L 1 IRARY
O OF 0
EUGENE. ORE.
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Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 17, 1955
72nd Year, Number 1
Of Archer-Daniels Done Elevator Announced
Sale
'Hopper Control
To be Planned at
Tuesday Meeting
Meeting on March 15, the in
reet and rodent control commit
tee 'of the Morrow County Live
stock Growers Association and
the grasshopper control commit
tee of the Land use and Conser
vation sub-committee, reviewed
the grasshopper infestation sur
vey for Morrow county which has
just been released.
In chocking the probable area
of infestation, it is found that
approximately 15o thousand
acres of this infestation begins
about 7 miles east of Heppnsr
and extends east of the Morrow-
Umatilla county line. It also
extends south of highway 74 for
about 11 miles. Approximately
20,000 acres are located due west
of Ordnance beginning about 1
mile inside the Morrow County
line extending southwest for
about 4 miles.
With the serious infestation
forecast, the committee consider
ed ways of raising funds and ac
quainting the people with being
prepared in case the serious out
break occurs. Ways and means
of insuring adequate funds were
the biggest problems.
The group with Dick Wilkin
son as chairman has scheduled
a meeting of all affected land
owners for March 22. It will be
held at the court room in Hepp
ner beginning at 8:60 p. m. and
possibilities of setting up a con
trol district and a fund taxing
arrangement will be discussed.
Funds totaling $102,000.00 are
necessary for a complete pro
gram in the infested area. Con
tributions are expected from the
state, federal and county in ad
dition to farmer cooperation. All
ranchers in the Hinton, Butter
Creek, Willow Creek and Upper
Rhea Creek are urged to attend.
Floyd Jones is
New Rodeo Head
Floyd Jones, Heppner, was elec
ted president of the Morrow
county rodeo association at a
meeting of the organization held
last week.
The committee, recently en
larged to seven members, in
cludes Jones and Jack Loyd, three
year terms; Bill Healy, Heppner
and John Eubanks, lone, two
year terms; William Smethurst
and Jack Van Winkle, one year
terms; and W. E. Hughes, who
was appointed by the county
court for a two year term. The
current president of the Wrang
ler's riding club, who this year is
Howard Bryant, will work with
the committee each year.
Appointments for the rodeo,
which this year will be an ama
teur event, included Hughes as
arena director; Bryant, grounds;
Healy, barns; Loyd, advertising
and concessions; and Smethurst,
parade. Other appointments
will be made later.
A joint meeting of the fair and
rodeo committees is set for March
31 and at that time it is plan
ned to discuss the possibility of
holding some night attractions
during the fair and rodeo. New
lights have recently been instal
led at the rodeo field.
Student Body Play
Opens Here Tonight
The Heppner high school stu
dent body play, "Here Come the
Brides," will be presented tonight
and Friday night at 8 p. m. at
the high school auditorium. It
is under the direction of Stanley
Holm.
The play is a delightful com
edy that is said to be one of the
best ever presented by .the local
students.
Admission will be. 75 cents for
adults; 25 cents for students with
student body cards also children;
and 50 cents for students without
cards.
o
CUB PACK NO. 61 TO MEET
Cub Scout pack No. 61 will
hold a pack meeting Tuesday,
March 22 in the 4-H club room at
tho fair crounds at 7:30 D. m.
The theme for the
Knights of Yore.
month is
Mrs. Grace Nickerson left Fri
day for a visit in Eugene.
Six Get Recognition
By Local Chamber
'i'i 1 1 in m-r- hm i
RECEIVING AWARDS Four of the
tificates of recognition at the chamber of commerce banquet Mon
day night Shown are Jeff Carter, Edger Albert, Orville Cutsforth
and Frank W. Turner. Also
receive them were Delbert Emert. lone and Harold Johnston, Hepp
ner. Story below. (GT Photo)
Importance of
John Day Dam
Stressed by Rowe
Urging a continued orderly de
velopment of the Columbia river,
Admiral Gordon Rowe, manager
of the Port of Umatilla speaking
at the annual banquet of the
Heppner-Morrow county chamber
of commerce Monday evening,
pointed out that when the John
Day dam on the river is built,
the Columbia will be an arm of
the sea with a great benefit to
this area in the matter of trade
with the rest of the world.
In stressing the needs for the
John Day dam, he said that when
the river system is completed,
this section of the state will see
many economic changes, point
ing up the value of low-cost
water transportation. He said
such transportation will increase
tremendously when full slack-
water navigation is possible.
Admiral Rowe explained that
we must export a great amount
of the wheat grown in this area
and that when the John Day dam
is built it will make possible the
loading of barges here and the
direct reloading onto ocean go
ing ships. Fullest use of cheap
water transportation will make it
possible for us to compete in
world markets with wheat raised
in Canada, Australia and other
countries.
He also predicted that with
cheap water transportation, cat
tle can be processed here for
shipment up and down the river
in vans which can be driven off
the barges. He predicts many
advances in the economy apd
prosperity of the Columbia Basin
when the river is put to its fullest
use.
Awards Given
The Admiral was the main
speaker at the banquet held at
the Heppner American Legion
hall, which is an annual event
of the chamber. Other high
points of the program included
the presentation of certificates of
recognition to Edgar Albert, the
builder and operator of the Fly
ing A motel; Harold Johnston,
owner of the Heppner Slaughter
House; Delbert Emert, lone ranch
er; Orville Cutsforth, Lexington;
Frank Turner and Jeff Carter,
immediate past president of the
chamber. The awards are given
for outstanding civic service, co
operation or materially aiding
the growth and expansion of the
community and the county.
Albert was given his award fori
the construction of his new motel
which filled a need in the area;
Johnston, for his participation in
many community activities; Em
ert for encouraging and practic
ing cooperation between com
munities of Morrow county; Cuts
forth, for his donation of the
Cutsforth Forest Camp at Herren
Creek meadows; Turner who is a
past president and past treasurer
of the chamber, for his many
years of service to that and other
civic organizations. The awards
were made by the immediate
past president, Jeff Carter.
Carter was also presented with
a certificate by Jack Bedford,
chamber president, for outstand
(Continued on Page 8)
six persons who were given cer
given awards, but not present to
Henry A. Schulz
Dies Here Saturday
Henry Adolf Schulz, 77, died
Saturday, March 12 at Pioneer
Memorial hospital following a
short illness. He had been a
resident of Heppner for 33 years.
Mr Schulz was born in Ger
many May 11, 1877 and came to
this country as a young man.
In past years he had operated a
bakery and confectionery store
in Heppner.
Graveside services were held
at 2:00 p. m. Wednesday at the
I. O. O. F. cemetery at Elna,
Washington. Creswick and Seuell
Mortuary were in charge of ar
rangements. Surviving are one son, Max of
Hermiston; two daughters, Mrs.
Erma Haugen and Mrs. Evelyn
Larsen, both of Portland, and
three grandchildren.
o
Two Local Students
Win Elks Scholarships
The Eastern Oregon district
competition of the Elks lodge
"Most Valuable Student" contest
was held in La Grande last Sun
day with Carlene Inman, Pendle
ton and Milford Cundiff, Baker
named winners.. They will com
pete in Portland Saturday for
state honors.
Entering the contest from
Heppner were Sally Palmer and
Richard Kononen who had been
selected by the local lodge to re
ceive its award of $200 eacn lor
future educational aid. Miss
Pajmer and Kononen had com
peted against eight other county
students for the local scholar
ships and the opportunity to try
for the state honors.
Entered in the local contest
were Lillian Elde, Jean Marie
Graham, Patricia Wright, Lyle
Jensen, Ralph Marlatt, Miss Pal
mer and Kononen from Heppner;
Phvllis Nolan and Keith Gray,
Lexington and Dorothy Dobyns,
of lone.
o
Mary Van's Dress
Shop to Open Here
Next Thursday
Mrs. Mary Van Stevens an
nounced this week that she will
open a new women's ready-to-wear
shop in the building former
ly occupied by Heppner Refriger
ation on Main street in Heppner.
It will be known as Mary Van's
Dress Shop.
Official opening of the new
store has been set for Thursday,
March 24 and Mrs. Stevens said
that she will carry a wide selec
tion of well-known lines of wo
mens and misses' coats and suits,
dresses, blouses and skirts and
accessories.
The store will be operated In
connection with Mary Van's
Flower Shop, which it adjoins.
VISITS ANDERSONS -IN
ARIZONA
Mrs. Alta Brown Edger has just
returned from five weeks spent
in Arizona near Mesa where Mr.
and Mrs. Harley Anderson, for
mer Heppner residents, now live.
They all took a trip into Mexico
together and Mrs. Anderson is
feeling well enough that she
hopes to make a visit to Morrow
county this summer.
Neva LeTrace Routson
Dies March 10 at
Idaho Hospital
Neva Ha Routson, 79 years of
age, passed away March 10 at the
Weiser, Idaho Memorial nospitai.
She had lived in Heppner for
many years prior to moving to
Weiser about 10 years ago.
Mrs. Routson was born Decern
ber 9, 1875 at Gales Creek, Ore
gon. She married William Le
Trace in 1894 at Heppner and fol
lowing his death in 1936 she was
married to John W. Routson in
1944. She was a lifetime mem
ber of the Episcopal church, a
member of Ruth Chapter of O. E.
S. an da charter member of the
former Heppner Pythian Sisters.
Funeral services were held
March 12 at the Wortham-Jones
chapel in Weiser with graveside
services on March 14 at the Hepp
ner Masonic cemetery. Rev. John
R. Reeves officiated.
Survivors include her husband,
John W. Routson, Weiser; three
sons, Edward LeTrace, Heppner;
William, Tacoma; Louis. Echo;
two daughters, Mrs. Orrin Wright
and Mrs. Robert Lowe, both of
Heppner; a sister, Mrs. Emma
Evans, Seaside; six grandchild
ren, 15 great-grandchildren; three
stepsons and two stepdaughters.
Heart Attack Takes
Lee Beckner, 62
F. Lee Beckner, 62, cattle ranch
er in the Stanfield and Hermiston
area, died suddenly at his home
near Stanfield Saturday. Death
was caused by a heart attack.
Until recently Mr. Beckner had
been a wheat farmer at lone and
was very well known here having
taken part in Morrow county
fair and rodeo activities for
many years.
Born September 10, 1892 at
Sweet Springs, West Virginia,
Mr. Beckner was a life member
of the Heppner Elks lodge, past
commander of the lone American
Legion post No. 95, president of
the Heppner Rodeo Association
for several years, and had been
a prominent member of the Uma
tilla Sage Riders.
Surviving are his wife, Mary
E. Beckner, Stanfield; two sons,
Gene Normoyle,. Hermiston and
Harry Normoyle, Hilwaukie,
Oregon; one daughter, Mrs.
Preuss, Portland; four, brothers
and one sister, Lake Beckner,
lone; Till Beckner, Stanfield;
Fred Beckner, Washtuckna, Wn.;
Robert Beckner, Imbro, Maryland
and Mrs. Sam Mitchell, Natural
Bridge, Virginia. He also leaves
five grandchildren.
Funeral services were held
Wednesday at 11 a. m. at the
Burns Mortuary in Hermiston
with Reverend A. E. Davis of
the Hermiston Methodist church
officiating. Interment was in
the Olney cemetery, Pendleton,
with the Elks lodge in charge of
the graveside services.
o
Trees Being Cleared
From City Park
Work was started this week re
moving some of the numerous
poplar trees on the Heppner city
park. Tunison and Wilson, log
ging contractors who have been
renting some of the old buildings
on the park, donated the use of
a bulldozer to push over the trees
and a city crew has been cutting
them up and burning them.
Many of the trees were old and
dangerous and were scheduled
to come out of the grounds when
cleanup work gets under way in
earnest later. None of the build
ings will be torn down at the
present, though all will be re
moved eventually.
o
LEAVE FOR NEW HOME
Mr. and Mrs. Earl R. Hall and
daughter, Marcia, departed for
their new home in Oakland,
Oregon the past weekend.
Mrs. Hall and children have
been making their home with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. G.
Pieper of Lexington, the past
three and a half months, since
her husband was transferred in
the Navy from Long Beach, Calif.,
to Keyport, Wash.
The son, Larry, will remain
with his grandparents until the
close of the school year.
Mrs. L. B. Ledbetter returned
last Sunday from Seattle where
she visited her daughter and
son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Picklns.
New P-TA Officers
Elected; Trust
Fund Announced
Officers for next year were
elected at the Wednesday even
ing meeting of (he Hoppner P-TA
held at the high school.
Those elected were Lowell
Gribhle, president; Mrs. Robert
Ferrell, vice president; Mrs. Har
old Erwin, secretary and Mrs.
Lena Kelly, treasurer. Installa
tion will be held at the April
meeting.
Bradley Fancher reported on
the $2000 Sara McNamor trust
fund, of which the Elks are giv-
ng half. This fund is open to
any graduate in Morrow county
to be used to attend an Oregon
institution of higher education.
Those receiving funds from the
Trust will be judged on scho
larship, character, citizenship
and need.
The committee administering
the fund are Bradley Fancher,
representing the Elks; Mrs.
Homer Hager, representing the
P-TA and Jack Flug, county
school superintendent.
Miss Beverly Bradshaw reviewed
the 4-H projects in the county
and presented Patsy Wright with
the Carl Raymond Gray scholar
ship. Miss Bradshaw introduced
Kenneth Hill, IFYE student to
Norway last summer, who
showed slides and told of his
experiences there.
Mrs. Marie Clary reported that
there will be three, one-act plays
given at the school on March 30-
31 for the benefit of the P-TA
scholarship. One play is to be
given by the faculty, one by the
high school students and one by
the P-TA.
Mrs. Marion Huggett was pro
gram chairman for the meeting
and refreshments were served by
Mrs. Ivan Cox and Mrs. Harlan
McCurdy, Jr. The 4-H colors, of
Green and white, were used in
the table decoration in observ
ance of National 4-H week.
Schools to Hear
Wildlife Talks
Conservation of wildlife and
the other natural resources of
our state will be the theme of a
program- presented at Heppner
and Lexington high schools on
March 23, 1955 by Milt Guymon,
education agent of the Oregon
Game Commission.
Wildlife management will be
emphasized, but the need for
wise use of soil, water, and plant
life in relation to the wildlife
resources of Oregon will be dis
cussed. Many of the problems
in game management can be
tinced directly to the environ
ment changes brought about by
man. In most instances, these
changes have had far-reaching
effects upon game populations.
The proper management of all
four of these resources is essen
tial for the future of Oregon's
hunting and fishing recreation.
Following the chart-illustrated
talk, the sound, color movie
"Yours-Is the Land" will be
shown.
A similar program on water
fowl will be presented at the
lone high school the same day.
o
NEWS OF DEATH RECEIVED
John and Eob Wightman have
received word that their sister,
Miss Margaret Wightman of Dau
phin, Pennsylvania passed away
Friday March 11.
IRRIGATION PROSPECTS HERE POOR
While Irrigation water supplies
In the Umatilla-Walla Walla
basin area should be about the
same as last year, farmers along
Willow and Butter Creeks can
look for only about half as much
water as usual, it was revealed
Monday by W. T. Frost, soil con
servation service, at a water
forecasting and "stretching"
meeting held at Pendleton.
According to snow surveys in
the local mountain areas, the
snow pack is not too much below
the 10 year average, but it was
pointed out here, that all of it
fell on dry ground and the pros
pects for a continuing runoff are
quite poor. It was estimated that
only about one good irrigation
was in prospect for the bottom
lands along Willow and Butter
creeks, whereas an average year
will provide two good soakings.
3
h
RALPH L. BENGE, Morrow county
pioneer, who died Tuesday.
Photo was taken on his 90th
birthday.
Ralph L Benge, 91,
Taken by Death
Ralph L. Benge, 91. a resident
of Morrow county for over 76
years, died Tuesday, March 15 at
Pioneer Memorial hospital fol
lowing a brief illness.
Mr. Benge was born at Cotton
wood Creek, Oregon, near Walla
Walla, January 23, 1864, the son
of William Louis Terrel and Cyn
thia Ann Benge. After the death
of his father, he and his mother
homesteaded in the Social Ridge
section of Morrow county In 1884
on a ranch which his son, Terrel
still operates. He was one of 11
children, all of whom preceeded
him in death. He was married to
Sarah Ellen Driscoll on December
4, 1901 at McMinnville, Oregon.
Mr. Benge was a charter mem
ber of the Lexington Odd Fellows
lodge and a long-time member of
the Heppner Elks lodge. He ser
ved as county judge from 1924
until 1930 and had served two
terms as county commissioner
prior to his election to the judge's
position. At the time of his
death li was one of fhe oldest
residents of the county and had
been in good health and very ac
tive until less than a week before
his passing. As a young man,
he was contractor for the con
struction of a part of the railroad
line from lone on up Willow
creek to Heppner.
Funeral services will be held
Friday at 2:00 p. m. at the Hepp
ner Christian church with Rev.
Earl L. Loward officiating. In
terment will be in the Heppner
Masonic cemetery.
Surviving are his wife, Ella,
Heppner; a son Terrel L. Benge,
Heppner; one daughter.Mrs. Luola
Bengtson, Eugene, seven grand
children and one great- great
grandson.
Creswick and Seuell Mortuary
were in charge of arrangements.
County Form Bureau
To Meet Tuesday
The Morrow County Farm Bu
reau will meet Tuesday March 22
at the Rhea Creek grange hall.
Rural electrification will be!
the subject and Henry Baker, I
chairman of the legislative com-
mlttee will report on findings at
the legislature. His committee'
consists of Kenneth Smouse and ,
William Barratt. Baker will also
tell of his trip to South America.
Mrs. Ben Anderson Is chairman
of the refreshment committee and
there will be entertainment and
a door prize.
It was reported at the Pendle
ton meeting that such reservoirs
as McKay, Cold Springs and
others are considerably below
normal water level, and Frost
cautioned that although snow
cover Is more than normal in a
few mountain areas, the dry soils
underneath will soak up much
snow melt water that would
otherwise become part of the
stream flow.
Dave Bauman, U. S. Weather
Bureau river forecast center, of
Portland, reported fall precipita
tion in the basin was from 50 to
73 percent of normal and winter j
precipitation about 65 to 85 per
cent. The precipitation, he ex
plained, also was a scattered and
showery type.
The importance of proper tim
ing, especially in times of short
water, was also stressed at the
meeting.
MCGG to Operate
Plant; Purchaser
Is W. E. Helena
Word was received this morn
ing that W. E. Melena of lone has
purchased the lone elevators of
Archer, Daniels, Midland Co. at
lone and that the plant has been
leased to the Morrow County
Grain Growers for a period of
10 years. The MCGG will take
over the facility on April 1.
The big elevator, the first unit
of which was built in the early
1910s by Garland Swanson, has
been operated by Archer-Daniels
for approximately 10 years. They
added three storage units to the
facility during the war to bring
the total capacity of the elevator
to 420,000 bushels.
Discussion on the three-way
transaction has been under way
for some time, but the final de
tails were worked out by Me
lena, Al Lamb, manager of the
Grain Growers and Henry Col
lins, representing Archer-Daniels,
at a rneeting Wednesday in Port
land. The consideration was not
revealed.
In addition to a 10 year lease
on the property, the local co-op
has an option to buy the plant
within two years.
With the addition of the Archer
Daniels elevator, the Grain Grow
ers now own or operate eight
elevators in the county, and
when the new storage building
near Paterson ferry, which is to
be built by Melena in the near
future, is completed it will give
the co op nine separate elevators
with a total storage capacity of
approximately 3,000,000 bushels.
County Treasurer
Resigns Position
Mrs. Lucy E. Rodgers, who has
served as county treasurer since
1950, today resigned her position
effective May 1. She announced
plans to move to Portland short
ly after that date to make her
home at Willamette View Manor.
Mrs. Rodgers was elected to the
treasurer's position in 1950 and
again last year. She has lived
In Morrow county since 1926 and
served most of the time until
1918 as county school superinten
dent. She also taught in the
Heppner schools for about two
years.
The position will be filled by
appointment by the county court
with the appointee to hold office
until the next general election.
O. C. Stephens Dies
March 9 at Tillamook
Otha Clark Stephens, 75, a
resident of the Hardman com
munity for many years, died
March 9 at the Tillamook hospi
tal. He had lived in Bay City,
Oregon for the past two years.
Mr. Stephens was born Janu
ary 3, 1880 in Marion county,
Iowa and came to the state at
an early age.
Survivors are his wife, Marie
E. Stephens; two sons, Rev. J. C.
Stephens, Tillamook, and Lura L.
Stephens, San Bernardino, Calif.;
one daughter, Mrs. C. II. Schoen
berger, Monument; one brother,
John Stevens of Hardman, and
nine grandchildren.
Graveside services were held
Tuesday at the Hardman I. O. O.
F. cemetery with Rev. Willis
Geyer officiating. Creswick and
Seuell Moruary were in charge of
arrangements.
o
MANY ATTEND
TOURNAMENT
Heppner was well represented
last weekend at the B Team
basketball playoffs in Salem.
Among those who were in
Salem for the tournament were
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Beamer, Mr.
and Mrs. C. A. Warren, Mrs. Ada
Piper, Oliver Haguewood, Dr.
and Mrs. L. D. Tibbies, Mr. and
Mrs. Ben Anderson, Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Jim
Hayes, Mr. and Mrs. Buck RuhL
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Nash, Mr.
and Mrs. Ernie Winchester, Mr.
and Mrs. Larry Dowen. Mr. and
Mrs. Robert Grabill and Mrs.
Lester Wyman.
o
CIVIC LEAGUE TO MEET
The Civic League will meet
Monday evening March 21 at 8:00
p. m. in the Civic Center. A pro
gram has been arranged and
coffee will be served.