OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLIC AUDITORI'J ?.! PORTLAND. ORE. ppepptieir Volume 52, Number 48. Elks' Lodge History Recalled at 40th Birthday Meet Frank Roberts, Char ter Member, Given Life Membership. Frank Roberts received an hon orary life membership in Heppner lodge 358, B. P. 0. Elks, at its 40th birthday anniversary meeting last Thursday evening. He was awarded the honor as one of two charter members still on the lodge rolls. The other, L. L. Matlock, who was to receive a similar card at the same time, was prevented from attending by convalescence from a severe at tack of pneumonia at the home of a sister in Portland. He will receive his card later. Illness and inclement weather held down attendance, but more than six ty lodge members participated in the event. Masons, Knights of Pythias, Wood men of the World and other lodges had already arrived on the scene in Heppner before the Elks received their charter on January 27, 1897. But that day was a gala one in the annals of the city as a special train brought a horde of antlered broth ers from neighboring cities to take part in the ceremonies at Knights of Pythias hall in the old Fair build ing, according to the historical pa per read by J. O. Turner . Before acquiring its $40,000 home in 1918, the lodge met for several years in the Odd Fellows hall. Phill Cohn, one of the charter members, " made the motion which started the new building. Frank- Gilliam, an- other charter member, served con tinuously as treasurer until after the building was completed, a service of more than twenty years. A. W. Patterson was the first exalted ruler. Mr. Turner paid tribute to many men who had given distinguished service, as well as to the part the lodge has played in- the progress of the community. So difficult was the job of naming all who might deserve mention, however, that he attempted only some of the highlights. In the 40 years, the lodge initiated 999 candidates, he cited from the records. Names of the 28 charter members were given as follows: A. W. Pat terson, printer; Phill Cohn, pharma cist, warehouseman and grain deal er; George Conser, banker; J. A. Pat terson, locomotive engineer; T. R. Lyons, salesman; J. C. Borchers, sa loon keeper; J. W. Horner, saddle maker; Leslie L. Matlock, stockman; R. C. Wills, furniture dealer; P. O. Borg, jeweler; E. W. Rhea, mer chant; William Dunn, railroad man; Frank Gilliam, hardware merchant; E. J. Slocum, druggist; H. Dunn; J. J. Harris, plumber; Frank Roberts, saloon keeper; Wilson E. Brock, druggist; W. R. Irwin, merchant; E. H. Slocum, sawmill; Joseph Mueller, musician; E. L. Matlock, stockman, saloon keeper, and later sheriff; S. W. Spencer, farmer, later banker; E. L. Freeland, real estate, later bank er; S. P. Garrigues, hardware. The roster of exalted rulers from the beginning includes A. W. Patter son, W. E. Brock, E. L. Freeland, S. W. Spencer, R. F. Hynd, Henry Blackman, Frank Roberts, P.O. Borg, Percy Garrigues, Lewis Kinney, Phil Metschan, Jr., Harry Johnson, W. E. Pruyn, Harry Duncan, W. A. Hayes, Jay Vale, Gus Mallory, Edgar Ayers, W. A. Richardson, H. H. Hoff man, H. T. Allison, F. A. McMena min, Charles B. Cox, Dean T. Good man, E. E. Gilliam, C. L. Sweek, F. W. Turner, Gay M. Anderson, C. J. D. Bauman, H. A. Cohn, Earl W. Gordon, L. Van Marter, J. G. Bar ratt, D. A. Wilson, J. O. Turner, J. G. Thomson, Jr., Harry Tamblyn, Jasper V. Crawford. For the anniversary program, D. A. McAtee and W. E. Pruyn, other HEPPNER, ,"""t'lii'n(i:HiFiiflfifliifnn'i'H;l'"'f.s GRAZING DISTRICT ELECTS OFFICERS Consideration of Applications on North End Tract Set for February 17 and 18. Five directors for the Morrow Grazing association were elected at a meeting of the users of range in Oregon Grazing District No. 7, held at the courthouse last Saturday. Wil liam Kilkenny, Heppner, was elected for a five-year term. John Krebs and Jack Hynd of Cecil were elected for the four- and three-year terms respectively, and L. D. Neill and Chas. Bartholomew, Echo, were elected for the two- and one year terms respectively. At each annual meeting hereafter, one director will be elected for a term of five yearsJ The same five men were elected as a board of advisors for the manage ment of the government land lying within the district. William Kilken ny was elected as the advisor for three years, John Krebs and Jack Hynd for two years each, and L. D. Neill and Chas. Bartholomew for one year each. Marvin Klemme, regional grazier at Burns, outlined the method of handling public domain lands. First preference for the use of government land, Mr. Klemme said, would go to those operators with dependent, commensurable property who have been using such public domain lands. Mr. . Klemme pointed out that all rights on public domain lands, un der provisions of the Taylor Grazing act, are property rights and not in dividual rights. On February 18 and 19, grazing officials will consider applications for grazing permits within the dis trict, and all such applications should be at the county agent's office on or before February 17. " Sub-District Hoop Tourney Here, 26-27 Heppner will entertain the sub district class B basketball tourna ment here Feb. 26-27, announces Alden Blankenship, superintendent, Entering the compettiion will be teams from lone, Lexington, Condon, Boardman, Fossil and Heppner. Ar lington, being host for the district tournament the following week end, will play in that event without par ticipating in the sub-tournament. While Heppner's squad has been upset with illness, and one veteran, Don Turner, completed his playing career at mid-term, Blankenship be lieved Heppner's chances of emerg ing victorious from the local tour nament to be good. Some of the green material is fast developing and the squad is looking forward to get ting another chance to mix it with Arlington after two defeats. Hepp ner has defeated in the season's play all the teams which will compete here, except Fossil. The game sched uled with Fossil last week end was cancelled but Fossil and Lexington played with one point margin and as Heppner twice defeated Lexing ton, little trouble is expected from the Wheeler county lads. Boardman will be the toughest team to beat, it was believed. Blankenship asks the community to support .the tournament, as it is expected to be self-supporting. Fail ure to provide visiting teams' and other expenses will make it harder for Heppner to draw tournaments in the future. long time members were given an honorary place in the chairs along with Mr. Roberts by C. J. D. Bau man who presided. A high school mixed quartet, Miss Marjorie Par ker, Miss Kathryn Parker, Gerald Cason and Charles Cox, sang, ac companied by Miss Juanita Leath ers. Another entertaining feature was the lodge quartet, F. W. Turner, Joseph Belanger, Blaine E. Isom and Dr. R. C. Lawrence. Following the program a clam feed was enjoyed. The anniversary program was in charge of C. J. D. Bauman, L. E. Bisbee and Charles B. Cox. OREGON, THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 1937. 75 at Lexington Meeting Talk Erosion Control Trashy Fallow Suc cess Told in Letter; Bad Roads Impede. On horseback, on foot, and in a few cases by automobile, about seventy-five men found their way to the Lexington grange hall last Fri day for an all-day meeting of the Columbia basin wheat farmers to discuss farm practices as they affect soil erosion. H. V. Smouse, chairman of the advisory board for the Lexington Erosion Control district, outlined the work done in that district during the past two years to control blows. Mr. Smouse pointed out that in the north end of the county where blows have been most prevalent, some 4,000 acres of land were furrowed as emergen cy treatment to stop blows. Through the cooperation of the county court, some eight miles of roadsides were oiled to keep the sand from shifting. Through the cooperation of the soil conservation camp at Heppner, about three miles of roadsides were straw ed. Following harvest, all straw was left on probably 70,000 acres of land to be carried over in 1937 as trashy summerfallow, Mr. Smouse said. Effective as the Lexington district had been, its usefulness was serious ly curtailed in one of two unfor tunate cases through lack of coop eration on the part of the land own ers, with the result that thousands of dollars of unnecessary damage was sustained.' "MrT Smouse pointed out that legislation had been pre pared and would be submitted to the present session of the legislature which would permit the establish ment of blow control districts so that such unnecessary losses as oc curred last spring might be reduced to a minimum. Since the Friday meeting, this bill of which Mr. Smouse spoke, has been introduced into the legislature jointly by Rep resentatives E. R. Fatland and Giles French. Mr. Smouse discussed the trip taken to Douglas county, Wash ington, last spring by twenty-six farmers from Morrow county to ob serve farming methods around Wa terville, which have been very ef fective in controlling blows, and have resulted in the reclaiming of thous ands of acres of land formerly aban doned as being too light and too dry to farm. Following the luncheon, served by the ladies of the Lexington grange, a series of lantern slides made from pictures taken within Morrow coun ty were shown by Joe Belanger, county agent. These slides were on two main subjects wind erosion and water erosion, and served as a basis for the afternoon discussion. While the meeting was essentially of a dis cussion nature and with no attempt being made to arrive at one solution of all difficulties, nevertheless, out of the whole discussion one fact stood out plainly, that being that trash on the surface and in the top few inches of the soil is the most ef- Contlnued on Page Seven 23 Inches of Snow, 1 .55 Inches Moisture Total snowfall in Heppner for Jan uary measured 23 inches, reports Len L. Gilliam, government weather observer. Total moisture content was given at 1.55 inches. High winds last night and again today continued the thaw with slight evidence of run-off from the hills, the water apparently being almost all absorbed by the thirsty ground. Charles Becket was in town Fri day, just getting back from a trip to Portland, and was not able to get to the farm in Eight Mile due to the roads being closed by snow. COUNTY RAISES $522 IN DRIVE Incomplete Returns Almost Double County Quota for Eastern Flood Victims. A total of $522.38 had been sent yesterday to national Red Cross headquarters from Morrow county, reported R. Allan Bean, county chap ter chairman. Several points had not yet been heard from and indi vidual contributions were still com ing in with promise that the county quota of $300 would be doubled. Indicative of the humanitarian spirit in the county were several contributions of more than $20. Those reporting with amounts from each place, yesterday, to make up the total of $522.38 were: ' R. Allan Bean, Heppner $192.31 W. D. Campbell, Lexington 123.52 Mrs. T. E. Peterson, lone .... 125.30 Mrs. Herbert Hynd, Cecil .... 27.75 Tom Caldwell, Irrigon 16.00 Mrs. Zoe Bauernfeind, Mor gan 27.00 Mrs. E. E. Rugg, Rhea Creek 15.00 Mr. Bean complimented the spon taneous response of Morrow county people. Much of the money was given voluntarily without solicita tion. There is still no limit in sight to the amount of relief which may be required as rehabilitation has only started. Farmers to Hear 1937 Program Explained A county-wide meeting of farm ers has been called at Leach hall, Lexington, Friday, Feb. 12, begin ning at 1:30 p. m., to hear explana tion of the 1937 agricultural conser vation program, announces Joseph Belanger, county agent. All sections except Boardman and Irrigori are asked to attend. "In some ways the new program is simpler than last year's. In other ways it is more complicated," Belan ger said. "Work sheets signed for last years propram will carry over for this year, so those who filled out work sheets last year will not need to do so for 1937. "In general, the same practices which qualified a man for payment in 1936 will be the same for 1937 with one notable exception," said Belanger. The exception, he em phasized, is, "In 1937 wheat cannot be plowed down as a green manure crop. Rye is the only one of the small grains that can be plowed down to qualify as green manure. Crested wheat grass seeded for 1936 compliance qualifies for exactly the same payment in 1937 even where no additional seeding is made." President's Ball Nets County $93 With total receipts of $200. and ex penses of $65.75, the net return from the President s Ball Saturday eve ning was $134.25, of which 70 percent or $93.97 remains in Morrow coun ty to combat infantile paralysis, an nounces Dr. A. D. McMurdo, chair man of the event. The ball was well attended considering the severe weather, and Dr. McMurdo thanks the public and his helpers for the fine showing. Expenses included $36.50 for or chestra, $22.50 for hall rent and $6.75 for incidentals. A feature of the evening was the cake sale, with V. R. Runnion as auctioneer. Each of the six cakes averaged more than $3 selling for a total of $18.50. Those making cakes were Mrs. Annie Clowry, Miss Mildred Clowry, Mrs. Paul Hisler, Mrs. Dennis McNamee. Mrs. H. O. Tenney and Mrs. A. D. McMurdo. GROUNDHOG ACTS. The result of Mr. Groundhog's work was quickly seen in Heppner Tuesday. After brilliant sunshine for a time in the morning, the skies became overcast shortly after noon and by the middle of the afternoon winter had started on another six long weeks with a fall of fine snow. Subscription $2.00 a Year Mahoney to Salem In Interests of Flood Control Court Gives $50 to Work for Appropria tion for Engineer. Hoping for an appropriation to assist the state engineer in taking preliminary steps toward establish ment of a flood control district in Morrow county, the county court yesterday voted $50 expense money to P. W. Mahoney whom they asked to go to Salem, to work for the ap propriation. . Mr. Mahoney, head of a citizen's committee appointed some time ago to work for construction of flood control dams on Willow and Rhea creeks, and S. E. Notson, Lions club representative, appeared before the court and told the story which led to the court's action. Army engineers have already made surveys and drawn up specifications for two flood control dams, one at the Scherzinger place on Rhea creek and the other just below the mouth ,of Balm fork on Willow creek, Mr. Mahoney explained. However, be fore the government will consider further action, it requires that some competent authority provide the necessary sites and assume the up keep after the dams are constructed. Then, if the projects are okehed, the government will stand the cost of dam construction. Advice from State Engineer C. E. Stricklin a few months ago indicat ed the proper course for providing the local administrative authority was the organization of a flood con trol district. A state law provides for setting up such districts, and authorizes the engineer to call an election on being served with a peti tion signed by ten property holders within the territory proposed to be included in a district. Such expense is authorized to ba defrayed from "proper funds in the hands of the state engineer if such, funds are available." The hitch comes, Mr. Mahoney explained, because no funds for the purpose have hereto fore been appropriated. He had been given the assurance of Mr. Stricklin that his office was willing to cooperate in every way possible, but that it could do nothing toward organizing the district until funds were made available. It is for the purpose of getting such funds, if possible, that the court felt justi fied in paying Mr. Mahoney's ex penses to Salem. Mr. Mahoney ex pects to leave Monday. The committee stressed, and the court acquiesced in the assertion that past flood experiences here, includ ing the major disaster of 1903 when 223 lives were lost, prove the ex treme need for the flood control dams. Establishment of the district should a majority of the landowners within the proposed boundaries vote for its establishment if and when the election is called is only a pri mary step in the program. There will still remain the matter of "sell ing" the federal government and complying with all required "red tape." A large popular sentiment in favor of the projects has heretofore been expressed not only by residents of Heppner, but by farmers on the creeks who have many times suf fered losses from flood damage. PRESENTATION DELAYED. Engineer Hayes was unable to make it over from Pendleton Mon day to present the completed draft of the proposed street improve ment project before the council. Closed roads prevented his coming. His draft will be used to make appli cation for PWA assistance. Time of the council was taken up in dis cussion of various departments of city work.