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Heppner Gazette Times
Volume 65, Number 1 1
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 3, 1948
TO MEET THE PRESIDENT
President Truman has arranged
for a conference with State Trea
surer Leslie M Scott in Portland
June 11 to discuss a proposal to
transfer the 20-acre Portland
Veterans cemetery to the feder
al government. The meeting was
arranged by United States Sena
tor Guy Cordon,
This will be the first time un
der the present law of succession
to the office of governor that the
state treasurer has become gov
ernor, often erroneously termed
"acting governor."
When a governor Is removed
from office, by his death, resigna
tion, absence from the state or
other inability to discharge the
duties of office, the order of suc
cession is: president of the sen
ate, speaker of the house of rep
resentatives, secretary of state,
slate treasurer. Senator Marshall
Cornett was killed in an airplane
accident last October and no suc
cessor to his position as president
of the senate has been elected.
As Governor Hall, who was
speaker of the house of represent
atives, and Secretary of State
Earl Newbry will be out of the
state on June 11 State Treasurer
Scott will be governor during
their absence from the state.
VANPORT DISASTER RELIEF
When Vanport was devastated
Sunday afternoon by a flash
flood Governor Hall Immediately
declared a state of limited emer
gency, placed the Oregon Nation
al Guard and other state depart
ments capable of aiding in relief
work at the disposal of emer
gency relief officials.
President Basil O'Connor, of the
Red Cross, informed the state de
partment that $250,000 of the em
ergency funds had been allocated
for Vanport relief.
J. L. Franzen, Salem city man
ager, and first manager of Van
port, was on the highway when
he heard of the disaster. He arriv
ed at Vanport within minutes and
was offering the relief faclllles
of Salem and directing stricken
refugees to the Capitol. McNary
field in Salem has been made
headquarters for ONG planes. II
has taken on a wartime air with
everything from the cubs L-16s
to AT-6s lined all over the place.
United Air Lines Portland ser
vice headquarters has been trans
ferred to Salem and McNary field i
is probably the busiest per square i
iuui U. any i..-iu in wit; iinuuii
Just now. The Oregon State Fair
Grounds barns are stabling more
than 600 race horses from flood
swept Meadows race track. Many
other state departments are hous
ing or otherwise aiding in relief
work.
NEW STATE OFFICE BUILDING
State building directories ar
ound the capitol group are allu
sive. They are always hiding
Contir'ied on page 6
Lexington Man
Of Home Since
One has to get away from home
now and then to appreciate his
own neighborhood more, thinks
Orvllle Cutsforth who, with mem
bers of his family, returned with
in the week from a trip to Col
umbia, Mo., where they attend
ed high school commencement
exercises at the graduation of
Dorothy Cutsforth.
For one thing, none of the
country traversed looked as good
to the Lexington folk as their
own vicinity. They were not on a
sightseeing tour but could see
enough to convince them that
this section has been much more
favored this season than the re
gion traversed east of the Rock
ies. Highway 30 was traveled east
ward and this route took them
through a region where the crop
situation is a little backward.
Lack of moisture Is evident, Cuts
forth said, particularly in Neb
raska and Kansas. Returning,
through Kansas In order to get a
slant on the wheat crop, he
found the prospects poor. He be
lieves a 20-bushel stand will be
a rare thing there this season
unless rain comes real soon.
Fields where from five to seven
bushels is the average are being
plowed up.
Fear that dust bowl conditions
may be returning was seen in
fields where dust was blowing
through the growing grain. It is
dry back there and no doubt
about it. Cutsforth said.
While the trip was made In
good time by car, Mr. Cutsforth
said he wished nearly all the
way they had taken the piano.
"We could have flown four or
five hours at a time and set
down for rest and then beaten
the car time by hours, but more
of the family wanted to go than
the plane would accommodate
so we traveled by car."
Dorothy Cutsforth will return
to Columbia in the fall and mat
rlculate In the college course at
Stephens college,
Short Term Circuit
Court Being Held By
Judge Watts Today
Several Criminal
Cases Submitted
By Grand Jury
Judge Homer I. Watts opened
a short term of circuit court in
Heppner this morning and has
been spending a busy day dis
posing of civil and criminal cas
es which have accumulated in
the past few weeks.
Aside from granting some di
vorces, the Judge passed sentence
on Charles Buchanan, 19, of Lex
ington, charged with being in
possession of stolen property. J.
O. Turner represented the defen
dant and advised his client to
plead guilty and throw himself
upon the mercy of the court. This
was done and the Judge sentenc
ed him to two years and probat
ed him to the custody of his fa
ther.
Melvin Moyer appeared before
the Judge and pled guilty to fail
ure to keep up payments for the
care of hfs children. He confess
ed to being three months in ar
rears. Judge Walts took Moyer's
case into his own hands and as
sured him that unless he compli
ed with the court's order, which
Is to catch up on the back pay
ments by June 5, or at least most
of them, and then keep them up
hereafter, it will be the duty of
the court to "send him down be
low" meaning to Salem.
District Attorney P W. Mahon
ey read the charge against War
ren John Anent, responsible for
the death of William Greener.
Anent is charged with second
degree murder. He is represented
by Jos. J. Nys. The D A. recom
mended that Anent be released
under $2500 ball but the Judge
thought that amount too heavy,
and recommended a lesser am
ount. t
Verne Ricketts was awaiting
the reading of the charge against
him for passing worthless checks.
Ricketts was apprehended at
Lovelock, Nev., several weeks af
ter his visit to Heppner and Sher
iff Bauman returned him from
there on May 21. He has been
held in Jail Mere since.
RAN INTO CLOUDBURST
Heppner people traveling be
tween this place and Pendleton
Monday afternoon report run
ning Into a cloudburst near the
Pendleton Grainprnwprs elpvntnr
about 11 miles west of Pendleton,
Windshield swipes were of little
use ana driving was extreme v
hazardous for the duration of the
storm, which lasted several min
utes. It has not been learned to
what extent the highway or ad
jacent fields were damaged but
the travelers say water was plen
tiful for a short time.
o
Can you remember way back
when a .man could afford a yacht
even if he only had a million or
two? Cuba (Mich.) News & Re
view. Thinks More
Midwest Visit
News About Town . . .
Week-end houseguests at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Fur
long were Mr. and Mrs. Conser
Adkins and son Frank of Colfax,
Wn., Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stark and
daughters and Mr. and Mrs. Low
ell Winters and children of Hay,
Wn., and Mrs. Melvin Harrington
of Vancouver, Wn.
Mrs. Delia Duran is here from
Umatilla for a few days' visit at
the home of her son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. R. G.
McMurtry. The McMurtrys mo
tored over to Umatilla after Mrs
Duran on Monday.
Dan Brock of Dayville is spend
ing several days in Heppner with
his sister, Mrs. Susie Hughes.
Mr. Brock accompanied Ed Wil
son to Heppner,
George Darling of Adams vis
ited friends in Heppner over the
week end. Mr. Darling worked
here several years ago before
moving to Adams where he has
since made his home.
Ray Ogletree left Thursday for
Alaska where he will be employ
ed for a time. Mr. Ogletree came
to Oregon last year from Ala
bama and has made his home
here with his brother, Douglas,
working for the Heppner Lumber
company during the past year.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Collins
moved to Cottage Grove to spend
Decoration day with relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Sllger of
Albany were week-end guests of
Mr. and Mrs, John Sanger,
Among business visitors here
Tuesday from Condon were Law
rence Farrnr, Walter Jarger, W
J. Eaton, Orve Dyer and Will Har-
die.
Mrs. Grace Nlckerson made a
business trip to Pendleton Friday,
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
TAKE JOBS FOR SUMMER
Several members of the class
of 1948, Heppner high school,
went to work immediately or
have Jobs upon which they will
start shortly. Beverly Yocom is
the new clerk in the office of
Turner, Van Marter & Co., enter
ing upon her new duties Tues
day, June 1. Corabelle Nutting
is working at Scotty's, Don Du
Bois is clerking in the postoffice,
and Leila McLachlan will suc
ceed Mrs. Loreen Ledbetter in the
tax department of the sheriff's
office beginning July 1.
Three of the boys of the class
left the first of the week for Al
aska to work until about the
first of October. Clarence Green
up, who spent last summer in
the north, was accompanied by
Jack Ployhar and Buster Padberg.
All three were prominent mem
bers of the athlete squads during
their term in high school.
YOUNG ADULT FELLOWSHIP
TO ENTERTAIN VISITORS
The Young Adult Fellowship of
the Methodist church will play
host Sunday to similar groups
from other churches of the dis
trict. Visitors to the number of
about 50 are expected and the
local group has planned enter
tainment to make the occasion
worthwhile.
Following the morning services
at the church the YAF groups
will congregate on the church
parsonage lawn for a picnic din
ner. JAMES CARTY PASSES
James Carty, pioneer sheepman
of Morrow county and a resident
of Gilliam county the past eight
years, died at the family resi
dence at Heppner Junction this
morning. Funeral arrangements
are being held up pending word
from Mr. Carty's two daughters.
He and his son Packy moved
from the Emigrant springs ranch
north of lone to the Junction
when their ranch was included in
the bombing range back in 1940.
Wheat Commission
Will Seek Lower
Freight Rates East
Oregon's Wheat commission
has decided to fight for lower
rates on wheat and flour. Chap
man Jens TerJeson announced
this week. Present rates do not
permit wheat and flour produced
in Oregon and other northwest
states to be sold to eastern mar
kets on equal terms with wheat
grown in other areas, he said.
The commission at Its recent
meeting in Pendleton outlined a
broad program of research and
education for the coming year.
It includes a study of the various
markets at home and abroad
where Pacific northwest wheat
and flour are sold. This study
is expected to point to ways of
expanding these markets, Ter
jeson said.
He said, however, that it would
be unprofitable to ship northwest
wheat elsewhere In the nation as
long as transportation costs re
mained at present levels.
The commission proposes to
study the freight rate problem
in cooperation with wheat pro
ducers, dealers, millers and oth
ers interested in the northwest
wheat industry.
TerJeson said the problem in
cluded water as well as rail
transportation.
The commission also decided
to expand its research program
to develop better varieties of
wheat and to find new uses for
wheat. Feeding of wheat to live
stock will be encouraged thru
the Eastern Oregon Fat Stock
show and sale and other shows.
The commission plans to coop
erate with the Millers' National
foundation in an attempt to in
crease flour consumption. Use of
the types of flours milled from
Oregon and other northwest
wheat will be encouraged by the
Cake Baking contest, which the
commission is sponsoring this
year for the first tim.e and other
similar projects.
TerJeson said possible Indus
trial uses of wheat would be
studied and an attempt would be
made to locate more processors of
wheat in the northwest. He men
tioned wheat gluten, starch anJ
alcohol as possible products of
wheat in addition to its many
uses as human food. Location of
new industries would depend, in
part, upon favorable transporta
tion rates, he said.
Much of the basic research
along these lines will be done
in government loboratories at Pe
oria, III., Albany, Calif., and Pull
man, Wash.
TerJeson said that the program
outlined by the commission
would benefit the entire region
and that the cooperation of grow
ers, dealers and millers from
throughout the area was expect
ed.
Other members of the commis
sion are Marlon Weatherford, Ar
lington; Ralph McEwen Jr., Hain
es; Millard Eakin, Grass Valley
and William J. Enschede, Hills
boro. E. J. Bell, Pendleton, is ad
minlstrator. Exofflclo members
are E. L. Peterson, state director
of agriculture, and D. D. Hill
head of the farm crops depart
ment, Oregon State college,
Graduates In Class of
Afm (
1
prt T y-
I t -' ; w 1 k
f;
i i
Top row, left to right Supt
Henry Tetz, Richard AUstotL
Robert Kilkenny, Jack Ployhar,
Doyle Key, Donald DuBois,
Principal Leonard Pate.
Middle row Elizabeth Ann
This class of 21 seniors received i their search for knowledge ended
diplomas from the hands of Har- j with receipt of their diplomas or
old Becket, district No. 1 school 8huld tney fns!,der. their h'?h
, , . , .1 ehool work the beginning. The
board chairman, in appropriate Ueniors were left with the thought
commencement exercises Friday I
evening, at which time Frank
Bennett, superintendent of Salem
schools, delivered the commence
ment address. Mr. Bennett as
sured the class that it was up to
each individual to decide whe
ther it was graduation or com
mencement, should they consider
Soroptimists To Present Variety
Home Talent At Star, June 9-10
By Ruth Payne
Plans are progressing for the
home talent show which will be
presented at the Star theater,
June 9 and 10, under the spon
sorship of the Heppner Soroptim-
ist club, according to Mrs. Joe
Hughes Sr., general chairman.
Several vaudeville acts have
been scheduled which will be
featured a "Barbershop Quartette,"-
a "Gay Nineties Revue,"
and a "Hillbilly Routine." In ad
dition to these skits there will
be the regular movie, "Always
Together" and "The March of
Time." Prizes are being offered
to anyone in the audience who
can identify the "Man of Mys
tery" from clues given at inter
vals during the performance.
This week, Heppner has taken
on the' appearance of a "main
line" city with cars bearing li
cense plates from all over the
United States becoming a com
mon occurrence along Main
street. Because of flood condi
tions along the Columbia River
highway, normal highway traf
fic has been routed through the
interior. Tourists are given the
opportunity to view some of the
Oregon country which is ordin
arily by-passed.
Miss Helen Phelan returned to
her home in San Francisco Mon
day after spending the week end
n Heppner with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. D. P. Phelan. Miss Phe
lan made the trip by United Air
lines and was met in Pendleton
Saturday by Russell O'Donnell.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rood of
Athena were week-end visitors
in Heppner.
Mr. and Mrs. Emory Moore and
daughters were over from Monu
ment Saturday transacting bus
iness In Heppner and visiting
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Add Moore.
Mr. and Mrs. George Carey and
son, Jimmy, of Portland arrived
Saturday to spend the week end
holiday with her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Ulrich. The Careys
came up by motor via the Mt.
Hood loop highway and over the
Wapanltia cut-off.
Mrs. E. H. Burns of Spokane
was a week-end guest at tne
country home of her brother-in-
law and sister, Mr. and, Mrs.
Ralph Thompson. Mrs. Bums
flew from Spokane and was met
in Pendleton Saturday afternoon
by Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.
Mrs. Lucy E. Rodgers and Mrs.
Sara McNamer motored to Walla
Walla and Prescott, Wash., for
Decoration day. In Pendleton
they were joined by Mrs. McNa
mer s brother, James Kodgers 01
Meadows, Idaho, who accompan
ied them to Walla Walla and
returned to Heppner for a brief
visit.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gentry
and daughter, Joyce, Mr. and Mrs.
Frankie V. Gentry of Portland;
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gentry and
children, Phyllis and Gary of
Bend, and Roy Gentry of Okano
gan, Wash., spent the week end
in Heppner with their mother,
Mrs. Ordrie Gentry, who is ser
iously ill at the home of her sis
ter, Mrs. Alice Gentry. Mrs. Har
old Gentry and Hoy Gentry re
mained to assist with Mrs. Gen
try's care while the others re
turned to their homes the first of
the week.
Mr. and Mrs Herman Talker
were over from Pasco to spend
the week end here with her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Cllve Huston.
F. W. Turner and Robert Dobbs
returned Friday from a business
trip to Portland.
'48 Receive Diplomas At Exercises
i
' i.
Smethurst, Clarence Greenup,
Morgan Connor, Kenneth Green,
Myron Rill, Donald Rippee,
Harriet Ann Ball,
j Front row Corabelle Lee
(Nutting, Mary Ellen Gearhart,
i Leila Joan McLachlan, Beverly
I
that it was up to them to decide
what they would do wtih their
lives and that there are still
plenty of things to be done in
this world if they will but be
alert.
Citizenship, scholastic, activi
ties, and leadership awards were
made by Principal Leonard Pate.
Among those attending the
baseball game in Condon Sun
day were Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Becket, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bec
ket and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Par
rish. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hope of
Ventura, Cal., who are vacation
ing in Oregon, spent several days
in Heppner the first of the week,
looking after business matters.
Kobert Welty was here from
The Dalles Tuesday. Mr. Welty
found travel conditions between
libre and The Dalles rather dif
ficult, having been routed thru
Tygh and Grass Valley and over
roads which are under construc
tion at the present time.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Musgrave
of Fox Valley were business vis
itors in Heppner Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Bucknum
and Mrs. Fay Bucknum motored
to Hermiston Monday to spend
the day visiting friends.
Tom Black of Walla Walla,
representative of the Bonneville
Power administration, was a bus
iness visitor in Heppner Tues
day.
Joe Hughes Jr. returned Tues
day from Los Angeles where he
had been attending school for the
past several monlhs. Mr. Hughes
thinks he may go to Alaska to
work during the summer.
James Butler of Rufus was
transacting business in Heppner
Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Case mo
tored to Portland Wednesday.
There, Mrs. Case will Join her
mother, Mrs. Ida Grimes, for a
month's vacation trip. Mr. Case
returned to Heppner the last of
the week.
Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Bucknum
left Tuesday afternoon for Los
Angeles where they were called
by the serious illness of Mrs.
Bucknum's father, H. H. Everette.
Mrs. Harold Evans, Mrs. Emma
Evans and Miss Yvonne Bleak
man returned the end of the
week from a motor trip to Utah.
The ladies enjoyed several
days sightseeing in and around
Salt Lake City and were especial
ly impressed with Mormon
. Square, where they attended an
organ concert in the world fam
ous tabernacle and visited other
points of historic interest. They
returned by way of the Salt
Flats, Nevada and Idaho.
James Farley of Arlington was
looking after business matters
in Heppner Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Pierson and
daughters, Marjorie and Rose
marie, and Mr. and Mrs. Pirl
Howell motored to The Dalles
Monday. Mrs. James Boland and
daughter Mary returned to Hepp
ner with them and will remain
with the Howells until after the
flood danger is over in The Dal
les. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Griffin
and children returned to their
home in Portland Wednesday af
ter spending a few days In
Heppner visiting relatives. They
were accompanied by Mrs Lil
lian Cook who is returning to
her home in Oregon City after
spending the past few weeks here
assisting with the care of her
father, George Mead, who has
been seriously ill at the home
of another daughter, Mrs. Sic
Walker.
Mrs. Gerald Boohor returned to
her home In Boise Idaho, Thurs
day after a brief visit in Hepp
ner with her mother, Mrs. Corda
Saling.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ruggles
and daughter motored to Moro
for Decoration day.
. IK 2 1 . ' )'
'V ess
Ann Yocom, Edda Mae Thorpe,
Ollie Eyvonne Hastings, Clara
Sue Ledbetter, Joan Marie His
ler. Not in picture Bernard U.
Merle Padberg, Hervel Ray Pet
tyjohn. Leila McLachlan received the
valedictory award for having
maintained the highest scholas
tic average during her four years
of high school work; to Morgan
Connor went the salutatory medi
al; Beverly Yocom received the
activity medal; Harriet Ball, cit
izenship award; Buster Padberg,
outstanding athlete award; Don
DuBois, student body president,
the leadership award, and Joan
Hisler's name will be placed on
the school's honor plaque.
Eighth Graders
Receive Diplomas
During Past Week
Graduation exercises were held
last week for eighth grade class
es of the county with the result
that 66 young people are ready to
enter high school in the fall.
Heppner graduated about the
largest class in history Wednes
day evening, May 26, when 35
diDlomas were passed out. De
spite interruption by a heavy
thunder storm which caused a
blackout of lights, the program
was carried through on schedule,
with candles and flashlights at
hand toprovide light in case of
necessity. Mrs. Lucy Rodgers was
guest speaker, and Principal
Waldo Jackson introduced and
presented the class to Supt. Hen
ry Tetz who presented the dip
lomas. A feature of the exercises
were two first graders, Carolyn
McDaniels and Dickie Robinson,
dressed for the part, who turned
the pages of a large book reveal
ing the program for the evening.
Members of the class were
Nancy Jane Adams, Dale William
Baker, Edwayne E. Bergstrom,
Marilyn Louise Bergstrom, Don
ald Earl Blake, Jeanne M. Both
well, Albert Faye Burkenbine,
Sally Cohn, Marvin Gary Connor,
Robert Keith Connor, Genevieve
L. Cox, Jo Jean Dix, Marlene June
Duran, Afton Lenora Eberhart,
Dorothea E. Falcon, Nancy Fer
guson, Dona Marlene Gayhart,
Floyd Elmer Green, E. Allen
Hughes, Bernice Mae Huston, Mi
chael Conley Lanham. Eugene M.
Miller, Marilyn V. Miller, Nancy
A. Moore, Jimmy Vernon Prock,
Eleanor Lee Rice, Charleen Elsa
Rill, Lynville Woodrow Rill,
Charles Stout Jr., Roy M. Taylor,
James Lewis Smith, Kenneth J.
Turner, Betty Jean Washburn,
Jack Yeager, Rieta Mae Graves.
District No. 25, Boardman, was
second on the list with a class of
14. These are Franklin B. Ball,
Richard Barliem, Larry L. Car
penter, Douglas Califf, Elnora
Earwood, Max Fussell, Donald I.
Gillespie, William D. Palmer, Pe
ter D. Cassidy, Carol Robertson,
Nancy Rands. Stanley Shattuck,
Gracia Ann Veelle, Delores Ziv
ney. Five young people were award
ed diplomas at Irrigon as follows:
Jim Kenny, Leroy Conners, Ger
ald Hinkley, Lorraine Carter and
James Keith Jr.
District No. 35, lone, graduated
14, as follows: Clarence Leroy
Brenner, Barbara Jackson, De
lores Ann Drake, Clarice Fern
Jones, Wilma Edna Dalzell, Elise
Bauernfeind, Llla Botts, Allen
Ely, Donald Eubanks, Mary M.
Jepson.
Elizabeth Jane Griffin and Ed
na Jane Ivey were awarded dip
lomas at Lexington.
o
CHURCH SPONSORING SHOWER
FOR VANPORT FLOOD VICTIMS
The women of the Heppner
Church of Christ are sponsoring
a miscellaneous shower at 3 p.
m., Friday, June 11, for Mr. and
Mrs. Kenneth Hoyt and son who
lost everything in the Vanport
flood. All friends are Invited.
The Hoyts were just ready to
eat when someone shouted to
them to make a run for it as the
dike had broken. They grabbed
the baby and ran to the car and
succeeded in escaping the water.
Upon reaching higher ground
they looked back and saw the
water envelop their house.
Services Held At
Graveside For
Nickerson Infant
Graveside services were held
at 4 o'clock p.m. Wednesday for
Dane Francis Nickerson, infant
son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis B.
Nickerson, whose death occurred
at an early hour Tuesday. Rev.
Neville Blunt conducted the ser
vice. Dane Francis was one of a set
of twins born Sunday to Mr. and
Mrs. Ncikerson, the other being a
girl. The little fellow was not
strong enough to cope with the
struggle of living and breathed
his last at the age of two days.
Mrs. Nickerson and the little
daughter, Alice Adelle, are gain
ing strength daily at the Corda
Saling home.
Vacation School
To End June 10
Vacation Bible school under the
auspices of the protestant chur
ches of the city opened Monday
at the Heppner school with a
good attendance.
The intensified training given
the young people will culminate
in a program to be given at 7:30
p.m., Thursday, June 10, at the
Methodist church.
TAKES LONG DRIVE
Mrs. Frances Mitchell knows
something about detouring since
venturing forth into the flood
area last Friday afternoon. She
left for The Dalles Friday after
noon accompanied by her daugh
ter Lorene who has taken a posi
tion in a hospital there for
the summer, and Johnnie Molla-
han. Reaching Dinty's station
Mrs. Mitchell was told she
would have to detour there via
Grass Valley and Tygh Valley
to highway 97. Coming back up
Saturday she crossed Shearer's
bridge and took a cut-off road
that brought her down to the
mouth of the Deschutes. The
water was nearly up to the floor
of the bridge but she crossed over
and headed up the river only to
run into the flood waters above
Arlington. Negotiating this she
headed on up the highway en
route to Wallowa county. Little
difficulty was experienced the
rest of the way, although the
Grande Ronde river was on a
rampage and the Wallowa's
banks were full where that river
and the Minam join. She spent
Memorial day at Joseph. Johnnie
Mollahan stopped off at Pendle
ton to visit relatives while Mrs.
Mitchell went on up the line.
MRS. MINNIE GAUNT
Chapel services were held at
2:30 o'clock p.m., Wednesday for
Mrs. Minnie Gaunt, 76, who pass
ed away Monday night at Her
miston. Rev. J. Palmer Sorlien
conducted the service. Interment
was in Heppner Masonic ceme
tery.
Mrs. Gaunt was born July 15,
1872 at Myrtle Point, the daugh
ter of Jesse and Elizabeth
(Brown) McFerrin. She was mar
ried to John Gaum and they
came to Morrow county to make
their home. They resided in the
Matteson butte district for a
number of years, later moving to
Heppner where Mr. Gaunt died.
Mrs. Gaunt continued to make
her home here until a year or so
ago when she went to Hermiston.
She was a sister of Mrs. Grace
Hughes and had other relatives
here.
Big Fish Opines
Time For Cruise
Late spring run-off has caused
a drouth in fish stories this year
and it remained for the Colum
bia flood waters to produce a
tale which may be believed or
taken with a grain of saltby
Gazette Times readers. But be
fore describing what was seen
let it be known that the writer
and his family were stone sober,
in their right minds, and were
not fishing but merely riding
along the Columbia river high
way watching the logs, parts of
buildings and other debris
breasting the 10-miles-an-hour
current.
It was late Sunday afternoon.
Our party was taking a leisurely
drive from Arlington down the
river towards Rufus. Opopsite the
railroad station of Hook, a few
miles east of the mouth of the
John Day river, a shoal of black
rock is visible in low water but
at present it is several feet un
der the surface of the swirling
waters. While passing that point
it was noticed that a grayish
rock was sticking out of the wa
ter Just above the rapids formed
by the shoal. The object seemed
to be moving but that is an op
tical illusion often formed by
water passing over rocks, yet In
this instance the "rock" was most
surely moving away from the
rest of the shoal, and as said
before, the shoal rock is black
and this whatever-lt-was was
gray.
The car slowed down and our
party watched the object gradu
Interior Highways
Bear Brunt River
Traffic In Crisis
Passenger Cars,
Freight "Outfits
Routed Thu Here
Literally thousands of travel
ers learned of new, interesting
highways this week when flood
conditions along the Columbia
river route forced diversion of
traffic over interior roads. Mon
day and Tuesday saw a steady
stream of traffic through Hepp
ner as cars turned from Highway
30 above Boardman were directefl
to come this way and over the
Heppner-Condon highway to the
John Day where they chose a
north or south course, as their
destinations called for. Others
headed for Arlington were sent
down the Willow creek highway
and detoured over the Rhea Siding-Arlington
cut-off.
People trying to make Portland
and Columbia river points be
tween Arlington and Portland
were compelled to travel many
extra miles. The first detour was
between Dinty's, at Biggs, and
The Dalles. Travelers going west
were detoured at Dinty's as far
south as Grass Valley, thence
over the Grass Valley-Tygh Val
ley highway to 97. By Sunday
the detour started at Rufus be
cause of the unsafe condition of
the highway west of that point.
Many local people have driven
to points on the river within the
week to see "the highest water
since '94." The Columbia has
backed up Willow creek for more
than one-fourth of a mile and
ranchers were busy Saturday try
ing to save a hay crop in the path
of the swollen stream.
Water from the swollen Colum
bia swept through a culvert un
der the Union Pacific railroad
about five miles west of Heppner
Junction and flooded the high
way. The railroad bed remained
well above the water line while
the highway was submerged un
der as much as two feet of water
for a distance of approximately
one-half mile. Travelers who
were fearful of negotiating the
water returned to Heppner Junc
tion or Arlington and took the
Arlington-Rhea cut-off. By Mon
day the rising river water had
penetrated more railroad cul
verts in the Boardman area and
a sizeable territory along the
highway was flooded. This start
ed the interior travel in a big
way; particularly for people re
turning to western points from
holiday trips to eastern Oregon
and Washington, or Idaho.
Heppner and other interior
towns enjoyed a real tourist bus
iness for two or three days, par
ticularly in the restaurant and
gas station services. Strings of
cars and trucks passed through,
some stopping, others njerely ob
serving traffic regulations as they
sped on their way homeward.
Numerous out of state cars were
included, the detour affording
them an unsought opportunity
to see more of Oregon than they
would have otherwise seen.
MARRIAGE DATE SET
Mr. and Mrs. Ottis East an
nounce the forthcoming marriage
of their daughter, Maxine, to Les
ter Cox of Lexington, on Satur
day evening, June 19 at 8 o'clock
p. mr-in the Heppner Methodist
church. Friends of the couple
have been extended an invitation
to attend.
High Water Good
Up Columbia River
ally gain headway against the
heavy current. It had moved
away more than 100 yards when
the conclusion was reached that
it was a fish of some kind but
what?
We moved down the highway
at a leisurely pace.' reaching Ru
fus where state police directed
us over the Rufus-Wasco cutoff,
but as we were only cruising
down the river and Arlington was
our objective for the night, we
turned back up the river. Pic
tures were taken along the way
and when Hook was reached
nothing more was seen ol the
mid-stream denizen. Some dis
tance above Hook our attention
was again called to the activity
in the middle of the river and
sure enough there was the big
fish still battling the current and
making good progress up the riv
er. This time the car came to a
stop and closer observation was
made of the big fellow's motions.
With head bobbing in and out
of the water at intervals, the tall
maintained a steady threshing.
The fish appeared to bo at least
12 feet in length and the head
had the resemblance of a whale.
Not being ichthyologists (that's
a whale of a word) we could not
say positively that it was a
whale and this Is being written
with the hope that others may
have seen the same thing and
will come orth with the right
name for it. Since It took the
middle of the stream It was too
far away to be photographed, hut
it could be plainly seen from
shore and doubtless others than
ourselves saw it.