o OR EGO?: HISTORICAL SOCIETY public audi to:. PORT L A L,. 0. alette Volume 52, Number 44. HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 1937. Subscription $2.00 a Year pepper Jeff Jones Still Mayor on Action By Councilmen C. B. Cox, Elected, Fails to Qualify; New Men Inducted. Jeff Jones remains mayor of Heppner on unanimous vote of the council Monday evening when the city government started organization for the new year. The election was made necessary through inability to qualify of Chas. B. Cox, elected mayor at the November election. It was ruled that Mr. Cox's position as postmaster prevented his holding other public office. Mr. Jones was not a candidate for mayor at the November election because he was in the lists for county commissioner. Monday evening's action, however, assured him of the unqualified coop eration of the council, both old and new members. D. A. Wilson, R. C. Phelps and Dr. L. D. Tibbies were new councilmen taking office that evening. Hold overs are P. W. Mahoney, E. L. Mor ton and R. B. Ferguson. Mayor Jones postponed appoint ments until the next meeting, the 11th. No change in salaries is ex pected for the year except that of watermaster, announced as raised from $1200 to $1500 a year. The initial meeting took largely the form of a get-acquainted meet ing for the new councilmen, with discussion of various works of the city. Official action was confined to inducting the new officers and pay ing current salary bills. E. R. Huston was reelected record er, and W. O. Dix, treasurer, in the November balloting. The personnel of city employees will be completed in the appointments which include watermaster, chief of police, fire chief and city attorney. Also to be announced is the personnel of the several council committees in charge of various phases of city govern ment. County Tax Status Improves in 1936 Morrow county's tax collection status improved considerably in 1936, with total uncollected delinquent tax including the 1936 roll reduced by more than $40,000, reports Chas. W. Barlow, county clerk. He had not summarized collections on de linquent taxes since the - December 31 turnovers, but up to that time $87,818 had been collected during the year on delinquent tax while a balance of only $46,678.29 remained uncollected of the 1936 tax. He be lieved the total collection on delin quent tax for the year would reach $100,000. The 1936 roll called for total col lection of $290,731.02. Of this amount, $4,562.33 was marked off due to fore closures. Total collections on the 1936 roll amounted to $239,410.40. IN CAR ACCIDENT. Reese and Lloyd Burkenbine and Tom Wells all received injuries last Thursday night when the Wells car in which they were riding went off the grade on a curve near the In stone ranch on the Oregon-Wash ington highway. Reese Burkenbine sustained severe lacerations about the head which necessitated his be ing confined to bed for several days. Wells received an injured right hand and Lloyd Burkenbine injuries to head and. one eye. MOTHER DIES. J. A. Sharp, proprietor of Hepp ner bakery, was called to Olympia, Wash., the end of the week by the sudden death of his mother. The news was unexpected as she had ap parently been in the best of health. Clarence Wise assisted at the bakery in Mr. Sharp's absence. LIONS WELCOME TEACHERS' HEAD Mrs. Rodgers Responds With Talk; to Cooperate With B. P. W. in Yearly Dinner. Mrs. Lucy E. Rodgers, newly elect ed president of Oregon State Teach ers' association, was greeted by the Lions club Monday, shortly after her return from the Portland con vention. She responded with an out line of the aims and purposes of the teachers' organization, and acknowl edgement of the responsibilities and honor which are hers in the position. Touching resolutions of the con vention, she hoped the Lions club and public generally would see fit to support teachers' legislation be fore the coming legislature which seeks to set up an old-age retire ment plan for teachers, and a tenure system throughout the state, among other things. Rev. Ralph V. Hinkle, another guest, gave a thought for the New Year in encouraging everyone to forget the imaginary troubles that follow them from one year to an other. Mrs. Elsie M. Beach of Lex ington was also introduced as a guest. The Lions voted to cooperate in staging the annual dinner with Busi ness and Professional Womens club. They also voted their moral support to an organization fighting to keep the appropriation for maintaining the Doernbecher hospital in Port land from being reduced. The hos pital is maintained by the state to provide medical care for children who have no other means of ob taining such care. Emmett F. Smith Dies at Vancouver Emmett F. Smith, for many years a resident of Morrow county, died yesterday at the Knights of Pythias home in Vancouver, Wash., and the body will arrive here in the morn ing for burial. Funeral services are set for 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon from the Christian church, Alvin Kleinfeldt. minister, officiating Mr. Smith entered the lodge hom e i from here five years ago, and dur ing the time has been in poor health though bright in spirit. For 15 or 20 years he ranched on Rhea creek, and made a wide circle of friends. He received his 25-year jewel from Doric lodge 20, K. of P., of this city several years ago. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Dan Barlow of Eight Mile, and Mrs. Jack DeVore of Portland. Mr. Smith was born June 22, 1869 at Mormon Basin, Ore. MOVE TO BANK BUILDING. S. E. Notson, retiring dsitrict at torney, and Frank C. Alfred, his suc cessor to office, expected to move this weke into adjoining offices up stairs in the First National bank building. The offices have been un dergoing renovation and remodeling to receive them, and are modern and attractive. Dr. R. C. Lawrence and Dr. R. M. Rice have been supervis ing finishing touches on renovation of the downstairs offices formerly occupied by J. L. Gault, receiver, and expect to get moved soon into this joint office space. Mr. Gault now has office upstairs next to the forest office which occupies the cor ner space on May and Main. SERIOUSLY ILL. George McDuffee, former Morrow county sheriff who gained notable fame several years ago when he shot a train robber on a train near Ka mela and himself was seriously wounded in the duel, was taken to The Dalles Sunday in critical con dition. He was reported to benight ing a malignant liver affliction against which he is aided by the sympathy and concern of the entire community. Charles A. Marquardt was a busi ness visitor in the city today from the north-Lexington farm. The low temperature recorded at his place was 14 below. Wasco-Heppner and Lexington-Jarmon Roads Held Up Baldock Says PWA Funds Short for Approved Jobs. SALEM, -r (State Capitol News Bureau) Improvements of the Rock creek-county line section of the Wasco-Heppner highway will have to wait on the allocation of addition al federal funds for PWA highway work, according to R. H. Baldock, state highway engineer. This pro ject is one of 15 PWA highway jobs in Oregon which have been ap proved by the federal administrator but which are held up for lack of federal funds. Estimated cost of the 3.9 miles of grading and surfacing on this project, all within Gilliam county, is estimated at $63,434.50. Another project included in the list of 15 held up pending Congress ional action extending the life of the Public Works administration is the Sand-Hollow-county line section of the Lexington-Echo highway, in volving 10 miles of grading, surfac ing and oiling, all in Morrow coun ty, at an estimated cost of $27,765. In a letter received by Baldock this week Horatio B. Hackett, assist ant administrator of the PWA, prom ises that "applications for allotment of funds will be kept in mind and will receive prompt attention should circumstances allow further consid eration." Hackett, however, points out that "since authority of the administra tion expires June 30, 1937,' it is not probable that allotments will be rec ommended for any appreciable num ber of projects until there is some indication of what attitude congress will take toward a continuation of the administration's work program." THEATER INSTALLS $2500 EQUIPMENT New RCA Sound Machinery and Simplex Projectors Included; Follows Father's Plans. The Star theater was closed last night and will be closed again to night for installation of $2500 worth of improvements. Included are new RCA sound equipment and new Sim plex projectors, binging to Heppner the very latest equipment obtainable in showing talking pictures, an nounces Mrs. Elaine Furlong, man ager. Mrs. Furlong was pleased this week to discover that the theater has now accomplished most every thing her father, the late B. G. Sigs bee, had planned for It. While rum maging through a store room in the back of the theater, she discovered a paper in her father's handwriting which set out his plans for improve ment. These, before unknown to Mrs. Furlong, included installation of upholstered seats, laying of car pets, installation of sound equip ment, and other things, nearly all of which have been accomplished un der Mrs. Furlong's management. School Routes First In Opening Roads School bus routes are being given first consideration by the court in rushing the work of opening roads as fast as possible, announced Judge Bert Johnson yesterday. As soon as the bus routes are open mail routes will be given next con sideration, he said. Complaints are reaching the court of closed roads all over the county, due to drifted snow. January Clearance Sale Hats, Coats and Dresses at the Curran Ready to Wear, NEW JUDGE MOVES IN, LIGHTS PIPE Attorneys Besiege Office First Day; Neill, Alfred in Personnel Changes at Court House. Shortly after assuming his new role of county judge Monday, Bert Johnson was asked what was his first official act. The answer came almost spontaneously, "Well, I guess it was to light my pipe." But before Mr. Johnson had much opportunity to orient himself, dig out the pigeonholes and find a place to park his pipe tobacco and matches he was set upon by most of the at torneys in town, who apparently had been saving up grief for him. The lone wheatraiser presided over his first term of court yester day. In attendance also was L. D. Neill of Pine City, newly elected commissioner, as well as George Peck, holdover. The new men start ed in like they meant business, though moving cautiously until learning their parts a little better. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Neill are the only newcomers at the courthouse as a result of the November election. A vacancy in the office spaces oc curs as Frank C. Alfred, the new district . attorney, is taking offices upstairs in the First National bank building instead of in the court house where S. E. Notson, retiring district attorney, is vacating the of fice he occupied and is moving next door to Mr. Alfred. Alfred took his oath of office before leaving for Portland for the holidays. Special Pullman to Woolg rowers Conclave Special pullman service out of Pendleton to the Oregon Wool Grow ers association convention at On tario, Monday, Tuesday, Wednes day of next week, is announced by J. G. Barratt, president, who asks local people who care to take ad vantage of it to have reservations in his hands by tomorrow night. A maximum charge of $11 will in clude round-trip ticket from Pen dleton to Ontario and sleeping ac commodations during the conven tion. The pullmans will open at 10 o'clock Sunday night and will leave Pendleton on the Portland Rose at 3.30 Monday morning. They will ar rive back Jji ..Pendleton '"St 'rnidnight Wednesday on the Hose, At Ontario the pullmans will be stationed only two blocks from convention head quarters. The more that go, the less will be the charge, Mr. Barratt said. He has received word that all hotel rooms in Ontario and neighboring cities of Payette and Weiser, Idaho, have been reserved. With program details well in hand, everything points to one of the largest conven tions in the association's history. RETURN FROM PASADENA. Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Cohn, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Thompson and Kathryn arrived home last night from Pasa dena where they witnessed the Washington-Pittsburg football class ic on New Year's day. It was a bang up game in spite of the lop-sided score, Mr. Cohn reported. The trip was enjoyable all the way and the only snow encountered was that in eastern Oregon. While south the party enjoyed visiting relatives and friends at various points. ENJOY NEW YEAR'S DANCE. A large crowd attended the New Year's dance at the Elks hall and en joyed dancing to music by the Co lumbians of Irrigon. Noisemakers and caps were distributed at the midnight hour to assist in welcoming the new year. Mart King, trom bonist with the Paramount studio orchestra in Hollywood, pleased the crowd when he supplied on. two numbers. Mr. and Mrs. U. S. Burt were vis itors in the city Saturday from Cor vallis. Mr. Burt was democratic candidate for state treasurer in the November election. Temperature Drop To 14 Below Zero Chills Citizens Moisture Welcomed; . 9.22 Inches Rainfall Had During 1936. Old Boreas took a fall out of the mercury Tuesday night, sending it to a record low for the winter of 14 degrees below zero. The temper ature drop followed a five-inch fall of snow, most of which fell with a blizzard Monday morning. Last night's low reading was 11 below, reached at 11 o'clock. At 12 midnight the mercury had climbed to 6 below. It then dropped again to reach 10 below at 7 o'clock this morning. Clear skies prevail again today. A fine snow fell all day Tuesday, accompanied at times by a high wind. Tuesday afternoon a phenom enon was seen when the descending snow was darkened by dust, giving the landscape a cream -colored cast. It was believed that the wind stirred up sand in the lower country and carried it into the descending snow. The latest storm brought about a quarter of an inch of moisture which has been gladly hailed by wheat raisers and stockmen as a boon to growing crops and ranges. The storm covered the county generally, and the ground was reported to be in good shape to receive the mois ture, not being frozen very deep. The mercury dropped to 4 below on New Year's eve and continued cold prevailed New Year's day, bringing householders their first bit ter taste of frozen water pipes. -Another general freeze-up was exper ienced with Tuesday's big drop in temperature. Yesterday was clear and sunshiny. Travel has been much impeded with the new snow which has cov ered roads with drifts in many places. Automobilists, too, have ex perienced difficulty in getting cars started. George Peck, county com missioner, did not get on the job at the courthouse until noon yesterday because of this difficulty. This year's low so far exceeds the mean low temperature in' 193G of 7 below; recorded on February 17 by Len L. Gilliam, government weather observer. Maximum for 1936 of 98 above was recorded on July 6. Total precipitation of moisture for 1936 was 9.22 inches, and total snow fall last winter was 17 inches. The ten-year average moisture precipi tation including 1936 is 10.54 inches. Precipitation by months for 1936 was given as follows: January 1.85, Feb ruary 1.34, March .50, April 1.17, May .48, June 1.66, July .08, August .05, September .58, October .04, No vember .36, December 1.11. Harold Becket May Lose Eye; Accident Sustaining a punctured eyeball from a piece of flying steel while at work in his machine shop Sunday, Harold Becket, local machinist, is confined to the Good Samaritan hos pital in Portland threatened with loss of sight of the eye. Mr. Becket was treated immediate ly by a local physician, then taken to Pendleton and later to the Port land hospital where it was deter mined the foreign particle had worked its way through the orb and was lodged behind it. MISSIONARY MEET SET. The Women's Foreign Missionary society of the Methodist church will meet at the home of Mrs. L. W. Briggs, Tuesday, January 12, at 2:30 p. m. AUXILIARY MEET SLATED. Morrow County Wool Growers Auxiliary will meet at the Lucas Place tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 for its regular luncheon meeting. i