OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ruBL i c au j i .
PORTIA.:-,
Volume 58, Number 3
Big Extension Asked j
At Hearing For
New Soil District
Election Chairmen
Named for Referen
. dum Expected Soon
Two hundred and thirty thousand
acres were added to the proposed
Heppner Soil Conservation district
at a hearing held by the State Soil
Conservation committee in the court
house in Heppner Tuesday.
With the change in the boundary,
which was extended east to include
three townships in Umatilta county
and north to include a six mile
strip across the county by lone, the
proposed district now comprises
691,000 acres.
The Tuesday hearing was conduct
ed by members of the State Soil
Conservation committee, including
Bob Warrens, of Forest Grove,
chairman; William Teutsch, of Cor
vallis, secretary, and Mr. Franklin,
of Enterprise. The hearing was held
in compliance with a petition signed
by Morrow county farmers in Feb
ruary asking that the committee
hold such a hearing to determine
the needs for a district and also to
set definitely the boundaries.
With the information gathered at
the hearing the State Soil Conser
vation committee will , determine
whether the district is needed and
whether or not it is feasible, and,
if so, a date will be set for a refer
endum by all landowners within the
proposed district.
Polling places and boards were
selected with the following farmers
as chairmen of the boards: Rhea
' Creek Grange hall, Henry Baker;
lone Legion hall, Chas. McElligott;
Lexington Leach hall, O. W. Cuts-
forth; Heppner courthouse, John
Hanna; Lena schoolhouse, J. D.
French. Fred Mankin of lone was
elected superintendent to handle the
voting of the whole area.
In order for the district to be es
tablished when a vote is taken, it
will be necessary for at least 50 per
cent of all the landowners within
the area to vote in favor of the dis
trict as well as 70 per cent of the
land within the district voting in
favor of it.
The new boundary of the propos
ed district as set at the Tuesday
meeting is as follows: Beginning at
the southwest corner of Section 31,
Township 3 N., Range 24 E., thence
north to the northwest corner of
Section 6, Township 1 S., Range 24
E., thence east along the township
line to the northeast corner of Sec
tion 1, Township 1 S., Range 30 E.,
thence south along the township line
to the Umatilla National Forest
boundary, thence south , and west
along the forest boundary to, the
Wheeler county line, thence north
and west along the county line to
the place of beginning.
One of the advantages of the dis
trict, if organized, according to C.
D. Conrad, county agent, is that
the farmers within the district should
be in a better position by working
through the five supervisors of the
district to obtain assistance from
various governmental agencies on
erosion control and soil conserva
tion work. Two of the supervisors
are farmers within the district ap
pointed by the state committee,
while the other three are farmers
within the district elected by vote
of the land owners of the district
If conditions make it necessary, land
use regulations may be formulated
by the supervisors but such regula
tions must be submitted to the land
owners for referendum and must be
approved by at least three-fourths
of all the votes cast by two-thirds of
the land in the district before such
regulations may be adopted. In ad
dition to this, such regulations must
be approved by the state committee.
The provisions for referendum and
election of the majority of the su-
Heppner,
Lions Hear School,
Parole Discussions
Report of the state city school su
perintendents' meeting at Salem last
week end which she attended in
company with Alden Blankenship,
local superintendent, was brought to
the Lions Monday luncheon by Mrs.
Lucy E. Rodgers, county school su
perintendent. Stressed was school
legislation passed by the recent leg
islative session.
A second speaker before the group
was Joe Silver of Salem, field man
for the state parole board who gave
as the board's biggest problem the
readjustment of parolees to civil life, j
He said that the board does every
thing in its power to give the par
olee an even start before he is re
leased from .the penitentiary.
Jean Turner and Mary Lou Fer
guson played two piano duets as an
entertainment feature.
The club discussed plans for en
tertaining large delegations of Athe
na and The Dalles Lions at a din
ner meeting next Monday evening.
The dinner, will be served at the
Methodist church at 6:30 o'clock. A
guest of honor for the evening will
be Norval Martin, district governor
of Lions International for Oregon.
J. W. Zornes, logging operator for
Heppner Lumber company, was a
guest at the Monday luncheon. .
Farm Loan Group
Elects New Directors
A dinner meeting of stockholders
of Hardman National Farm Loan as
sociation, held at the I. O. O. F. hall
last Friday, attracted a large crowd
for the election of directors and
transaction of other business. New
directors named are J. J. Wightman,
and O. W. Cutsforth, the latter suc
ceeding Chas. B. Cox.
John Wightman, chairman of the
board presided, assisted by Vawter
Parker, secretary-treasurer. Out
side officials of Federal Land Bank
of Spokane, parent organization," irt
eluded A. W. Behrens, Spokane; W.
B. Hinkle, Portland, and William
Ragsdale, The Dalles.
A resolution was adopted to make
permanent the present low rate of
interest, 3 percent, on Federal
Land bank loans.
Out-of-Town Talent
Welcome at Benefit
Out-of-town talent is especially
welcome to compete in the amateur
hour to be presented by the Nacomis
Camp Fire Girls of Heppner at the
gym-auditorium Friday evening,
April 4, announces Mrs. Rachel Dick,
troop sponsor. Registration blanks
are available at Heppner stores or
at the school.
Sale of tickets for the event will
start next Monday.
Decision of winners for the cash
prizes will be left in the hands of
the audience, and while balloting is
carried on a special quiz contest
feature will be staged , with Boy
Scout and Girl Scout teams vieing
against each other. Names of these
team members will be published
next week.
FFA HONORS CONFERRED
' J. ,G. Barratt, Ralph I. Thompson
and Kenneth Blake were made hon
orary members of the local FFA
chapter at a chapter dinner Friday
evening. Billy Padberg was award
ed the acheivement cup for the year.
Mayor J. O. Turner was principal
speaker for the evening. Announce
ment was made of the sectional FFA
contest to be held in Heppner on
March 28.,
ROBERT LAUGHLIN PASSES
Word was received here today that
Robert Laughlin died this morning
in The Dalles. Mr. Laughlin, son-in-law
of Mrs. Lottie Kilkenny, resided
here for the last two years. He is
survived by the widow, Ilene, and
baby son.
Judge C. L. Sweek came over from
Pendleton yesterday to hold a short
session of circuit court
pervisors keeps the soil conservation
district in the hands of the landowners.
Oregon, Thursday, March
Jack Scott, 22 Mo.,
Drowned By Fall
Into Water Trough
Tot Missed But
Short Time When
Sad Fate Discovered
Jack Dean Scott, aged 22 months,
small son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon
Scott of Lexington, was accidentally
drowned at the Nettie Davis home
near Lexington Sunday afternoon.
The little tot had apparently fallen
over backwards into the watering
trough and was unable to lilt him
self from the ten inches of water it
contained.
Jackie and his brother, Jerry, 4,
had accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Mer
ritt Gray to the Davis ranch to visit,
and with other children present had
gone outside to play. He was miss
ing when the other children returned
to the house some time later, and
an immediate search was made, re
vealing the lamentable accident.
Continued resuscitation was made
for more than an hour with a doc
tor from Heppner assisting, to no
avail.
Visiting at the Davis home besides
Mr. and Mr. Gray were Mr. and
Mrs. Loren Mikesell and small son
of Toppenish, Wash.
Funeral services were conducted
Tuesday afternoon at the Christian
church in Lexington with George
Tucker, minister, officiating. Dona
Barnett. Trina Parker and Mrs. S.
G. McMillan sang two beautiful
numbers, accompanied by Miss Ed
ith Edwards at the piano. Interment
was in the Lexington cemetery.
Jack Dean Scott was born in
Heppner May 2, 1939 and passed
away at Lexington March 16, 1941,
aged 1 year, 10 months and 14 days.
Jackie was the second son of Mr.
and Mrs. Vernon J. Scott. Besides
his parents he leaves to mourn his
loss, two brothers, Jerry and Tim;
his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee
Sprinkel of this city, Mrs. Laura
Scott of Lexington, and Mr. Ed
Warner of Pilot Rock; also a num
ber of uncles and aunts.
Jackie was a sweet, lovable young
ter who won the heart of everyone
who knew him. The entire com
munity extends its deepest sympa
thy to the grief-stricken family.
PIONEER INJURED IN ACCIDENT
Mrs. Wm. Hughes of Portland, an
early resident of Heppner, sustained
injuries and nervous shock when the
car in- which she was riding over
turned from a blown out tire while
travelling toward Portland on the
branch highway. Her daughter Hel
en, who with Mrs. Hughes had been
visiting at the Lena farm home of
Mrs. Mable Hughes, was driving.
The car was brought back to Hepp
ner for repairs.
CAR WRECK MYSTERY
A light colored coupe was discov
ered in a ditch near the Robison
service station at lone Sunday morn
ing in a badly wrecked condition.
Investigation of officers failed to lo
cate any trace of who was in the
car, but check of license number
showed the car to have been regis
tered in the name of Marcella Wise,
Portland.
SOCIAL EVENING SET
Lexington grange social evening
will be held Saturday evening, the
22nd, announies Mrs. H. O. Bau
man. All members and invited
guests are urged to attend, and
members are asked to please bring
sandwiches. Old-time dancing and
cards will furnish diversion for the
evening.
MAYOR TO SPEAK
Mayor J. O. Turner will be a
guest speaker for two minutes from
Pendleton's new radio station to
morrow evening when opening cer
emonies will be staged. He will ex
tend Heppner' s greetings.
20, 1941
BPW Club Initiates
Seven New Members
The Business and Professional
Women's club held their annual
spring dinner at the Lucas Place
Monday evening with fourteen mem
bers and candidates present. Fol
lowing the dinner the group ad
journed to the home of Mrs. W. O.
Dix where the impressive candle
light initiation service was held. The
seven initiates were Lera Crawford,
Virginia Coblantz, Helen Doherty,
Margaret Farley, Marjorie Parker,
Effie Andrews and Marie Barlow.
The emblem pageant was presented
by Lucy Rodgers, Neva Neill, Clara
Gertson, Harriet Pointer, Elizabeth
Dix, Florence Bergstrom and Rose
Leibbrand. The committee in charge
of arrangements comprised Harriet
Pointer and Florence Bergstrom.
An informal discussion followed
the initiation service in which cer
tain facts were brought out: The
national B. P. W. with a membership
of 75,000 women is the second
strongest women's organization in
the United States; national defense
work has begun with registration of
every member and the type of work
each is best fitted to do.
Union Pacific Pays
Big Tax Bill for 1941
The biggest check to come into
the county tax collector's office for
payment of 1941 taxes was delivered
at the courthouse Saturday by Rob
ert A. Jones for the Union Pacific
railroad.
The check was drawn upon the
company exchequer for $63,974.48
to pay taxes levied against the com
pany for 1941 in full. The check was
presented in time to give the com
pany benefit of the 2 percent dis
count allowed for prepayment of
the full year's tax before expiration
of time for paying the first quarter
tax for the year.
.. &-.... 1 "
WAIVES GRAND JURY
Ralph Joseph Brumfield waived
grand jury investigation .and per
mitted direct information to be filed
by the district attorney when faced
with a criminal charge in circuit
court here yesterday, but took ad
vantage of the two days in which
Judge C. L. Sweek said he was
allowed to plea. Brumfield was ap
prehended on a charge of breaking
and entering the Interior Warehouse
office. He had previously served a
term in the state penitentiary from
this county.
BROTHER-IN-LAW PASSES
Mrs. F. S. Parker received tele
graphic word Tuesday of the sudden
passing of her brother-in-law, L. G.
Atherton, at his home in Vale. Fun
eral services are announced for to
morrow at that place. Mr. Atherton
was a retired railroad telegrapher.
He is , survived by Mrs. Atherton,
nee Letitia Crawford, and daughter,
Mrs. Tracy Moore of Hollywood,
Cal. , The Athertons resided in Hepp
ner a number of years ago.
DRAFTEES ACCEPTED
The three Morrow county men se
lected for military service in the
March call left for Portland Mon
day evening and all passed their
entrance examination, reports the
local office. The men are Francis
Byron Nickerson of Heppner, Stan
ley Albert Way of Lexington and
James Arthur Stevens of Hardman.
REPRESENTATIVE HOME
Representative E. Harvey Miller
and Mrs. Miller arrived home Sun
day evening from Salem, following
close of the legislative session early
that morning, and Mr. Miller has
been busy since catching up on his
farming operations. Mrs. Miller spent
the last week with her husband in
the state capital.
CAR HITS HORSE, LADY SHOOTS
Mrs. Joyce (Carlson) Darst was
unable to keep the car she was driv
ing from striking a horse on the
Rhea creek road Saturday night. The
animal was so badly injured that
Mrs. Darst obtained a gun, dragged
the injured animal from the road,
shot it
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Threatened Loss Of
Cattle Market
Told By Mac Hoke
Chamber- Wool Aux
iliary Meet Empha
sizes Stock Industry
Limitation f range carrying ca
pacity and the tendency to market
breeding stock by cattlemen at pre
sent high prices may eventually re
sult in the United States losing its
cattle markets to South America.
This is one real threat from existing
agricultural conditions in the United
States, said Mac Hoke, president of
Oregon Woolgrowers association, in
an address before the joint meeting
of the chamber of commerce and
Morrow County Woolgrowers aux
iliary at the Episcopal parish house
Tuesday evening.
Chamber President B. C. Pinck
ney, was master of ceremonies and
introduced Mrs. R. I. Thompson,
president, and Mrs. H, A. Cohn, sec
retary of the National Woolgrowers
auxiliary, who responded with short
and appropriate talks. President
Pinckney said Heppner should con
sider it a real honor to have two
of its women holding offices in the
national association at the same
time. Mrs. Stephen Thompson, pro
gram chairman for the event, pre
sented Walter Skuzeski with two
accordion numbers, and Mary Lou
Ferguson and Jean Turner in a pi
ano duet. Introduced as guests were
Mrs. Hoke, Mr. and Mrs. Lowell
Stockman of Pendleton, and Harry
Anderson of La Grande.
Mr. Hoke paid tribute to Mor
row county for furnishing many
people who have-takei. a , lead in
agricultural organization work. He
gave a graphic picture of the entire
agricultural set-up in the country
today, citing figures in every in
stance to bear out his statements.
While the sheep industry just at
present holds a very favorable
position among agricultural pro
ducts, the picture for wheat is not
bright, said Mr. Hoke. He cited the
large national surplus now existing
that cannot help but hold down
prices in view of loss of practically
all foreign markets. The situation in
regard to wheat today is entirely
different from that which existed at
the time of the last world war when
added production was encouraged
on every hand, and no stretch of
the imagination can conceive that
wheat will be influenced by war
conditions to jump in price as it did
at the time of the last war.
Mr. Hoke emphasized as of local
importance the restriction of sum
mer ranges for livestock through ac
quisition of timber lands by the fed
eral government, declaring that win
ter ranges now far exceed summer
ranges in the west, thus handicap
ping the industry that has been a
major factor in the building of the
western empire.
He also pointed to the large in
crease in numbers of elk and deer
which are competing for livestock
summer ranges. He considered the
fact that elk now outnumber deer
as being against the public interest,
for elk are not so popular with hunt
ers and are much harder on ranges.
The wild life situation today is man
made he said, for there were practic
ally no elk in this region in 1906,
and deer at that time were far less
numerous than they are today. As
the livestock industry is still the
backbone of this district, paying 51
percent of the taxes, it is only just
that its interests in the national for
ests should be recognized and given
due consideration, the speaker de
clared. Ladies of the Episcopal ((auxiliary
prepared the delicious meal that was
enjoyed by some fifty people.
Josephine Mahoney departed for
Portland on Sunday, expecting to
spend a week in the city.