Morrow County
1-1-2:
IF YOU WANT ALL THE NEWS OF MORROW COUNTY WHILE IT IS NEWS, READ THE HEPPNER HERALD. WE PRINT IT FIRST
HIEPFNE
VOLUME X
HEPPNER, OREGON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1924.
NUMBER 44
HFRAI ITS)
FEDERAL REPORT SHOWS
BETTER BANK CONDITIONS
Bank Borrowings Reducea. Whole
sale and Retail Trade Better
I Than Year Ago
Production and distribution of
goods in the twelfth district contin
ued evenly at high levels during
January, 1924, accompanied by fur
ther improvement in the already
strong banking position. Reporting
member banks in seven principal cit
ies have Increased their loans slight
y in response to the credit require
ments of customers, while at the
same time reducing their own bor
rowings from the Federal Reserve
Bank.
, All member banks, both city and
country, were borrowing $40,711,000
i'rom the Federal Reserve Bank on
February 13, 1924, compared with
total borrowings of $45,296,000 on
January 16th. Since the holiday
peak of December 26 th such borrow
ings have declined $24,244,000 or
37 per cent. A similar decline was
experienced a year ago, but it
amounted to only $2,826,000 or 7
per cent. Deposit and Federal Re
Berve note liabilities of the Reserve
Bank were less by approximately $7,
000,000 on February 13th than on
January 16th, total reserves in
creased $12,000,000 during the four
week period, and the reserve ratio
of the ban'k rose from 77.7 to 82.7,
the latter figure being the highest
reached since the armistice.
Industrial production has been
maintained at high levels. Lumber
mills of the district cut '11 per cent
more lumber during January, 1924,
than during January, 1923. Both
shipments and orders received etx
ceeded in amount lumber cut during
the month, laying the foundation for
a normal seasonal increase in output
during the spring. Production of
'the principal metals of the district
(gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc)
has continued large in volume, al
though slight declines in output of
copper and silver are indicated by
preliminary statistics for January.
Average daily production of petro
leum in California was 4.5 percent
less in January, 1924, than in De
cember, 1923, and 21 per cent less
than in the peak month of Septem
ber, 1923. Following this decline in
production, which has materially re
duced the rate of Increase of storage
.stocks, prices of petroleum were ad
vanced from $1.01 to $1.40 per bar
rel (oil of 35 degrees gravity and
above) on February 5th. In Octo
ber, 1923, such oil sold for 76 cents
per barrel. The number and value
of building permits issued in 20 prin
cipal cities of the district during
January, 1924, was seasonally large,
exceeding the number and value of
permits Issued during Jaunary, 192 3,
by 12.6 and 27 per cent, respective
ly. The employment situation may
be characterized as normal, with
considerable unemployment among
workers in those industries which
usually operate at a reduced rate, if
at all, during the winter.
Normal growth of business activ
ity, both as compared with one
month ago and one year ago, is in
dicated by the amount of checks
drawn against accounts at banks
(bank debits) in 20 cities of the dis
trict during January. Gains of 1.2
per cent as compared with December,
3923, and of 6.8 per cent as com
pared with" January, 1823, were re
ported. Retail trade has been sea
sonally active in most sections of the
district, at levels slightly above those
of a year ago.' In the wholesale
trade some lines were active and
others quiet during January, but In
general the volume of goods sold was
greater than a year ago.
The general trend of prices of the
principal products of the district has
been upward. Advances and declines
of crops still being marketed and in
prices of livestock have been evenly
distributed. Prices of the industrial
metals, copper, lead and zinc, rose
Appreciably during the latter part of
January and the early weeks of Feb
ruary. Lumber prices bave re
mained steady at previous, levels.
Subscribe for the Herald, only $2
FOUR SECTIONS ADDED
TO SCHOOL DISTRICT
At a meeting of the district
boundary board composed of the
county judge, the two county com
missioners and the county school su
perintendent held yesterday after
noon at the court house sections 27-28-29-30
Tp 2 sodth Range 27 east,
were taken into the Heppner school
district, the action being taken upon
petition of a number of citizens and
no one appearing to remonstrate
against the action. The property
has not been included in any school
district until this action was taken.
Jt is valued on the county assessor's
roll at $13,238.00.
Weather Dope
Bruce Kelly says: "I knew a
month ago that we would have fine
weather at this time for the almanac,
the local weather prophets and the
groundhog all predicted cold weath
er and lots of snow in February."
F. R. Brown says: "Now is the
time to look out for snow and cold
rains. ' I plowed my garden yester
day." Vee Gentry says: "Gather butter
cups while you may, there'll be plen
ty other flowers to pluck in March
and April. Be an optimist."
Bill Stewart says: "I sold my farm
last week so it makes no difference
to me what happens, but," casting
his eye skyward, "it's a safe bet we
will have some sort o' weather foi
the rest of this month and maybe
up till after the 17th of March and
then maybe it will get worse or bet
ter" John Kilkenny says: "I'm too
busy hunting up stray sheep that get
lost in the tall grass out on my
range to worry about the weather.
This suits me fine so why change?"
And Currier says: "You can't
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
and it's only 4 days until March,
so look out!"
HE
An unconfirmed story was going
the rounds yesterday morning to the
effect that the unfinished link on
the Oregon-Washington highway be
tween Jones hill and the completed
work in Umatilla county this side of
Pilot Rock is to completed at once
by the state highway commission in
order that the travel can be diverted
rrom the Columbia River highway
between Pendleton and Heppner
Junction and sent via. the Heppner
route. The reason given for this by
Dame Rumor was that the Columbia
highway is fast going to pieces and
it is found impossible to keep it in
passable condition even by expensive
re-surfacing. It is said that some
$33,000 was expended last fall on
the 23-mile stretch between Pendle
ton and Echo and already the com
paratively light winter travel has
played havoc with the repairs. This
being the case, the report continues,
the highway commission has decided
that the only solution of the Colum
bia highway problem is to hard sur
face it the entire distance between
The Dalles and Pendleton and the
first step will be to complete the
Oregon-Washington highway so that
the travel may be sent this way while
the other route is being paved.
County Judge Campbell and Com
missioner Benge had no information
on the subject whpn interviewed yes
terday by a Herald reporter. They
were both inclined to be skeptical
about the authenticity of the rumor
for the reason that they accompanied
Chief Engineer Klein and District
Engineer Baldock on an inspection
trip over the 3-mile stretch between
Jones hill and Lena a short time ago
when the matter of completing the
highway to Lena was under consid
eration. No intimation of any such
project as this rumor ou Tines was
given by the officials at that time
and there has been no subsequent
meeting of the highway commission
when any such a plan could have
been considered.
Judge Campbell went to Portland
today, however, to be present at the
highway meeting tomorrow to take
up the Lena-Jones hill project and
If the bigger undertaking is in the
air he will probably learn the details.
Important Facts Regarding
the County Unit System
(Mr. Myers, author of the following
article, is school superintendent of
Crook county and is known as the
father of the County school unit plan
In Oregon. He was invited to be pres
ent at the public meeting held hert
recently to explain the workings
of the system, but was unable to at
tend and sent the article instead.)
In the early history of the colon
ies there could be little communica'
tion, little exchange of commodities
and ideas. Every settlement was al
most an independent republic, isolat
ed from other settlements, with pos
sibly hostile Indians intervening, and
lt3 law making body was the town
meeting. Under these pioneer condi
tions the "district school" sprang up,
serving the people as no other sys
tem could. Gradually the trails be
came roads, Indians were subdued
and civilization spread. v
It became apparent to those wise
old patriots, who were fired with
zeal for a democratic school -system,
that all children were not getting
equal school opportunities. This be
came even more evident after rail
roads were built, factories estab
lished, and other corporations came
in to develop the country. The
children who lived away from rail
roads or other centers of great
wealth often had the most meagre
advantages, while those near the
railroad, or other corporate proper
ty, received the advantages of the
big tax which such coporations con
tributed. Under the district system,
inequality in educational opportun
ities, as w(ell as' in the tax paid by
individuals for the support of
schools wa3 inevitable. Therefore
the states, which first started the!
district system, were the first to'
abandon it when it had outgrown its
usefulness. It is equally true, in the early
times that all civic affairs were in
control of small districts. Roads and
bridges were built to serve the needs
of the small district exclusively. Of
ten petty jealousies prevented con
venient connections. Every district
had its own plans, its own designs,
some districts were compelled to un
dergo a heavy expense for costly con
struction while others had easy con
struction and hence a light tax bur
den. After a while these districts
were formed into a township unit.
As time went along these townships
were formed into county units, not
only for road and bridge construc
tion but for all activities of the
county. In this way the burdens of
taxation were equalized, every tax
payer paying the same number of
mills on the dollar for the mainten
ance of the county at large, i
various counties of Oregon all affairs
of the county are on the county unit
SMOKELESS SMOKER
But Lots of Steam
A Program of Good Clean Amusement, Iinclud'
ing Some Good Local Talent That
Will Be of Interest to
Everyone
See Posters for Main Events
THURSDAY, FEB. 28 7 :3o P. M. SHARP
Basket Ball Hall
Everybody Come (:) Admission 25 Cents
LADIES ESPECIALLY INVITED
basis except the schools.
As the grouping of the various dis
tricts Into larger units in civic affairs
began to work out so advantageous
ly, several of the Atlantic coast
states adopted the towship as a unit
for the support of schools in place of
the district system. This was the
natural unit as the township organ
ization of government in eastern
states was much more prominent
than was the county organization.
Southern and some middle western
and western states gradually
changed from the district to the
county unit system.
Ten states have the pure county
unit system, that is supported finan
cially by a tax on county-unit valua
tion and managed and controlled by
a county board of education. Ten
states have the semi-county-unit sys
tem, that is, supported financially by
the unit but more or less controlled
and managed by local boards. In a
number of states there are individ
ual counties which have the county
unit, working under a state optional
law.
A year ago only sixteen states in
the Union were left under the pure
district system.' In many states
county unit was first introduced as
an optional measure. Then after the
most progressive counties introduced
it and proved its success the legisla
ture passed a law making the sys
tem required. As far a3 can be found
no state or county that has adopted
the county unit plan has ever been
made to return to the district system
alter trying out the county unit sys
tem. The county and township unit sys
tems are the only democratic plans
that have ever been devised to equal
ize educational opportunities lor
children and the burden of taxation
for the taxpayers. A system that
has proved its superiority in so many
other states ought to work in Ore
gon, especially Crook County, Ore
gon. It will come in every county
but the time will depend upon the
progressiveness of the people and
the vision and aggressiveness of the
leaders.
The efficiency of the system has
been tested in Utah since 190 5. It
was adopted at first by two counties
under an optional law such as we
are attemtping to adopt in this coun
ty. By 1914 the entire state was
county unit. Reports from the coun
ties in this stale indicate many de
sirable results, among which are:
1. A uniform distribution of ed
ucational advantages. Every child
in the county given an equal oppor
tunity wich that of every other in
2. Equalization of school tax.
3. Raised the el'ficieny standard
of the whole teaching force. Better
1 1 A I
vy LiA
ORDER EASTERN STAR CLVB
GIVES PLEASANT PARTY
Members of the Eastern Star so
cial club to the number of about 40,
enjoyed a pleasant afternoon last
Saturday at the lodge hall in the Ma
sonic building. Mesdames Pruyn,
Richardson, Shurte and Launtz were
hostesses for the occasion and served
dainty refreshments during the af
ternoon. A new game called Travel was In
troduced and furnished the principal
entertainment during ...the session.
The occasion was In the nature of
a Washington party and the prizes
aud ''' decorations were in keeping
with that day.
Army Recruiting Officer Here
Corporal John Fisher, from the
regular army recruiting office, Pen
dleton, Oregon, is here on recruiting
duty and will remain until Thurs
day. Corporal Fisher Is authorized
to make enlistments for practically
any camp or station on the Atlantic
or Pacific coasts, Mexican border,
Philippine Islands, Hawaii or Pan
ama. The corporal is making spe
cial effort to secure men for the 16th
infantry, wjiich is stationed at Gov
ernor's island, Statue of Liberty and
Fort Wadsworth, all in New York
harbor. Five (ents car fare from any
of the stations to 42nd street and
Broadway, New York City. The 16 th
infantry was the first regiment of
infantry to go to France during the
World War and the last to return.
Men enlisting for the 16th infan
try and other organizations on the
Atlantic coast will be sent from San
Francisco, California, by Transport
through the Panama to New York
Cityv
IIH OIL COMPANY
10 ENTER THIS HELD
Heppner is to have another whole
sale oil station In the near future,
according to information given out
by L. E. Van Barter, wly Is handling
the sale of a tract belonging to the
McHaley estate to tlyj oil company.
The deal was started last May but
has been delayed while having the
title looked up and the property ab
stracted. The tract lies on the high
way near the mouth of Hlnton creek
and contains about two acres and it
is understood the consideration is
around $2000. According to infor
mation received by Mr. Van Marter
It is expected construction work will
begin on the new plant at an early
date.
articulation and uniformity attract
better teachers.
4. Brought first class schools to
country children. Enrolled a higher
percentage of the school census.
5. Increased percentage of atten
dance and promotions. Reduced per
centage of retentions and failures
more than one-third.
6. The board elects -the county
superintendent. This keeps the office
out of politics and insure the selec
tion of a competent person of pre
scribed professional and educational
qualifications.
7. Teachers are selected upon
their merits. Recognition of special
ly meritorious service.
8. It injects business methods In
to the management of the schools.
The clerk of the consolidated county
district prepares all reports, keeps
all records, elc. A county system
can offer to the people at large fa
cilities that no other kind of a sys
tem can offer.
Andy Rood Marts New Industry
Andy Rood, Jr., has started a new
Industry in Morrow county, having
devised a machine for pulverizing
manure from the sheep sheds of
which there is said to be almost an
unlimited supply In the country. Tin
machine Is fashioned from an old
threshing machine, is equipped with
a self feeder and delivers the pro
duct In 80-pound sacks r,eady for
transportation to market. The out
fit is driven by a Fordson tractor
and will handle about 2000 sacks a
day. Mr. Rood has contracts for 4r
cars of the product and ships direct
to coast and interior distributing
points, some going to the Hawaiian
islands.
L
GIVE TMINGION PLAY
CLARENCE," CLEVER
COMEDY, MAKES BIG HIT
Much Real Ability Shown By Youth
ful Actors in Producing
Popular Play
Booth Tarkington, much loved
writer of stories df adolescent youth,
was at his best when he composed
the comedy, "Clarence," which was
produced by high school students at
the Star theater last Wednesday
evening and it Is not saying tod
much to assert that the youthful ac
tors came mighty near constituting:
an all star cast.
The story was woven around the
adventures of Clarence, a returned
soldier, and the Wheeler family, con
sisting of Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler,
their flapper daughter, Cora; their
very modern son, Bobby; Miss Pln
ney, Cora's governess; Mrs. Martyn,
Mr. Weeler's secretary; Delia, the
house maid; Dinwiddle, the man
servant; and Hubert Stem, a grasa
widower with whom Cora was madly
in love or thought she was. There
was love, laughter and ludicrous sit
uations a-plenty all through the four
acts, none of which were lost on the
audience which packed the house to
the doors.
Elmer Bucknum took the title
role in the play and It's not too much
to say that the part was created for
him and Dorothy Pattlson, who took
the part of Cora, was really quite at
home in that character. Bruce
?pauldlng, as Bobby, also portrayed
the part of the modorn youth to per
fection and as Mrs. Pinney Elaine
Sigsbee came off victorious In cap
turing Clarence for her very own.
Bemice Woodson, as Mrs. Martyn,
made an ideal secretary to Mr.
Wheeler, who was depicted by Carl
Cason, and Bernice Sigsbee, as Mrs.
Wheeler, took her part exceedingly
well. Kathleen Mahoney, as Delia,
made the cutest kind of a pretty
housemaid and Leonard Schwarz, an
Dinwiddie, carried his chin as high
as the very best type of English but
ler. Guy Hall, as Grass Widower
Stein, also took the part well.
The play was one of the best ever
presented by high school students in
Heppner according to the opinion ex
pressed by many of the audience.
County Politics Still Quiet
Not much excitement Is yet appar
ent In county political circles the on
ly new developments of the past
week being the announcement made
today by Sheriff McDuffee that he
will be a candidate to succeed him
self in that office. No other aspir
ants for the place have yet appeared.
There was considerable talk for a
while that H. J. Biddle, of lone,
might make the race on the Demo
cratic ticket but it is understood
lately that he has declared he is not
a candidate for any office.
Ralph Benge, present county com
missioner, Is much talked of for
county judge on the Democratic tick
et and it is believed lie will make
the race. Mr. Benge stated to the
Herald Monday, however, that he
was not yet ready to make a definite
announcement but admitted that
strong pressure Is being brought to
bear to have him take the nomina
tion. Commission Davidson, who was In
town yesterday, is undecided as to
whether he will enter the primary
or not. He will make a decision iu
a few days.
County Judge Campbell left for
Portland this morning to attend the
highway commission meeting tomor
row. It Is expected the judge will
bo a candidate to succcod himself,
although so far he has made no de
finite announcement.
Church W (Hid lug TIiIh Morning
Immediate relatives and a few
close friends wero present at St.
Patrick's church this morning when
Miss Rose Doherty, of Lexington,
and Mr. Wm. T. Doherty, of lone,
were united in marriage. Rev. Father
Cantwell performing the ceremony.
The groom is a well known farm
er residing near Ioiyi and the brldn
is a sister of Mrs. James O. Doherty,
of near Lexington. They will resld
on their farm north of lone.