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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1919)
The Gazett: PUBLISHED WEEKLY AND DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF MORROW COUNTY VOL. 80, NO. 88. HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1019. SUB8CRIPTIOf, 82.00 PER YEAR PROJECTWILLOPEH EMPIRE Oregon' Largest Irrigation Project Will Open 800,000 Acres of Fer tile Iduid to the Uome.Seck erit Organization Is Perfected By (lay C. Clark, President of, the John "Day Irrigation District. , The Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon. Gentlemen, Your letter of recent date asking me to write an article for your Christ mas number for the Gazette Times on irrigation more particularly the John Day Project, is at hand. I wlBh first to make It plain to you that I am not qualified to do so as I have not kept the required data to write intelligently on the John Day Project. Although living in the north part of Gilliam county since 1886,' 1 have taken more or less Interest in all development work In Eastern Oregon, especially in bringing into cultiva tion the land lying below-the propos ed canal of the John Day Project Ir rigation District. First I want to impress on the readers of The Gaz ette Times, the Importance of their co-operation in one of the most im. portant irrigation projects In the Northwest. Lying as it does below, the eight hundred and fifty foot contour it is possible to grow any grasses and grains that are grown in the Central West. Oregon today is in need of grains suitable- for mixing with our alfalfa and other forage that grows on the higher levels. With this vast area of land brought under cultiva tion by irrigation It would produce annually many million dollars worth of corn and ensilage and would add to the taxable property of the Btate of Oregon many million of dollars and at the same time would Increase the value of the dry farming area lying above the eight hundred and fifty foot contour at least twenty dollars per acre. Bringing this three or four hundred thousand acres of un developed land into cultivation would practically do away with the 'hot winds that some years are very dis astrous to the grain crops of the John Day Dry Farming District. The question has been asked me many times why we did not apply our dry farming methods upon the land lying under the John Day Project. In answer to this question I wish to say that starting at the timber line to the Columbia river of this vast In land Empire the soil changes from a heavy volcanic ash to a light volcanic ash and today if it were not for the prevailing heavy west winds which drifts the soil this whole project would be under cultivation under dry farming methods. The closer the land lies to the Columbia river, the more drought resisting Ib the soil, providing that you tan cultivate it so as to retain the moisture and the only way that this can be brought about is through Irrigation. Many states besides Oregon have brought many acres of land under Irrigation through the reclamation service and private corporations, li seems to have been the rule that the state that could bring about the most pressure and political pull upon the heads of the reclamation service have advanced more rapidly than oth er states Justly entitled to a bigger percentage of the reclamation money than they really received and It Is asserted by men that claim to know that Oregon has suffered to a consid erable extent In this way. A few years prior to 1916 there was a general movement -in Oregon as well as other states to bring bo fore Congress and the people the necesMty of reclaming large areas of dry Irrigable land Consequently the Department; of the Interior through the Reclamation Service and the State of Oregon surveyed a great deal of land in Eastern Oregon and cne of those areas wns !he "John Iu.v Project." The report was compiled by John T. Whistler, engineer of the United States Reclamation Service and John H. Lewis State Engineer for Oregon and presented to the Public In Feb ruary 1916.Thls certainly Is a most valuable report and shows up the wonderful resources of the John Day Project as well as all other projects In Eastern Oregon. But In reading this report carefully when first gotten out that the main object of this re. port was to toll us people In Eastern Oregon that the time had not yei arrived for us to expect anything In the way of developmnets on the John Day Project on the account ot the heavy cost. I, myself accepted It at that time as a closed subject. ' The rapid change of events in the last five years have taught the poople of the United Statos especially of the WoBt that things which seemed prohibited previous to that time Is a matter of small consequence now. We as patriotic citizens of Oregon, as well as all other citizens of the United States performed any task that was asked of us by the United States Government and were only too glad ot the opportunity to help the government In every way during the Ice Bricks Are More Popular . Now Than Gold Bricks MINNEAPOLIS, KAN. Galllleo Grub, head of the Aurora Borealls Ice Company, is on his way to the North Pole to fasten a scoop on Dr. Cook's new discovery. He took with him (30,000 invested by Homer Ho garth, a farmer here, In the Aurora Borealls Ice Company, according to Hogarth, who asked for a warrant. One blazing hot day last July, Gal llleo, dark, and excitable, and wear ing an impressive black beard, ap peared on Hogarth's furm with a sur veyor's Instrument, pointing it to. wards the skies. He seemed pre-oc- cupled for hours, as if calculating some1 abstruse problem in mathemat. ics. Hogarth was watching him. Finally, he exclaimed excitedly, "This Is the spot the very spot." According to Hogarth, Oallileo trifd to buy his farm, offering him a fabulous sum, but after a fourth vib it, revealed that his calculations proved Hogarth's farm to be the point where an unending flow of ice would full were a scoop attacred to the North Pole, which Galllleo described as a steel girder projecting from the center of the earth. Gallll eo said he had seen it, as he had been with Peary. He then told Hogarth his plan toi the Aurora Borealis Ire Company, taking (30,000 from Hogarth as a partnership fee, the farmer says, leaving Hogarth on the farm to take care- of the ice while be made a sec ond trip to the pole to attach the scoop. His theory was that a sccop otlnchjd to the pole would tear lecto billions of tons of Ice as the earlti re volved, and would gradually tip, dinging its contents on Hogarth'c furm. Cyrus Stronghead, whose farm ad joins Hogarth's, went to the bank when he heard of his neighbor's loss to see If his Liberty Bonds were still there. They were. So were his war Saving Stamps. Gilliam County Joins With Morrow in Fight on Rabbits County agent L. A, Hunt returned Monday from a trip Into Gilliam county, where he spent several days helping farmers to put out poison for the destruction of rabbits. Mr. Hunt says the Gilliam county people are entering enthusiastically Into the campaign and have raised (3000 to defray expenses. Mr. Hunt says he has purchased thus far, 2200 ounces ef Btrychnine for use In the cam paign. A, A. Henriksen, Cecil farmer and stork man, has purchased the Ham ilton ranch, situated south of Hepp ner on the headwaters ot Rhea creek, from Ralph Weeks. We understand the price paid was (25,000. There are 1600 acres In the Hamilton ranch, and with the sale goes the leasing rights to an additional 1800 acres,-giving Mr. Henriksen in all, a total of 6000 acres of mountain range. The Hamilton ranch is one ot the best Improved places In that section, having produced annually about 40o tons of hay. Mr. Henriksen also hesj bought from J. S. Carter, the later's home stead of 200 acres. The Carter place Joins Mr. Honriksen's newly acquired possession, the Hamilton ranch. Mr. Henriksen contemplates extensive Improvements. world's war. The war which so plain ly taught us our mistakes in the de velopment of our agricultural resour ces and now as it is over It is no more than right that our National Con gress should appropriate moneys to develop and bring Into cultivation our. vast areas ot dry irrigable land. Our Senators and Representatives as well as all other Senators and rep prasentatives ot the west should pui aside all pet schemes to further small projects in their respective districts and get behind one broad comprehen sive movement that would settle tor all time to come the matter of reclam ing the lands in the west, by Irri gation. In the last few months the people of northern Gilliam, Morrow and the western part of Umatilla counties un der the law of the state of Oregon have voted to district themselves Into a District Irrigation Project known as the "John Day Project". The boumlries are designated In the pe. titlnns that have been advertised and can be changed by the petition ot per Hon owning irrigable land in or adjoining the proposed district. The Directors are Clay C. Clark of Arlington, M. D. Clark of Heppner and Eddie Rett in ami of lone and F, 11. Brown of Iheppner is secretary. Tholr office Is In Heppner, Oregon. We are at this time perfecting our organization and have not as yet formulated any plans by which we In tend to work only that we wish to co-operato with the Reclamation Sor- (Contlnued on Page 26) GOOD 01 SANTA CLAUS . I ifli MRS. WHETSTONE FIRST I14TH CENSUS WILL Eliza Jane MitcheU, the eldest daughter of Wm. and Judy Mitchell, was born In Umatilla County Ore., near the present Bite of Stanfleld, Feb. 23rd., 1860. She died at ber home In this town Tuesday, Dec. ), 1919, about ron, being at the time ot her death 59 years, nine months and 16 days old. She was the first white child born in all the region between the Cascade Mountains and Walla WaUa. At eleven years she moved with her parents to Hinton Creek near Heppner, near which place she has spent the greater part of her life. At eighteen years of age she was married to William Gideon Boyer, to which union tour children were born one dying in infancy. After fifteen years of wedded life Mr. Boyer died leaving his widow and three children, they forming a constant companionship tor each other. After five years of widowhood, Mrs. Boyer was married to Newton S. Whetstone of Heppner to whom she was a most faithful wife to the day she passed away. Those who survive her beside her husband, are a daughter, Mrs. Ethel McKinley of Portland, two sons, Glen and Guy Boyer, and two grandsons, Donald & Philip Boyer of Heppner. Mr. Whetstone and the three children were at the bedside when death came. For over two years Mrs. Whet stone had been a constant sufferer from cancer, during, which time she underwent three operations, the last ot which was skillful.- Mayo Bros, relief seemed only temporary, and In August of this year she was suddenly stricken with severe pain Which later developed to be the old trouble In a more malignant form, although her husband and other loved ones did everything that love and money could do, she ' suffered countless deaths during the past four months. Mrs. Whetstone was a lady of un usual natural and domestic ability. She was a never-falling friend, lov ing mother and a kind and devoted wife. She was as patient a sufferer as ever lived, always trying to com fort the loved ones by telling them she would soon be well. Nothing has been spared In trying to bring about her recovery and the broken hearted husband and children have the sympathy of their hosts of friends. Mrs. Whetstone was a member ot the First Christian Church of this place from where the funeral ser vice was conducted on Thursday, Dec. 11th, by Rev. Worstell of Lex ington, The Rebekah Lodge, ot which she was a faithful mebmer at tended the service In a body. A FRIEND, Here For The Holidays. Lawrence Shutt arrived In the city Monday to spend the Christmas holi days With his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Shutt. Lawrence Is now en. gaged in business In Portland. ' Born Thursday, December 18th, to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Anderson, In this city, a daughter. BE MOST COMPLETE The Fourteenth Decennial Census, to which President Wilson has calif d the attention of the nation In his proclamation, is to be the biggest, best and most complete census of the United States ever taken it plans ot the Census Bureau do not go awry. Supervisor of the Census, W. A. Terrell ot Wasco, Ore., has announc ed that everything will be in readi ness to start the canvassing campaign during the month of January, 1920 It will cover every mansion, every cottage, and every hut in the Second District. Two hundred thirty eight enumerators will be engaged in mak ing the count. Every person will be enumeratd and the names, ages, birthplaces and occupations ot all will be set down and forwarded to Washington. j Many other questions concerning home tenure, citizenship, marital status, literacy, sex, color and race are contained In the population schedule which enumerators will fill out from the answers given. Kami Questions Important Farmers also will be asked the questions contained in the agricul ture schedule relating to their farms. These questions cover tenure, farm products, values offarm lands, build ings, implements and Improvements, Held crops, garden products, farm ex penses, live-stock, poultry, bees, dairy products, improved and unimprovea land, farm drainage and irrigation in fact, all phases ot the farming in dustry are covered. Questions as to telephone and elec tric light, gas and water plants also are included in the group ot inquir ies which fall under the general bead ing of "farm facilities," the purpose of the government in collecting in formation of this character being to show the modern improvements in stalled on farms during the present decade. Information Confidential The information gathered in the Census is for general statistical pur poses only and such information can. not he used as a basis for taxation. Nor can such Information be used to harm any person in any way. This is pointed out in the President's proclamation. As a matter of fact the identity ot l the individuals is lost as soon as the i filled-out, schedules are received at , Washington. For upon reaching , there the Information is transferred I from the sheets to cards. This is I done by machlnory and names are discarded entirely. Moreover, every person connected with the taking of the census is prohibited by Federal law from divulging any Information given them in the performance of their duties. Enumerator! Wanted Here Unlike the lust decennial census, enumerators are hard to get and at the present time there are openings for enumerators In this county. The pay is six dollars per day and In some Instances, certain expenses are allow ed by the government. Mr. and Mrs. W. Prewitt Cox are being felicitated upon the arrival of a daughter at the Heppner San atorium lust Sunday morning. HEPPNERHANKS21ST IN IK DEPOSITS Hurpajuiea Many Larger Towns In Amount of Honey in Banks and Jumps Rapidly Forward ReflecU Prosperity Heppner ranks twenty-first in the State of Oregon in the amount of money on deposit in its two banks. This Is a very creditable showing, and especially when one stops to con sider that there are a number of towns larger In population which stand away below on the list. Heppner has been in the million dollar class for a number of years and probably If a statement of her .wo banks were given out today, we would find that we are now In the two million dollar class. In the last five weeks Heppner has jumped from 24th to 21st place and surpassed such towns as Grants Pass and On tario, Vale and Enterprise. The secret ot Heppner's enviable banking record is reflected In the country itself. Situated in such a diversified country where hogs, cat. tie and sheep vie with bay and grain, osperity cannot help but result. The combined deposits of the banks of Morrow county as shown by the statements of the respective insitutions on November 17, re vealed the fact that there were on deposit nearly two and one half mil lions of dollars. This would give a per capita wealth ot (500. Where can you beat it T Heppner Girl Is Bride of Wyoming Man From Shoshonl Wyo. Enterprise, A wedding of much interest to Shoshoni folks took place on Thurs-Ia uay oi uns ween w ueu juiaa ucuc. evieve McFerrin was united in mar riage to Mr. William Tracy, jr. The ceremony took place at six o'clcok in the evening at Thermopolis, Wyo., to which place the bride and groom were accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Woodard. The wedding took place at the home ot Mr. Woodard's mother, Mrs. Bogard, and was per formed by Justice J. A. Thompson. The groom is the eldest son of Mayor and Mrs. Wm. Tracy of Shoshonl, and is one of the best known and most highly respected youn men of our community; possessing charac ter, Industry and sterling qualities. He has spent most of his lite at Shos honl; the Tracys being among the earliest settlers here. They located at this little place some 15 years ago, and have since that time, been im portant factors in the upbuilding ot the community. The bride is a well known and popular young lady, having made her home with her sister, Mrs. C. L. Woodard at Shoshoni. Her parents reside at Heppner, Ore. During her residence here she has made friends with all with whom she has come in contact. The happy . couple will make their home in Shoshoni. Took Sheep to Cecil. Minor & Matlock passed through Heppner the last of the week with 4500 head of their sheep, which they were trailing to Cecil for winter feeding. They made rapid progress through the snow, as Mr. Matlock went on ahead with a four horse team and crowder and broke the trail. The sheep are in fine condi tion and should go through the win ter In good shape. Dobyns Gets Big Bunch of Skins Harold Dobyns, who traps In the Butter Creek region, got 19 coyotes, three wild cats, 11 mink, 30 musk rats and 11 badgers during the month of November. He gets a salary of $100 from Butter Creek stockmen, and with money derived from the sale of the Bklns, will clear (600 for the month's -work. Coyotes sell for (15 each besides bounty. State News KLAMATH FALLS. Attempt to thaw out a frozen pipe with a blow torch at the White Pelican garage, resulted in partial destruction of that building by fire. The loss to build ing and equipment is estimated at (30,000 while cars stored there dam aged an additional (15,000. Card of Thanks We wish to thank all those who so kindly gave us their assistance and sympathy during the Illness and death of our beloved wife and moth, er. We are thankful for all the or ders of beautiful flowers, even though we were unable to use them. N. S. Whetstone. Mrs. Ethel McKinley. Glen Boyer. Guy Boyer. Women's Relief Corps Will Moot The Women's Relief Corps will meet at the home ot Mrs. D. E. Gil man on Wednesday, Dccember24th, at 2:30, for the election ot officers. Elevator Company Believes C Ucl duuauuu oiau nwu The serious fuel situation in Hep p. ner, which gave promise of growing worse each day, was greatly relieved the past week, when the Farmers Elevator Company turned over some 50 cords of excellent slab wood which they happened to have on hand and for which they did not have imme diate use. Their action undoubted ly resulted in staving off actual suff ering on the part of a number o families whosse fuel supply had run out, or was rapidly diminishing. Episcopal Sunday School Will Give Christmas Program The following program will be presented by the Sunday school of the Episcopal church, Wednesday, December 24, at 7:30 p. m. Song It came Upon the Midnight clear. Pollyanna Class. Prayer. The spirit of Christmas Carol. Velma Class. Play The Top of the World. Flower Garden Class, class. Dialogue Watching for Santa Butterfly Class. Recitation Writing to Santa Betty Irwin. Solo Mrs. Bean. Song Pollyanna ,class. Song Joy to the World The school. Local Real Estate Man Falls Through Sky-Light Roy V. Whiteis, local real estate dealer received severe bruises and sprains when he fell through the sky light ot his office on Monday after. noon. Mr. Whiteis had gone up on the roof to sweep the snow from the sky-light, and approached too near the -opening, falling through the jlass, to the floor below. He feels .'ortuiate that his injuries are of not more gerjous nature. Krebs Bennett. A quite wedding took place at the home ot Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Minor In this city last Sunday when George C. Krebs claimed as his bride, Mrs. Roxie Bennett. The eeremony was performed by Rev. H. A. Noyes. Both of the young people are from Cecil, where Mr. Krebs is engaged extensively in farming and stock raising. They will reside at the "Last Camp," the Cecil ranch of Min or & Krebs. Heppner maintained her record during the year 1919 as a big shipper of livestock, wool and wheat. From the local yards of the O.W.R. & N. Co., were shipped 164 carloads of cattle, or a total ot 4,428 head, 13 carloads of horses and mules, or 325 head; 201 carloads ot wheat and 49 carloads of wool. The weight of the wool was 1,254,839 pounds and had a value of approximately (600,000. Wheat shipments from Heppner during the year 1919, had an estim ated value of approximately (640, 000. Imports for the year were small. Five cars of cattle, or a total of 135 head were shipped in. There were also shipped in 27,250 head of sheep, bftt this number is probably account ed for in the fact that several bands were taken out to summer range by train and returned again in the same manner, seventy-five head of horses were imported during the year. Population Increases Born December 6th, to Mr. and Mrs. Clair Ashbaugh of Hardman, a daughter. Born December 10th, to Mr. and Mrs. Franklin D. Cox, a son. Born To Mr. and Mrs. Cleve H. Van Schoiack of this city, on Decem ber 12, a daughter. Born To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Sibley of Lexington, on December 12th, a daughter. Born In this city on December 13th. to Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Cox, a daughter. Moore on December 34th, a son. Barn To Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Ad kins in this city on Wednesday, De cember 17th, a daughter. Trailing Sheep to Butter Creek There are more pleasant tasks during tbjs cold weather than trail ill;; sheep through the deep snow, but when tho woolies must have feed and plenty of it, there is nothing to do but to get them to it. That is why Walter Hayes of Lone Rock took a b.uul through Heppner today. They were on their way to the Wal. don Rhea ranch on Butter creek, where Mr. Hayes has bought a lot of hay. The sheep were helped on their way, by Mr. Hayes, who broke a trail for them with a crowder. IMHYIS 3RD IN WHEAT YIELD In Spite of General Drought, Ore gon's Wheat Production For Year of Over 20,000,000 Bushels, or and Increase Over 1918 of 4,000, OOO Bushels. Morrow County ranked third as a wheat producer in 1919, in compari son with the other 35 counties of the state. According to statistic recently furnished the Gazette-Times by F. L. Kent, field agent for the Bureau of Crop Estimates, United States Department of Agriculture, Morrow County produced the past year, 1,180,000 bushels ot winter wheat and 308,450 bushels of spring wheat from a total acreage ot 138, 285 acres. As usual, Umatilla County led aU others with a total production of nearly 6,000,000 bushels ot wheat. Sherman County waa second with 2,- 490,000 bushels and Wasco County third in winter wheat production, although Morrow County's much lar ger yield ot spring wheat puti her in the lead of Wasco for total pro duction. In his report, Mr. Kent says: "a reduction of 24.0 per cent in the acreage sown to winter wheat in the United States this fall as compared with the area sown a year ago, is the most striking feature of the govern. ment crop report for December. Ad vice from Washington, D. C. place the area seeded this fall at 38,170, 000 acres as compared with the re vised estimate of 60.489,000 acres seeded in the fall ot 1918. "The percentage of reduction In the United States rye acreage Is practically the same as in the case of winter wheat, the figures being 5,630,000 acres seeded in 1919 as compared with the revised estimate of 7,232,000 acres for 1918. "In the state ot Oregon there has been a reduction of about 8.0 per cent in winter wheat acreage, and about 2.0 per cent in the rye acreage as compared with the seeding a year ago." The estimate gives Morrow County 92,000 acres of fall sown wheat for 1919 as against 107,800 acres tor 1918. Fords Will Arrive Here in Time for Xmas Heppner people who had their or der in for their Ford car, hoping that it would arirve in time for Christ mas, will not be disappointed. Chas. H. Latourell, local dealer says that he has received word that 12 cars have been shipped to him from Mil waukee, Wisconsin, and they should arrive within the next few days. Although it is hard to make deliv ery ot cars In quantity, so great Is the demand all over the country, Mr. Latourell's sale record brought forth recognition at a meeting of Ford agents held in Portland last week, and the shipment from Milwaukee is a result. Since coming to Heppner a few months ago, Mr. Latourell has sold 35 Ford cars, some ot them touring cars, some coupes, road sters and trucks. He is carrying the largest stosk of Ford accessor ies and supplies, ever cacrried by a car dealer in the county. E. F. Clark, local stockman, made a business trip to Condon and other interior points last week. It has become necessary to discon tinue construction o nthe new school building owing to the weather and nothing will now be done until af ter the holidays. It Is unlikely that the building will be ready before the first of March. Plans to Improve the school grounds are also In abey ance, but work will begin on the new athletic field as soon as possible. Christmas festivities for the corn unity include a Church Bazaar next Friday night and a treat for the kid dies on Christmas Eve. Tho schools will resume January 5th, having been closed since December 9th. It was planned to begin last Monday but a change in the transportation of pupils made it necessary to let new contracts for three years thus enabling Cumins and Blayden to se cure new, modern trucks, satisfactory ially equipped and heated. The community has suffered a slight shortage of flour, breadstuff!, and sugar. The fuel situation has not yet become acuto and seems to be well In hand especially if the cris is is past as it seems. The weather has moderated slightly. Livestock has not suffered much except tiu, jackrabblts, which together with the cold weather and tho poisoning cuiu paigu now going on many uro meet ing their Waterloo.