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.