Heppner gazette-times., June 11, 1959, Image 1

U OF 0
EUGENE. ORE.
3 Communities
Protest Changes
In Their Schools
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, June 11, 1959
ETTE-TlM
V9V
Copies 10 Cents
76th Year, Number 14
EPPU
Three county communities pre-1
sentecl protests to the school
board Monday night over plans
to close schools or combine grades
in various schools. The board,
however, took no action on any
oi tne requests.
Residents of Hardman had pre
sented a petition carrying the
names of 40 residents and many
persons from that community
were on hand at the meeting to
express their feelings about the
board-announced plan to close
the school there and transport
the 13 students to Heppner. Sev
eral persons pointed out that
during the winter the road up
Hardman grade frequently was
impassable and they felt it
would be too dangerous to take
a school bus over it in such
conditions. They also complained
that the children would have to
spend too much time on the bus.
The group asked that their
school be retained and that if
it failed to meet required stan
dards, as had been reported in a
letter from the state department
of education, that it either be
replaced or repaired or what
ever was necessary to keep it
in operation. One Hardman resi
dent told the board that he
would not send his children that
distance to school. Others said
that no one in the county would
vote to close the school if he
were familiar with the winter
driving conditions over the 20
miles of road the children would
have to travel to Heppner.
Several persons, not residents
of the Hardman area, also spoke
in favor of retaining a school
there.
A member of the new school
board which will take office
July 1, D O Nelson, read a letter
signed by 104 residents of the
Lexington area which objected
to the board announced plan to
close the 5th through 8th grades
at the Lexington school and
transport those students to Hep
pner or lone. Lexington residents
present pointed out that such a
transfer would only cause addit
ional trouble at Heppner where
classes were already full and
additional space needed.
Boar dm an Asks Delay
Several members of a steering
committee from Boardman were
present and asked the board to
defer any action on its announ
ced plan to combine the 7th and
8th grades at Boardman and Irri
gon in the Irrigon school. Mem
bers of the committee, who stat
ed they represented nearly 90
percent of the residents of the
Boardman district, said there
were objections to the distance
some of the students would have
to travel by bus if they were
taken to Irrigon. They also said
there were better facilities at
Boardman than at the Irrigon
school.
The Boardman committee saidjand refreshments will be avail
they were in the process of stud
ying the problem there and ask
ed the board to defer any action
until they could complete their
work.
The board took no action on
any of the requests other than
to accept the written petitions
and letters.
The various objections which
have been raised came about
following defeat of the county
school budget last month. The
board has trimmed about $25,000
from the budget and has set
June 29 as the date for a second
election. The board is attemp
ting to combine some classes to
A Centennial Year Historical Feature
Other Papers Tell Heppner Flood Story
(Next Sunday, June 14 will be
the 56th anniversary of the Hep
pner flood. Elsewhere in today's
paper we are rerunning a few
of the pictures of that disaster
which appeared in the Gazette
Times special flood commemor
ation edition on June 14, 1953,
and below is' a series of stories
about the flood which appeared
"in -the Woodburn (Ore.) Inde
pendent shortly afterwards. One
of the owners of the Indepen
dent, Gene Stoller recently
found the story in that paper's
files and made a copy of it,
thinking it might be of interest
to G-T readers. It shows how the
news of the flood was received
in other parts of the state.)
Woodburn Independent June 18.
1903
Cloudburst at Heppner
A cloud which burst on the
hills a mile south of Heppner at
about 5:30 o'clock Sunday after
noon let loose a hungry flood
of water, which swept down a
affect the savings, but these
plans are bringing many com
plaints.
Flug Goes To Boaxdman
The board named Jack C Flug,
present county school superin
tendent who would have been
replaced July 1 by Robert Van
Houte, as principal of Riverside
high school at Boardman and
the Boardman grade school.
Members of the Boardman Steer
ing committee personally reques
ted that the board hire Flug for
the position.
In other action the board heard
a preliminary report from a Port
land architectural firm who is
working with the Corps of Engi
neers on plans for a replace
ment school building at Board
man. The present building will
be flooded out by the backwater
of the John Day dam.
New Teachers Hired
The board approved contracts
for five new teachers. They are
James Monroe, lone grade school
and coach; Muriel Ley, home
ec and PE at Riverside high;
Wolfgang Ededlmann, band in
structor at Riverside; Mrs Marg
aret Lewis, Irrigon 3rd grade;
Mrs Lucile Weatherford, mathe
matics at Heppner high school.
A public hearing on the revis
ed budget will.be held Friday
night at 8 p m at the court house.
lone Branch Bank
Slates Opening
Next Saturday
lone will have its first bank
in more than 30 years with the
opening Saturday of the lone
branch of the Bank of Eastern
Oregon. The new facility will be
publicly opened at an open house
from 2 until 5 o clock and will
be open for business Monday
morning.
The new branch bank will be
housed in the Remodeled Swan-
son building and it is planned
to provide complete banking fa
cilities to residents of the lone
community. The building has
been completely refurnished and
new equipment will be in place
for the opening. The branch will
be managed by Gene Pierce,
manager of the Heppner branch
and for the present time, at
least, it will be operated out of
the Heppner branch by making
use of bookkeeping and record
ing equipment available here.
Manager Pierce, pres i d e n t
Marion Weatherford and vice
president and cashier L C Buch-
ner, Arlington, as well as other
members of the board today ex
tended an invitation to all resi
dents of the area to inspect the
new facilities saturaay. urns
able to all.
The lone bank has establish
ed regular banking hours from
9 a m to 1 p m Monday through
Fridays and from 9 to 12 on Sat
urday. The new lone branch 13 tne
second branch bank to be open
ed in less than two years by the
Bank of Eastern Oregon which
has headquarters at Arlington.
Less than two years ago the
Heppner branch was opened and
at that time the capital stock
was increased and most of the
ownership of the stock Is in the
hands of residents of Morrow and
Gilliam counties.
hillside in a wall 30 feet high
and 200 yards wide. Reaching the
bottom of the canyon, the liquid
avalanche reared its mighty
front over the doomed town, and
carried to destruction nearly
every building and human being
that lay in its path, leaving a
waste of destruction to mark its
trail. The destroying torrent rac
ed down the narrow gorge of
Willow creek, inundating as it
reached them the settlements of
Lexington, lone and Douglas,
but lessening In fury and in vol
ume as the thirsty alkali soil
of the valley drank up the water
like a sponge. Behind it lay near
ly 300 dead, drowned like rats
in a trap. The suddenness of
the catastrophe gave the vic
tims no warning, overwhelming
them for the main part as they
sat within their homes.
Two-thirds of Heppner was
swept away. The business por
tion of the town is left, with
small damage. In the mad strug
Many County
Youngsters Win
At The Dalles Sale
Early reports from the 4-H and
FFA fat stock show and sale
being held this week at The
Dalles told of many Morrow
county youngsters and groups
who won events at the show.
Tony Doherty, 12 of Heppner,
showed the grand champion 4-H
lamb Tuesday. It was Tony's
first trip to the 13th annual event
sponsored by the Oregon Wheat
Growers League. His 101 pound
southdown cross won out over
an 89 pound Hampshire cross
exhibited by Elvelyn Oveson of
Wallowa.
Dennis Doherty, Heppner, had
the reserve champion for the
southdown class; and Kenneth
Smouse, lone had the reserve
champion pen of three lambs.
Placings for county groups of
five sheep were Morrow 4-H'ers
first, Crook county second, Sher
man third, Gilliam fourth, and
Umatilla fifth.
Morrow county 4-H'ers placed
third in team standing in the
livestock judging. Members of
the team were Sandy Beach 14,
and her brother Karl 17, and
Tommy Martin 15, of Lexington.
In individual scoring in the live
stock judging Kenneth Smouse,
lone and Larry Foster of Hood
River tied for third place.
In the FFA beef show Don
Hughes 14, of Heppner showed
the champion shorthorn steer
and Tim Yackley, 14, also of
Heppner had the shorthorn re
serve champion.
Heppner high school won first
place for their high school chap,
ter herd all shorthorns. Second
place in this division went to
The Dalles.
Other late returns from the
show revealed that many other
county youngsters placed well
in the showings. Among them
were:
Beef Eric Anderson, first In
lightweight Hereford; David An
derson fourth. Karl Beach third
and fifth in heavy Hereford class
and Sandra Beach second and
sixth in Heavy Hereford. Tommy
Martin, third in medium class
Herefords; Billy Doherty second
and eighth and Mickey Van
Schoiack sixth in medium class
Herefords.
Tommy Martin fourth and Rus
sell Dolven fifth in shorthorns
and Morrow county had second
place in county beef herd.
All Morrow county hogs enter
ed in the show graded U S No
1.
In the judging contests, Karl
Beach was high beef judge and
Kenneth Smouse placed second.
In beef showmanship, Karl
Beach was first in the senior div
ision and also was chosen cham
pion 4-H beef showman; Sandra
Beach was first in the intermed
iate division.
Morrow county had red ribbons
in the beef herdmanship contest
and white ribbons in swine herd
manship. One hundred fifteen lambs,
192 swine and 89 beef were ex
hibited at the show.
Mrs Myles Martin is in Indiana
vacationing at the home of rel
atives. gle for life women were torn
from babes and fathers from
families.
The damage to property at
Heppner amounts to $1,000,000.
Rescue parties rushed to the
scene and found a terrible con
dition of affairs. Many of the
bodies were so distorted and
blackened that identification Is
not possible. In some places just
below Heppner, wreckage and
debris are still piled mountain
high, and it will be weeks be
fore all the bodies are recovered,
and some may never be found.
More than 150 houses were de
stroyed. The work of burying the
dead and extending relief has
progressed rapidly. Homeless
people crowd every available
house and tent.
June 25, 1903
Woodburn gave $230 to Mayor
Frank Gilliam of Heppner for
the relief fund. Money consis
ted of donations by individuals,
lodges and business firms. In
addition the Bank of Woodburn
GALLONEER Mrs Wilma Gaarsland of lone donated her eighth
pint of blood Monday at the Red Cross blood drawing and shortly
after this picture was taken was presented with a "Galloneer"
pin. She has given blood at nearly every local drawing and do
nated her first pint on August 12, 1952 at Condon. The drawing
fell far short of what had been hoped for by local Red Cross
officials. A quota oi 100 pints had been established but just
48 were obtained at the drawing which was held at the Elks
Temple. (GT Photo)
HEPPNER MOTHER
U S CITIZEN MONDAY AT CEREMONY
Delia (Mrs Ray) Smith, Hepp-
ner, was one of four women from
Morrow and Umatilla counties
who attained United States citi
zenship Monday in naturaliza
tion ceremonies at Pendleton.
The four were extended a wel
come and told of their new re
sponsibilities in an address by
William E Hanzen, Pendleton at
torney. He told them that "we
are all equal citizens," and that
they have a great heritage and
great responsibilities.
Mrs Smith has been In the U S
about 13 years. She was born in
England and met her husband
there where he was a paratrooper
CHAMBER INSPECTS ROADS AND
LOGGING OPERATIONS MONDAY
New roads and logging oper
ations of Heppner Pine Mills In
the Black Mountain area east of
Heppner were inspected Monday
by about 25 members of the
Heppner-Morrow County Cham
ber of Commerce. The tour was
arranged jointly by Heppner Pine
Mills and the Forest Service.
The group made the trip by
bus and over the route saw the
work that has been done by the
mill in the rebuilding of Shaw
creek grade road over which
most of the logs in the Black
Mountain sale must be hauled.
The road must be rebuilt as part
of the terms of the sale agree
ment and a considerable part of
this work has already been done.
Reconstruction and new con
struction of this road will cost
Heppner Pine about $104,000. The
mill bought a total of nearly
16,000,000 feet of timber in the
area through which the road
passes and several other logging
access roads will be constructed
in the future.
Logging in the Black Moun
tain stand is expected to start
in August and will continue as
long as weather permits.
On- Monday's trip, chamber
members were taken into the
woods to watch felling, bucking
and loading operations jiow be
ing carried on by Heppner Pine.
sent a draft of $20 direct to
Heppner.
Hubbard through several lodg
es, sent a neat sum to Heppner
sufferers.
Heppner, visited by a calamity
never before experienced to sucn
an extent in this state appealed
to, Orgonians for aid. The re
SDonse was prompt and gener
ous. People with the biggest
hearts and most sympathetic na
ture live in Oregon.
June 25, 1903
C W Younegren of Silverton,
was in the city Saturday on his
wav home from a visit at Hepp
ner, where he says the horrible
scenes cannot be fully tola and
can only be realized to the full
extent by those on the ground;
that the Heppner people, when
he was there, were not yet re
covered from the grat shock and
showed a stoicism when con
fronted with the bodies of near
relatives. He says It will take
a hundred teams a month to
clear away the debris.
OF FIVE BECOMES
during World War II. They have
lived in Heppner for about six
years where he is a printer for
the Gazette-Times. They have
five children and are expecting a
sixth In a short time.
Mrs Smith has been a Cub
Scout mother, served as super
visor for a local ground observer
post, and other community activ
ities. The other three women who
became citizens Monday were
Lilly Yuk Chinn, Hermiston, who
was born in China; Catherine
Anne French, Echo, born in
France; and Glsela Elfriede Er
ika Schwandt, Weston, who was
born in Germany.
Coming back down the new
road, which will eventually be
given an eight-inch rock base,
the group went to Cutsforth Park
where lunch was served. Sever
al other chamber members who
were unable to take the entire
trip were guests of Heppner Pine
for the lunch.
In charge of the tour were
Victor Kreimeyer, Heppner For
est Service ranger; Maurice
Hitchcock, White Swan, Wash,
Heppner Pine president; and
Paul Koenig, local mill manager.
Elmer Heath To Head
American Legion
Election of officers was held
Monday evening of last week
for the Heppner Amrelcan Leg
ion, for the year 1959-60.
The officers elected were com
mander, Elmer Heath; first vice
commander, Dean Shaver; sec
ond vice commander, Don Fred-
rickson; adjutant, Bill Labhart;
finance officer, Bill Heath; ser
geant at arms, D E Hudson and
executive committeeman, Alva
Jones.
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HEPPNER FLOOD DESTRUCTION is shown In this old photograph taken a few days after the great
flood of June 14. 1903. This picture was taken from about the center of Main street looking south
east Camera was located about in front of the present Empire Machinery building. The old Pal
ace Hotel (three story building on the right) was on the corner of Main and May streets where
Bruce Motors is now located. The strength of the water is illustrated by the tumbled and torn
houses and buildings. A full page of other flood pictures appears elsewhere in today's Gaiette-Times.
Changes Made in
Rules Governing Use
Of Golf Course
Changes in regulations govern
ing use of W
Club were a
illow Creek Country
.pproved Wednesday
night at an executive meeting
of the club.
The major change is a ruling
that use of the golf course will
now be limited to paid up mem
bers only, and their guests and
that members are responsible for
payment of green fees by guests.
It was also proposed that there
be a membership for minors or
students of $20 per year per per
son. This would be a single
membership without voting priv
eleges and would apply to min
ors who are not already inclu
ded in a family membership.
Letters are being sent to mem
bers with the new regulations
and also with the new greens
rules.
Lowell Gribble, president, ask
ed to be relieved of his duties
and the board took his request
under consideration.
Members are also reminded
that last half dues are due.
Wilkinson Heads
New Fire District
The five members of the recen
tly formed Heppner rural fire
district met late last week In
an organizational meeting and
named Dick Wilkinson president,
Harold Evans, vice president,
and Tom Wells, secretary-treas
urer.
The board established a bud
get of $6,000 based on an esti
mated valuation of $1,500,000 for
the district and will hold a bud
get meeting shortly so that it
can be published starting next
week. One such meeting was
held Tuesday but disagreement
over how the tax base could
be established prevented accep
tancp of thf hiirtpet.
Tho hoard nprppd to flcrpnt an
offer to contract with the city1
of Heppner to furnish fire pro
tection for the district and Its
tentative budget calls for board
expenses of $300 and contract
cost of $5,700 with Heppner.
Representatives of the Heppner
fire department and the city
council told the board members
that the city will furnish what
fire protection It can to the dis
trict while It is getting organ
ized. After money becomes avail
able special equipment designed
for rural use will be purchased.
They were told that Heppner
city equipment Is not designed
for heavy rural use, but a truck
will be sent whenever possible.
Residents In the new fire dis
trict can now report fires with
in the district to the Heppner
fire department and as much
protection as possible will be
provided. It was emphasized,
however, that this will be meag
er, until new equipment can be
bought.
Miss Joan Wright of Spokane
is visiting for a few days at the
home of her parents, Mr and Mrs
Joe Wright
County Barley
Support Rate
f t i Q7
jg flf Q rjlllS
The basic county price sup
port rate for 1959 crop barley in
Morrow county will be 87 cents
per bushel, V R Rletmann, chair
man of the county Agricultural
Stabilization and Conservation
committee has announced.
The rate applies to barley gra
ding No 2 or better. The county
rate will be further adjusted for
grades below No 2 In determin
ing support prices for Individual
producers. Discounts are the
same as under the 1958 program.
Terminal rates are available
at the county ASC office for
farmers who wish to store their
grain in a terminal elevator.
These rates reflect freight and
handling charges Involved In
moving the grain to the terminal.
County and terminal rates also
reflect changed transportation
costs from producing areas to
terminal and changed relation
ships between terminal market
prices.
Price supports will be carried
out, as in previous years, through
farm and warehouse stored loans
and purchase agreements. Sup
port will be available from har
vest time through January 31,
1960.
Prices for this year's crop of
rye will be supported at $1.06
a bushel in Morrow county, It
was also announced. Rye eligi
ble for support must be No 2
or better or No 3 on the factor
of test weight only and may not
contain in excess of one percent
ergot.
The ASC office also announced
that more than 350 million bush
els of 1958 crop wheat had been
taken over by the department
of agriculture as of the end of
April in settlement of price Sup
port Iruins Ann rmrrhflse fltrree-
Iments. Later reports are expec-
lea to snow aaumonai vaiveover.
, . JJ,i, f i .
A record quantity of 609 mil-
uon ousneis was piacea unaer
support from the 1958 wheat crop.
68 million bushels had been re
deemed through April and more
than 12 million of farm-stored
wheat had been resealed for an
additional storage period.
In Morrow county a total of
2,423,451 bushels of 1958 crop
wheat was placed under price
support. As of April 30, 129,894
bushels had been delivered to
CCC, 236,275 bushels redeemed
and 64,749 bushels resealed.
Mrs Max Buschke was in Port
land over the weekend visiting
Mr and Mrs Robert Hyle.
WEATHER
Hi Low Prec.
Thursday 76 47
Friday 81 54 .36
Saturday 65 47 .37
Sunday 65 42
Monday 68 45
Tuesday 68 42 .fj3
Wednesday 63 38 .01
Rainfall for the week .77; for
June .77, for the year 7.39 In
ches.
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