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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (July 14, 1922)
i Advertising The cAthena Press circulates in the homes of readers who reside in the heart of the Great Umatilla Wheat Belt, and they have money to spend Entered at the Post Office at Athena, Oregon, as Second-Clase Mail Matter Notice ! If this notice is marked RED, it sig nifies that your Subscription expires with this issue. We will greatly ap preciate your renewal ti.OQ per year VOLUME XLUI. ATHENA. UMATILLA COUNTY. OREGON, FRIDAY. JULY 14, 1822. NUMBER 27 Walter Pierce Deals With Farmer Problems Walter M. Pierce, speaking before the Chautauqua at Gladstone, Satur day morning, dealt with "Farmers Problems." Lack of profits made, high taxes and lack of modern con veniences were given, as some of the difficulties which the farmers of the country are facing and must ov ercome before the drift back to the farm from the city can be secured. In his address he said, in part: "The first great problem of the farmer is this: "He cannot balance his annual budget. He is in a position like, that of many nations in Europe; his ex penses are too big for his income. Reduction, of expense means lowering the standards of living. It means giving up the few little conveniences that we have provided in our country homes, in fact, the things that are generally considered necessities of life. . ; "It takes four and one-half bushels of wheat to make a barrel of flour. that wheat will bring the farmer to day about $4. If made into bread it will make 260 loaves, which will cost the consumer $26. Too much money has disappeared in transportation and profits. That bushel of wheat has cost the average farmer $1.25 if he allows even 5 per cent interest upon the assessed value of the land. "A finished steer, weighing 1000 pounds, costs o cattle raiBer $80. That steer has sold during the last 12 months for about $60. In other words, the cattle that have been sold in the Portland stock yards in the last 12 months havab een sold at a loss to the cattle raiser, provided the cattleman is allowed 5 per cent In terest on the assessed value of his property, This steer has probably cost the consumer about $150, Too much money has disappeared be tween the producer and the real con sumer. "The next great problem for the farmer is the excessive amount of taxes demanded from him. The as sessed value of all farm land im provements, cattle, sheep and all oth er personal property on the farms is almost $400,000,000. This is just about the same amount of money as is on deposit in the banks In Oregon. These farms with the cattle and sheep, pay 40 per cent of all taxes. Money assessed pays less than 2 per cent of the taxes, as the assessed value of all money, notes and ac counts in Oregon is only $21,000,000. Timber, railroadB and all cities and all other kinds of property pay only 58 per cent of the taxes. Is it fair? More than 50 per cent of rental val ue today of Oregon's cases the econ omic rent of a farm is not enough to pay the taxes, "Today more than one half of, Ore gon's wealth is hidden away in safe it boxes and investments that the assessor cannot find. One half of the burden at least should be taken from real estate and placed upon intangible property, most of which has fixed dividend. This should be done in the form of an income tax. ''Oregon has increased in popum- Information To Many Tourists COUNTY RED CROSS MAKES ANNUAL REPORT Literally thousands of tourists are availing themselves monthly of the free tourist information service of the Oregon Tourist and Information Bureau which maintains, in addition to the main office in Portland, five branch bureaus in as. many sections of the state. The branch offices are located at Medford, Bend,- Klamath Falls, Pendleton, and Ontario. The bureau has had printed for free distribution this e:x;jh, 175,000 road maps covering Oregon, Wash ington, California, and Idaho. Of this number fully 100,000 have al ready been distributed. The bureau also has for distribution maps and literature covering not only various sections of Oregon, but carries maps and data covering Yellowstone Park, Rainier National Park, Glacier Nat ional Park, the Yosemite and other attractions, and is in position gen erally to direct tourists to any sec tion of the country The bureau this season enlarged its activities by the erection of pict orial signs covering various scenic spots of Oregon. The signs, which are painted in the highest type of the sign painters art, are ten feet high and fifty feet long. One sign loca ted on the most traveled road near Los Angeles shows Crater Lake in all its magnificence; the Oregon Caves, with their splendid mystery are shown on a sign on the "Coast" road connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles and is located near Bel mont; the Columbia River Highway is shown on a sign erected on the Yellowstone Trail east of Spokane, and a picture of Mt. Hood in its snowy splendor is shown on the Yellowstone Trail east of Walla Wal la; the Blue and Wallowa Mountains of eastern Oregon are shown as the "American Alps" on the Lincoln Hiehwav east of Salt Lake, and Wal lowa Lake iB shown on the main highway east of Pocatello, Idaho. SURVEY FINANCIAL CONDITION Herbert Greenwood of the Federal Reserve Bank of Portland, accompan ied by G. M. Rice, J. W. Maloney and J. B. McCook, Pendleton bankers, was in the city Tuesday, and vijited the local banks. Mr. Greenwood was visiting this territory with a view to ascertaining general financial conditions. Following is a report of the Uma tilla County Red Cross chapter as given in Monday's East Oregonian. The head office is calling in from the various branches, their revolving funds, and asking that each branch assist in increasing the amount in the treasury by any available means. Expenditures made to meet the de mands for aid in the county are said to exceed the receipts in the amount of $4,383.47, during the past year. Annual memberships total $2,448 contributing memberships $50 and sustaining memberships $20, making a total of $2,518. Of this, $1,230 was remitted to the Northwest division, leaving $1,288. Added to this are do nations, contributions, sales of mer chandise, interest and miscellaneous receipts, bringing the sum to $2, 104.57. , Expenses for ex-service men were $604.78; for civilian work, $1,351.39; production, $147.05; salaries, $2, 587.20; auto expenses, $657.58; stat ionary and printing, $383.15; tele phone and telepraph, $236.65; pos tage, $98.08; general administration, $74.10; miscellaneous, $194.68, and suspense, $103.68, showing the ex cess expense over revenue to be $4,-333.47. EXPERTGQHEN SIZES Holds That Umatilla Wheat Isn't . Materially Damaged -Normal Yield Will Be Harvested WHEAT GROWERS ASKING CLOTHIERS TO EXPLAIN J. C. PENNEY COMPANY OPEN 59 NEW STORES The National Wool Growers Asso ciation has issued a challenge' to the National Association of Retail Cloth iers to present the full facts in re gard to their statement that the pro posed tariff on wool would increase the price of a suit of clothing $5. In a letter to the clothiers' asso ciation, F. R. Marshall, secretary of the wool growers' association says: "We object to your published state ment that the proposed duties justi fy an increase of $5 in the price of the average ready-made suit. We ask you to modify this statement or pub licly explain how the trade is justi fied In using a possible $1 of added costs to secure additional profits of $4," STANDARD PICTURES Anita Stewart, alyays a favorite i Athena, comes to the Standard Thea tre tomorrow night in "The Fighting Shepherdess" one of the best pictures First National has produced this sea son. Sunday night an R. C. production "Shams of Society" will be screened. Good comedy will be on both programs. DEATH OF PETER PAMBRUN Among other items crowded out of last week's Press on acconut of the Linotype being out of commission, was the announcement of the death of Peter Pambrun, who died at a hospital in Pendleton, June 29th. The deceased was aged 77 years, and for many years had resided on a farm south of Athena. He is survived by two sons and two daughters. Fun eral services were held at the home of Samuel Pambrun, brother of the deceased, Saturday, July 1, and in terment took place in Athena cemetery. Ii STARTS THRESHING MONDAY nJCH. A. Barrett's stationary thresh- .J. ill K.wri,, i.v.r hlR UUtlll, Will Weglll IU.ITWMI,. " crop on the Pine Creek ranch, next week. He estimates the yield at 15 bushels per acre. Hyman H. Cohen, crop expert of the Portland Journal, after travel ing through Umatilla county on an inspection trip, has the following to say of the crop prospects: Some persons have been "spoofing" themselves or ' the general public when they have allowed themselves to speak of Umatilla county havingN a serious crop loss this season. Such Inc. annoarc t. lw mnra nf I lw. mind than an actual fact. I have travcledi from one end of the county to the other from the east to the west, and from the north to the south, Vith mingling of directions. I find no such loss in the wheat crop as some have reported, and as some would like the public to believe. Umatilla county will not, or can not, duplicate the crop of 1921, sim ply, because it is not likely that such a crop will ever be duplicated in the county or anywhere else. Oregon's banner wheat crop pro ducer will grow a big crop of the cereals for 1922, but the totals will be slightly below those of 1921, al though still somewhat in excess of the average for many years past. I make this statement without qualifi cation, excepting the possibility of a calamity such as might yipe out the crop in a day or so. Last year's crop cannot be dupli cated, simply because the crop of '21 was perfect in every detail from the day the seed was planted until the crop was in the warehouses. It would therefore, be idle, in fact unfair to compare the 1922 crop or any other season with 1921, simply because per fect crops are such a rarity that their duplication cannot be figured upon with any degree of assurance. While last season the west end of Umatilla county the light land sec tion produced a perfect crop, this season the west end has a crop that is only better than the normal. In spots the west end crop may be said to be scant, but taking the average the production for the section will compare favorably with what is us ually considered a rather good pro duction. Some of the crops of the semi-light land sections that a few years ago would have been considered as un usually liberal when the output wis around 15 bushels per acre, this sea son will show in many instances as high as 25 bushels average, while in isolated instances the output will reach 30 bushels, and even in more isolated instances from 30 to 35, bushels. The 15-bushel average of a The J. C. Penney Company, who have1 operated a very successful store here for a number of years, are open ing fifty nine new stores throughout the country. When this has) been ac complished, the Nation-wide organi zation will then have 371 stores in all, The present expansion policy of the company contemplates still more stores next year. The growth of the company has been remarkable. The first store was opened twenty years ago, 1902, do ing a business of $28,898.11. Last year, 1921, it had 312 stores and the gross voluiv - f sales amounted to $46,641,92C20. Mr. J. C. Penney, the founder of the company, is still active in the affairs of the organization, being chairman of the board of directors. SEVENTY-FOUR DELEGATES ATTEND BLUE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY MEETING SATURDAY AT WESTON AND START ORGANIZATION INSTALLS BURGLAR ALARM )( E. O. Goodmansen of Seattle is in the. city installing a Norris Safe & Loclcscompany burglar alarm system in the X'rst National Bank. The in stallation of this modern alarm sys tem made it necessary to move the big bank safe into the vault from the counting room. Mr. Goodmansen is being assisted in the installation by Scott Fisher. Government July Wheat Forecast few years ago will be seen but few times in this section. Instead of be ing the rule as during a few years ago, the 15 bushel average will be an extreme rarity. Over in the Pilot Rock section, where strenuous efforts were made by interested persons to show me that the crop had gone to the bow wows, examination showed an out look that is far in excess of the nor mal, although still somewhat below the perfect crop of 1921. There is a mixed appearance in the wheat fields of the Pilot Rock section. The good fields predominate, although there is auite a respectable showing There is little doubt now that the government's July wheat production forecast will show a material reduc tion from the June report. Private estimates run as much as 62 million below the June figure of 607 miltion bushels for winter wheat. A severe heat wave lasting for two to three weeks was responsible for most of the trouble. Threshing returns of the southern states have been disap pointing, revealing the full extent of the damage, not only of the recent heat wave, but of previous unfavor able conditions. Winter wheat and rye harvest in Illinois is largely completed in the southern counties, and is now be coming general over central portions. Due to the adverse effects of the mid June heat wave during the filling stage, and to some extent to rust and insect impairment, reports indicate spotted condition and less favorable prospects for June 1. Winter wheat in Nebraska suffered severely both in yield and quality as a result of the recent heat and dry weather. Many fields with straw for 30 bushels will yield about 10 bushels of shriveled wheat. There is prac tically no contracting of new wheat by farmers The Missouri state board of agri culture estimates that the hot weath er reduced the total yield for the state 8 million bushels, making the present forecast 36 million bushels Extensive shriveling of the berry re of fields that indicate that the stool ing was too light and that more or ! suited from the recent heat wave in less harm had been done by weather conditions when the wheat was em erging from the soft dough. That is the critical time for wheat and it is then, generally, that a hot wind or two will inflict much damage, there by cutting down the average output. Barley crop will be about an aver age production for the Pilot Rock section, although wheat appears to be the nominal cereal this season. While given last place on the pro gram, no reflection is meant against the east end of the county. No apol ogy is needed for that section east of Pendleton to the Walla Walla and Washington state line. Up through Sax and Adams the normal crop of wheat is shown this season. Tne fam ous Umatilla reservation, the Athe na and Weston sections, all have good prospects, but all below the perfect crop of 1921. The loss in the total of these sections is going to be much less than many had believed. Up Milton and Frecwater way the propocts are fully normal. Therefore there' is no need for alarm. On the Road of Good Intentions Kansas. The extent of the damage has not been determined. Harvest ing is general in the southern and middle counties. In the Pacific northwest! a hot, dry spell of three to four week's dura tion in some places has been severely cutting the wheat prospects. Fore casts of yields are being reduced, and in many places rains are needed soon to save the crops. SELL BIG BOND ISSUE The state highway commission is offering for sale at its July 25 meet ing in Portland a total of $1,141,697,-37- in road improvement bonds. Of these $1,000,000 are state of Ore gon 4A per1 cent highway bonds; $91,000 are Clackamas county 5 per cent road bonds; $44,000 are Doug las county VA per cent road bonds, and $6697.37 are city of Rainier 6 per cent street improvement bonds. Sale of this issue will bring the state's indebtedness up to $33,884,-020. POWER LINEMAN KILLED W. N. Thompson, a lineman in the , . in tViP last 10 vears. i rmnlnv of the Pacific Power and non io pei -c"" - - i -r - Assessed value has increased in the , Light company, was electrocuted at me time 20 per cent. State taxes , state Line station Tuesday, while in the same period nave um qoihu worn un me -i- 521 per cent. Total taxes of all kinds j of the Walla Walla Valley Railway have increased 243 per cent. j company. Thompson was working on "Six years ago we had no state ' a pole when in some way hei received bonds Today we are the heaviest the heavy voltage currents. bonded state in the Union if wealth , , and population are considered. REPLACES MOWER "We have a total bonded debt auth- Eimer Ferguson was down from his orized and issued, in the state and j mountajn ranch Wednesday and pur its subdivisions, of $188,000,000. cnase(j a new mower from Watts & "Another problem that is promin-j R0gers, to replace one he had bor ent in nearly every farm home is the j roweo; from a neighbor and smashed interest that must be paid for mon- j up m a runaway. The mountain hay borrowed. The farms of Oregon ; crap is about normal, according to re mortgaged today for over $88,-! Mr, Ferguson, 000,000 and until very recently the j , ZZ. were naying an average in- WILL RUN MACHINE terest of more than 8 per cent. The 1 john Walter will run his threshing j attempt of the money changers to . outfit this year. Last year Mr. Wal-j have the federal farm loan act de- ter did not pull his separator into j 4red unconstitutional has probably ' the fiei, on account of the labor i cost the farmers OI uregun promem, dui useu nis nwraw " than $25,000,000. Short term cred-' a neighbor's machine. its for "harvest and contingencies are! till an important problem." RIVER CROPS GOOD Crops of all kinds along both sides; of the Umatilla river are exception- take ; ally good this year, including wheat, - ii ... f :.,,t ....... part in p'ecenting "The wayiarer, corn ana powwes. jcbuchv vP VattKs spectacular pageant July I prospects are reported from the l to 2. south side of th rivr- THE WAYFARER Eight thousand people will ,rt in orecenting "The Wayfa f On the Road of Good Intentions J a tfxM itr iuf .COUNTRY- c$ -t-u ' i ih w i lost i .o. k n rr NINE POSTOFFICES The postoffice department has an nounced examinations to secure a list of cligibles for postmaster for the following named offices in Oregon, the applications to be filed by July 15: Arlington, Canby, Grass Valley, Monmouth, Monroe, Powers, Prairie City, Sherwood and Umatilla. These arc all third class offices. TO ADVERTISE NORTHWEST Confident that the Northwest ia going to have a remarkable develop ment during the next few years, of ficials of the Northern Pacific rail way system have authorized a huge expenditure for advertising the North Pacific Coast in the East next year. BIG HUCKLEBERRY CROP Henry Dell drove to the mountains near Meacham Sunday ami reports that he saw indication "f a big huckleberry crop everywhere, In the locality. Weston mountain has fine prospects for a bumper crop of ber ries thia year. Picking dayi are at hand and many are making arrange menta to go to the mountains. GRRKING WILL CONTEST Rraden Gerking, who won the hon or for being the best all 'round cow boy at the Ukiah contest July 4th, will meet all comers at the Round-Up in September. In addition to being a crack rider of bucking horses, Gerking is an expert stage coach driver and pony express rider. The Blue Mountain Highway meet ing and banquet at Weston Saturday was a success beyond thei expectation of its sponsors. Seventy-four dele gates were present from various towns and cities of the Inland Em pire, when sixty was the largest number hoped for. One hundred people were entertained at the ban quet, at which Weston Mountain po tatoes and strawberries were among the viands served. Mutual delight was expressed by the guests and hosts over the entire affair, which was arranged by the Weston Com mercial club and the Weston moun tain Community club. It developed at the meeting that there is widespread interest in and approval of the proposed connection of northern Union and northern Umatilla counties by building a highway on the Elgin-Weston route; that the courts of both these coun ties will aid the undertaking with suitable approaches, and that the Forest Service is favorably disposed toward helping the road, which tra verses part of the Wenaha National forest. The Blue Mountain Highway As sociation was organized, and the fol lowing officers elected: Col. Paul H. Weyrauch of Walla Walla, president; Lee B. Tuttlc of Elgin, first vice president; E. M. Smith of Weston, secretary and treasurer; Roy W. Rltner of Pendle ton, M. L. Watts of Athena, J. O. Hales of Adams, A. P. Alexander of Walla Walla, H. S. Murray of Free water, R. E. Bean of Umapine, H. M. Cockburn of Milton, J. M. Rich ards of Stanfield, C. W. Metz of Wes ton Mountain, Philip H. Dater of Portland, F. H. Moes of Helix, S. A. Barnes of Weston, vice presidents. It was decided that the active di rection of the association's work be vested in an executive committee of five, to consist of President Wey rauch, Vice President Tuttle, Secre tary Smith, Roy W. Ritner and H. M. Cockburn. Delegates in attendance were: Mi,.,.,., m r Watts v r D.M C. L. McFadden, O. O.' Stephens, F. S. LeGrow, Fred Ratdke, M. W. Han- j sell. Adams J. T. Lieuallen. Elgin S. E. Harris, G. E. Smith, A. J. Patton, E. C. Gettings, C. A. Galloway, E. A. Bailey, C. E. Bean and Leo Tuttle. Frcewater H., S. Murray, J. W. Chaunalt and R. E. Gleason. Milton D. Demaris, G. W. Miller, H. M. Cockburn and W. C. McKin ney. Pendleton J. V. Tallman, R. W. Ritner, E. B. Aldrich, G. A. Hart man, S. A. Lowell, I. M. Schannep, Fred Bennion, Lee Shannon, J. C. Kuhns, C. I. Barr, Frank Salingr, Ernest Crockatt. Portland Philip H. Dater, dis trict engineer, representing Geo. H. Cecil, district forester. Stanfield G. L. Dunning. Umapine R. E. Bean. Walla Walla Ben Hill, Pal Clark, A. F. Alexander, Dr. Stephen B. L. Penrose, Col. Paul H. Weyrauch, E. C. BurlingamC, J. T. Crawford, A. Ludwigs, Howard R. Pratt, W. Mil ler, L. F. Anderson, H. Whitehouse, Frank Crane, Robert Fisher, Robert Allen, Chase Garleld, W. Steel, J. W. Langdon, Dr. O. J. Keating, S. Moore and C. H. Peach. Weston Mountain Roy D. Hyatt, C. W. MeU, Charles L. May, W. B. Hall and W. L. Rayborn. Weston Clark Wood, E. M. Smith, Nelson H. Jones, S. J. Culley, J. M. Price, S. A. Barnes, H. Goodwin, B. vnk Price and L. R. Van Winkle. The banquet was served at noon. During its progress a pleasing mu sical program was rendered, to which numbers were contributed by Payant's orchestra, Mrs. Anna Comp ton Winn, Howard R. Pratt of Whit man Conservatory of Music, and tha Weston Men's Quartette. Some highly informative as well as diverting short speeches occupied the time very profitably at Memorial hall during the afternoon. The speakers were: Dr. Penrose, J. C. Kuhns, Col. Weyrauch, Fred 'Ben nion, R. W. Fisher, Judge Schannep, W. C. Garfield, Senator Ritner, J. W. Langdon, Judge Lowell, Dr. Keating, Robert E. Alton, Philip H. Dater, E, C. Burhug&me. , .