Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1956)
Jpeppet LIBRARY U OF 0 'EUGENE. ORE. Copies 10 Cents Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 7, 1956 73rd Year, Number 13 FIREMEN fought a losing battle Sunday afternoon when the Robert Campbell home on North Main street burst into flames while the the family was away. All that remains of the two-story house is a pile of smoking ruirs (center) on which firemen are playing streams of water. (GT Photos) Sunday Fire Takes Campbell House Destroyed in Spectacular Blaze A roaring fire which started during a heavy thunder and rain storm just before 4 o'clock Sun day afternoon completely de stroyed the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Campbell at the north end of Main street. The house and its contents were a total loss. The fire was discovered at the rear of the big two-story build' ing by Doug Gribble, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Gribble who live next door. He attempted to call the fire department but because lightning had only min utes before knocked out all power service in Heppner, the city's automatic fire alarm system would not operate to blow the siren. The resulting delay of nearly 10 minutes In summoning firemen gave tile blae a start which prevented firemen from saving the building or any of its contents. The fire was soon noticed by Fred Sanders, a fire man who lives nearby, who drove to the fire hall for a truck and sounded its siren to summon help. The building was a mass of flames by the time hose lines could be laid and efforts were made to prevent the fire's spread to other houses nearby. A strong wind hampered control efforts, but firemen were aided in keep ing the fire confined by the ex tremely heavy rain which fell be. fore and during the fire. Family All Away No member of the Campbell family was at home when the fire started. Campbell, who only recently was released from a long hospitalization, was in Ida ho visiting a sister who was ill, and Mrs. Campbell and their three children were at the home of her mother, Mrs. Alma Morgan about a block away. The fam ily saved only the clothes they were wearing at the time. Cause of the blaze has not been determined, but firemen said that indications point to defective wiring possibly aggarvated by the power serge caused when lightning knocked out local ser vice. There had been no fire in the house since early morning, Mrs. Campbell said. Insurance on the building amounted to $2,500 but there was none on the contents. No estimate of the total loss has been made. Fund Started It has been reported that many friends and neighbors of the fam- ily have donated clothing and household articles and the men of the Christian church are spon soring a campaign for the Camp bell family. Heppner firemen answered an other alarm at 11 o'clock Mon dav night when an overheated furnace ignited insulation at the Matt Hughes home on K and Elder streets. Damage here was light, being confined mostly to paint and smoke damage. o Rev. Boulden to Remain at Heppner The Rev. Lester D. Doulden received a renewal of a one year appointment to the Heppner Methodist church at the Oregon conference of Methodist churches at the Frist Methodist church of Portland last week. Attending from here were the Rev. and Mrs. Boulden and Mrs. Douglas Drake. RUSSELL DOLVEN TOP LIVESTOCK JUDGE AT WHEAT LEAGUE SHOW, SALE Word was receied this morning of some additional Morrow county 4-H club members whose livestock won awards at the Ore gon Wheat Growers League stock show and sale now being held at The Dalles. Connie Anderson, Heppner, first, for lambs sired by white face rams; Martha Doherty, Hepp. ner, first, for lightweight lambs sired by black face rams; Con nie Anderson also took a second for heavy lambs sired by black face rams. The grand champion 4-H lamb was exhibited by Jimmy Coons of Moro. Twenty-nine Morrow county 4 H and FFA members showed livestock early this week at the Oregon Wheat growers League fat stock show and sale held Monday through Wednesday at The Dalles. The show was held ihis year lor cue msi time in the new League show yard, the for mer Seufert Brothers Canning Co. plant just east of The Dalles. Champion beef judge at the show was Russell Dolven of Lex ington and top livestock judging team honors went to a 4-H team from Milton-Freewater. Other re sults were not known at the time of writing. Those from this area who showed lambs, swine or beef at the show were Gary Van Blok- land, Jerry Anderson, Roger Do- Cattlemen Vote This Week on Asking For Government Aid Ballots are in the mail this week to all members of the Ore gon Cattlemen's Association asking for approval or rejection of a resolution calling for gov ernment aid in the beef program. Initial vote upon the resolution taken at the state convention in Bend this month ended in a tie, said Raymond French of Heppner, executive committee member of the association. All ballots must be marked and returned to the association's of fice in Prineville before noon on June 9. The resolution, points out the beef industry is being endangered by increasing supplies of beef on the market despite record per capita consumption; diverted acres from supported crops have become an important factor in increasing the already surplus of beef on the market; the proposed soil bank implications of in creasing the supply, and beef supplies are directly related to the number of producing females. Cattlemen recognize the need for some type of federal assist ance, it is noted on the ballot, and the need is immediate and pressing. The ballot points out thj fed eral program shall be temporary shall avoid accumulation of sup plies in storage in excess of available outlets, and shall not entail controls over-production. Al Farent, who has been mak ing his home with the E. E. Gonty family and attending the Eastern Oregon College, has gone to Corpus Christi, Texas for an extended visit with his parents. Mr. end Mrs. Fred McClintock and daughter Suzanne were Sun day dinner guests at the home of Dr. and Mrs. E. K. Schaffitz. Suz anne stayed at the Schaffitz home for a visit of several days. t V J T mi ' i -- 1" ' n b u "n i STILL STANDING, though destroyed, is this fruit storage building located at the rear of the nous. The fire apparently started in the section of the house just to the left of this building and was fan. ned through the house by strong winds. Pictures were taken after flames were knocked down. Home, Confe herty, Don Casteel, Donald Hughes, David and Kit George, Connie Anderson, Martha Do herty, Dennis Doherty, all of Heppner. From Lexington were Tommy Martin, Jimmy Martin, Billy Do herty, Carol Ann Palmer, Joe Palmer, Daniel Wardwell, Karl Beach, Tom Pointer, Louise Poin ter, Janet Palmer, Sandra Beach, Russell Dolven and Kenneth Nel son. Those from lone included Phil Emert. Bill Brannon, Roland Ek- strom, Kenneth Smouse, and Wayne Ball. From Echo was Larry Campbell. Remodeling Starts On High School Sinionton and Steele, Portland construction firm who built the new Heppner grade school, last week won the contract for the remodeling of the high school building. Work started on the project Tuesday morning. The company won the award on a bid of $16,206.16 and covers the remodeling of the home eco nomics department of the high school. The department, which has been housed in a basement room of the building, will be moved to new quarters on the first floor. The bid also included an alter nate provision, which will not be awarded until, and if, money is made available by a special tax levy which voters of the district will vote on June 18. If the special levy passes, Simontdn and Steele will also remodel and enlarge the cafeteria at the school. The remodeling here will extend the cafeteria and lunch room space into the area formerly being used by the homemaking department, school board mem bers said. The work being done is pajt of the long range remodeling and building plan approved by the school board and state depart ment of education over two years ago. The first phase of the plan was the construction of the new grade school. The only other bidder was K. L. Clark of Hermiston. Heart Attack Claims Life of Local Man Morgan Francis Disselbrett, 52, died of a heart attack on May 30 while attending a family pic nic on Little Wall creek in the mountains. He was brought to Heppner by his widow, but was pronounced dead on arrival here. Disselbrett had only recently come here from Mitchell and was working as a rider for the Tam arack Cattle association. - Services were held Sunday at the Burns Mortuary in Hermis ton with interment in the Her miston cemetery. Besides his widow, survivors are two small sons David and Pat and a brother Cartes Dissel brett of Hermiston. o GETS 3-YEAR SENTENCE James M. Johannbroer, The Dalles, pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny of a building other than a dwelling, and was sentenced Friday by circuit judge William W. Wells to three years in the penitentiary. He broke into the Hitchin' Post cafe in Eoardman last month. i 3 T City Budget Up; Tax Levy Down Estimated expenditures of $107,361.50 for the city of Hepp ner was passed at a meeting of the budget committee and city council last week. The estimated receipts for the year were set at $81,200 leaving a balance of $26,971.50 to be raised by tax. Expenditures for the current year were $92,743.50 but the tax needed was $28,844.50, $1,800 more than will be required for the larger budget for 1956-57. The reason for the lower tax levy even with a budget which has been increased nearly $15,000 is that underestimates of receipts over recent years has provided a size able cash carryover which is being used this year. Of this year's tax levy, $7, 990.50 is within the six percent limitation and f , total of $18,981 is not subject to the six percent limitation. The latter figure 'in cludes $12,574 sewer bond levy, 71,257 park levy, and water bond levy $5,150. Outstanding in debtedness of the city is $227,000. By departments the new bud gets provides: general govern ment $12,973; police $11,070; fire department $2,150; streets $25,220; water department $20,150; sewer $18,772; swimming pool $6,050 which includes $1,000 for a heat ing system on which bids will soon be called; park $1,257; pub lic properties $!)07.50; public ser vice $3,600; library $800; miscel laneous $1,350; emergency $3,000. Heavy Rain Cause Of Sunday Accident An extremely heavy downpour of rain Sunday afternoon was given as the reason for an ac cident just east of Lexington when a car occupied by four Echo boys went out of control and rolled over. The car was owned and driven by Lowell Rice Sayloro of Echo who told police that he lost con trol of the vehicle when blinded by the downpour The car struck abank at a curve and overturned. No one was injured. o Farm Housing Loan Available in County Farm housing loans are avail able to farmers in Morrow county who own farms which produce a substantial part of their annual cash income. To be eligible an applicant must be unable to obtain credit needed to finance the construc tion, repair or improvements of homes and other farm buildings. The interest rate is four per cent per year on the unpaid nrin- cipal Loans are scheduled for repayment within the shortest time consistent with the borrow er's ability to repay, not to ex ceod 33 years. Each loan will be adequately secured bv a mortgage on the farm, subject to any existing prior liens and by such additional real estate security as the F. II. A deems necessary to protect the government investment. Applications for a farm hous ing loan are made at the County Farmers Home Administration office which is located at 105 S. E. Byers Avenue in Pendleton. Office day is Monday of each week. o Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rood of Elgin visited at the Lester Doo little home over Memorial Day. Additional Street Improvement Work Asked Council The Heppner council Monday evening accepted a petition ask ing for the improvement of an other street on the west side of town. The petition was presented by Dr. l M. Wagner asking that the one block long unnamed street leading from Water street to the Seventh Day Adventist church be curbed and paved. The petition was repoitedly signed by all the property owners along the street. This is the second block on the west side of town which has re quested street improvements. The city has already curbed, and will later pave, the block of Gale street between Willow and Cen ter. New Member Appointed Mayor W. C. Rosewall appoint ed Robert Penland, publisher of the Gazette Times to the council to fill the vacancy created when Rosewall was elevated to the mayor's position upon the resig nation of the former mayor, Mrs. Mary Stevens. Penland will serve for the remainder of the year. Two ordinances were given final reading and approval Mon day night. One accepted for an nexation into the city the small area immediately south of Hepp ner along the Condon highway which had previously petitioned for annexation; and the other will regulate photographers not per manently located in Heppner. The photographer ordinance sets an annual license fee of $250 and provides for a fine or jail sen tence for violation. Building Permits Issued Building permits totaling $31, 300 were granted by the council during its Monday session. The largest permit was to Rufus Piper for the construction of a 16 unit motel at the corner of Main and Baltimore streets. It is estimated to cost $27,000. Piper had previ ously applied for a permit, but it had been refused because the plans did not call for fireproof construction which is required by code as the building is with in the fire zone. The specifica tions were changed to meet re quirements. Other permits were issued to Mrs. Joe Bowden for the con structure of a $3,000 addition to a residence on Cannon street; J. W. Farra, remodeling, $300; E. W. Moyer, remodeling of a building on Morgan street leased by M. O. Storro, $100; Clarence and Blanche Wise, remodeling of residence on S. Main, $600. n Brent to Leave Lexington School Lawrence Brent, superintendent of schools at Lexington for the past two years, will leave next week to take over new duties as superintendent of schools at Mill City, Oregon. He will have charge of a school system with 26 teachers. Brent will be replaced by Dale T. Waddill who has been head of the Monument schools. He is mar ried and has one daughter in high school and two older daugh ters. He plans to move to Lex ington in August. o Johnny Ffeiffer, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Pfeiffer, is vacation ing with his aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs. Orville Smith at Seattle and Orcas Island. LwNtt, iVrt,-;;"1 Mi if ' ' i" - A FEW OF THE MANY former county residents who enjoyed a picnic and visit May 30 at the annual Memorial Day pioneer picnic at the fair pavilion. Niarly 175 persona attended the affair. Shown, left to right, are Spencer Akers, Portland; Mrs. Odile Groshens Luper, Portland; Mrs. Alma Akc? Gilliam, Portland; Fred Bar tholomew, Estacada; Mrs. Charlotte Gordon, Portland, and Dr. M. A. Leach, Pendletcn. (GT Photo) Harlan McCurdy Jr. And Jack Loyd File For School Positions Two persons this week indicat ed their intention to run for the two open Heppner school board positions at the annual election June 18. Jack Loyd, who has served this year by appointment, has filed li is petition seeking election tor the one-year term, and it was re vealed this morning that Harlan .McCurdy Jr. has filed for the open 5-year post. Candidates for the positions must lile uy peimon ai icusi io lays prior to the election which would make the deadline Fri day. 46 County Boys And Girls Entered In Jr. Olympics A total of 46 Heppner and lone boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17 years will take part in the seventh annual AAU Jun ior Olympics to be held Saturday afternoon at Grant bowl in Port land. There are 23 youngsters from each school who will make the trip to Portland to take part in the state-wide track meet, and ncidently watch the Rose Festi val parade on Saturday morning. The Junior Olympics events start at 2 p. m. This is the first year that any great number of students from this area has taken part in the event, but last year Sharon Cuts- forth of lone high school set a national record at the meet for the standing broadjump for girls. To be eligible to compete, local students must have won a first place in a county meet. The students from both schools will work together and their points will be pooled as a Morrow county team. The Junior Olympics are spon sored by the American Legion and the Portland bureau of parks. Heppner has 13 boys and 10 girls who will compete. They are: Mike Koenig, Tom Green, Tom Driscoll, Gary Huit, Mike Gray, D. Downey, B. Nichols, Dick Ruhl, Dick Robinson, Ron McCabe and Tom Howell. Girls are Julie Pfei ffer, Laura Lee Sumner, Cheryl Hartman, Linda Sue Loyd, Shir lee Gaines, Bonnie Hannon, Mari lyn Calvin and Mickey Nichols. The lone group taking part will include Sandra Eubanks, Jim Howton, Bill Akers, Mancil Town send, Lee Hams, Bruce Rigby, Jean Martin, Judy Morgan, Sha ron Crabtree, Karen Lundell, Linda Heimbigner, Mary Emert, Louise Botts, Mardine Baker, Kay Sherer, Berl Akers, Sharon Cuts- forth, Judy Howton, Dick Sherer, Bill Salters, Wayne Ball, Jean Ann Swanson and Bob Pryse. o Lightning Knocks Out Power Sunday Electric service to the Heppner area was interrupted by a lightn ing strike during Sunday after noon's sharp storm, according to J. R. Huffman, local manager for Pacific Power & Light company. The outage lasted nearly an hour before service could be restored. The trouble resulted from a lightning strike on the trans mission line of the Columbia Basin REA between Hermiston and Jordan. The bolt opened protective switches on the line which had to be reclosed to re store service. i .;.-L ! Total County Expenditures to Be Down Slightly A 1956-57 Morrow county bud get of $373,963. down slightly more than $11,000 from last year was approved recently by the county budget committee and the court. Though the budget will show a reduction in overall expenses the amount necessary to be raised by taxes within the county will be up $7,096 over last year of $15,090. The budget however remains within the six percent limitation and the amount to be raised by taxes in the county will be $126, 110. An increase is seen in the gene, ral fund for next year of roughly $5,000; the road fund will be re duced by $21,500; the hospital maintenance fund reduced $4,000 and the fair fund increased by $9,000. Estimated expenditures in some of the larger funds shows for the npw budget year; roads $188,500; general fund $128,863, general school $14,500; rodent fund $5,000; coyote bounty $1,500. Other special funds show smal ler amounts. The county has no bonded indebtedness. The complete 1956-57 budget is printed eisewhere in this Issue of the Gazette Times. Walter Hayes of Boardman is chairman of the county budget committee and other committee members include Newt O'Harra, ' Howard Qryant, Ralph Thompson, Russell K. Miller, and judge Gar net Barratt. Fair Exhibits Of Grain Urged To increase the number of grain exhibits at the Morrow county fair this year the fair board has set up a $25 sweep stakes prize for the best grain exhibit and the Morrow County Grain Growers will give a trophy for the best exhibit, it was an nounced at a recent meeting of the agricultural superintendents, the fair board and committee. Kenneth Smouse, superinten dent of the grain division was named to contact farm organiza tions in an attempt to encourage members to enter more wheat ex hibits. It was also announced that additional entries were ad ded in the division including corn and safflower. To encourage more poultry and rabbit entries, it was decided to have the night watchman feed and water the entries night and morning following a request by Mrs. W. W. Weatherford, superin. tendent. Bantams were added and duck and geese entries In creased for the premium list. It was also requested that the fair board ask the county school superintendent to consider hold ing school registration and teacher's meetings prior to fair dates of August 30 through Sep tember 1 to avoid conflict with school, FFA and FHA exhibitors. Applications are now being taken by N. C. Anderson, secre tary, for booth space and several local organizations have already signed for booths. An outside machinery exhibit has been ad ded with a prize planned for the best showing, , Kitchen concessions have been approved for Thursday for the Catholic Altar society and Fri day for the 4-H club council. A 4-H milk bar will be operated through Saturday, Over One-Half Inch Of Rain Falls Here Following on the heels on an exceptionally wet May, the month of June has so far con tinued in the same pattern In Morrow county and much of Eastern Oregon. The Heppner weather station has recorded .53 inch of rain since the first of the month, most of it coming Saturday and Sunday. The weather has re ma iner overcast and cool for the past week with occasional thun d( rstorms accounting for the pre cipitation. Some areas have re-' ;,oited heavy hail storms In re cent days, but so far as is known none has hit in Morrow county, o Mrs. Lucy Rodgers and Mrs. Sara McNamer of Milwaukie, for mer Heppner residents, were here fur Memorial Day. Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Ruggles re turned Tuesday from several days spent In Portland. r
