Page Eight
Heppner Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon
Thursday, Nov. 16, 1939
CHANGED TRANSPORTATION PICTURE
TOLD; FARMERS HAVE VITAL INTEREST
(Editor's Note: This is the third
in a series of articles that have
shown the need for concerted na
tional farm action in keeping the
rivers free from unsympathetic
control, by a man who has been
in position to know the facts.)
By GARFIELD CRAWFORD
Why should Morrow county farm
ers interest themselves in mainten
ance of traffic on the Columbia
river?
This question is as old as the first
settlement in the county. It has
popped up from time to time over
the last 75 years with verj little be
ing done about it.
The railroads came. They built
along the banks of the great river.
Up each of the tributaries the roads
shot feeder lines. At the end of the
feeder lines prosperous villages were
built and to these villages came the
freight teams of the far away hin
terlands. The railroads answered
the question. They seemed to have
solved the transportation problem
for all time to come.
There was a time when The Dalles
was the last outpost on the Colum
bia river. From that vantage point
the cattle, sheep and horse ranches
along the great reaches of the John
Day, Deschutes, Umatilla and Walla
Walla rivers obtained their store
supplies. Then river navigation was
pushed through Celilo rapids to
Wallula and the Walla Walla and
Umatilla pioneers freighted their
supplies from nearer home.
The railroad crashed its way along
the south bank of the Columbia to
Arlington, to Pendleton and over the
mountains to forge the link between
the Pacific and the Atlantic. Trans
portation problems for interior Or
egon and Washington, so the people
thought, were solved..
But the pioneer of the Pacific
northwest failed to reckon with the
creative genius of his fellow man.
The ox cart was supplanted by the
stream-lined wagon, phaeton, and
other vehicles drawn by prancing
horses. Twenty-horse teams met the
trains and carried provender far
back into the mountains where they
were consumed by miners and stock
raisers. Then Charles E. Duryea in 1892
built the first gasoline powered au
tomobile, the "Duryea Road Wagon"
and Fiske Warren up in Boston con
structed America's first electric
automobile. A new era was born. In
a few short years other inventors and
manufacturers were constructing
"horseless buggies and wagons" and
by the turn of the century the roads
were beginning to get cluttered up
with these new fangled contraptions
and folk all up and down the con
tinent were talking about building
better roads. In fact, this writer was
assigned to the Star-Telegram of
Fort Worth, Texas, in 1910 to con
duct a propaganda campaign in be
half of good road construction, and
has seen his pioneering efforts
crowned with one of the finest sys
tems of roads in all of the United
States in Texas.
Good roads, fast moving road ve
hicles, capable of moving tons in
hours where the old horse-drawn
vehicle moved pounds in days, has
brought river transportation to the
front door of the inland dweller.
The Columbia river is not as far
from Hardman in this day of auto
mobiles and trucks as it was from
Heppner in 1900. Every foot of Mor
row county drains to the Columbia.
It is a down hill run from every
farm.
But there are those who will say:
"Why save on transportation? The
difference will be absorbed by the
warehouses, elevators and mills."
Well, let us see if this is the case.
In the Illinois river valley there
are approximately 40,000 grain far
mers. More than 15,000,000 bushels of
grain moved off the Illinois river di
vision of the inland waterway sys
tem in 1938. The cash profit to the
farmer in this territory, made pos
sible by use of the waterway is re
liably said to be more than $1,000,000.
This year, 1939, a record breaking
crop is being moved via this same
route and considerably more will
be saved to the farmers.
Grain moving from down-river
points to Chicago last year was
barged at from 3 to 4 cents per hun
dred pounds. The rail rate varied
from 9 to 12 cents per 100 pounds.
Because of water competition the
railroads have published new rail
rates as low as five cents per 100
pounds from points having water
way facilities. The 12-cent rate re
mains in effect, however, for ship
ping points only a few miles away
where railroad elevators have no
water competition.
Heppner warehousemen and all
others along the branch railroad to
Heppner Junction would not be
crippled. The railroads will adjust
their rates to compete with the wa
ter rate, just as they have done in
the Chicago and other areas. I don't
know what the wheat rate is from
the branch line to Portland today,
but there was a time when no at
tention was paid by the railroads to
river traffic. Trucks can and are
changing this out-of-date program.
And the growers do get the dif
ference. They are the benefactors
and none others. W. H. Allen, man
ager of the Farmers' Square Deal
Grain company of Morris, 111., tes
tified in a hearing on this subject
that his company paid to the farm
ers the difference between 3 and
9V2 cents per 100 pounds. In other
words, if the current price per bu
shel for wheat was 89 cents, Chica
go, based upon the freight charge
of 12 Mi cents per 100 pounds, the
freight rate per bushel would be ap
proximately 7 cents. The saving by
water transportation is the differ
ence between the waterway tariff
and the rail tariff, a trifle more than
5 cents per bushel. Thus the farm
ers got the difference of 5 cents per
bushel. Instead of getting 82 cents
for their wheat the Morris farmers
were paid 87 cents per bushel. This
difference will easily pay trucking
expenses.
The story told by Mr. Allen was
verified and repeated by farmers
and millers throughout the Chicago
territory.
The Columbia river, the Snake and
others are waiting, ready and will
ing to serve the people of the great
Inland Empire. But the advantages
they offer may be swept from under
the very feet of those who need
them most, unless the people awak
en to the necessity of opposing leg
islation the national congress is
asked to adopt, which if adopted will
subvert the inland waterways to the
benefit of the railroads and major
trucking lines.
The rivers of the nation must re
main open to all of the people all of
the time. Bureau regulation will be
ruinous. Keep your eye cocked to
ward Washington upon the setting
of the next regular session in Jan
uary, 1940.
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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. Paator
Sunday: Bible School 9:45 A. M.
Worship Service 11 :00 A. M.
Ep worth League 7 :00 P. M.
Evening Worship 8:00 P. M
TueBdajr : Boys' Club 7 :00 P. M.
2nd Tuesday, Missionary Meet
ing 2:80 P. M.
Wednesday: Choir Practice 7:80 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.
ALL SAINTS' CHURCH.
No services next Sunday as Arch
deason Robathan has a special call
to Klamath Falls.
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
CLIFFORD W. NOBLE. Pastor
Sunday services:
School, 9:45 a. m.
Worship service, 11:00 a. m.
Evangelistic service, 7:30 p. m.
Widweek services:
Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 p. m.
Everybody welcome.
Churches Unite
In Mission Program
Fifty women attended the Union
Missionary society meeting at the
Church of Christ Friday afternoon,
with ladies of each the Methodist,
Episcopal and Christian churches
being responsible for one-third of
the program, as follows:
Devotions, in charge of Mrs. Tacie
Parker, president; paper, "Two Pray
ers," Mrs. W. T. Campbell; "Mission
ary Work of the Episcopal Church,"
Mrs. Josephine Mahoney; "Radio
Broadcast" of mission work in Amer
ica and foreign countries, ladies of
the Christian church; vocal duet,
Margaret McNeill and Coramae Fer
guson, accompanied by Virginia Tur
ner; "Missionary Work in Africa,"
and demonstration of meeting old
colored friend in the south, Mrs.
Alex Green; solo, Mrs. Robert Jones;
prayer, Mrs. Clifford Conrad. Re
freshments were served.
KNOWS HIS FOOTBALL
Lt. Marius P. Hanford, Camp
Heppner CCC commandant, is one of
Heppner's most ardent followers of
college football, and he gives a lie
to some of the fanciful stories of
how life at college is a bed of roses
for football stars. "Sure, there's sub
sidization of players," says the lieu
tenant, "but I'd never play football
at college unless it was the only way
I could attend." He cited from ex
perience of "warming the bench,"
as he put it, at both University of Id
aho and U. S. C. The demands made
upon the football players leave
mighty little time for studies, and
"believe me, those profs don't all
hand out grades on a platter." High
commendation is due the college
football player who, generally, has
high grades, he believes.
LIONS GOVERNOR VISITS
Walter E. Upshaw, governor of
district 36, Oregon, for Lions In
ternational, missed connections with
the local club meeting Monday, but
he officially greeted club officers
Tuesday when in the city from his
home at Tigard. He left Tuesday af
ternoon to meet with the Athena
Lions. While in the city, Mr. Up
shaw visited at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Claude Cox, being the recent
ly made father-in-law of Mr. and
Mrs. Cox's son, Clair. The district
governor reported a good advance
in membership in Lions clubs over
the state this year, and especially
commended the local club for its
substantial condition and good rec
ord of activities.
CHURCH GETS NEW ROOF
All Saints Episopal church is be
ing reroofed, with Orve Brown do
ing the work.
G. T. Want Ads bring resuhs.
poY
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 SOCIETS
and Official Receipt Given
MEALS AT ALL HOURS
Elkhorn
Restaurant
ED CHINN, Prop.
FORMER RESIDENTS VISIT
Marquardtson's was known over
a wide area surrounding Heppner as
a leading department store here
some thirty years ago, being succes
sor to the old Fair store. Fred Mar
quardtson was the genial proprietor.
Mr. and Mrs. Marquardtson now re
side at Buhl, Idaho, and on a return
trip home from visiting their son,
Ernest, at Oakland, Cal., they drop
ped into town last week end and
enjoyed greeting some old time
friends, being guests of Del Ward,
Heppner hotel proprietor, who
clerked in the old Marquardtson
store.
MISSES 30 EWES
Jim Burnside, in the city yester
day from the farm near Hardman,
reported the recent disappearance of
30 head of ewes from his sheep flock.
Mr. Burnside believed they had
either been lost or had strayed, and
in an ad in another column is offer
ing a reward for information that
may lead to their return. With the
price of sheep strengthening up some
just now, Mr. Burnside said the loss
is pretty tough.
MOTHER PASSES
Clarence Hesseltine returned home
the first of the week from Waits
burg where he attended funeral
services for his mother the end of
the week. He was called to Spokane
lat week by his mother's serious ill
ness, and she passed away shortly
after his arrival. Mrs. Hesseltine
was a long-time resident of Waits
burg, Clarence's old home town.
APPRECIATION
In leaving Heppner to accept a po
sition at Miles City, Mont., I wish,
to thank the many friends who have
given me their patronage, and to
acknowledge with heartfelt thanks
the many regrets extended by friends;
at the leaving of Mrs. Snyder and
myself. Many fondest memories of
my life will always center in Hepp
ner. Joseph B. Snyder.
Thanksgiving Sale
For weeks we have scoured the
market ior the best in holiday
foods and now we are prepared
to load your festive table in the
hearty tradition of Thanksgiving.
You'll save money on a finer
dinner at Safeway.
Prices until Thanksgiving
GRAPE- II nrr Town House -fl Ff
FRUIT J U ILL 46 oz. tin JL I C
rUflffll ATCC Fancv box Chocolates
LnULULAlLj 2i2 lb. 59c; 5 lb. 98c
fl C D Kitchen, Craft Sk. $1.45
rLUUK Harvest Blossom Sk. $1.19
PArrrr ED WARDS 2 LBS. 45c; 4 LBS. 85C
1 I Jrrrr nob hill - - - 2 pounds 35c
VVl I LL AIRWAY 3 POUNDS 35c
SUGAR Pure mil bag 86.49
MILK
Tall Federal
CASE $3.49
12 TINS
89c
Grapefruit
Highway
No. 2 tins
3 TINS
29c
POP CORK
Jap Hulless
It Pops
2 LBS.
15C
CANDY, fancy assorted varieties 1 Lb. 15c, 2 Lbs. 25c
WALNUTS, New crop Oregon soft shell 2 Lbs. 35c
FRUIT FOR COCKTAIL, Full o' Gold No. 1 tins .... 2 for 25c
PICKLES, Columbia fancy sweet 25 oz. Jar 25c
TANG, Cudhay's 12 oz. tin Lunch Meat 25c
ORANGE MARMALADE 2 Lb. Jar Sunny Jim 29c
FRUIT PEELS, Citron, Lemon, Orange Lb. 29c
CORN, Highway fancy cream style No. 2 tin 10c
PUMPKIN, Raymal No. 2Y2 tins - Each 10c
SWANSDOWN CAKE FLOUR ..... Lge. Pkg. 25c
PEAS, Sun Laden, 5-sieve No. 2 tin 10c
BRAZIL NUTS, large and meaty 2 Lbs. 29c
RAISINS, Sunmaid seedless or puff 15 oz. Pkg. 08c
PINEAPPLE, No. 2Vz tins broken slices - 2 for 35c
SYRUP, Sunny Jim, corn, cane and maple GaL 85c
CRANBERRY SAUCE, Ocean Spray 17 oz. tin 15c
APPLES
Jonathans .. Box 95c
Fancy
Romes Box 79c
C Grade
j&j Delicious Box 89c
EXTRA FANCY .. Box $1.19
FRESH PRODUCE
GRAPEFRUIT Doz. 39c
CELERY, Utah 2 Bu. 15c
SWEET SPUDS 6 Lbs. 29c
BUNCH CARROTS .... 2 Bu. 5c
ONIONS .. 10 lb. mesh bag 15c
LETTUCE 2 Lge. Heads 15c
PUMPKINS ..... Each 5c
ORANGES 3 Doz. 39c
New navels
POTATOES ........ 100 Lbs. $1.19