OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC A "J D I T 0 R I 'J ''
PORTLAND, ORE.
Volume 53, Number 31
HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCT. 7, 1937
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Forest Camp Move
Brings Lions' Aid;
Funds Being Asked
State Inspector Tells
of Local Street Im
provement Work
Additional impetus to the move to
procure the site for the proposed
forest camp in Heppner was given
at the Monday Lions luncheon when
F. W. Turner and Spencer Crawford
were appointed on a committee to
assist in solicitation of $250 for pro
curing a privately - owned tract
needed to fulfill the forest service
desires. t
It was reported to the club that the
owner of the private tract had
placed a deed in escrow awaiting
payment of the $250 for obtaining
the last of the needed property to
round out the desired site. Ar
rangements had been previously
made with the county court to ob
tain the balance of the site from
tax-foreclosed parcels, with transfer
to be made as soon as a few legal
technicalities are cleared up. Word
from the forest service was that there
is good possibility of work starting
on the camp this fall if ear1 y ac
quisition of the property can be ef
fected. That it was necessary to procure
the $250 by popular subscription was
reported, as word of the county
court and city council was that they
had already gone as far as they felt
justified in making the site avail
able. The city had already author
ized payment of $250 to the county
to obtain the tax-foreclosed proper
ty, and the county made a consider
able sacrifice in giving this knock
down price.
V. F. Buttervitch, state inspector
on the new street work, was a club
guest and gave an insight into the
nature of the, work just completed.
He believed that the city had ob
tained a good job throughout, though
the contract had been overrun in or
der to improve appearance and to
meet the demand for added work.
An overrun of 360 yards in base
work was encountered through the
necessity of bolstering up soft places
in the bed which had not been con
templated, and another 500-yard ov
errun was brought about in the wi
dening of wings and extensions on
some streets which was done on re
quest of the city.
The O-ll type of construction used
he said was the same as that gener
ally used by the state, calling for
the laying of tack coat of oil ahead
of the base rock, another coat of
oil on the base ahead of the key
rock, then another coat of different
oil ahead of the seal coat. The dust
on top, he said is not expected to
become a part of the permanent sur
face, but is used only to protect the
surface while it is curing. Eventu
ally this dust will all work off the
surfacing, and in the meantime some
alarm may be felt because of the un
even surface which will develop for
a time. When the surfacing becomes
finally cured and sealed, however,
it will have an even, non-skid fin
ish.
Mr. Buttervitch obtained a leave
of absence from his work with the
state highway department to su
pervise the local job for Frank
Hayes, engineer.
WEDDINGS SUNDAY
Two weddings of interest to many
local mends are announced tor the
coming Sunday. Miss Hazel Padberg
of lone will become the bride of Mr.
Terrel Benge of this city, and Miss
Vallis Jones of this city will marry
Mr. Norman Washburne of Milton
in the two ceremonies.
J. Logie Richardson took in the
big livestock show while in Port
land the end of the week to visit his
family, and reports an exceptionally
fine show in all departments this
year.
MRS. SHURTE LONG
WAS EDUCATOR
Former County School Superin
tendent Passes; Was Pioneer
Teacher in Morrow County
Funeral rites were held at Arling
ton yesterday for Lena Snell Shurte,
pioneer eastern Oregon educator
who held the position of superinten
dent of Morrow county schools for
many years, and aunt of Earl W.
Snell, secretary of state. Mrs. Shurte
died at a Portland hospital Monday
following a six weeks' illness.
Two sisters, Mrs. Earl Weatherford
and Mrs. Lillian Wheelhouse, both
of Arlington, survive, besides the
nephew who is the state's secretary.
Mrs. Shurte was a pioneer school
teacher in both Morrow and Uma
tilla counties. She succeeded the late
S. E. Notson as county school super
intendent, serving for 8 years from
1916 to 1924. Following retirement
from the office she had resided at
Arlington up to the time of her last
illness.
Check-Writers Can
Save Selves Grief
and County Money
The county has been besieged
with bad checks in recent months,
and much of the trouble can be
laid at the doors of persons issu
ing the checks, says Judge Bert
Johnson.
The county's interest in the
matter is more than passive, as
each month the court is confronted
with a considerable traveling ex
pense bill from the sheriff with
item after item dubbed "bad
check."
Judge Johnson opines check
writers can save themselves a lot
of grief as well as save the county
money by going to their bankers
and finding out how to write their
checks properly.
Charles W. Reed
Passes at Hood River
Charles W. Reed, brother of Mrs.
Delia M. Corson of lone, died at
Hood River yesterday.
He came to Morrow county in 1884
and located north of lone in the
Four Mile district where he taught
the first school held in that vicinity.
He lived there for about ten years
and then moved to Hood River
where he has since resided. He leaves
a wife and seven children, besides
one brother and two sisters, of whom
one is Mrs. Corson, agent for Pa
cific Telephone and Telegraph com
pany at lone.
Funeral services will be held to
morrow (Friday) at 2:30 p. m-, at
Hood River. He was born at War
rensburg, Mo.. Dec. 20, 1863, and was
aged 73 years. Mrs. Corson is leav
ing lone today to attend the funeral.
TB Test Under Way;
Dr. Odell in Charge
A series of tuberculosis clinics is
under way in the county this week
with Dr. J. M. Odell, superintendent
of the eastern Oregon tuberculosis
hospital at The Dalles, in charge;
Miss Harriet Brenerstall, consultant
from the Oregon Health Association;
Miss Althea Stoneman, county nurse,
and local doctors assisting. Morrow
County Health association is spon
sor. Clinics were held at Boardman
and Irrigon yesterday, today Hard
man is being visited, and tomorrow
Heppner will be host at the school.
Tests are given to anyone at a charge
of 15c. Reactors will be flour oscoped
later. The Star theater is showing a
tuberculosis film last night and to
night as a part of the campaign.
LICENSE ISSUED
A license to wed was isused this
week to Miss Mary Patterson and
Mr. LeGrand H. Guild at the clerk's
office. Miss Patterson is secretary to
J. L. Gault, receiver for local banks,
and Mr. Guild is agronomist with
the soil conservation service.
City to Consider
Street Acceptance
After Bond Sale
Engineer Report Fa
vorable; Forest Site
Matter Discussed
While general satisfaction was ex
pressed by mayor, and councilmen
with the apparent quality of the
street work just completed, and with
the estimable attitude of cooperation
shown by Babler Bros-, contractors,
they were not yet ready to accept
the work at Monday evening's meet
ing. This action will be deferred
until after outcome of the advertised
sale of bonds set for next Saturday
evening.
V. F. Buttervich, state inspector
who supervised the work for Frank
Hayes, engineer, gave a satisfactory
report on the work. Hayes was
also present. The contract calls for
maintenance by the contractors for
several months, and they will make
any repairs needed after an inspec
tion has been made in the spring.
While the council stands ready to
turn over its $250 to the county to
make a site available for location of
the proposed forest camp, city legal
opinion frowned upon appointing a
trustee to receive the property for
turning over to the government lest
such action might leave the city
responsible for standing cost of
clearing up flaws in title. The city
itself cannot accept deed to property
for other than municipal purposes,
the city attorney advised. The coun
ty, on the other hand, must sell the
property to someone under the fore
closure law, and the trustee method
was suggested as a possible way out
Closing half of August street from
the rear of the properties of Dr; A-
D. McMurdo and Dr. L. D. Tibbies,
which has been agreed to by them,
was also deferred in the forest site
action. The closed portion of Aug
ust street would also be thrown into
the site. Street closing action, how
ever, requires the petition of all ad
joining property holders, and pre
sent status of ownership complicates
the situation, the attorney believed
In connection with the removal of
the Slocum buildings at Main and
Center streets, it was reported that
L. D. Neill had made arrangements
with the owners to remove them for
the material and that work of raz
ing would start soon-
FFA Judging Team
Places at Exposition
Heppner chapter FFA judging
team tied for fourth place in Jersey
judging in the northwest and placed
eleventh among Oregon teams at the
Pacific International Livestock ex
position in Portland last week end.
Boys making the trip with W. S
Bennett, instructor, were Wilbur
Worden, Johnny Hays,, Bob David
son and Leland Edmondson. They
went down Friday and remained
over Sunday.
Another year's experience and
the local boys hope to be among the
leaders. This week, Marvin Casebeer,
chapter president, was elected as a
delegate to the national convention
to be held at Kansas City, Mo. This
year is the tenth anniversary of the
Future Farmers of America.
INSTALLS LUNCH COUNTER
H. T. O'Donnell is installing a new
lunch counter of Japanese garden
effect in the space recently vacated
by Mark Merrill at his pastime. He
was in Portland this week purchas
ing equipment. The carpenter work
is nearing completion and he expects
to have everything in readiness for
opening within a short time.
Miss Frances Rugg was in the city
Tuesday while visiting at the home
of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E.
Rugg, on Rhea creek, having come
from Forest Grove where she has
held a position for some time.
J. W. BECKET CAME
TO COUNTY IN 1886
Funeral Rites Held at Portland;
Elected Commissioner 1896;
Retired to City in 1966
Morrow county relatives and
friends joined in paying tribute at
funeral rites in Portland yesterday
for J. W. Becket, pioneer wheat far
mer of the Eight Mile section who
died at his home in the city Wed
nesday last week. Funeral rites were
held from Rose & Son funeral chapel
yesterday afternoon followed by in
terment in Rose City cemetery be
side the grave of Mrs- Becket who
died four years ago.
John William Becket was born in
Jeffersonville, Indiana, April 5, 1854,
the son of Corneliu"s and Sarilda
(Clark) Becket, natives of the same
state. As a child three years of age
he accompanied his parents to Illin
ois, where 11 years of his life was
spent before going to Missouri in
1869. He remained in Missouri until
1880, when he first came to Oregon.
Locating at Weston, he "followed
carpentering and teaming for five
years, at the end of which time he
took the homestead near Eight Mile
center in this county which was the
nucleus of his successful wheat
farming operations for many years.
It was while farming in Missouri
that Mr. Becket married Miss Cath
erine Stall whose home was in Cass
county, that state, on January 1,
1876. Eight children were born to
this union, three being daughters;
one daughter and three sons are liv
ing. From the time of their mar
riage, Mrs. Becket was his constant
companion and helpmate until her
death four years ago.
Mr. Becket was elected county
commissioner in 1896 and served in
that capacity for two years. He once
ran for sheriff on the republican
ticket and was defeated by a few
votes.
Mr. and Mrs. Becket retired from
the farm in 1906 when they moved
to Portland to make their home, and
where each resided until the time
of death. Annual pilgrimages were
made back to the county, however,
where Mr. Becket maintained a keen
interest in affairs.
As Mr. Becket's father was a
cooper and carpenter by trade, so
he, also, followed the art of carpen
tering. In his young manhood it was
part of his source of livelihood, but
in later life it became more of a
hobby. Mr. Becket received much
enjoyment in making a large cabinet
clock for each of his children after
his retirement from the farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Becket and
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Becket and
daughter Florence were recalled
from a trip east to attend funeral
services, and Johnny Becket came
from Washington, D. C, where he is
stationed as a major with the U. S
Marines. Son John is a member of
the mythical all-time all-star Uni
versity of Oregon football team,
where he reached the apex of his
glorious football career in 1916. The
sons Walter and Charley are farm
ers in Eight Mile, whose operations
include land formerly farmed by
their father. These sons and one
daughter, Mary, survive.
Oddfellows Meet Here
On 13th; at lone 14th
In reporting the joint meetings of
Oddfellows to be held at Heppner
and lone, this paper inadvertantly
got the dates for the two meetings
switched last week. The meeting for
Heppner and Hardman lodges will
be at Heppner next Wednesday, the
13th, and the meeting for Lexing
ton, lone and Morgan lodges will be
at lone the following evening, Oct.
14th.
Howard K. Zimmerman, grand
master, will be present at each of
the meetings to make an official vis
itation and to bring a message said
to be of interest to all Oddfellows.
Attendance of all members of the
order is urged by Wm. A. Morand,
grand secretary, in making the announcement.
Morrow Farmers
Add Voices for
More Crop Control
Delegation Attends
Senate Sub-Committee
Spokane Hearing
Five Morrow county farmers with
E. Harvey Miller as spokesman
joined representative farmers from
eastern Washington, eastern Ore
gon, Idaho and Nevada in voicing
approval of continued federal crop
control legislation in a hearing be
fore the senate sub-committee on
agriculture at Spokane, Saturday.
Senators McGill of Kansas, Pope of
Idaho, Frazier of North Dakota and
Ellender of Louisiana conducted
the hearing and led discussion of the
bill now before congress which is
patterned after the measure proposed
by the Farm Bureau. Peter Zim
merman, representing the grange,
and Mac Hoke, president of the Ore
gon Farm Bureau federation, were
among noted farm leaders in attend
ance. The hearing was one of a series of
many being held in all agricultural
regions of the country.
The Morrow county delegation,
including Mr. Miller, George N.
Peck, A. H. Nelson, Henry Smouse,
Frank Saling, met before the hear
ing and named Mr. Miller spokes
man for this county.
A very definite majority of the
farmers attending expressed them
selves as favoring some measure of
continued federal control of crop
production, said Mr. Miller.
In the daily press this week, Pres
ident Roosevelt was repferted to have
stated the possibility of calling a
special session of congress for deal
ing with crop control legislation,
need for which was said to have
been brought forcibly to his atten
tion on his recent western trip.
Many Local People
In Church Play Sunday
"Prisoner at the Bar," widely her
alded "murder trial" with a cast in
cluding 21 prominent local citizens,
will be presented at the Church of
Christ next Sunday night at 7:30
under the sponsorship of local prot-'
estant churches-
With Hayward H. Johnson of
Portland as the prisoner who under
influence of liquor has "killed" his
wife and left three motherless chil
dren, the temperance play deals with
the story of a returned soldier, in
fluenced by wet repeal propaganda
and trapped by the modern liquor
sales system. Admission will be
free, with voluntary offering.
Included in the cast are Marvin
Dixon, judge; J. O. Turner, prose
cuting attorney; C. J. D. Bauman,
defense attorney; Dariene Wise,
prisoner's little daughter; Homer
Hayes, sheriff; M. L. Case, finger
print expert; C. W. Barlow, court
clerk; Rose Leibbrand, star witness:
E. R. Huston, court bailiff; sum
moned on jury, C. N. Jones, L. W.
Briggs, W. O. Dix, Mrs. Lucy Rod
gers, Mrs. A. D. McMurdo. Mrs. E.
L. Morton, Mrs. Claude Cox, Alex
Green, Clara Beamer, Leta Humph
reys, Mrs. John Wightman. John
Anglin.
A general invitation is extended
to the public to attend.
PIERCES TO SPEAK
Morrow County Pomona grange
will meet at the hall at Lena Satur
day, Oct 9, with a business meeting
called in the morning, lunch at noon
and Droeram in the afternoon tn
which the public is invited. Walter
M. Pierce, representative in congress,
and Mrs. Pierce will be speakers.
Fifth degree will be conferred upon
candidates in the evening by Rhea
Creek grange.
Dr. R. M. Rice is confined at home
by illness.