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PAGE FOUR
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 1936.
Heppner
Gazette Times
THE HEPPNER GAZETTE,
Established March 30. 1883;
THE HEPPNER TIMES,
Established November 18, 1897;
CONSOLIDATED FEBRUARY 15, 1912
Published every Thursday morning by
CRAWFORD PUBLISHING COMPANY
and entered at the Post Office at Hepp
ner, Oregon, as second-class matter.
JASPER V. CRAWFORD, Editor
SPENCER CRAWFORD, Manager
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
One Year $2.00
Three Years 5.00
Six Months 1.00
Three Months .75
Single Copies 05
Official Paper for Morrow County
ID
We're Glad You're
Back.
IT HAS been six years since the
A Eastern Oregon Wheat league met
in Heppner for its first meeting here.
That meeting has been a pleasant
memory for all who were privileged
to attend it.
We do not presume to take all the
credit unto Heppner for the former
meeting here. Local people did co
operate wholeheartedly; but a large
part of the success was due to the
organization perfected ahead of time,
largely by Chas. W. Smith, then
Morrow county agricultural agent,
who has served as secretary of the
league since its inception.
However, while "Charlie," as he
is familiarly known by everyone
here, has been a faithful and com
petent work, horse in building the
league to an ever greater place of
importance in the political and econ
omic life of eastern Oregon's wheat
industry, he alone has not been re
sponsible for that success. He has
had good helpers at all times, in
cluding many men from Morrow
county, of whom E. Harvey Miller,
this year's president, is one. It has
taken cooperation all the way 'round
to make the organization effective.
But, with the Eastern Oregon
Wheat league as with anything else,
the most germain part of all has
been the idea behind it. There was
need at the league's start, and still
is need, for a united voice with
which eastern Oregon wheat grow
ers may express their -needs and de
sires on matters pertaining to their
own problems, such as production,
marketing, transportation, and fi
nance. That this voice has been loud
enough to be heard in the past is a
tribute to the men who have organ
ized it. That it will continue to grow
stronger in the future is just as cer
tain as corrolary follows axiom.
It is with an understanding that
she is entertaining the most note
worthy organization for the ad
vancement of the interests of wheat
growing in this section, that Hepp
ner welcomes the 1936 conference.
The hope is that our guests will
again leave with an impression of
pleasant relationships that will make
them want to return once more.
Kind Words
Messrs. Crawford, Publishers Gaz
ette Times, Heppner, Oregon.
Gentlemen:
I want to compliment you on the
appearance of the Gazette Times in
its new dress and form. Your paper
has always appealed to me because
of the neatness of its make-up and
its excellent presswork, and in its
tabloid size, to which I have always
been partial for small weeklies, you
have attained near-perfection in my
opinion.
In spite of the fact that I know no
one in Heppner I enjoy reading the
Gazette Times each week just be
cause it looks so good.
Respectfully yours,
A. L. LINDBECK,
State Capital News Bureau,
Salem, Oregon.
Mrs. Salter, of the Salter hatchery
at lone, was a business visitor in the
city yestreday.
Walla Walla Man
Named Head Inland
Waterways Assn.
Renewed Emphasis
River Development
Made at Arlington.
Navigation on the Columbia and
Snake rivers has greater potential
benefits for residents of the Inland
Empire of the Pacific Northwest
than any other economic interest,
believes Charles Baker of Walla
Walla, who was elected president of
the Inland Empire Waterways asso
ciation at Arlington Saturday.
"This problem affects the welfare
of every citizen, not only the farmer
but the business man and the wage
earner as well. It means more
money and better business condi
tions for the entire territory," he
said. "It means ecinomies in moving
our products to market and will
stimulate new business such as man
ufacturing and mining.
"Development of the Columbia
and Shake rivers is a specific Paci
fic Northwest problem. It can do
more to develop and expand the
northwest than any other program.
It should be so viewed by all Paci
fic northwest citizens.
"We should have an aggressive
support of all citizens for a definite
and specific program of complete
development that will make avail
able to us navigation on the rivers,
power as needed and reclamation
where justified."
Baker, who is the representative
of Washington to the annual nation
al convention of the American Farm
Bureau federation at Pasadena next
week, will make an effort to get a
strong endorsement of that body for
an appropriation by congress for the
river navigation program.
Association directors at Arlington
viewed a proposal for an extensive
campaign of education to promote
intercommunity coordination in the
orderly development of the Colum
bia liver. With Thomas M. Robins,
divisional U. S. engineer present,
they heard a suggestion from the
floor that the association expend
$50,000 to impress upon Oregon and
Washington the value of the Colum
bia and Snake rivers and the need
for early development.
The association will unite with the
maritime committee of The Dalles
chamber of commerce in presenting
a united front to all communities
east of the Cascades in the Decem
ber 15 hearing before the army en
gineers on the proposed dam at The
Dalles.
Herbert G. Wet, Walla Walla, was
re-elected executive vice-president,
D. Frank Baker ,Walla Walla, was
named treasurer, and state vice pres
idents selected were Roy Pittinger,
Belmont, for Washington, and Ladru
Barnum, The Dalles, for Oregon.
Regional vice-president included
Giles L. French, Sherman; H. G.
Miller, Wasco; J. H. Kobert, Hood
River; S. E. Notson, Morrow; Roy
Ritner, Umatilla, for Oregon coun
ties. Washingtin state directors Charles
Baker, B. M. Huntington, Arthur E.
Cox, D. Frank Baker and Henry
Copeland, will compose the associa
tion's executive committee. These
men will meet soon to elect a chair
man. Resolution was adopted ex
pressing appreciation for the services
of Judge C. L. Sweek, association
president for the last two years.
COURT ORDERS AUDIT.
The county court today ordered
audit of the county books brought
up to the first of the year to clear
the slate for new officers. An aud
itor from the secretary of state's
office will be used.
GET-TOGETHER SET.
A get-together meeting of Mor
row county Oddfellows and Rebek
ahs is announced for Hardman, Sat
urday evening.
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon
Scott of Lexington at the home of
Mrs. Lillie Aiken in this city Sat
urday morning, Jerry Vernon, 8
pounds.
COUNTY WHEAT INDUSTRY
TRANSFORMED IN 25 YEARS
Wheat growing in Morrow county
has been largely transformed in the
last 25 years.
Such terms as "header punching"
and "hoe down" are now but his
torical verbiage used only when
speaking of harvest as it was a dec
ade or more ago. Universal use of
the combined harvester has now en
tirely supplanted the header box
and stationary thresher with their
immense crews. And the tractor
has almost universally displaced the
large horse and mule teams of the
old era. Too, good roads and advent
of the motor truck, have driven from
the scene the old six- and eight
horse teams drawing wagons that
hauled the wheat crop into the ware
houses sometimes all winter long
in the days gone by. .
The combine, the tractor, the mo
tor truck, these have figured most
largely in the transformation. But
there have been other things. The
introduction of new wheat varie
ties, the arrival of copper carbon
ate treatment for smut, and then,
just now gaining popular favor, the
use of the disc plow and "trashy"
summerfallowing in assisting blow
control, have all contributed to the
new era.
As the industry has undergone
transformation, so has it contribut
ed to a transformation in the social
and economic life of the community.
One effect has been the shortening
of the working season and the em
ployment of fewer workmen, as the
new and better machinery accom
MUST WORK TO
BEAVERS DON'T
Forest Notes by F.
The game situation for the Hepp
ner country is not encouraging. All
indications point to the fact that the
deer herds are on the down grade.
Bear are practically extinct. Small
fur bearers are becoming rare. Na
tive birds will undoubtedly be ex
tinct within the next decade. Hawks,
owls and coyotes haven't seemed to
notice there was any depression and
have increased at the expense of
other forms of life. Fishing has
passed out of the picture. Fish and
game can be restored, but whether
the costs of such a program would
be justified, will take considerable
study. Winter feed grounds or win
ter feed will have to be provided.
Bounties set up for predators. Hunt
ing seasons changed. Closed sea
sons set for some species. Check
dams built in creeks. The problem
is not one that can be glibly settled
with words. It is going to take action
and work.
Late , last fall a small colony of
beaver was transplanted to upper
Alder creek. Four males and fe
males. The location appeared ideal
for beaver, using human reasoning.
There was an abundance of alder,
cottonwood and willow. Sedge and
water plants were plentiful. Dam
possibilities were unlimited. How
ever, something didn't suit them.
They may have got to quarrelling
among themselves, or perhaps got
to thinking of their sweethearts and
friends on the Umatilla river, left
behind when they were trapped,
anyhow they packed up and left
for some location of their own choos
ing. We still have two small crews
working under the ERA program.
The one crew under the supervision
of Darrel Hudson is working out
from Ellis Ranger station, on the
Five Mile cattle and horse allot
ment drift fence. The other crew,
working under the supervision of K.
P. Bleakman, is cleaning up along
the Western Route road, between
Ditch creek and Ellis. The weather
has been ideal for burning the trash
and rubbish that was on the ground.
This is the latest date for fire sea
son we have ever had in this coun
try.' The timber and forest litter is
still very dry and burns readily
through the heat of the day. We
have on two forest guards, one work
ing at each end of the district. They
patrol and take a look over the
plishes the various tasks quicker
with less manpower than did the
methods of the past. The industry
today thus affords jobs for consid
erably fewer people.
Added to this, the tractor has made
possible the farming of far more
acres by one operator than was pos
sible in the old era, and this has re
sulted in consolidating many farms
and removal of many families from
the county.
In this respect, the trend of the
industry has contributed to a reduc
tion in population and the number
of people who sustain a livelihood
from the wheat production processes.
On the other hand, the transforma
tion has helped emancipate the
grower from much of the drudgery
of the past; it has placed wheat pro
duction on a more scientific basis,
making it possible to grow more
bushels at smaller per acre cost
and the net result should be the
feeding of more mouths with lower
priced bread than was possible in
the old days.
But the wheat production indus
try is not confined to Morrow coun
ty or eastern Oregon. The wheat
raised in this section is but a drop
in the bucket to that raised in the
United States or the world as a
whole. Wheat may be, and is grown
almost everywhere, so the problems
of Morrow county growers must be
correlated with those of the world
as a whole. Therein lies one of
the largest services of the Eastern
Oregon Wheat league.
SAVE WILDLIFE;
LIKE NEW HOME
F. Wehmeyer
country each day, from one of the
lookout stations.
At the end of October, the rangers
and most of the staff men from the
forest headquarters were detailed to
work under the AAA conservation
program. The job was to cooperate
with the various county boards in
setting up the carrying capacity of
range land. Seven counties were
allotted to the Umatilla forest and
the field work given to Bernard Lee,
range examiner, from the Pendleton
office. Morrow county was turned
over to the Heppner office. We have
received 76 applications for range
land benefits. Approximately a half
million acres of land have been in
volved in the examinations. The
work is near enough completed that
it is safe to say that approximately
$25,000.00 will be set up as benefits
to the stock ranches for the devel
opment of water resources, reseed
ing and fencing. All work must be
completed by December 31st of this
year.
Erosion Exhibit Slated
For Wheat Growers
The problem of soil erosion on the
wheat lands of eastern Oregon and
methods of erosion control will be
presented in an exhibit at the an-,
nual meeting of the Eastern Oregon
Wheat league here tomorrow and
Saturday.
Pictures taken on farms in this
area, showing conditions existing be
fore and after erosion control meas
ures had been put into practice, will
be of interest to those attending.
"The loss of topsoil through sheet
erosion and gullying, is a serious
menace to wheat growers," said
Claire Langley of the Soil Conserva
tion service, in charge of the ex
hibit. "Unless soil loss is prevented
by the use of soil-building crop ro
tations and proper utilization of crop
residues, much of this area will soon
become unproductive," he contin
ued. Included in the exhibit will be
a series of slides showing erosion
control measures instituted by the
Soil Conservation service on demon
onstration projects in eastern Ore
gon. Pamphlets on "Soil and Water
Conservation in the Pacific North
west" will be available to those at
tending the meeting.
Arrangements for the exhibit were
completed by County Agent Joseph
Belanger through C. Edwin HilL
state coordinator, Soil Conservation
service, and C. W. Smith, secretary
of the league.
Erosion Control Law
Aided by Fatland
Wheat growers of Morrow coun
ty and the entire Inland Empire
will be interested in a bill coming
before the 1937 state legislature per
mitting the organization of blow
control districts.
Wind erosion has been a problem
in the northwest for years. The first
organized effort in Oregon to achieve
blow control through community ac
tion was taken at Lexington in 1935
when the Lexington Erosion Con
trol district was formed. At this
meeting five members of a directing
committee were elected whose func
tion was to point out dangerous cul
tural practices, and to suggest re
medial measures both for prevent
ing blows and for stopping those
already started. H. V. Smouse of
lone, was elected chairman with R.
B. Rice, Lexington, vice-chairman.
The other three members of the
committee elected were Omar Riet
mann, Morgan; Frank Saling, Lex
ington, and Louis Marquardt, Lex
ington. Joe Belanger, county agent,
was elected secretary and an ex
officio member of the committee.
During the time elapsed since or
ganization of this association much
valuable work has been' done in
controlling wind erosion. It has been
unfortunate- that the committee has
been unable to get complete coop
eration of a few farmers operating
land within the district. It has be
come increasingly evident that some
means must be provided for protect
ing the property of this section from
further unnecessary damage from
blows.
This morning Ernest Fatland, state
representative from this district,
went over some of the more critical
areas of the Lexington district with
A. H. Nelson, H. V. Smouse, Joe Bel
anger, county agent, and A. S. King,
extension specialist in soil conser
vation. Mr. Fatland has interested
himself in steering the necessary
legislation through the state legisla
ture. The bill which has been pre
pared, both Mr. Fatland and the
committee feel, will make it possi
ble for any district to organize it
self for its own protection. The law
will not set up districts except on
petition and vote of the men within
the district and will involve no ex
pense on the state or county. Mor
row county farmers can well con
gratulate themselves upon their
foresightedness and initiative in
fostering legislation so constructive
in intent.
CCC CAMP NEWS.
T. H. Riggs of Gresham has been
assigned to the local CCC camp. He
has assumed the duties of camp
blacksmith helper for the Soil Con
servation service.
The local CCC camp enjoyed a
gorgeous Thanksgiving dinner with
210 pounds of roast turkey, also rad
ishes, celery hearts, green onions,
mint salad, cranberry sauce, sage
dressing, giblet gravy, snowflake po
tatoes, brussels sprouts, green peas,
candied sweet potatoes, hot rolls and
butter, pumpkin pie, mints and cof
fee. Dinner guests included Mr. and
Mrs. E. R. Huston, Mrs. Marvin E.
Dixon, Mrs. Orval Osborn and son
Orval, Jr., Mrs. Harold Earls and
sons Milo and Billy; Mrs. Frederick
Ross and son Frederick, Jr., Mr. and
Mrs. Harve Coxen with daughter,
Miss Lola M. Coxen, and son, Em
ery Coxen, all from Heppner, and
Miss Flora Gibson, Miss Thelma
Storm from Klamath Falls, and Mrs.
Harold Tonole of Heppner.
Captain B. A. Johnson, CCC camp
inspector from Vancouver Barracks,
made an inspection of the local CCC
camp last Monday and rated it as
excellent. ,
Lieut. Harry B. Formhals, Inf.
Res., has been transferred from
Camp Squaw Creek, Gibbon, to the
local CCC camp. Lt. Formhals had
been transferred from the First
Corps area to this area last Septem
ber and up to the present time was
stationad at Camp Squaw Creek.
His home is at North Adams, Mass.,
and he has been on CCC duty for
twenty months.
Herman Neilson was in town Tu
esday from the Rood canyon farm.