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HEPPNER, OREGON, TUESDAY, NUVZMBER 26, 1918
Number 30
Would Sell Water Works;
Farmers Hold Annual Meet
Reorganize as Farm Bureau
Must Make Homes For
Build Modern Hotel
Returning Soldier Boys
The following proposition has re
cently been niade to, he people of
Heppner through Mayor Smead by
H. V. Gates, president of the Hepp
ner Light Power Co:
To the Mayor of'Heppner, 6 ret''
Just after the fire of July'4th, and
being among .a number of citizens
discussing the necessity of a hotel, I
said to one of them,' "buy the water
works and I will build a hotel," since
then quite a number have asked me
if I would.Thc-reforc I am herein an
swering tho question so often asked
me, iind I will be repaid if it does
no more good than to spur the peo
ple of Heppner to some kind of act
ion Unit will .terminate in the build
ing of a hotel and relieve the present
buttressing situation.
k . ... -. ...
,veral existing conditions in
-jpner consist of the following:
't. Heppner is without sufficient
hotel accommodations; if it is to
prosper it must have them in quanti
ty and quality to meet all demands.
It can secure quantity through the
construction of a lot of cheap shacTis
If it is to have quality now, with a
cleax field, is the time to provide for
such a hotel; it should have all con
ditions of capacity, quantity, safety
from flood or fire and for the pres
ent or future demands of the public.
It should be attractive to the travel
ing public as well as an advertise
ment for the city.
2d. Construction now, with a scar
city of labor and material, and war
prices for both, will increase the
cost of building at least 40 per cent
above normal or pre-war costs; or
more clearly stated, every dollar put
into building now will, after the war,
have a value of only 60 cents. The
shrinkage on a building costing $60,
000 would be $34,000, having a val
ue after war condiOtlons are ended
of only $36,000.
increased taxes, war demands.cost
of building; financial conditions
' could not be worse, and it is for
these reasons that none have come
forward to even suggest a way to
finance the undertaking of a hotel.
Another problem for Heppner to
settle Is a water supply now and for
the future. Present conditions are:
1st. Present supply Inadequate
and very expensive to procure. The
supply cm be increased by using
more wells, but at a penalty of in
creased cost of operation and wnter
rates for all patrons. - It Is, or
should be, a well known fact that
any cost of operating a utility must
be borne by Its patrons; If they
fuse, then It must go Into bankrupt
cy and then, hv order of the court
patron must pay.
2d. The only other supply Is on
Willow Creek, 20 miles from Hepp
ner. This supply would flow by
gravitation to Heppner. This sun
ply Is. at a minimum (low. amply
sufficient for n city of 200(1 and It
can be easily augmented by using n
conservation reservoir on Ditch
creek and supply a city of 5000. For
decreased cost of operation and a
plentiful supply of pure water Wil
low Crek must and will be the fut-s-e
source of supply.
c W
Any further expenditures for
wens or pumping macnincry
!"s (at practically a loss) an In-
ownership and operation of water
works. The Willo.w. Creek supply
should be developed by the city.
Among other reasons are, that i
could secure funds for construction
at a lower rate of interest than tic?
private utility can; lower rate of in
terest, lower cost of operation, tend
ing to lower water rates
5th. The present water works
would be the distribution system for
the city, just as it is now. The Pub
lic Service Commission engineers
have inspected, tested and valued it
and they report it is well planned
and constructed ; that the reservoirs
are in he right. lo??,tton for the fut
ure; tn; r toe watc mains are veil
planned and hydrants well loci tod;
t tS-n.nressnre i'rom reservoirs is
-.1 for both domestic and lire use;
ma that any laiiuro to put them to
such use would do a deficient nre
department; the wells and pumping
equipment, would aUvays be and are
necessary as an auxiliary to and
after the construction of Willow
Creek supply. Nothing in the pres
ent system would be a loss. Basing
costs to build on normal (pre war)
prices for labor and material, they
find a duplicate plant would cost
?56,575; if constructed on present
war prices it would cost $90,000. By
reason of deterioration they find the
actual normal value $40,667: this
does not Include any steam boiler,
main building or supplies; if includ
ed it would bring the actual value up
to $45,000, of which the city now
owns $15,000, leaving the balance of
$30,000 as the equity of the Light
and Water Company.
Many of the prices given were ta
ken fromi the purchase vouchers of
material and labor paid for at the
time of construction. I consider
that the percentages used by the en
gineers for deterioration were unfair
to the Light and Water Company;
they are arbitrary, taken as an aver
age of the worst results experienced
by utilities, and ignoring local condi
tions. As an instance, it is arbitrar
ily assumed that the life of Iron pipe
Is 20 years, when in fact we have in
use in Heppner wrought iron pipe
laid in 1892, a life of 26 years, and
It yet has a remaining value. I hold
that If actual deterioration values
had been used the water plant would
have been valued at not less than
$48,000
As any rights to the waters of Wil
low Creek and the drainage area can
be best secured by the city of Hopp
ner, and as the Light & Water Com
puny are snort on the funrl't necos
snry to construct a conduit line and
cannot finance anv for it, and as the
city should own Its own water work
an-l as it Is very necessary that ther
be a hotel built In Heppner and a
the city can bond for water woi"l(
but cannot do so for a hotel, I sub
mit, for the consideration of your
self and the public, the following
t n-pof ;: ion :
The Light & Water Company will
build a hotel of not less than 50
rooms, to be of concrete or othe
I equally as good material, and mod
crn In every respect, the details to
! be made by and between the city and
the Light & Water Company; provl
ded the city will purchase and ow
I the entire water works valued at
I $4 5,000, as enumerated herein. The
Light and Water Company have ha'1
vestment that could and should be ! under consideration and have an np
applied on the Willow Creek pro
ject.
4 til. All medical and Engineering
experts, all public service commis
sions, and all who make a study of
the protection to health and proper
ty, manufacturing and beautifying
the city, unite In recommending city
proved plan to build n combine
steam and water power plant on tin
per Willow Creek, thereby utilizing
die Hood waters for water powr
power and the cheap fuel there for
a steam auxiliary. Two reasons
why It haw not done so before this
are (hat It could not separate the wa
f
'i
k
i
I
f.
J
FARMERS' EXCHANGE
or THE
INLAND EMPIRE
Hat arranged to hold a regular series of sales of
live Stotk, farm Machinery etc, at conditions
warrant and property for tale is offered at the
Fair Grounds in Heppner.
The great success of our recent talet warrant
thW cotrse. If you have property for sale consult
ui. We will give you strictly fint-cl.its service.
Farmers' Exchange of the Inland
Empire
Heppner - - - Oregon
The Morrow County Agricultural
Council held their - annual meeting
in the Odd Fellows' lodge room in
Heppner last Saturday, and while
the attendance was not what might
have been desired the meeting was a
highly interesting one and the pro
gram mapped out for the coming
year's work shows- that the farmers
of Morrow county are alive to the
mportance of their industry and are
building up an organization which
is designed to place the farming and
stock business on a higher plane.
One of the most important fcr.t
rc3 of the meeting was the enfhrs-
LCiic support pledged' to the John
ay irrigation project. No more
an it be truthfully said that nobodv
he Heppner section of the county
Is interested in this big undertake sr.
ho business men may lag and pub
lic officials procrastinate in the mat
ter of getting together and making ,i
long, strong pull to have the John
Day project one of the first to be un
dertaken by the reclamation service,
to the farmers belong the credit of
being the first organization in the
county to come out squarely for such
action.
Action was also taken in favor of
the Celllo power project, which has
been favorably reported upon by
government engineers as one of the
biggest power proposition on earth.
Engineers claim that many thousand
of horse power can be developed at
Celilo which, when . distributed
throughout the Inland Empire can
be sold to consumers at the low rate
of $6.00 per year per horse power.
The following report of the meet-
nig is gleaned from the secretary's
notes:
In the absence of President Tur
ner, who was detained by illness, F.
R. Brown presided.
F. L. Ballard,' assistant ' county
agent leader for Eastern Oregon, en
plained, the workings of the Farm
Bureau. The suggestion was adopt
ed and constitution and by-laws of
the Morrow County Farm Bureau
were adopted.
R. W. Turner and E. R. Huston
committee on program for the com
ing year, submitted the following re
port, which was adopted:
MAJOR
Orgaaixci ion John Day tiroject.
Field T). aopstraiion Alfalfa- for-
t'.n '.or. 'at.'be varieties.
Karm Sniraye.
Rodent Control.
Beys' and Girls' Clrbs.
MINOR . .
Stock Feeding.
Labor.
Emergency.
On the John Day project S. E. Not-
son, "Farmer" Smith and C. E.
Jones were the principal speakers,
the project receiving hearty endorse
ment.
Strong resolutions favoring both
the John Day and the Celilo projects
were adopted and the president was
instructed to forward copies to the
Oregon congressional delegation and
to the proper officials of the reclam
ation service.
An interesting discussion of the
squirrel and rabbit pests was a feat
ure, C. D. Morey and W. T. Camp
bell being the principal speakers.
Officers elected for the cconiing
year were: Frank Anderson, presi
dent; S. H. Boardman, vice-president;
C. E. Jones, secretary-treasurer.
PROCLAMATION
The people of this nation have a
special reason for observing Thanks
giving Day this year. The war is
over and it Is meet and proper that
we should return thanks to God for
his goodness and mercy to us as a
nation. Right has triumphed over
force, and democracy is vouchsafed.
to the peoples of the world. I there
fore ask that the people of Heppner
follow the Injunction of the Thanks
giving proclamation of the President
and the Governor and meet with the
churches in their respective meeting
places, as announced in the newspa
pers, iHit" make Thursday, Nov. H8, i
day of special Thanksgiving to Al
mighty God for the blessings we
have received.
W. W. SMEAD, Mayor.,
To My Former
Customers and Friends.
Now that the war is, over the ques
tion of providing employment and
homes for the returning soldiers is
one that is arousing interest all over
the :Country. At the close of the civil
war the great middle west was etill
an unsettled domain and immediate
steps were taken to provide home
steads for all soldiers who wished to
avail themselves of the opportunity
of securing for themselves practical
ly tree lana. rvo tillable tana re
mains for the men who have been
fighting the battles of democracy in
Europe but there are stili many acres
of arid lands that may and will lie
reclaimed by irrigation projects and
upon which returning soldiers may
be able to secure homes.
A glauoe at. the daily newspapers
is all that is needed to convince any
one that practicaly every section of
the west possessing such lands are al
ready bestirring themselves to secure
favorable consideration of their par
ticular projects by the U. S. Reclama
tion Service.
In the Oregonlan of November 16
will be found news items from differ
ent parts of Oregon showing the acti
vity already aroused in these sections
where idle lands are awaiting develo
pment.
From Vale comes word that con
tractors have been instructed to start
work Immediately on the storage
dam where water is stored for Irriga
tion and that new life has thereby
been infused In the Malheur valley
district.
From Prlnevllle, also conies news
of reclamation activity. A dispatch
from that town says:
More than 70,000 yards of materl-
an have been sluiced into the Ochoco
dam, near here doing the last 90 days
and before February 15, 15 or 20 ft.
of storage water will be possible in
the dam, if the fill is continued over
the entire length.
Should the plan be changed how
ever, as is contliuplated, and the up
stream side of the dam built first,
much mre storage will be possible.
The tower for opening and closing
the massive head gate Is now com
pleted and the cutoff trench soon will
be finished
From Yakima, Washington, conncs
the following:
Signing of an armistice between
Germany and the allied powers, pre
parations for the return of millions
)f American soldiers from Europe
and the release of miiiiv more niill-
uis of civilians from war work, com
bine to Invite interest In plans for
I take tliis ruaiis- of making nnrininc"nicnt that I have disposed
of the People's Cash Market to Mr. C. 1). Watkins. and I bos-peak
for that gentleman a continuance or the same liberal patronage
1 have enjoyed at the hands of the people of Heppner for the past
five years.
I, ah") wish to i ntend i..y heartiest thanks and appreciation to
all of my friends and em tumors for their patronage and courte
ous consideration during all these years.
All bills and accounts due the People's Cash Market tip to and
Including November 15, 1!)18, are now duo and payable to me. and
all bills and accounts aKainsd the People's Cash Market up to the
same date should be presented to the undersigned for payment.
As It Is necessary for me to close up my business affairs at an
early date my former customer are requested to settle their ac
counts as soon as they can conveniently do so.
Airaln thanking you one and all for past favors and courteous
treatment, Hnd soliciting the same liberal treatment for my suc
cessor, I am,
Yours very truly, HENKY SCHWARZ.
ter works from the lighting plant,
and on account of the high rout ol
copper wiie for transmission lines.
If the water works were cut ff they
would start construction on the elec
trlr plant, but probably not complete
It until copper Is cheaper. A plant
on located, with Its cheap power,
could and would supply energy at
such a price In Heppner that It
would be used for many more pur
poses than at present. The field
i for expansion of business on lower
I rates Is a rood one.
It mill requite some time to build
tta hotel. so th earlier It Is started
the earlier It will he ready to supply
the i! timmU nf the ntihlic. and nn
tly ;ir will fotistaW the eon
Mrti'tinn of rh'up rnd undestnM
iti.-f KK hot.!, which would be tm-
(ortutiale for th city.
The ell), lb much It. lower Inter
et listen and the Blsitance of illy
IT (l . w-oilM nlK the epe(i
nf riper t Inn of h water work". o
l!i r! would be e, or ut ct
no riior-. Mian now
ho would be M, lo..-rT H ire,
ly nut th rliy, fur It btrv t a p te
rn nr rot. It-it the eoiirjiAftr would
tie ner Iitii nf the difference
between ht botl would eot
now nd It tilue fter the wr. No
investor will tk a rhsnr at build
lC cute! la HeppDer, for the will
't
1
not Invest until assured there will be
no shrinkage.
Delay In startlnr a hotel will make
the city Of Heppner a loner In trade.
finanrhil snd commercial stiindintt.
prosperity, discomforts of the public
and thoi of It citizens who prefer
a hotel home. I heard a govern-
tus-nt official, rciferrlnit to the prlcc
normtl snd war, say: "It has taken
a Ion time to scramble the errs. It
will take Just long a time to un
scramble them." I 1 took time to
reach wnr prices. It will tnke nn lonr
to reach normal prices after the war
Durlnr this period will lleppne' gi,
to sleep In Its snben
Whe'fiwr this proportion enlve
the problem or not II tny at baxt
ntlriitila'e rwri other, snd If one can
be liKU-ed W hich Will be R p- i' !: .
unliitlon, then I will feel mi,,'y re
paid.
We want Heppner. like the tper
lence of Other Cities destroyed li
fire, to rl from Its B'-ln-si cn.it
and te'ti-r city; sail i,f whlih will
lake i-Hfii. not wind
O ir ii on fur making thin
pol l that w e I hen could !no
eertir plant to a point of rh
operation and with at burl
, ro
il out
ipe
MHIi
the reclaiiMitlon of frc
50,000
to
Ya-
JOO.OOO acres of arid land In the
klma Valley.
i ins project, surveys or winch are
now being made by the I nlted Stales
Iteclamation Service, Ik en peeled to
achieve two things. ' Its construction
will afford work for thousands of
men and bring under irrigation a lar
ge body of land in small farm units
which wil be available for settlement
by soldiers under conditions which
will mWte it possible for them to be
come farm owners.
Secretary, . Franklin K. Lane
through the o....cials of the Reclama
tion Sonico, has announced that the
elimination of all speculation from
the disposition of the lands affected
will be a condition of the govern-
mnet undertaking the work. Priv
ate owneis of the and to be reclaim
ed must agree in advance to dispose.
of their holdings above a rivlain aero
at a price to be fixed by the pv
eriimint, before the government
will consent, to undertake the work.
The Yakima Commercial club lias
undertaken the task of getting in
touch with private land owners with
holdings under the highlitis canal
survey now being made, and obtain
ing from them the agreements re
ferred to. This work Is In charge of
the highline project committee. , oC
which Ebert M Chandler is chairman.
In the same paper Is a lengthy art
icle dealing with recent activities of
the Portland Chamber of Commerce
with a view to developing the logged
off lands of western Oregon in anticl
patin of the great need for more
homes for the people and for the de
velopment of agriculture. Federal
aid wil be sought in this work and
data has already been compiled to
present to the proper federal offici
als. Up in Canada, also, movements
are reported whereby government
aid will be extended to the tas'k of
getting the returning soldiers estab
lished on new lands in such a man
ner as will Insure their success.
Everywhere, It appears, the sec
tions having within their borders re
clalmable lands are busy getting their
propositions In shape for federal act-
Ion except In Morrow county. Why
should this be so? No other section
of the west has a bigger area of rich
land available for irrigation than has
Morrow county which would be
brought under cultivation by I Ins
completion of tho John Day project.
It Is a big thing and One that,
means everything to the future of
Morrow county. If wo will only
wake up, get together and go out i-f-ter
federal niil for this project we
can put It over. Hut it will mean
whole-hearted, earnest co-operation
on l!ie part of eveiy man and wonion
111 i he county, end it will mean hard
work and plenty of hustling. Tho
reward is well worth the effort, how.
ever, and (lie lb-mid has an abiding
faitii lli.it tile old-tline pep and spirit
id Moriow ('county p'ople will piove
equal to liii ta: k.
POITLAIt CUM, TO WEI)
Miss Maud Crow , the charming
and popular daughter of N. K. Crow
of this city, left MiIh iu,nrnliig for St.
I.ouIk, her former home, where Mie
will visit for a few days prior to go
ing to Alton, III., where she will
meet, her (lance, Meiiientuit Arthur
C. Dixon, who Is now attached to the
training school at Fortress Monroe,
Va., sh an Insiiuctor In antl -aim alt
engineering. The dale of the wed
ding. Which Will be Kiileinliird at
Alton, has been fixed for December
Hill.
I. lent. mint Dixon was sent to
France early In the war as an ex
pert engineer In iintl-nln raft work
arid whs conl Iniiiini-ly on the ring
line for nymy months until recently
n'nl back to the Slates as an Instruc
tor In his Kpeclalty. He Is a iii-mbi r
of one of Ft. Louis' old famlUei, but
expel-In V.ili l) relieved from duty III
tho art y to engage in bualnes'i at
Alton. Mil's Ciow Is al.-o a, native
of St. I.iiiiim and comes from one or
the old colonial families of Virginia.
The young couple will reside at l oit
ress Monroe for the present.
Many friends of Miss Crow In
Heppner will Join In best wishes for
her future happiness.
Itev. tie.),
vice in tho
Sunday.
II. Van Waters held ser
EplHcopal church last
FOIt SAI.i: Having sold my l.lg
win at larin it ml bought a small place
whi te I do not need u tractor I will
sell my pew moibl IS 2 ip.., Water
loo tiailor, ptiictlcally ii w and In
fine ro million, at a tun gain. .See It
at in y home :j miles tnutli ot Lexing
ton Mud It
A. V. KEItliElt, Lexington, ,..
1 "
I Heppner
ti r tcini ti'Hi i. .
ii. v,. v.-miiAuviii, iTojirictor
Meat MarKet 3
Now open for business in our New Shop on
East Side Lower Main Street,
v. ith a conn. lac hto.k hi the finest i:tlity hi
nuid
profit ami lo aeeure, through i
rn hotel, additional Btiine.
nepetfullir your,
H. V. OATT9.
beef, Porh, Mutton and -Veal i
Call anl jive tu a trial (rikr. ' 4
i c will treat you right.
HIUTNUR
OUIXON a
t