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'EUGENE. ORE.
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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