OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC A 'J D I T 0 R I U "
PORTLAND, Q.VE
Volume 53, Number 7.
HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1937.
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Mxmm
Month Drive on
Crows, Magpies
Starts Sunday
Hunters and Anglers
Club Sets Contest;
Bounty for Kiddies.
After Sunday, if you see a bunch
of skinned up faces among the gen
try of the town, don't believe that
open war has been declared by all
the longer fingernailed halves of the
various households. More than like
ly all such abrasions will have been
the result of contact with the pro
tective armor of the thorn bush in
the send-off Sunday of the Morrow
County Hunters and Anglers club
contest to ferret out the nests of
crows and magpies.
Final arrangements to carry on a
concerted drive until May 25 against
the game bird enemies were com
pleted yesterday when names of two
teams to compete in the contest
were released by L. E. Bisbee and
Chas. B. Cox, the club committee.
In addition, children up to 16 years
of age are offered cash bounties and
prizes for bringing in eggs and legs
of the predators.
As long as its money lasts, the club
will pay one cent bounty for each
crow or magpie egg, and 3 cents for
each two legs delivered at the
Heppner Garage. Cash will be paid
on delivery to any boy or girl 16
years of age or under. Besides the
cash bounty, to the boy or girl bring
ing in the highest value in eggs and
legs at the bounty rate, will be giv
en a .410 repeating shotgun. The
boy or girl bringing in the next
highest value in trophies will receive
a .22 rifle, and another .22 rifle will
be given the third place competitor.
The guns were given by Ben Pat
terson, Dr. A. D. McMurdo, and
Green and Gilliam & Bisbee hard
ware stores.
The club contestants will compete
for a dinner to be given the winning
side by the losers after the close of
the contest, May 25. Mark Merrill,
.club president, and J. Logie Rich
ardson will captain the competing
teams. Each captain will keep track
of his own team's take of eggs and
kill of birds, and the two captains
will agree upon the nature of the
dinner. Contestants on both sides
have declared that if they win they
want to eat more than bird legs. In
scoring the teams' take, each old
bird killed will count 10 points, and
each young bird and each egg taken
will count 5 points. The starting
line-up includes 37 members in each
team, as follows:
Merrill team: Carl Allyn, L. E.
Bisbee, Geo. Bleakman, Luke Bibby,
Lloyd Burkenbine, Warren Blakely,
Burl Coxen, W. R. Corley, Ed Clark,
Earl Eskelson, Jack Ferris, Gene
Ferguson, Wm. Greener, Len Gil
liam, Herman Green, E. E. Gonty,
J. L. Gault, Myron Huston, Robert
A. Jones, C. A. Kane, Estes Morton,
Ralph Beamer, Earl Bryant, W. Y.
Ball, Joe Belanger, W. O. Bayless,
Ben Cox, Bill Cox, W. C. Cox, Lester
Doolittle, Norman Florence, How
ard Furlong, W. E. Francis, Ray
mond Ferguson, Earl Gilliam, Cor
nett Green.
Richardson team: Claude Graham,
John Hanna, H. E. Happold, Ollie
Kincaid, Vivian Kane, Jack Morton,
Bert Mason, Lucille McDuffee, Nor
man Nelson, Kenneth Oviatt, R. C.
Phelps, L. H. Rill, H. V. Smouse, F.
C. Tolleson, Lowell Turner, Jim
Thomson, Jr., Chas. Cox, John Tur
ner, D. A. Wilson, J. J. Wightman,
Mike Roberts, P. W. Mahoney, Dr.
J. H. McCrady, Ray Oviatt, Ben Pat
terson, Lotus Robison, Dr. R. M.
Rice, Esten Stevens, R. A. Thompson,
Dr. L. D. Tibbies, Curtis Thomson,
Frank Turner, F. Wehmeyer, Dr. A.
D. McMurdo, Jap Crawford, Chas.
Vaughn.
Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Thomson, Jr.,
motored to Portland Sunday, re
turning home last evening.
Smouse Heads New
Blow Control District
H. V. Smouse of lone was elected
president of the new Morrow County
Wind Erosion Control district, and
R. B. Rice, secretary, at a meeting
of the board of directors following
the organization meeting called by
the county court at Lexington grange
hall Saturday. The meeting held at
10 o'clock was attended by 14 resi
dents of the district who elected
Smouse, Rice, Omar Rietmann and
William J. Doherty as directors.
Smouse and Rietmann were elected
for two years and Rice and Doherty
for one year. The meeting recom
mended to the court that each di
rector be named an inspector in lieu
of one inspector for the entire dis
trict. This would cut travelling ex
pense and give better service as each
director would be better qualified
than anyone else to judge conditions
in his own section, it was stated.
Attending besides those named as
directors were Fred Mankin, Fred
Fulgham, A. H. Nelson, O. W. Cuts
forth, Charles Marquardt, Louis
Marquardt, M. J. Fitzpatrick, S. J.
Devine, Tom Craig, Alec Lindsay
and Frank Saling. Joseph Belan
ger, county agent, assisted as tem
porary secretary.
Mrs. Robert Smith
Dies in Portland
Mrs. Robert (Lyda J.) Smith,, for
many years a resident of the lone
section, died at St. Vincent's hospital
in Portland last Saturday, follow
ing a two -months' illness. Inter
ment was in Lincoln Memorial Park
mausoleum in Portland, Monday.
Mrs. Smith was born January 24,
1873, in Shemogue, New Brunswick,
Canada. She was married to Rob
ert Smith in 1896, coming to Ore
gon at that time. Surviving besides
the husband, are the children, Dix
on, Hugh, Harvey and Bonita . of
lone, and Mrs. Dan O'Hara of Kin
zua. The family has wheat farmed
on a large scale in the lone section
for many years, and Mrs. Smith
gained the love and respect of all
who knew her. The sympathy of
the entire community is extended
the bereaved family.
Plunge Benefit
Coming May 7th
A school entertainment, including
presentation of two one-act plays,
is announced for May 7 as a benefit
for the swimming tank fund. The
plays, "Uncle Bob's Bride" and
"Don't Tell My Wife," are being pre
pared by the public speaking de
partment under direction of Nor
bert Peavy, instructor, says Alden
Blankenship, superintendent. The
Lions quartet has been invited to
sing as another feature.
Lending their full support to the
venture, Heppner merchants have
signified their willingness to con
tribute a generous list of door prizes,
giving added incentive for everyone
to attend.
Band Appearance
Slated for Saturday
Its first appearance since the state
contest at Corvallis two weeks ago
will be made by the school band
Saturday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock
weather permitting, announces Har
old Buhman, director.
The band will appear at the prin
cipal intersections on Main street in
the customary manner, but Mr. Buh
man said the usual "passing of the
hat" would be skipped.
LEGION HEADS HERE.
Guy Cordon, state commander,
Carl Moser, state adjutant, and Ray
Dukek of Condon, commander of
district six, American Legian, were
honored guests of Heppner post at a
special meeting last night. Com
mander Cordon spoke to the high
school student body at 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon, and commend
ed them for their fine attention. W.
M. Lemmon, field representative of
the Veterans State Aid commission,
was also a guest.
Old Ties Recalled
By Costly Fire
At Canyon City
Hard Hit Grant Seat
Once Served by Local
Stage; Heroism Told.
Much of historic Canyon City was
erased by fire Monday night. The
blaze, first discovered in large wooden-framed
Elkhorn hotel, stopping
place for early day stage and pony
express service from Heppner, was
of undetermined origin. Before be
ing subdued by combined fire de
partments of Canyon, John Day and
Prairie City, it had consumed the
fraternal hall, the Blue Mountain
Eagle newspaper office, telephone of
fice, Pastime pool room, drug store
and bakery, Canyon City Mercantile
store and an oil station, reports say.
Untouched were the Grant county
court house and the little log cabin
where Joaquin Miller, famous bard,
resided in the halycon gold rush days
which gave the little city in the can
yon a romantic history not excelled
by any pioneer western settlement.
Heppner and Morrow county have
a sympathetic interest in the mis
fortune of the Grant county city.
In the day when George Bleakman
drove the mail stage from Heppner
through Canyon City to Burns, a
close friendship between the fron
tier towns was formed. Though the
intervening years have brought less
in common, as different mail and
trade routes have been established,
the old ties are not forgotten. Hepp
ner, too, can sympathize with any
city that suffers fire disaster, for it
has had its share as many landmarks
of the good old days here went the
same way.
The independent and progressive
spirit that has marked Canyon peo
ple throughout the years is evidenced
again as plans for rebuilding progress
even while the embers smoulder.
Heroism midst the flames is told in
the telephone operator holding her
post almost as the hungry flames
lapped her cheeks, and by that vet
eran newspaperman, Clint P. Haight
he who, as state legislator, made the
coyotes to howl at Salem rushing
forthwith to John Day town to as
sist in issuing a fire extra.
The estimated $150,000 proerty loss
at Canyon City will not include de
struction of many historical records
of great intrinsic value on which a
price may not be placed. Such a
fire wreaks much havoc. But as a
new and greater Chicago rose from
ashes of its memorable fire, so may
Canyon City rebuild for the better.
That is the hope of Morrow county
friends. Certain it is that Canyon
people are not the kind to readily
admit defeat.
Guard Rail on
School Curve at
Last Brings Relief
Those who carry the destinies of
the school on their shoulders
breathed a sigh of relief this week.
And no more will teachers and pu
pils cringe every time an automo
bile is seen approaching the high
way curve at the schoolhouse.
For completed at last is the
guard rail which has been sought
for several years. State highway
workers finished the job this week,
and Alden Blankenship, superin
tendent, conveyed thanks of the
school to the district highway su
pervisor. COMMUNITY SALE SET.
Lexington grange announces the
staging of a community auction sale
at its hall, Wednesday, May 5. Ev
eryone is invited to bring anything
for sale. Watch Gazette Times next
week for particulars.
There will be no meeting of the
American Legion Auxiliary Tues
day afternoon, April 27.
Teachers Elected
For Coming Year
Alden Blankenship will head the
local schools as superintendent again
next year, and all of the present
staff will be on hand with the ex
ception of Miss Phyllis Jane Pollock,
third grade, Miss Dirothy Peterson,
home economics, and Randall
Grimes, Smith-Hughes, according to
announcement of the board.
Miss Pollock has accepted a posi
tion in The Dalles, and resignations
have been tendered by Miss Peterson
and Mr. Grimes. Miss Mary White
will be shifted from the sixth to the
third grade, leaving the sixth grade
vacancy to be filled by a man. The
home economics and Smith-Hughes
positions are yet to be filled. Re
elected were Miss Neva Neill, first
grade; Mrs. Elizabeth Dix, second
grade; Miss Mary White, third
grade; Miss Mae Doherty, fourth
grade; Miss Elta Dale, fifth grade;
Miss Juanita Leathers, seventh
grade; Harold Buhman, eighth grade
and grade principal; Henry Tetz,
athletic director; Norbert Peavy,
English and mathematics; Miss Kath
ryn Mitchell, business education and
history.
Commencement Set
May 21 for Seniors
With Professor W. A. Dahlberg of
the University of Oregon speech de
partment slated as speaker, plans are
well under way for graduation of a
probable 27 seniors of Heppner high
school Friday evening, May 21, an
nounces Alden Blankenship, super
intendent.
Those expected to make up the
list of graduates, barring eventual
ities as to full compliance with all
graduation requirements, are Louise
Anderson, Lois Ashbaugh, Dora
Bailey, Norma Jean Beckett, Neva
Bleakman, Paul Brown, Gerald Ca
son, Necha Coblantz, Ruth Cowins,
Charles Cox, Elsie Crump, Mae Ed
mundson, Rosanna Farley, Leonard
Gilman, Fred Hoskins, Norton King,
Wm. McCaleb, Louise McFerrin
Riley Munkers, Kathryn Parker,
Marjorie Parker, Andrew Srioun,
Donald Turner, Beth Vance, Erma
Van Schoiack, Helen Van Schoiack,
Ellis Williams.
School Open House
Set Tomorrow Night
All patrons and friends of the
school are invited by Alden Blank
enship, superintendent, to attend the
annual open house slated for to
morrow (Friday) evening.
The school buildings will be open
at 7 o'clock, and a program will be
presented in the gym at 8. Exhibits
in all rooms and the program will
display many accomplishments of
the school year as well as provide
pleasurable entertainment. For the
benefit of those unable to visit the
school building before the program
it will be kept open a half hour af
ter the program.
Grade Tracksters
Third at Umatilla
Coach Henry Tetz and his four
man team emerged with third place
honors at the grade school invita
tional track meet held at Umatilla
Saturday. Local boys competing
were Harry O'Donnell, Jack Vaughn,
Norval Osborne and Donald Bennett.
Heppner was unable to enter all
events with the restricted team, and
Coach Tetz feels the showing re
flects credit upon the boys partici
pating. Umatilla placed first and
Hermiston second. Boadman, Ar
lington and Irrigon also took part.
STATE OFFICERS VISIT.
Mrs. Blanche Jones, Sherwood,
state department president, and Mrs.
Mae Waters, Salem, state depart
ment vice-president, American Le
gion auxiliary, were honored guests
last evening at party tendered
them by local unit members at the
home of Mrs. Alva Jones, president.
Food sale by Methodist ladies,
Case Fur. store, Saturday, 1. p. m.
Site for Forest
Headquarters
Talked by Council
New Garage Permit
Granted; Streets,
Swimming Tank Up.
Announced probability of an ad
ministration unit of the Umatilla
National forest beine located in
Heppner, providing a site is made
available, has led to. favorable con
sideration being given the matter by
county and city governments. At
council meeting Monday evening,
Judge Bert Johnson told city dads
that the court was favorably inclined
toward letting a block of county-
owned land in the city go for the
purpose provided the city would
stand half the cost of what is deter
mined to be a reasonable value for
the property.
F. F. Wehmeyer, local raneer. aD-
peared before the council and an
swered some questions in regard to
the matter. The administration unit
would include an office, warehouse,
service station, four residences and
other buildings when completed, and
its construction would probably re
sult in permanent establishment of
the district administrative headquar
ters in Heppner. Construction of
the unit was originally planned for
Kock bpnngs m the forest, but con
sideration of building it in Heppner
instead is being given because of ad
vantages which its location here
would bring. Further consideration
of the matter by the council was
left in the hands of the committee
on streets and public property, in
cluding Councilmen Wilson, Morton
and Ferguson. ,
Ed Dick, on application, was grant
ed a permit to construct a one -story
garage building of stucco and wire
lath construction, at the corner of
Main and May streets at an estimat
ed cost of $10,000.
General sentiment of the council
favored holding a special bond elec
tion to carry out the proposed street
paving program this year in case a
PWA grant were not forthcoming.
Indication that PWA grants this year
would not be made on the same ba
sis as formerly was given in a re
port from League of Oregon . Cities.
Latest information from Washington
was to the effect that PWA grants
would be made on the basis of
amount of relief labor used, proba
bly 133 or 115 percent of the amount
of such labor, instead of an outright
45 percent of the total cost of the
I project as previously, the report
said. Discussion brought out the
fact that the total project could be
completed much cheaper at one time,
and that it would be economy to
vote bonds for the additional over
the $8000 included in this year's
budget so that it could all be let in
one contract.
Councilman Tibbies told of the
proffer of CCC labor in constructing
a swimming pool for the city pro
viding its use would be made avail
able to camp enrollees. While some
sentiment was expressed against the
city administering the pool, if and
when it is constructed, it was the
opinion of the council that CCC boys
would be entitled to use it the same
as anyone else on compliance with
rules which would govern all pool
users. Tibbies further reported that
$1000 had been pledged so far toward
the pool's construction, with proba
bility of raising by this method at
least another $1000 of the $3000
needed. On suggestion that the city
stand the last $1000 of the cost as
the lowest figure at which the city
could ever hope to have a pool, ob
jection was raised that no money was
available in the budget at this time,
and it was further suggested that it
would be advisable to make sure of
an adequate water supply first. An
other suggestion was made that the
swimming pool matter be presented
to the voters if a special election
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