OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC AUDITORIUM
PORTIA
0 H T,
Volume 54, Number 21
"Dave" Stephens
Honored at Banquet
By Wheat League
Experiment Director
Goes to Washington
for National Job
Signal recognition of D. E. Steph
ens' contribution to wheatgrowing
in eastern Oregon was given at Ar
lington Saturday evening when 75
farmers and fellow service workers
joined in a banquet sponsored by
Eastern Oregon Wheat league. The
event was in the nature of a send-off
as Mr. Stephens left for Washington,
D. C, to assume his new position as
national coordinator of the bureau of
plant pathology of the department of
agriculture and the soil conservation
service of the department of inter
ior, a promotion gained by recogni
tion of his meritorious work with the
wheat demonstration" farm at Moro
for the last 26 years.
George Peck of Lexington, league
president, as toastmaster called upon
the speakers of the evening, of whom
Mac Hoke of Umatilla county gave
the headline address. Having worked
intimately with Mr. Stephens for
several years as one of the state's
earlier county agent in Wallowa
county, Hoke drew upon his long
association with the honored man to
complete a beautiful tribute to that
man's successful endeavors which
brought revolutionary practices to
wheatraising throughout the Inland
Empire. Hoke, as did other speak
ers of the evening, credited "Dave"
Stephens with bringing new varie
ties of wheat, including White Fed
eration, Rex and Oro that spelled the
difference between profit and diS'
aster to wheatraising of the entire
region. Stephens was cited as the
first to plant crested wheat grass,
leading the way for the spread of
this invaluable grass in the last few
years. Under Stephens' guidance the
Moro station was created and nur
tured to the place where it became
the wheatraiser's "bible" for refer'
ence as to all the best practices, the
speaker said.
Dean W. A. Schoenfeld, director
of agricultural extension service in
Oregon, commended Stephens for
having the breadth of vision required
for his new position of high respon
sibility. He credited the man from
Moro with having the true scientific
perspective that puts all things in
their proper relationship, and he
commended the new coordinator
with having done a hard job ex
ceedingly well at the experiment
station.
Still further tribute to the hon
ored man was paid by F. L. Ballard,
known as the "grand old man" of the
extension service and vice-director
of extension, and further recogni
tion was given by C. W. Smith,
league secretary, and by farm lead
ers of each of the counties repre
sented. E. H. Miller responded for
Morrow county, and others were
Carl Engdahl, Umatilla; Ward Far
rell, Jefferson; John Withycombe,
Gilliam; Frank McKennon, Union:
Angus McLeod, Wasco; but no more
appealing tribute was given than
that by Harry Proudfoot of Sherman
county, who termed Stephens as just
one of the fellow townsmen at Moro
whom it is going to be mighty hard
to do without. All, however, ex
pressed gratitude that their friend's
efforts had received a worthy reward
from high places. .
On his own behalf, Mr. Stephens
expressed regret, saying that he did
'nt want to go when f irsh approached
in fact had refused, but when he
had been convinced that he might
serve a little better at the nation's
capital, he weakened. He assured
that the wheat problems in Oregon
would have his heartfelt interest at
all times.
Attending the banquet from this
county were E. H. Miller, Orville
Cutsforth, R. B. Rice, George Peck
C. E. Carlson, Oscar Peterson, J. 0,
Kincaid, Henry Baker, Oral Scott,
Heppner,
o NEWSY
o NEWS
VIEWS
(As gleaned by Paul McCarty
at the Heppner Hotel desk)
Latest developments on the Ro
deo, which heretofore have not been
made public . . . The queen of the
1938 Heppner Rodeo will be chosen
this week, and it is possible that her
highness' name will be disclosed at
either the Lena dance this Saturday
or at lone the following week.
Just a hint as to one of the decid
ing factors in picking the Heppner
Rodeo queen ... no definite pat
tern in the selection has been an
nounced; however, one point, which
the Rodeo asosciation deemed of ut
most importance, was decided upon
. that to be used in choosing the
queen concerns tne parentage or
each candidate in regard to the
pioneer aspect ... in other wrds the
pionoer stock of the princesses' par
ents and relatvies will be a main
point in deciding who will reign as
head of the royal court of "the big'
gest little show of sports of the old
west."
By August 15th the town will be
decorated with the familiar ban
ners, bunting, and flags.
Henry Aiken, president of the Ro
deo, says the parade is all lined up
and will include among its many at
tractions, a wagon drawn by four
white calves , . . this is something
new and seldom found anywhere.
Another enlightening point . . . this
year's show is taking on the ap
pearance of being the most outstand
ing in its history, with inquiries com
ing from riders in southern Calfor
nia and some even from the Long
Acres track at Seattle.
If good music at the Rodeo dances
means anything, then Heppner will
have it . . . bids have already been
received from Andy's Rhythmeers,
local musical troupe, Elmer Steele's
Swing Band from Pendleton which
played last year, and Virginia Lew
is' orchestra, a classy all-girl outfit
. it has been rumored that Eli
Rice's musicians, a nationally known
Harlem orchestra, might be in this
section of the co.untry the last of
August and should they come, an
effort will be made to contast them
in the possibility of their playing the
two-night stand during Rodeo.
Roger Folgate, football and track
Continued on Page Eight
Alumni Manager
To be Here Aug. 24
Oregon State Colleg e Warren
Reid, recently appointed manager of
the Oregon State College Alumni
association, plans to visit alumni in
most counties of the state during
August on his first general trip since
he took over the work. He will visit
Heppner on August 24.
Reid will be accompanied by Jim
Edwards, a' graduate of the college
last June. The two men will contact
local alumni associations where such
are organized and individual alumni
in other places. They will also have
detailed information on the opening
of college this fall for those who
plan to enter Oregon State for the
first time.
IS TRANSFERRED
' Richard Tullar, agronomist with
the local soil conservation service
for more than a year, received no
tice of transfer this week. He will go
to Burns accompanied by his fam
ily. While in Heppner, Mr. Tullar
was generous with his vocal talents
and his singing pleased many audi
ences. Well wishes of many friends
accompany them to their new home,
Marvin R. Wightman came from
Arlington Friday to assist in straight'
ening out at his father's dairy fol
lowing the fire that morning. He
brought a supply of bottle caps. Be
cause of the cloudburst waters of the
night before blocking the highway
at Jordan, he was forced to detour
over the hill road between lone and
Lexington.
Chas. B. Cox, D. M. Ward, Joseph
Belanger, Gene Laer and J. V. Craw
ford.
Oregon, Thursday, August
Parrish Resigns as
Police Chief; New
Reservoir is Plan
Special Vote Likely '
if PWA Favorable;
Flood Menace Aired
Acceptance of the resignation of
Fred Parrish as chief of police and
fire chief was made at the regular
council meeting Monday evening, the
resignation effective as of August 1.
Parrish gave no reason except that
he desired to be relieved of the du
ties. , . i
For the present the council decid
ed to raise Albert Schunk, night po
liceman, to the office held by Par
rish with naming of a successor de
ferred until more consideration could
be given. The names of two appli
cants were mentioned at the meet
ing. An entirely new reservoir instead
ef rehabilitation of the old one as
before considered will be incorpor
ated in the city's water project for
PWA assistance. This was deter
mined when the council accepted
the ' suggestion of L. R. Stockman,
engineer, that the new reservoir
would be the more practicable. His
suggestion was contained in a letter.
It was the opinion of the council
that a special election would be
called to decide upon such projects,
if and when approved by PWA.
That the state will provide addi
tional clearance under the "court
house" bridge if a check-up deter
mines such course necessary was
conveyed in a letter read from Dis
trict Engineer Williams and ad
dressed to Jos. J. Nys, city attorney.
The letter was in reply to one which
Mr. Nys had written calling atten
tion to the fact that a bad flood haz
ard existed because of the narrow
clearance beneath the bridge. If in
vestigation reveals this to be the
case, Williams said an item would
be made in next year's budget to
cover cost of correction.
Business Slump Hits
Hollywood Says Visitor
In his many years selling automo
biles in Hollywood, the movie cap
ital, business was just about the
worst there when he left a few days
ago that he had ever seen it. So said
Walter Duncan who arrived here
Sunday and left on Wednesday ac
companied by his brother, Harry
Duncan, for a week s sojourn at the
coast. The Hollywood visitor was
looking forward to some good Ore
gon fishing as his luck had been
poor so far this season in southern
California. 1
Slow business in the movie induS'
try, about which Hollywood econ
omic life revolves, was given as the
root of the trouble. Mr. Duncan re
ported one large producing firm had
dropped 3000 employees off the pay'
roll just a few days before he left.
The trouble? Short receipts at thea
ter box offices all over the country.
One local effect in Hollywood was
the reduction of all employees of one
larger department store to half-time
basis. Movie extras are doing any
and all kinds of menial labor to keep
their chins up. Picture producers
have completed expensive films that
are on the shelves awaiting a more
opportune season for releasing.
Mr. Duncan claims Clark Gable
as a close friend. And just as a treat
for his brother here he brought
along several Gabe-autographed pic
tures, large ones. One was inscribed,
"To Wallie's kid brother Harry from
Clark."
Mrs. Julia Clark was in the city
the end of the week looking after
business interests and visiting friends
and relatives. She came up from
Hillsboro where she has been with
Mr. Clark for some time in his ill'
ness. Mr. Clark has shown little im
provement since going below, being
bedfast all the time.
4, 1938
When Lightning.
Knocks a Fellow Down,
That's Close Enough
Last Thursday evening's storm
didn't leave any fatalities, but it
gave at least three men a stiff
shock. And the shock is meant lit
erally, from lightning. j
Max Buschke, lookout at Tamar
ack station, probably got it the
worst. He was in the tower when
it was struck by a bolt from the
blue, knocking him unconscious
for an hour. He recovered shortly
and was able to resume work.
Harve Bauman got a stiff jolt
while at work, in the field on his
lower Willow creek farm, when
the jagged electricity hit the earth
at considerable distance.
Howard Evans got it, too. He
was in the same' vicinity as the
Bauman farm, and was just get
ting out of his truck when the
lightning hit about 30 yards away.
It knocked him down. All of which
is a bit too close for comfort, he
averred.
Roy Robinson to
Show Blooded Stock
Roy Robinson who runs one of the
finest herds of purebred beef cattle
in the state on his mountain ranch
south of Hardman will display some
of his prize animals at the fair held
in connection with Rodeo. Aug. 26
27-28. He gave that promise to Jo
seph Belanger, county agent, when
in the city yesterday. Mr. Robinson
made the trip to town to consult a
physician concerning a recent ill
ness, and received encouraging re
port.
To build up the large cattle herd
composed of both polled and horned
Herefords, Mr. Robinson has import
ed breeding stock from many of the
best herds in the country. He mar
kets his animals over a wide dis
trict,, saying that, more are. sold , in
eastern Washington than any other
section, though many buyers are
found in Idaho. His exhibits here
two years ago attracted much in
terest. Prevented by conflicting
dates from exhibiting here last year.
the return this year will be gladly
heralded by lovers of livestock.
West Point Newlyweds
Call at Heppner
Two persons cast in leading roles
at one of those recently widely pub
licized West Point weddings called
on Heppner relatives for a few hours
Tuesday. They were Lt. and Mrs.
James R. Luper who stopped here
on their way from New York to
Portland to visit parents of Mr. Lu'
per, a nephew of Mrs. Leta Babb.
Mr. Luper was a member of the
last West Point graduating class, and
his marriage to Miss Louise Ryder,
daughter of commandant of cadets
at Uncle Sam's military academy.
was a June event. After a month's
visit at Portland and the coast, they
expected to go on to Randolph field,
Texas, where Mr. Luper was to re
port by September 15 to enter flying
school.
An enjoyable trip was reported
across the country, with time taken
out for a visit to Yellowstone Na
tional park.
PET SPANIEL KILLED
Brownie, pet cocker spaniel of Mrs.
Daisy Shively, was killed Tuesday
evening near home when hit by an
automobile. Mrs. Shively was away
from home at the time, and she be
lieves Brownie may have started to
look for her. Several cars were pass
ing when the accident happened, and
it was surmised that Brownie became
confused. If the dog had lived until
the 14th of this month she would
have been 10 years old. Her hearing
and sight had become impaired with
age.
MOTHER CRITICALLY ILL
Mrs. J. J. Nys departed Sunday
morning for Crystal, N. Dak., in re
sponse to word of the critical illness
of her mother, Mrs. P. M. Burke.
The word stated that Mrs. Burke was
not expected to live.
Subscription $2.00 a Year
$15,000 Fire Takes
Barn, Milk House
At Wightman Farm
Loss Partly Insured;
City's Milk Supply
Slightly Interrupted
Fire, believed to have started from
a hot motor in the ice plant, com
pletely razed the Alfalfa Lawn dairy
barn and adjacent milk house early
last Friday morning. The estimated
oss was $15,000, partially covered by
insurance. The city's milk supply
was but shortly interrupted by the
calamity to its principal source.
Darrell Hams, helper, sleeping in
the upper story of the milk house,
first discovered the fire when he was
awakened by the heavy smoke. He
grabbed and donned a pair of pants
and jumped barefoot from the second
story window to turn in the alarm.
It was 3:45 when the first alarm was
turned on in Heppner and by the
time the city fire department a few
minutes later arrived on the scene,
three miles below town, flames were
leaping through the roof of the large
barn, the milk house was about gone,
and hopes of subduing the holocaust
were glimmering.
The fire started about half an hour
before the regular milking time and
the fifty cows regularly milked had
not yet been brought into the barn.
Two bulls and one calf were saved
from the barn while its fourth occu
pant, another calf, succumbed and
was consumed by the flames.
The large barn was modemly
equipped with milking machinery,
and the large loft was half filled with
hay, all of which was lost. In the
milk house were the latest pasteur
izing, cooling and bottling equip
ment, which was totally destroyed
with the exception of part of the
bottling machine, rescued before the
fire had done its damage. Personal
belongings of Ham's that he had with
him at the dairy, besides many of the
personal effects of Robert Wight
man, whose living quarters were in
the upstairs of the milk house, were
also a total loss.
John and Robert Wightman, own
ers of the dairy, were both in Penn
sylvania at the time, and Mr. and
Mrs. Claud Graham, son-in-law and
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. J.
Wightman, were in charge. They im
mediately arranged for milking the
cows at the lower farm, and with as
sistance of many kind neighbors
were able to supply their city cus
tomers with milk before evening.
Morrow County Creamery company
gave the use of its pasteurizing
equipment, and Osmin Hager and
others came forward with bottles
and caps to help in the distribution.
The second day after the fire some
used machinery sent up by the
dairy's main supply concern in Port
land was put into use. Plans are go
ing forward to rebuild as soon as
possible.
In adjusting the insurance, F. W.
Turner, local agent, made a special
trip to Portland later in the day and
received assurance that the full face
of policies carried by him would be
paid just as soon as the owners ar
rived to sign the required papers.
Mrs. J. J. Wightman, who has been
ill for some time, watched the fire
from a window of the house situated
several hundred yards away across
the railroad tracks. Though the fire
was a severe shock, she held up
bravely.
With the exception of a few years
when the local milk route was run
by the creamery, Wightman broth
ers have served the city with most
of its milk for the last 35 years and
have established the reputation for
dispensing the best milk and cream
anywhere in the state. They have
the sincere sympathy of the com
munity in their loss, and are extend
ed the hope that it will soon be re
gained. Several thousand dollars had been
expended in improvements the last
Continued on Page Eight