Page Ten
Heppner Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon
Thursday, November 9, 1939
SOIL LOSS PREVENTION, RIVER
NAVIGATION VITAL TO MORROW FARMS
iiimiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiii
(Edior's Note: This is the sec
ond article in a series by a man
whose journalistic career had its
roots in Morrow county's soil, and
who is giving glimpses of the na
tional picture through which the
local picture may be more clearly
viewed.)
By GARFIELD CRAWFORD
Morrow county land owners, col
lectively, are losing millions of dol
lars worth of good top soil from their
farms annually. This terrific loss
through erosion has been going on
since the first day a plow slashed the
virgin sod on the hill lands between
line and Columbia'
the timber
shores. 7
Surveys made by the U. S. De
L 1 A 1 i 1
panmenx or Agriculture nave re
corded the sad story of waste simi
lar to this in almost every hill coun
ty in the United States, especially
in those counties where the laws of
nature have been ignored. The for
ests, nature's greatest moisture con
servator, have been ravished' by
man. Steep hillsides, better suited
to grazing than farming, have been
pulverized by plow and harrow to
fall a victim of rain and wind. These
elements roll the soil from the de
nuded forests and hills into the val
ley to be carried down stream to
the ocean.
Far seeing individuals have been
plugging to stop this waste over a
long period of years, but not unti
1936 did they do much more than
scratch pay dirt. Previous congresses
had taken notice after a fashion, but
in 1936 the Omnibus Flood Control
Act, authorizing for the first time
in history of the country, a coor
dinated land and water program for
flood control
The bill declares that flood control
on navigable waters or their trib
utaries is a proper Federal activity
in cooperation with the states and
their political subdivisions, and that
flood control requires not only the
improvement of rivers and other
waterways, but, also, the treatment
of lands that shed water.
Congress very wisely specified
that the responsibility for the im
provement of rivers and waterways
should rest with the War depart
ment, but investigations and meas
ures for run-off and waterflow re
tardation, and for the prevention of
soil erosion on watersheds, should
be under the department of Agricul
ture, unless otherwise provided for
by prior acts of Congress.
The act is brief and direct. It in
structs the war department to make
examinations and surveys of water
ways and the department of agricul
ture to busy itself with the land
and small streams within the watersheds.
Such streams as Willow and Rhea
creeks come under the jurisdiction
of the department of agriculture be
cause they are minor tributaries to
the Columbia and part of its water
shed. The Columbia, however, comes
under the eye of the war depart
ment for the reason that it is navi
gable and a carrier of commerce,
Under the act residents along and
adjacent to or within the drainage
. area of Willow and Rhea creeks, or
other such creeks, may organize
into groups and petition the assist
ance of the department for the in
auguration and maintenance of a
soil conservation program applied
to their immediate domain.
Government reports show that the
Federal Soil Conservation service
now conducts a soil and water con
servation program in 43 states. In
cooperation with literally thousands
of farmers the service is demon
strating effective methods of ero
sion control and run-off retarda
tion in nearly 600 small watershed
areas. It cooperates with the State
Extension services in teaching far
mers the best methods of conserva
tion, and with the State Experiment
stations in developing inproved
control practices adapted specific
ally to different soil types.
Morrow county's top soil is an
easy victim to erosion. It is light,
of volcanic ash base, pulverizes eas
ily and because of this responds
readily to quick movement by eith
er wind or water. This reminds me
of an incident that happened in
Heppner many years ago and which
illustrates the point I have in mind.
The late Wallace Smead, who of
ten served Heppner as its postmas
ter, was a top hand wool grader,
For years, season after season, he
stood in the grading pit at the old
Henry Heppner warehouse sampling
and testing the clips from the in
terior banked there for storage and
sale.
In the summer of 1903, a few days
after the fateful flood that took the
lives of so many splendid pioneers
and wrecked the city, Mr. Smead
was in the pit tossing fleeces fast
and furiously to the different bins.
A high wind rolled up from the Co
lumbia driving before it a heavy
blanket of fine dust from the plowed
hills below town. The wool grader
mopped his forehead, which was
rather high, and intermittently
wiped his eyes. Finally, in exasper
ation, he cried out:
"Damn such a country. One day
God sends a flood to wash it away,
The next day He sends a wind to
blow it back."
But in all the years the "blow
back" has not in any way compen
sated for the "wash away." And, be
cause of this difference in the pranks
of nature Morrow county land own
ers are being penalized by the mil
lions of dollars annually. Hundreds
of thousands of tons of their best
top soil escapes.
But soil protection is not the only
possible benefit the Omnibus act of
1936 seeks to bring about. It also
provides for the development of
streams that they may be made ser
viceable as traffic bearers. The In
land farmers of eastern Oregon and
Washington can obtain a double
service and benefit from this source.
Upon passage of the act an appro
priation of $310,000,000 was set aside
to take care of 124 navigation and
control projects. Both Oregon and
Washington sailed into this appro
priation in a big way. The Columbia
river basin, reaching far into the
back country, north and south along
certain streams, was a real bene
factor. The folks in the upper reaches
of the shed or basin failed to put in
an oar, therefore their sections were
overlooked.
The only recognition of the hin
terlands east of The Dalles, was the
appropriation of $200,000 made for
flood control on the Umatilla river
at Pendleton.
At the time of passage of the act
Congress appropriated an additional
$10,000,000 to make preliminary ex
aminations and surveys for flood
control of 219 proposed projects.
Under this appropriation smaller
streams in both Oregon and Wash
ington are taken into consideration.
They will probably come in for de
velopment sooner or later. Rivers in
the wheat belt area which are up
for improvement are Walla Walla,
Snake and Spokane.
The farmers of the great Inland
Empire should grab every advantage
the act offers and at all times labor
to the end that all inland waterways
must remain the property of the
people, free from bureau dictation
and forever open to free navigation
by and for all of the people.
The waterways of the nation be
long to all the people, yet they may
be snatched from the public unless
a watchful eye is kept upon congress.
Any laws seeking to regulate traffic
upon inland waterways will rob the
people of one of their greatest birth
rightsthe free usage of them.
At Heppner
CHURCHES
CHURCH OF CHRIST
MARTIN B. CLARK, Pastor
9::45 Bible School
11:00 Communion and Preaching
7:00 Christian Endeavor
8:00 Evening Church Service
7:30 P. M. Wednesday ...
Choir Practice
7:3:0 P. M. Thursday
Prayer Meeting
METHODIST CHURCH
REV. R. C. YOUNG, Pastor
Sunday : Bible School 9 :45 A. M
Worship Service 11:00 A. M
Epworth League 7:00 P. M
Evening Worship 8:00 P. M
Tuesday : Boys' Club 7 :00 P. M,
2nd Tuesday. Missionary Meet
ing 2:80 P. M
Wednesday: Choir Practice 7:30 P. M
1st Wednesday, Ladies Aid Business
and Social Meeting 2:80 P. M,
All other Wednesdays: Sewing Group
meets.
Thursday: Prayer Meeting . 7:80 P. M,
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
CLIFFORD W. NOBLE. Pastor
Sunday services:
school, 9:45 a. m.
Worship service, 11:00 a. m.
Evangelistic service. 7:30 d. m.
Widweek services:
Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 p. m.
Everybody welcome.
FFA Boys Entertain
Fathers at Dinner
Boys of Heppner FFA chapter en
tertained fathers and invited guests
at a banquet in the social hour room
at the school Saturday evening.
Seventy people were present, in
eluding honorary members named
last year, B. C. Pinckney. F. W.
Turner and R. A. Thompson. Three
new honorary members were named
Saturday evening, who are J. J.
Wightman, A. H. Blankenship and
C. N. Jones. Pins were presented
the new members showing their
identification as Future Farmers.
High school home eonomics classes
prepared and served the dinner, and
credit is largely due them for suc
cess of the occasion. A short program
included opening ceremony of FFA,
welcome speech by Bill Padberg,
song by Lucille Barlow, short talk
by Mr. Blankenship, saxophone duet
by Clifford Fay and Richard Hayes,
presentation of pins to honorary
members by Guy Moore, presenta
tion of achievement medal to Le
land Edmondson, short talk by Mar
vin Wightman of Condon FFA, and
address by Spencer Crawford, fol
lowed by closing ceremony. L. L,
Stephens, reporter.
Good apt. for rent.
Thomson.
Mrs.
A. Q.
31tf.
A five-month check up of muni
cipalities entered in the 1939 Ore
gon Cities Traffic Safety contest re
vealed that Silverton had no traffic
munes or deaths lor the period
from May through September in
1939 or 1938, Earl Snell, secretary
of state and sponsor of the contest,
reported today. Silverton is the only
city in the upper three divisions of
the contest to report such a record
to the secretary of state.
Burns came he nearest to equal
ing Silverton's record with one in
jury during the five-months period
in 1938 but none for this year and
no deaths during either period. Co
quille followed Burns with two in
juries in the 1938 period and none
in the five months this year .with no
deaths in either period.
Read G. T. Want Ads. Yu waj
find a bargain in something needed.
ENJOY
SEAFOOD
Oysters, Clams
Shell Fish
of all kinds
Fresh from the Sea
FEATURED
DAILY
FOUNTAIN AND
LUNCH COUNTER SERVICE
Modern Booths
Contributions Taken for
CHINESE RELIEF SOCIETY
and Official Receipt Given
MEALS AT ALL HOURS
Elkhorn
Restaurant
ED CIHNN, Prop.
Visitors in John Day Sunday at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Far
ley were Mr. Farley's grandmother,
Mrs. Mike Kenny; parents, Mr. and
Mrs. James Farley, and John and
Rosetta Healy. Members of the
family from here were especially in
terested in seeing the recently ar
rived son of Mr. and Mrs. Farley.
Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Edwards have
moved their residence to town from
the Sand Hollow farm.
SPECIAL SCHOOL MEETING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to
the legal voters of School District
No. One, of Morrow County, State
of Oregon, that a SPECIAL SCHOOL
MEETING of said District will be
held at the City Council Chambers,
on the 27th day of November, 1939,
at two o'clock in the afternoon, for
the following objects: To elect a
schoof district clerk to complete the
un-expired term of Mrs. Eva Bald
win, resigned.
Dated this 7th day of November
1939.
1 C. N. JONES,
Chairman Board of Directors.
Attest: EVA BALDWIN,
District Clerk.
Fancy chocolates packed in beautiful
tins. Kich creams, nougats, etc.
1V2 LB. A 2 LB.
UVV
TIN
TIN ....
1.00,
CHOCOLATES 9
2 LBS. MVV
GUM DROPS OCtf
H-4--H 2 LBS. flivv
HARD MIX OSp
2 LBS. Mi&
Prices Effective Fri.-Mon.
STORE CLOSED DISSS'
LARD itarm'l
Day
4 BL43c
PflFFFF Airway 3 Lbs. 35c
LUrrCC Nob Hill 2 Lbs. 35c
Ml 11 Tall Federal QA
nllA Case $3.49 12 TINS 55? C
EDWARDS COFFEE
If you are a true coffee lover you'll buy
Edwards in this big, thrifty tin that saves
yuu money.
4 LB. 7Qn 2 LB. iOn 1 LB.
TIN V Ti iyt TINT
79c V!M8c B 23c
SUGAR 100 Lbs. Cane or Beet $6.49
WALNUTS, fancy Ore. soft shell, 2 lbs. 35c
BEANS, reds or small whites .... 10 lbs. 59c
RAISINS, Thompson seedless 4 lb. pkg. 25c
FRUIT MIX all kinds cut ready to go lb. 39c
BAKING POWDER Calumet 10 lb. tin $1.49
BACON, Swift's Oriole lb. 24c
Fancy whole or half
BRAZILS, very economical 2 lbs. 29c
CORN BEEF, Cudhay's 12 oz. tin 2 for 35c
ST. BEANS, Festival No. 2 tins, 3 tins 29c
SAUERKRAUT, Del Monte 2 tins 25c
No. 2V2 tins
SWEET CIDER Qt. 10c, Gal. 25c
Bring your own container
FLOUR, Harvest Blossom, 49 lb. sk. $1.19
ALMONDS, I.X.L. paper shell .... 2 lbs. 45c
CORN, Highway fancy in No. 2 tins .... 10c
SUPURB granulated soap, 2 lge. pkgs. 35c
CURRANTS, Sunmaid 2 pkgs. 25c
MINCEMEAT, None Such 2 pkgs. 25c
APPL
SAL1
JONATHANS, Fancy Reds BOX 95c
ROMES PER BOX 85c
DELICIOUS 85c and $1.19 BOX
PRODUCE SAVINGS
CABBAGE Lb. 2c
Per Sack 89c
CELERY 2 Bu. 15c
Utah
Sweet Spuds, 6 Lbs. 29c
Grapefruit Doz. 35c
Oranges ...... 3 Doz. 39c
Potatoes .... 50 Lbs. 69c