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BLOWN AWAY This is all that
equipment shed belonging to Lexington Implement Company after
Monday's heavy winds completely demolished it. Large pieces
of corrugated metal were found a quarter of a mile away. Chim
neys, television antennas and windows also fell before the 75
mile gusts.
Copies 10 cents
MCGG Announces
Plan For Payment of
Growers Certificates
In celebration of the 25th an
niversary of the formation of the
Morrow County Grain Growers, it
was announced this week by
manager Al Lamb that the direc
tors of the organization have
voted to begin calling in the old
est outstanding capital reserve
(growers) certificates for cash
payments. These will be for the
1941 crop and represent that
year's profit to the growers.
The first call will be for ap
propriately $50,000 and will come
from the net margin of $130,000
realized from the 1953 crop year,
Lamb said. Present prospects also
show that the 1954 margins will
exceed $150,000, and if so, will
enable complete liquidation of
commercial debts as well as a fair
cash distribution to patrons dur
ing the 25th anniversary year.
It is also planned to call in the
1945 ownership certificates in
June, but it was emphasized that
no payments would be made un
til the end of the fiscal year and
the completion of the annual
audit.
On April 5, 1930, farmers of the
county organized the grain mar
keting and storage cooperative
with approximately $12,000 as
initial capital. The going was
rough, for both the farmers and
the co-op during the days of
light crops and low prices. Fire
also destroyed the Heppner ele
vator and more recently financial
mistakes added to the troubles of
the cooperative.
In 1952 refinancing was suc
cessful and in November of that
year Lamb, who had been chief
accountant and assistant mana
ger for Blue Lake Packers, Inc.,
a large fruit and vegetable co-op,
took over management of the
MCGG. In the years since, marg
ins from its operation have con
tinued to climb and facilities have
been improved.
Most recent completion is the
addition of an elevator and barge
loading facility on the Columbia
which now for the first time,
gives local growers the benefits
of direct water transportation.
The co-op has six other inland
elevators with a combined storage
capacity of about 2,000,000 bu
shels and are all located to allow
Court Mokes Two
Board Appointments
The county court appointed two
new members to two county
boards to fill vacancies created
by the expiration of terms of
former members. (
Appointed to a three-year term
on the county budget board was
Newt O'Harra of Lexington. He
will serve with John Hanna of
Heppner and Walter Hayes of
Boardman. The court also an
nounced the date of the budget
board meeting as Friday, May 6.
O'Harra replaces Kenneth Smouse
who finished his term this year.
The other appointment was
Lloyd Howton to the county fair
board. He replaces Louis Halvor
sen and will serve with Willard
Baker of Boardman and W. E.
Hughes of Heppner.
Dr. and Mrs. Dick O'Shea of
Oswego, former residents of Hep
pner, were here over the week
end to attend the Elks annual.
remained ol a new sheet metal
ptet
either truck-barge or rail move
ment of the nearly 3,000,000 bu
shels of grain handled by the
association each year.
A banquet honoring the anni
versary will be given patrons and
friends at the Heppner Legion
hall on Tuesday, April 5, it was
revealed. The program will be
announced lated.
o '
Observance Set
For 4-H Club Week
Plans were made at the regular
monthly meeting of the South
Morrow 4-H club council, recent
ly, for a week of activities in ob
servanse of National 4-H Club
Week. It will be observed na
tionally during the week March
5 through 13th. The committee
drawing up plans and carrying
them through are: Paul Tews,
Heppner; Mrs. Herbert Ekstrom,
lone; Mrs. Kenneth Palmer, Lex
ington; and Mrs. Andy Van Scho
iack, Heppner.
The week will feature several
activities, including window dis
plays of clubs in lone, Lexington
and Heppner; displays of' club
work at the schools in the county;
identification of 4-H members by
wearing emblem tags during the
week; the appearance of Kenneth
Hill, International Farm Youth
Exchange delegate which pro
gram is sponsored by 4-H, at
many events during the week;
the film, "This Is 4-H Club Work,"
to be shown at several events;
and publicity through the local
papers.
Window displays to be put up
in Lexington, lone and Heppner,
will be judged by special commit,
tee with prizes being offered to
the clubs with the outstanding
window exhibit. Club members
wearing emblem tags during the
week will collect signatures on
the tags from their schoolmates
with a prize going to the mem
ber with the greatest number of
signatures. Project material com
pleted by club members will be
on display at special events, in
cluding P-TAs of the three schools
which will be held that week.
Kenneth Hill, International
Farm Youth Exchange delegate
who visited Norway last year,
will appear before a number of
organizations and groups during
the week. His schedule will in
elude the regular noon meeting
of the HeDDner-Morrow County
Chamber of Commerce on March
7; an appearance at Irrigon
school at 8:00 p. m., the 7th;
the Maranatha Club at lone, 2:30
p. m., March 9; Heppner P-TA
8:00 p. m., March 9; noon lunch
eon of Soroptimist Club, Thurs
day, the 10th; the lone Topic Club
2:00 p. m. at Mrs. Dixon Smith's
home, lone, Friday the 11th;
Rhea Creek Grange on Friday
evening, the 11th; and Lexington
Grange, Saturday, March 12. It
is expected that his schedule will
be filled out more completely
with appearances at the schools
and other organizations during
the week.
The film, "This Is 4-H Club
Work", explains projects and
various activities of the 4-H club
program. It is sceduled for sev
eral showings during the week.
AIRPORT HANGARS Between clouds of dust the GT photographer
caught this shot of the Lexington
ing precariously or standing out nearly at right angles. None
if the buildings was blown entirely down. At times the dust was
so thick it was impossible to even see the outline of the buildings
from the point the picture was taken.
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 3, 1955
Grade School i
Hoop Tournament
Opens Here Today I
Everything is in readiness for
the start this afternoon of the
first grade school basketball
tournament which is being spon
sored by the Heppner school.
Eight schools have entered the
double elimination tourney.
The first game will be held
this afternoon (Thursday) at 2:30
and will pit Arlington against
the host team, Heppner. Lexing
ton and Fossil will meet at 3:30,
lone and Boardman at 6.30 and
Stanfield and Condon at 7:3o to
night. Progressive games will be
played at 6:30 and 7:30 Friday
and Saturday nights with the
championship contest scheduled
for 8:30 Saturday night. The con
solation games at 2:30 and 3:30
Friday with the final corisolation
game set for 6:30 Saturday even
ing. Planning ana sponsorship of
the series is being done entirely
by the grade school students and
coachs and tickets are on sale
by many students at adult prices
of $1.50 for the entire series.
Local Cattle
Bring Top Money
HERMISTON Floyd Worden
and Harold Wright of Heppner re.
ceived top prices in the fourth
annual all-breeds registered sale
at the Hermiston livestock auc
tion Friday, Delbert Anson, man
ager of the sale, reports. Worden
received $125 hd.-for six Here
ford heifer calves, and Wright
received $160 hd. for a whiteface
LU, . . I
Volume of cattle consigned was ;
steady at 410 cattle compared!
Wlin 114 Uie previous rnuay.
The 410 included some 80 regis
tered cattle. Also consigned were
137 hogs compared with 236 and
38 sheep compared with 12.
Quality was generally mediocre
but good quality veal was up 30c
at a $23.50 cwt. top. Fat cows and
heifers were also of fair qual
ity. Feeder steers were up 30c at
a $20.40 cwt. top, utility cows up
70c at $13.10 cwt, canner-cutter
up 10c at $11 cwt, shells up 90c
at $8.50 cwt, weaner pigs at $16
hd. up 50c, and sows up $1.30
cwt. at $16.30.
FWR Princeps IV, registered
bu;i calved March 25, 1953, and
consigned to Fred Roulet, Elgin,
brought top registered bull price
of $320. Other registered tops in
cluded a shorthorn bull calf from
Cecil Ager, La Grande, $120 hd.;
and ten Angus cows and ten cal
ves from E. P. Snyder, Hermiston,
$175 per pair.
Oregon and Washington pack
ers, feeders and farmers contri
buted to broad and active de
mand Friday, farmers in particu
lar buying many registered cows
and tocker and feeder animals.
Continuing in demand next Fri
day will be fat cows and heifers.
Others topping the market were
DTake and Son, Heppner, one
baby calf, $30 hd.; George How
den, Hermiston, five mixed fat
hogs, 1010 lbs., $18.80 cwt; Wal
ter Enbysk, Pendleton, six wean
er pigs, $16.00 hd.; Marjorie Or
wig, Hermiston, one ewe and two
baby lambs at side, $19.00; Or
ville Sherlock, Milton-Freewater,
one Guernsey cow, 758 lbs., $11
(Continued on Page 8)
airport with hangar doors hang
W. .v.. A. 'V'
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PIONEER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL manager Jack Angel, right, is
accepting a check for $1332 from Jack Bailey, secretary of the
Heppner Elks lodge which the organization recently gave to the
hespital to pay for the complete
reel's ward in the newly opened
check covered the cost of all the equipment necessary for the room,
O'iher donations have been made by the Elks in the past, includ
ing a valuable r;r lock (incubator). The new wing wa3 opened
' for use Wednesday and within a few hours was half full. Angel
reported. (GT Photo)
Over 100 Attend
F. F. A. Banquet
Over 100 members, parents and
guests attended the F.F.A. ban
quet Thursday evening, February
25 at the Legion hall.
After the opening ceremonies
which were conducted by chapter
members, toastmaster John Bros
nan introduced Rev. Lester Boul
den who gave the invocation. The
welcome address was given by
Eddie Brosnan. Steve Green in
troduced the guests and presen
tation of awards was made by
Llewellyn Robbins.
Projects carried out by 15 mem.
bers of the F.F.A. chapter included
19 beef, 60 sheep, seven swine
and 180 acres in supervised farm
programs according to Mike Mon
whQ reportd on chapaer
activities. Labor incomes from
.,. nrncirams tntaii-rt $2,378.
DA p,.p1ph i farm
ing by active members totalled
$8,545.00. In addition, members
have 14 animals in livestock
chains
L. A. Robbins, chapter advisor
and instructor, presented on hon
orary chapter membership to W.
E. Hughes. John Brosnan, who
attended the national convention
last year in Kansas City, showed
a film of the silver anniversary
meeting there in 1953.
Much enjoyed were three west
ern songs by Roy Hughes.
Dick Phal, guest speaker and
member of the Pendleton chapter
of F.F.A., presented an excellent
picture of the functions of the
Future Farmers of Americo which
are the development of leader
ship, thrift, brotherhood and a
love of country life, among others
Out of town guests at the meet
ing were Mr. and Mrs. Kemble
Tellefson, Hermiston and Mr. and
Mrs. Clay Ballanct, Pendleton.
Appreciation was expressed to
Mrs. Frank Ayers who prepared
the banquet and to the Rainbow
Girls for serving.
o
State Income Tax
Representative Due
sion this week announced that a
representative of the income tax
division will be in Heppner be
tween 3 and 5 p. m. on Monday,
March 21 to aid residents in pre
paration of their state income
tax returns.
A representative will also be
in Condon on the same day be
tween 8 and 12 a. m.
DOWNED TREES kept state highway crews busy. This picture was
taken at the Newt O'Harra home in Lexington where several of
the large trees in front of the house fell taking with them many
feet of fence. At several points
temporarily stopped because of
lines.
n
i . ., . .
equipping of a fout-bed child
wing at the institution. The
Rainfall Figures
Give Encouragement
To County Farmers
Local farmers were feeling
much happier this week in that
what soil didn't blow away dur
ing Monday's storm was much
wetter than it was a few days
before.
The Heppner weather station
recorded a fall of .35 inch on
Monday and Tuesday which ad
ded considerably to the .74 for
the entire month of February.
This compared with .62 inch for
February 1954. Rainfall here for
the ncriod since September 1,
1954 and March 1 has totaled 4.15
inches, Len Gilliam reported.
Leonard Carlson, Gooseberry
recorder, checked slightly less
rain for the same periods. Ills
check showed only.55 for Febru
ary and a total of 3.63 between
September 1 and March 1, the
growing season.
Since Monday afternoon con
tinuing snow flurries have kept
the ground white most of the time,
though the amount at any one
time hag not been measurable in
most cases.
o
All School Bands
To Give Concert
All of Heppner's school bonds
will be presented in a special ben.
efit concert next Tuesday evening
March 8 under the direction of
James Wilson, band instructor.
The concert will start at 8 p. m.
Featured will be the high and
grade school bands and the be
pinners' organization, Wilson
said. Also to take part in the eve
ning's performance will be the
high school dance band. There
are more than 100 students in the
combined organizations. Admis
sion will be 75 cents for adults,
50 cents for students and children
25 cents.
o
NO NOON NOISE
The Heppner fire department
has discontinued the regular noon
test of the city fire siren with the
coming warm weather. The usual
Monday noon tests will be con
tinued with a full-cycle test of
the automatic equipment on the
first Monday of each month.
o
Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Cribble
had as their weekend guests Mr.
and Mrs. William Frank of Pen
dleton. They all attended the
Elks annual.
along the highway traffic was'
toppling power poles and low
(GT Photos)
71st Year, Number 51
Survey Shows
Water Prospects
Much Brighter
Snow measurements on the
Arbuckle mountain snow course
in the mountains south of Hepp
ner showed 38 inches of snow
with a water content of 10 inches,
according to reading taken Mon
day, February 28, by Tom Wilson
of the Soil Conservation service.
Measurements taken on the
same date a year ago showed 22
Inches of snow with a water con
tent of eight and one-half inches.
This month's measurement is 87
per cent .of the 12 year average of
eleven and one-half inches of
water content, Wilson said. Mr.
and Mrs. Wilson skiied about
seven miles into the snow course
on North Jones prairie.
Not recorded in the above to
tal is another foot of snow which
fell Monday night and Tuesday
morning in the area. It came on
the heels of Monday's heavy wind
storm.
o
New Owners Take
Over Central Market
Mrs. Sara McNamcr, co-owner
of the Central Market and Gro
cery, this week announced sale of
her interest in the business to C.
E. McQuarrie of Arlington and
Ed Bennett with whom she has
been associated in the business.
The transaction took effect March
1.
Mrs. McNamcr has operated the
store since 1914 when her hus
band, C. W. McNamcr died. He
had started the grocery and mar
ket three years before, but had
been in business in Heppner since
1921. Bennett has been In the
store since shortly after it was
opened.
McQuarrie is well known in
Heppner having serviced this
area with a bread route for the
past 12 years.
Mrs. McNamcr plans to retire
from active business and an
nounced that she will move to the
Willamette View Manor in Port
land about April 1.
The new owners announced
that they plan no change of name
or store policy for the business,
o
Former Dentist to
Reopen Office Here
Dr. Harold S. Huber, recently of
Stanfield, announced this week
that he will reopeln his dentist
office in Heppner on March 14,
Dr. Huber practiced here for sev
eral years until about two years
ago when he moved to Stanfield.
He will move back into his for
mer office space in the First Na
tional Bank building.
Dr. Huber said that he will
work full time until July when
Dr. Eob Bliss will arrive to open
offices recently vacated when Dr.
Fred Gronemyer moved to Moses
Lake, Wash. After July he plans
to keep his office open three days
a week.
i -o
LEXINGTON P-TA
TO MEET MARCH 8
The monthly meeting of the
Lexington P-TA will be held at
8:30 Thursday, March 8 at the
school auditorium and will be
preceeded by a spaghetti dinner
to be served in the school lunch
room from 6:30 to 8 o'clock. It
will be a family dinner and there
will be a charge,
The Wheat League film will be
shown during the meeting.
Poles, Buildings,
Trees Fall Before
Gale-Like Vinds
Soil Erosion Said
Greatest Loss
The biggest "blow" of the win
ter, and what many long time
residents called the worst in re
cent history, struck Morrow
county shortly after daybreak
Monday and before it had blown
itself out late in the afternoon it
left a wide trail of damage to
trees, power and telephone lines,
buildings and television anten
nas. The storm broke over this sec
tion of Eastern Oregon shortly
after 9 a. m. and by 10 o'clock
had knocked out power lines in
the entire area resulting in a
blackout in Heppner, Lexington
and lone which lasted until 2:15
p. m. Heaviest hit by the big
wind was the lone and Lexington
areas where many trees and poles
fell before the gusts which were
estimated at better than 75 miles
per hour. Power and telephone
leadins to businesses and homes
in lone were the first to be taken -
out by flying limbs and one big
tree in downtown lone fell up
rooting a section of sidewalk.
Dust blown from summerfallow
fields was so thick that in many
cases driving was hazardous or
at times nearly impossible.
As the full force of the gale
struck in Lexington, it completely
demolished a recently construct
ed equipment storage shed be
longing to Lexington Implement
Company and scattered the cor
rugated aluminum sheets
throughout the town. Eyewit
nesses said the building seemed
almost to explode, with the wind
carrying the timbers and sheet
metal for hundreds of yards. All
that remained were remnants of
the walls.
Another victim of the wind was
the flagpole at the Lexington
school which crashed down on'
the building. A chimney was
blown off the school gymnasium
and a garage at the George Irvin
home collapsed before the blasts.
Other chimneys and numerous
small windows were blown in
or knocked out by flying debris.
Several large trees or the, Newt
O'Harra ranch at the edge of
town fell over into the highway
and were later pulled out of the
way by state highway crews who
patrolled the Willow Creek high
way removing trees, rocks and
fences.
TV Antennas Fall
Another victim of the blow was
the newly erected 105 foot tall
Community television antenna at
the Lexington airport. It took the
blasts for a while, but finally
buckled In the middle, following
the same pattern as a similar one
at lone and the temporary one at
Heppner. Many private antennas
at ranches suffered a similar fate.
At the Lexington airport, the
wind flapping and tearing at the
big metal hangar doors gave the
impression that a bombardment
was going on. None of the han
gars collapsed, but several doors
were blown off. No planes suf
fered any serious damage, how
ever.
Probably the greatest damage
in Heppner was inflicted on the
Heppner Cleaners where two big
plate glass windows collapsed
when a supporting strip gave
way. No one was Injured by the
flying glass but Mrs. W. C. Col
lins was standing beside the
window when It began to crack.
She moved to a safe distance be
fore it blew in and scattered the
glass over the interior of the
plant.
Some damage was suffered at
the Heppner Pine Mills when the
strong gusts buckled one wall of
the planer building. Flying
boards and small pieces of wood
also made It hazardous to be
out in the open around the plant.
In all three towns the casualty
rate on shingles, trees and fences
was hardly countable, but as far
as is known there were no serious
injuries resulting from the storm.
Truck drivers who made the run
from Pendleton and Hermiston
during the height of the blow re
ported that strong gusts frequent-
ly
threatened to upset their
equipment.
Many Poles Down
No actual count of downed
power and phone poles was made,
but Pacific Power and Light, REA
and Telephone company crews
spent the entire day just prop
ping up the leaners to keep lines
from tangling and falling onto
roads and highways. The entire
area was without lights for at
least 4 hours and 15 minutes,
with many residents remaining
dark for longer periods before re
pair men could make the rounds.
Crews were still at work Tuesday
and Wedneday completing per
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