. Identification Ot Park Trees Is Suggestion Tourists visiting Bend's scenic Drake park this season made a suggestion that may bear fruit. The suggestion wus that there be placed on an old Juniper and a big pine In the park a plaque Identifying these trees as to spec ies and briefing their history. It was suggested that the age of each of the trees Identified be determined, as near as possible through an increment boring. The cores from the trees, It was pointed out, would serve as n weather history of the urea. NAMKD FOR PKTKK As applied to the bird, petrels were named from their habit of Hying low over the waves, with feet hanging down as though walk ing. They were named for Peter of eld, who Is said to have walked on the water. Highway Net In Midstate Nears Finish Central Oieuon's improved high way network is taking final shnpi) this year, half a century after Frank T. Redmond and his wife follow, -d a winding trail through snKebrash and juniper to fuihJ the city of Redmond. Contracts let this season include work that will complete the mo dernization of U.S. Highway 97 from Bend south to the Klamath country. To the cast, U. S. Highway 20 is now one of the fastest routes in Oregon. Out of the mid-Oregon region, but of vital Importance as a feed er of traffic into U.S. 20 Is Ore gon highway No. 78, which reaches southeast from Burns to tap traf fic moving over Ihe ION cutoff and to provide an important link in a modern hiKhway that reaches from Sidt Lake City into Interior Oregon. , In Cow canyon to the north, a road that evolved from a cow trail to a toll roirto, then inlo a fine highway, took final shape in mid-summer this year. A modern, fast road now extends along the bottom of the canyon, from the Jefferson county line to the Slmn iko flats. Tills project was 8.48 miles in length. Heavy work was encountered In blasting a curve less roadbed in the basaltic rock. New Contracts Let In mid-summer this year, work on three units of U.S. 97 in north ern Klamath county was. contract ed, to mark the completion of projected highway betterment from Bend into the Klamath coun try. One unit of this three fold pro ject calls for the grading and pav ing of the Walker mountain-Che. mult unit, 2.65 miles long. A sec ond unit calls for grading and pav ing on the Beaver marsh, Dia mond lake junction section, 3 98 nines, uic third unit was for the paving of eight miles of the Dla. mond lake junction Lentz road section. This past year, all units north of this construction were complet ed, ana as a- result ol that work 'mi Ualles - California hlehway Routh from Bend Is wtnmnR recog nition as one of the west's fastest routes, , . Also under way In mid-summer was the construction of the grade separation project at the lunelkiii of the Willamette and The Dalles- UiMornin highways. I SiiKeheu Hill Jiili Done Of considerable interest locally this season was final work on the Sagchen hill-Hincs section o'f U.S. Highway 20 just west of Burns. This new unit eliminates the many curves In the narrow, slow road )f earlier days. Last year, the Central Oregon highway was modernized from Brothers to Hampton, and In the orevlous year the long stretch be 'wecn Hampton and the Gap ranch vas modernized. As a result of this work, the Central Oregon highway is draw ing more traffic from the east Between Bend and Redmond, the D'lllcs-California highway Is being widened through shoulder oiling. Only last year the new Terre bonne - Crooked river link of the north-south highway was cnmplet ed providing for a direct approach to the Peter Skene Ogden span over the gorge from the south. New Bridge Ktarted On the McKenzle west of Red mond, a new bridge is heitig con Htructed over the Deschutes river, at Cline falls, with new apprdacht.9 also being provided. This past year, the modernized grade from U. S. 97 Into New berry crater was surfaced Its en tire distance to Rnst lake. To the west of Bend, a modern highway Is taking final shape in to Klk lake, and eventually will be a link In a skyline route Into the Diamond lake - Crater lake country. - t i'j , . '
