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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 12, 2017)
Community & History Blue Mountain Eagle W HAT ’ S H APPENING Wednesday, July 12, 2017 O UT OF THE P AST 75 years ago July 10, 1942 Eagle file photo Tyler Nodine of John Day waits for a crew to extinguish a fire from the final blow of his derby car in last year’s Whiskey Gulch Gang Demolition Derby at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day. The event is scheduled for July 22 this year. The deadline for What’s Happening items is 5 p.m. Friday. Call the Eagle, 541-575-0710, or email editor@ bmeagle.com. For meetings this week, see our list in the classifi eds on Page A17. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 Solar eclipse meeting • 4 p.m., Canyon City Community Hall The Grant County Cham- ber of Commerce will host a meeting to update county res- idents about the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. City, EMS offi - cials and others will share how they’re planning for the infl ux of visitors to the county. WHAT’S HAPPENING SATURDAY, JULY 15 Mt. Vernon class reunion • 1 p.m., Mt. Vernon Community Center The graduates of Mt. Vernon classes 1955-1959, as well as anyone else interested, are welcome to attend the reunion. An optional dinner is provided; the cost for dinner is $18. To RSVP for dinner or for more information, call Mary Ellen Brooks at 541-932-4540. SUNDAY, JULY 16 Ritter, Range and Three-Mile schools 42nd reunion • Noon, Ritter Hot Springs Students, families and friends are invited to a potluck at noon. Coffee, lemonade, paper plates, silverware and nap- kins will be furnished. Call Vivian Morris, 541-421-3868, for more information. SATURDAY, JULY 22 Demolition derby • 7 p.m., Grant County Fairgrounds, John Day The 28th annual event, sponsored by the Whiskey Gulch Gang, will feature a variety of prizes, including $2,000 for fi rst place, $1,500 for second place and $500 for third place. The entry fee is $50 per car, which includes the driver and one pit crew person; pit passes are $30 a person. Pre-sale tickets, $10 for adults and $6 for children 12 and younger, are avail- able at John Day True Value, Nydam’s Ace Hardware and Les Schwab Tire Center. Tickets at the gate will cost $2 more. Children under 6 are free. For further information and rules, call Hugh Farrell at 541-575-0329 or 541-620-0931, or email farrelhugh@yahoo.com. A7 Shaw Sawmill, Fox Val- ley, Totally Destroyed by Fire Thursday Morning The Shaw Lumber com- pany sawmill in Fox Valley, owned by W.B. Shaw and Dick Graham, was totally destroyed and 160,000 feet of lumber consumed by fl ames early Thursday morning in a fi re re- ported to have started under the boiler walls about 5 o’clock. The fl ames spread to a barrel of gasoline, which exploded and set off a box of dynamite in an adjoining building, resulting in a terrifi c explosion; however, all of the employees and people at the mill escaped injury. Forty thousand feet of green lumber was piled alongside the mill creating a fi re of most in- tense heat, and the fi re was still burning at noon; however, it was well under control and none of the dwelling houses in the neighborhood were damaged except for a few broken win- dows caused by the explosion. The entire Fox neighborhood turned out to help and a Forest Service pumper was rushed to the scene to help keep the fl ames under control. Besides the mill, the bunkhouse, oil house and sawdust pile were all destroyed. Most of the machinery was damaged beyond repair; how- ever, the planer and three big trucks were saved. There was no insurance to cover the loss. 50 years ago July 13, 1967 Double Golden Wedding Anniversary Observed by Simmons Couples at Fox Mr. and Mrs. Ervan Sim- mons of Mt. Vernon and Mr. and Mrs. Harve Simmons of Pendleton were honored guests at a double golden wed- ding anniversary celebration July 4 in conjunction with the annual Fox community picnic. The social was held at the Fox community center beginning with a potluck at noon. About 110 persons attended. The two couples were married in a dou- ble wedding ceremony in 1917 at Pendleton, and both returned to Fox where they made their homes for over 35 years. Mr. and Mrs. Ervan Sim- mons have three children, Jim Simmons of Fox, Mrs. Cecil Lovan of Portland and Mrs. Bud Trowbridge of John Day. They have eight grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Harve Sim- Eagle file photo From July 9, 1992: Tegan Stewart, 13, of Dayville fords the John Day River on her way to the finish line and victory Saturday in the 10th annual Dayville Cross Country Horse Race. For her winning efforts, she received $500 in cash, the championship belt buckle, a ribbon and trophy, and her name was added to the perpetual trophy. She completed the circuit in 12:00.60. mons have fi ve children, Jack and Wayne of John Day, Mar- vin of Stanfi eld, Calvin of Po- catello, Idaho, and Mrs. Wayne Burton of Pilot Rock. They have 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild. 25 years ago July 9, 1992 Survey results in: too few deer and too high license and tag fees A survey of Grant Coun- ty hunters yielded predict- able results – most agreed the number of deer in the county is too low and the cost of tags and license fees too high. The survey was mailed to members of the Grant County Chapter of the Oregon Hunter’s Associa- tion. It was conducted March 3 through April 10, and it in- volved 16 questions. It should also be noted that the survey represents only the views of Grant County OHA members, and not necessarily the views of the OHA as a whole. The fi rst two questions asked whether hunters were satisfi ed with the number of deer and with the buck to doe ratio in the county. Of the 122 responding to the number of deer, 83 percent, or 101, said they were not satisfi ed with the number of deer. Regarding the ratio of bucks to does, 109, or 96 percent of the 114 respond- ing, said they were dissatisfi ed. The same questions regard- ing elk drew a more moderate response. Fifty-four percent of the 119 answering the survey were satisfi ed with the number of elk in the county, while 72 percent of the 108 responding to the bull-cow ratio said they were not satisfi ed with the ratio. Also asked was whether hunters feel they should be able to hunt in the county in which they live without having to draw a tag. Of the 126 respondents, 122, or 97 percent, believed they should be able to hunt in their own county without a tag. The survey also asked about the multiple-use philosophy of management on national forest lands. Of the 121 responding, 107, or 88 percent, agreed with the principle. The survey also asked about the Forest Service road closure plans. Of the 115 responding, 60 percent agreed with the closures while 40 per- cent disagreed. Respondents were also asked to rate the performance of the Forest Service and Oregon De- partment of Fish and Wildlife on a scale of one to 10, with 10 be- ing the highest. With 127 people responding to each question, the Forest Service rated out at 3.4 while ODFW was graded at 2.0. A question on whether or not ODFW should be buying pri- vate land also drew a one-sided response. Of the 126 respond- ing, 106, or 84 percent, said the agency should not purchase pri- vate land. A question on wheth- er or not water quality is being protected within the county drew an even response with 55 percent of the 110 responding saying they do not believe it is being protected, while 45 per- cent felt it is being protected. An open-ended question asked what the respondent felt was the biggest problem as far as wildlife habitat and water quality. Of the 132 people an- swering, management led the list with 30, followed by cattle, 16; logging, 11; and roads, 10. The survey also asked whether chapter members would physically help to cor- rect wildlife habitat and water problems within the county. Of the 100 responses, 21 said they could not help while 79 agreed they could help. Two questions dealt with the cost of license fees and tags and the waiting period between making application and receiv- ing notifi cation. Of the 124 re- sponding, 80 percent believe license and tag fees are too high, while 93 percent of the 113 re- sponding about the waiting peri- od feel the length of time is too long. Of the 126 people asked, 111, or 88 percent, said they were hunters while 15, or 12 percent, said they were not. Copies of the survey, re- sults and comments were sent to state and national political leaders, ODFW, the Malheur National Forest and regional forester, the governor, mem- bers of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and the executive director of the OHA. KNOW WHEN TO THROW IN. KNOW WHEN TO MAKE THE CALL. Community Counseling Solutions 528 E. Main Street | John Day Baker City 2830 10th St. 541-524-0122 Every other Monday in John Day at Blue Mountain Hospital 170 Ford Rd. 541-575-1311 541-575-1466 CAUTION Old Photos Kids - Famil y - Trophy Wildlife - E tc. HUNTING STORIES NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL YOUR TROPHY WAS or you just want to share a hunting adventure, SEND OR DROP OFF YOUR BEST HUNTING PHOTOS 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845 • kim@bmeagle.com Your photos will be published in this year’s EAGLE HUNTING JOURNAL Please have them to the Eagle by August 11th. to
