EG 0 N HISTORICAL SOCIETY
B L 1 C A 'J D I T 0 H I -J
P 0 H T t A '-' D , 0 T .
Volume 57, Number 19
Fire in Potamus
Area Calls Out
Large CCC Force
Approximately 500
Acres Burned Over
Before Controlled
Uncle Sam's "brush marines"
were called into action Monday af
ternoon when a fire was reported in
the Potamus district and by Tues
day a crew of 190 fire fighters was
on the line struggling to bring the
blaze under control. A contingent
of 57 CCC boys was rushed to the
scene from Camp Heppner and the
Lena spike camp, 25 were taken
from Ukiah and 75 from the Squaw
Creek camp. In addition, 20 men
were sent from the Kinzua logging
camp and these with the forest ser
vice crew were able to check the
spread of the fire Wednesday morn
ing. Timber and underbrush are thick
in the Potamus district, making fire
fighting difficult. A small fire hit
that area last week followng an elec
trical storm and it is thought that
a smouldering tree may have been
the cause of the larger fire. When
discovered, the fire was spreading
rapidly and soon covered an area of
about 300 acres. By Tuesday eve
ning it was estimated to have ex
panded to 500 acres. Threatening
skies Tuesday failed to deliver much
needed rain and the humidity in
creased the fire hazard.
Quantities of food supplies were
rushed to the Potamus district Mon
day afternoon and Tuesday in pre-
naratinn fnr anv eventuality. Meat.
r" w - '
bread and canned goods, including
a generous quantity of coffee, made
' up the bulk of the order going from
town.
Reports reaching here Wednesday
indicated that Oregon's two major
forest fires, the 2500-acre Dee burn
in the Mount Hood national forest,
and the 600-acre Blowout creek fire
of northern Linn county, were un
der control Tuesday. Light rains
were said to have aided fire fighters
in putting down burns in other areas
of the northwest, giving rise to the
belief that logging operations sus
pended in some quarters would be
resumed in a few days.
Commercial Group
Supports Officials
At a called meeting held at Hotel
Heppner last evening the Heppner
chamber of commerce passed a res
olution supporting the county court
in its action relative to the proposed
bombing field and at the same time
suggested that the court submit a
counter proposal to the army in the
matter of locating the entire opera
tion in Morrow county, provided
the site here is chosen.
There was no disposition on the
part of the chamber of commerce to
stir up opposition to the bombing
field, the attitude being that if
the project is to be located here the
county should make every effort to
realize as much as possible from it.
To that end an invitation has been
extended to Captain Gates, the Ar
lington commercial club and other
Gilliam county citizens, users of the
grazing district, the Morrow county
court and all others interested to
meet here, possibly Friday evening
at a dinner, to give each group an
opportunity to lay their cards on
the table.
SUFFERS SLIGHT WOUND
Howard Bryant received a minor
wound in the right forearm on July
4 when a .22 pistol with which he
and some friends were playing was
accidentally discharged. While the
wound was not serious it kept him
from his work at the bank for the
remainder of the week but he was
back on the job Monday.
lpipr
Heppner,
NOXIOUS WEED
PROGRAM STARTS
Russian Knap, White Top Being
Attacked With County Help;
Control Measures Outlined
A control and eradication program
for all Russian Knapweed and White
Top in Morrow county is now under
way, according to C. D. Conrad,
county agent, who was recently ap
pointed weed inspector by the coun
ty court.
Approximately 150 acres of these
weeds have been located and map
ped in the county and the object
of the present program, Conrad says,
is to do away with these weeds be
fore they reach the serious propor
tions which they have reached in
other counties and states.
The county court, recognizing the
seriousness of these weeds and the
fact that it is only a matter of time
before badly infested farms revert
to the county for taxes, is cooperat
ing with the farmers in the eradica
tion program. A rubber tired trac
tor and cultivator was purchased
by the county this week to be used
on all the infested areas which are
large enough to cultivate.
Conrad says that the continued
cultivation method, which is the
cheapest method of eradication, will
be used on the larger acreages and
chemicals applied to the smaller
areas and along fence rows, ditch
banks and creeks.
Practically all of the farmers con
tacted thus far are anxious to enter
into the agreements to pay the actual
cost of gas and oil and the operator's
wages where the cultivation method
is used. The county furnishes the
necessary equipment.
Where chemicals are used the
county furnishes the necessary labor
and equipment and the farmer pays
for the actual cost of the chemical.
If any farmers have either of these
weeds and has not been contacted
he should leave word at the county
agent's office so work can begin as
soon as possible on his farm. ,
Oasis at Boardman
Destroyed by Fire
Fire which started about 11 o'
clock a. m. Saturday destroyed the
Oasis service station and eating place
at Boardman. The blaze started in
the diesel engine room and despite
heroic efforts quickly spread to en
velop the adjoining lunch room.
The entire plant was consumed.
The Oasis was the property of
E. W. Peck, who also operates a
tourist cabin business. Fortunately
the fire was confined to the one
building, for had it spread to the
cabins the entire town would have
been endangered.
Eleven fire extinguishers were
hurled int othe engine room
in an effort to check the blaze,
a report from Boardman states, but
they were ineffective and the fire
spread so rapidly that nothing but
the cash registers were removed
from the building. The diesel plant
had been furnishing electric service
to the town.
1940 Wheat Loans
Same Basis as '39
Wheat loans under the AAA will
be on the same basis in 1940 as in
1939, a meeting of district represent
atives from several eastern Oregon
counties learned at Arlington Mon
day. The only difference to be felt
on the Heppner branch and other
territory embraced in the ruling will
be an increase of 1.2 cents per bushel
on wheat due to reduced freight
rates. That automatically raises the
loan value to 61.6 cents per bushel
as against 60.04 cents last year.
The Morrow county office is now
prepared to receive applications for
loans, according to Merle Cummings,
secretary of the Morrow County Ag
ricultural Conservation committee.
Attending the meeting from this
county were R. B. Rice, Merle Cum
mings, Mrs. Alma Green and Miss
Florence Bergstrom.
Oregon, Thursday, July
Wild Steers to
Perform Daily
At 1940 Rodeo
Ken Depew's Brah
mas to Match Skill
With Local Riders
Heppner Rodeo's slogan, "She's
Wild!" will be given added signi
ficance at the 1940 show. The Ro
deo association has signed up for
a herd of Brahma steers which will
be used to inject excitement into
the program each afternoon. A con
tract was signed this week with
Kenneth Depew of Long Creek to
bring his string of eight Brahmas
over the mountains to perform in
Heppner's western classic.
To use a common expression, these
steers know their stuff and do plenty
of it when turned loose in the arena.
When turned out of the chute with
riders on their backs they have but
one desire and that is to get rid of
the rider. Some are tougher than
others, just as some riders are better
than others, but it is said that
"Sleepy," prize bucker of the herd,
defies any rider to stick on his back
for as much as 10 seconds. In fact,
so sure is the Rodeo association
that no rider can stay with Sleepy
for that period that a purse of $50
will be paid to the man who does.
Introduction of the Brahmas to
the Rodeo was decided upon as a
substitute for the bulldogging which
has been part of the program in
years past. Riding the animals should
prove more exciting and it is less
dangerous than bulldogging, officials
of the .association believe. "'
With the Rodeo but a little more
than a month away, interest this
week has centered on the queen's
dances. The first dance will be held
at the Rhea Creek grange hall Sat
urday evening. The 1940 queen and
her attendants have been selected
and announcement will be made at
11 o'clock Saturday evening at this
dance. The committee is tight-lipped
regarding the selections and no
intimation has been given regarding
the fortunate young ladies. Those
who have a yen to be in on the
ground floor will have to attend the
dance.
The second queen's dance will be
held at the Willows grange hall in
lone Saturday evening, July 20. Lex
ington grange following on July 27
and the final dance will be held at
Heppner, August 10.
McLaughlins Pass
25th Anniversary
The home of Mr. and Mrs. C. N.
McLaughlin at the head of McDon
ald canyon was the scene of an
ingathering of relatives Sunday, the
cause being the 25th wedding anni
versary of the host and hostess. All
of the McLaughlin children were
home for the event and the visitors
included several members of Mrs.
McLaughlin's family and other rela
tives. Mary Doherty and Cor N. Mc
Laughlin were married at St. Pat
rick's church in Heppner July 6,
1915. They set up housekeeping at
the ranch house in McDonald can
yon which has been their home
throughout their married life.
TICKETS AVAILABLE
Tickets for the lawn party to be
staged at Camp Heppner have been
placed on sale at several business
houses and may also be obtained at
the camp, according to Lieut. Marius
P. Hanford, camp commander. In
town they may be obtained at the
following places: Hotel Heppner,
Gordon's Pharmacy, Rexall Drug
store, Humphreys Drug Co., J. C.
Penney Co., Standard Stations, Mer
rill's cafe, Pacific Power & Light
Co.
11, 1940
FIRST LOGS GO
THRU NEW MILL
Machinery Set in Motion
This Morning With Actual
Cutting Starting at 9:10
Without fanfare, tooting of whis
tles or any other ballyhoo, the Hepp
ner Lumber company's new plant
began operations this morning, with
the first log going on to the saw at
about 9:10 o'clock. As the big band
saw ripped through the knotty pine
stick that had the distinction of
being the first log on the carriage,
it was apparent that the new plant
is a smooth running machine, which
will prove a credit to the commun
ity, and certainly a lot of satisfaction
to the builder, Orville Smith.
Steam has been up at the mill
for several days in order to test the
boilers and motors. With all mach
inery in place and adjustments made
it was decided to give the plant a
test today. Shortly after 8 a. m. the
steam was applied and the entire
unit was set in motion. It was found
that the band saw was a litlte out
of line and after adjustments were
made there and on other parts of
the machinery the go ahead signal
was given and the first log rolled
onto the carriage. Small logs were
used for the tryout and it was not
possible for the reporter to stay
longer to see some of the bigger
sticks brought up from the pond.
An interested spectator at the
opening of the mill was Leonard
Kraft of the Bridal Veil Lumber and
Box company and official of the
local company. He was highly com
plimentary of the job Smith has
done in erecting the new mill and
is confident of a sucessful operation
here.
A force of 25 men was employed
at the plant this morning. This will
be increased some as pilers and
other workmen are needed to com
plete the operation.
French Tells of
Redistricting
Redistricting the state for selec
tion of legislators, which the con
stitution provides shall be done at
the first session immediately follow
ing each ten-year federal census,
will be a major problem before the
coming legislative session, says Rep
resentative Giles L. French of Moro,
who with Mrs. French was visiting
in the county Saturday.
Recommendations for such redis
tricting are now being formuated by
a joint house-senate interim com
mittee of which Representative
French is a member. Committee ses
sions so far indicate that the prob
lem will be a knotty one, though
final census figures are not yet av
ailable for the committee's perusal,
and these must serve as final basis
for their report to the session con
vening next January.
While November's ballot remains
to determine whether he will be
privileged to serve his district at the
coming session, French said that if
such be the will of the voters he will
exert his best efforts to obtain just
representation in both house and
senate for the mid-Columbia coun
ties. Such counties as Morrow, Gil
liam, Sherman, Wheeler, Grant and
Jefferson are handicapped through
low population far out of proportion
to their economic importance to the
state, he said, and it is no little
problem to obtain just recognition
from the more populous centers.
who, naturally, wish to maintain or
strengthen legislative power.
Mr, and Mrs. French came to the
county on business in connection
with farming interests in the Goose
berry district which caused them to
call at the county seat.
SHIPS TO CHICAGO
C. W. McNamer shipped three
carloads of sheep to the Chicago
market on Tuesday's train. The
cars were all double deckers and
were filled from the flocks of John
Bergstrom, Jim Hams, Floyd Ad
ams, Walter Becket, Ray Pettyjohn
and Joe Mahon.
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Word Battle Over
Proposed Bombing
Field Ends in Draw
Army, Court Fail
to Reach Agreement
on Road Proposal
A heavy verbal bombardment be
tween the members of the Morrow
county court and Captain John C.
Gates of the United States army
failed to clear the way for estab
lishment of an army bombing field
in the northern part of Morrow
county Tuesday, and so far as the
court is concerned the proposition
remains about where it did before
the captain's visit.
Accompanied by Dave Lemon, El
M. Hulden and Earl Kunzman of
Arlington, Captain Gates met with
the court at 1:30 o'clock p. m. Tues
day for the purpose of requesting
abandonment of the Ione-Boardman
highway across property designated
as a tentative bombing field. The
demand was made in a peremptory
manner and without preliminary
warning, leaving Judge Bert Johnson
and Commissioner L. D. Neil! some
what speechless, temporally. Direct
ing his remarks to the judge, the
captain is reported to have referred
to fifth column activities and other
uncomplimentary statements, in
cluding a lack of patriotism on the
part of the county court, members
of which body he accused of attemp
ting to hamper the program of na
tional defense.
Judge Johnson vigorously denied
the charges and tried to impress the
captain with the fact that the court
has a duty tf perform and that there
is no remuneration in sight for with
drawal of this large tract of land.
A petition which was supposed to be
presented to the court asking vaca
tion of the Ione-Boardman road was
not presented. There were no other
papers in evidence upon which could
be based a transaction. For that
reason the court refused to entertain
the proposal for immediate action
relative to closing the road.
Following Judge Johnson, Com
missioner Neill took up the battle
and when he had finished the cap
tain was less insistent in his de
mands. The court recognizes the
fact that if the northern Morrow
county site is the one most nearly
meeting the army's needs for a
bombing field it will be the site
chosen, Neill stated. There is no in
clination on. the part of the court or
any interested citizens to hamper
or delay the program for national
defense, he added, but it is reason
able for the court to seek a read
justment of the tax set-up of the
county, which will be thrown out
of line if and when the property is
taken over by the army.
Commissioner George Peck was a
little late in arriving and was un
aware of the fireworks which open
ed the meeting. After learning the
import of events he joined the other
members of the court in defending
the county's rights.
Arlington's interest in the bomb
ing field was further manifested
Tuesday evening when three dele
gates from the American Legion
post visited the Heppner Legion post
and urged the members to put pres
sure on the county court to vacate
the Ione-Boardman road. Wednes
day afternoon Judge Johnson re
ceived a visit from E. R. Fatland
and Judge James Burns of Condon.
Due to the fact that the other
members of the court could not be
present, the judge listened to the
plea of the visitors but refused to
commit himself or the court as to
future action.
Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Case returned
to Heppner Tuesday from Baker
and Weiser, where they visited with
Mr. and Mrs. Hnrold Case and Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Evans.