SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
EUGENE
81st Year
GAZ
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, April 2, 1964
More Facts Sought
On Irrigation Plan
More facts are needed on the
irrigation feature of the pro
' posed Willow Creek multipur
pose dam project to give poten
tial irrigators a better opportun
ity to study possible benefits
to them, it was decided at a
meeting in the courthouse Mon
day afternoon.
The informal session found
two officials of the Bureau of
Reclamation and two from the
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
present to discuss the irrigation
proposal with a county commit
tee that had been named to In
vestigate the irrigation potential.
Coming from Spokane as rep
resentatives of the Bureau were
Rupert Spearman, engineer, and
Lee Robison, agricultural econ
omist. Coming from Walla Walla
from the Corps were Niel Mead
owcroft and Major E. J. Williams
Jr., deputy district engineer.
Representing local ranchers
were Lewis Halvorsen, Herb
Hynd, Ken Palmer, Earl Evans,
Dick Wilkinson, and C. C. Jones.
Also present were Oliver Cres
wick, development chairman of
the Chamber of Commerce, and
Clarence Rosewall.
Judge Oscar Peterson presided
at the meeting.
Now that the Willow Creek
project has been approved by
the Engineer district, the session
was held to determine what
steps should be taken now to
wards the irrigation feature, up
on which the culmination of the
entire project may hinge. With
out irrigation in the project, it is
quite likely, Robison pointed out,
that the cost-benefit ratio would
not be sufficient to warrant con
struction of the dam.
All agreed at the conclusion
of the meeting that more def
inite information needs to be ob
tained to help ranchers make
their plans on the matter.
Contacts will be made with the
Water Resources Board to help
gain these facts.
Spearman reviewed linforma
tion from studies to date, point
fng out that a ' potential 3900
acres could be" irrigated from
the dam, as compared with 2750
now being Irrigated. A total of
7900 acre feet of the dam's stor
age would be alloted to irriga
tion. This could produce an av.
eraee of 6600 acre feet, and with
return flow to the creek after
irrigation, the average annual
yield is estimated at 8u acre
feet available.
Question posed by Hynd con
eernine earlv spring or late win
ter irrigation, now being done,
brought up one of many matters
that would require iurtner siuay.
As rontemDlated in the project,
water would be in process of
storage early in the year and
there would not be as mucn
available for irrigation as at
present at this season. However,
Rhea Creek furnishes some sup
ply, bringing water into Willow
creek above lone. Spearman said
that he felt that having the
stored water available when the
creek is normally low, in sum
mer, would bring much greater
benefits than the more ineffic
ient early spring irrigation.
Robison said that in setting up
an irrigation district, studies
would need to be made of the
irrigators' repayment abi 1 i t y.
Tentative figure is that the water
would cost $3 per acre foot.
Water users would not be requir
ed to pay the entire cost of that
part of the project charged to
irrigation, and Robison estima
ted that here it would probably
only represent about 25 of the
cost. Remainder of the projects
irrigation feature would come
from federal power revenue. The
district would pay over a 50-
Based on the potential of 8400
acre feet, the users would pay
$25,200 per year, or, over the
50-year period, $1,260,000. Bene
fits are tentatively figured at
S13 30 per acre foot, or a total
of $111,700 per year. Deducting
$3100 as cost of operation of
the district, net benefits would
be $108,600 annually, or $o,430,
000 over the 50-year period.
Robison said, in reply to a
question, that those who don t
want to become a part of the
project may be left out if they
so choose.
'We have more land than
water," he said.
In "bad" years or years of
drouth provision could be made
to reduce the payments, but it
is probable that they might have
to be made up in "good" years,
it was pointed out.
Signup is made on the basis
of irrigable acres for each farm.
Existing water rights would be
protected. The district would sell
only storable water that por
tion of its allocation in the dam
after users were satisfied to the
extent of their rights from the
flow of the creek. Thus, the stor
able water would be over and
above existing water rights.
Hynd said that the county has
been very lax on water. He said
that farmers often took the view
that a watermaster would hinder
OREGON
II l'f--.
i rrnrrm
their operations but said that it
is possible that under normal
conditions one wouldn't be a
hindrance but a help.
The visiting officials pointed
out that it Is not the policy of
the Bureau of Reclamation to
force anyone into a project.
There must be enough interest
to make it feasible, however, be
fore it can be undertaken.
Hynd expressed the opinion
that the farmers wanted time
to study the matter and did not
want to be crowded into a pro
ject without knowing all angles.
"If everything is laid out fav
orable, and they are given time
to think about it, they may go,"
he said.
A question brought out that
repayment ability of the farm
ers is based on their present
cropping. It is possible that with
the water available, the farm
ers might go into other more
profitable crops than they have
now with additional benefits to
them.
Meadowcroft said that if Con
gress approves the Engineers'
report and issues an authoriz
ing document, it means essen
tially that it is saying, "We
agree this is a good project." He
said following the meeting that
it could be expected that six
years would be required to see
the project culminated if all
goes on schedule.
The Bureau of Reclamation
would need to have complete
data on water supply, water
rights, costs and other informa
tion by 1966.
Kenneth Robinson
Again lo Head
Cancer Crusade
Rev. Kenneth Robinson of
Heppner, pastor of - Hope and
Valby Lutheran churches, will
serve again this year as chair
man of the Morrow county cru
sade for the American Cancer
Society's Oregon division, ac
cording to George A. D. Kerr,
Portland banker and state cru
sade chairman.
The crusade is held during
April, which has been desig
nated as Cancer Control month
by the U. S. congress.
In accepting the appointment,
the Rev. Mr. Robinson said his
"concern is seeing that ade
quate financing is available tor
continued research against can
cer." Kerr urged everyone to "unite
in the fight against cancer by
giving generously to the cancer
society." He' said funds nised
in the crusade will be used to
finance the society's programs
in education and service as well
as research.
"Cancer is giving way, slowly
but surely, to the world-wide at
tack against It," said Kerr, a
senior vice-president of the U. S.
National Bank. "A generation
ago, fewer than one in 5 persons
were saved from cancer while
today we are saving one in
three."
WEATHER
Prec.
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday 69 42 .10
Wednesday
Total precipitation for month
of March was .82 inch.
Democratic
Democratic party candidates
discussed their platforms and
qualifications among friends
Monday night at a county cent
ral committee-sponsored meet
ing at the old city library in
Heppner. Some 30 persons at
tended the session.
Chairman Al Lamb presided,
and speakers included Martin
Buchanan of Milton-Freewater,
candidate for state representa
tive from the 28th district; four
candidates for county judge,
Frank Hamlin, Bill Weatherford,
Paul Jones and Haskell Shar-
rard; Mrs. Sadie Parrish, incum
bent candidate for county clerk;
and Max Jones, Irngon, candi
date for commissioner.
The chairman, before intro
ducing the candidates, said that
the party would make no rec
ommendations among its aspir
ants tor the primary but said
hat the party feels it is en
titled to the full support of those
running for office.
Buchanan said that he believes
the next session of the legis
lature will be one of the most
important this state has ever had.
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-TIME
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COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP certificates from Union Pacific Railroad,
each worth $200, bring smiles from Kenneth C. Wright (left),
Heppner, and Phillip R. Hagedorn, Hermiston. UP said the vo
cational agriculture students were outstanding in academic and
community achievements in their counties. Railroad has granted
over 9200 scholarships to 4-H and FFA girls and boys.
Highway
Board Asks
Bridge Bids
Bids on construction of a new
highway bridge over Willow
Creek on Main street in Heppner
and improvement of the bridge
over Hinton Creek will be re
ceived by the Oregon State High
way Commission at its meeting
Tuesday, April 21, according to
information from the Commis
sion's public relations office.
The project includes structures,
grading and paving. Existing
bridge over Hinton Creek win
be widened, . a ,new bridge will
be constructed over Willow
Creek, and the .15 mile of high
way between these bridges will
be reconstructed.
Work is scheduled for com
pletion in the fall of 1964.
This project is one of 25 pro
jects for which bids will be re
ceived at the April 21 meeting.
Total cost of all the projects is
estimated at $4,500,000.
Reconstruction of the Willow
Creek bridge, particularly, is a
project long-awaited here to re
lieve the sharp angle of the ex
isting narrow bridge. The area
encompassing the two structures
has been felt a hazard not only
to vehicular traffic but to pedes
trians, particularly school child
ren, as well.
Follow-up Speech
Clinic Scheduled
Announcement is made of a
follow-up speech clinic for
grade school children on Satur
day, April 4, at the Heppner and
lone grade schools. Ernest H.
Cristler, Jr., director of special
education in the Umatilla county
schools is in charge of the clinic
which is sponsored jointly by
the Morrow county school dis
trict and Morrow county health
department.
Students referred by their
teachers have been scheduled
and parents and teachers not
ified of the appointment time
and asked to be present.
Candidates
He said that education was one
of the big losers in the tax pro
gram defeat in October, and it
was a blow to higher educa
tion. He stressed the importance of
Blue Mountain community col
lege and declared that its re
training program "can be of tre
mendous help" in helping find
places for those young people
who do not go to the state's ma
jor higher institutions. Buchan
an said that he would like to
see a tax program adopted that
would continue to envision the
community college.
A tax program should be fair,
equitable and sensible, he said.
It will be necessary to broaden
the tax base, and the candidate
said that he would like to see
property relieved of some of its
tax burden.
Economic development in this
area is very important, he em
phasized. He envisioned the possibility
of light metals and electronics
plants being developed around
the Boeing complex in the future
and said the industry is sorely
needed because local economy is
Number 5
PPNER
10 cents
Ballots Printed
For Primary Vote;
Nearly Yard Long
Ballots for the primary elec
tion in Morrow county were
printed by the Gazette-Times
late last week and were deliv
ered to Mrs. Sadie Parrish,
county clerk, Monday.
Both Democratic and Repub
lican ballots are 30 inches long
and 12 inches wide, more than
half the space on each being
devoted to candidates for the
national conventions and for
national committeemen and
committeewomen.
A smaller quantity of sam
ple ballots were printed for
distribution to those who wish
to study the ballots in advance.
They will also be published in
the Gazette-Times in early
May.
At the same time separate
ballots- were printed for the
college bond issue and for ju
dicial candidates, the latter be
ing non-partisan.
Showboat Squad
To Play at lone
Although baseball season Is
now opening, basketball fans
will be given a final treat next
Thursday night when the Har
lem Showboats meet the Henn-
ner-Ione All-Stars in a casaba
game in the lone High gym
slated to start at 7:30 p.m. The
proceeds from the tilt will go
to the activities fund of lone
High school.
The Showboats are billed as
"the craziest basketball team in
the world" and promise to give
the fans an evening of basket
ball at Its zaniest.
Going against the Harlem five
will be local cagers who have
a lot of time on the ball court
themselves. Many of the players
on the Heppner-Ione All-Star
squad played for high schools
in the area while others have
seen college experience. The ros
ter for the local squad Includes
Francis Rea, Keith Rea, Bob Can
tonwine, Harley Sager, Wayne
Ball, Eugene Dockter, Dave Bar
nett, Lindsay Kincaid, Les Mat
thews, Clint Agee, Berl Akers Jr.
and Dick Strait.
Admission for the scrap Is
$1.25 for adults and $.50 for
children.
Speak af Party Meeting
too one-sided on agriculture and
some timber.
Hamlin told of his background
in the machinery business and
with the Army Engineers in Pan
ama and South America before
coming to Heppner 13 years ago.
Paul Jones told of his belief
in the future of Morrow county
after living here all of his life,
and stressed development of the
Boeing project, roads, recreation,
and the Willow Creek project.
Weatherford said in his talk
that individuals or minority
groups should not dictate to
the majority. "Progress is here to
stay," he said. "Recreation Is be
coming an industry." As progress
comes, "We can either lead it or
wake up after it has arrived and
find ourselves strangers in our
own houses," he said.
Sharrard stressed his slogan,
"Progress through Unity," and
applied it to farms, roads, rec
reation and industrial develop
ment Mrs. Parrish told of her wishes
to give the "best possible service
in the clerk's office in the best
possible way." "We can't practice
good public relations part of the
Many Relatives Reported
Safe After Alaska Ouake
Hours of anxiety among rel
atives and friends here awaiting
news of loved ones who went
through the Alaska earthquake
have been relieved with reports
drifting back of their safety.
As of press time, letters were
starting to come in with vivid
accounts of the disaster. Some of
those well known in Morrow
county have been hard hit with
property losses, but there was no
word of any Injury to them.
The Rev. Melvin Dixon, home
services chairman of the Mor
row county Red Cross, has been
busy taking and receiving mes
sages to and from concerned
relatives. Some of the communi
cations have been relayed by tel
ephone in the middle of the
Red Cross Drive Only
At One-Third of Goal
Fund campaign of the Morrow
county chapter, American Red
Cross, Is just over one-third of
the way towards its $1200 goal,
Mrs. Matt (Joan) Hughes, drive
chairman, reported Wednesdav.
As of that time $437.82 had
been reported. Mrs. Hughes is
doing most of the solicitation
in the business section of Hepp
ner herself, and said that she
has contacted a large percentage
of the establishments.
In lone, Mrs. Gar Swanson has
agreed to help with the drive,
and Mrs. Frank Marlowe in
Boardman is assisting there.
Officially, Red Cross month
ended Tuesday, March 31, but
because of the late start here,
the work will be continued until
completed. With only one-third
collected, the chairman was not
very optimistic about reaching
the goal. Full cooperation of the
public will be necessary to at
tain it, and it is important to
reach the quota if the county
wishes to keep its chapter here.
Those who have not been con
tacted are urged to mail contri
butions to Mrs. Hughes, either to
her home in Heppner or to M&R
Company in Heppner.
Importance of a local chapter
was emphasized this week when
the Rev. Mel Dixon was called
upon by some 10 families to seek
information concerning relatives
in Alaska.
Home service facilities of the
Red Cross provide help with per-
u..ai ouu uiuu j Hy-a
and extends financial assistance
to servicemen's families for ba
sic, immediate needs when un
expected emergencies arise.
Mrs. H. J. Strober, informa
tion chairman, issued some sta
tistics for the year 1962-63, from
the Red Cross across the nation.
Servicemen's families helped
each month totaled 92,100; or
ganized recreation events for pa
tients In military hospitals each
month totaled 7,500; servicemen
participating each month in cen
ter and clubmobile recreational
activities overseas totaled 85,400.
In the same year there were
352 Red Cross disaster relief op
erations and 129,000 victims were
given emergency care. Families
given post-disaster assistance
with rehabilitation numbered
19,800. Also, 5000 homes were
rebuilt or repaired.
In the blood program, 2,638,200
pints of blood were distributed
and 1,229,200 units of gamma
College Leader
To Speak at PTA
Bob Hawk, director of the
technical school at Blue Moun
tain College, will be the speaker
at the meeting of the Heppner
PTA Wednesday night at 7:30 in
the Heppner Elementary multi
purpose room.
He will discuss the importance
of the college bond issue on
which voters will cast ballots at
the time of the primary election,
May 15.
time and say, 'The heck with it,'
the rest of the time," she de
clared. Max Jones gave background
of his family, his grandfather
having homesteaded at Eight
mile and his father going to
Irrigon in 1914. He discussed the
need for unity in the county
the need for a positive, pro
gressive program, including a
road program, development of
the conservation program; rec
reation; and ports on the river
front. Chairman Lamb mentioned his
candidacy for the naitonal dele
gate from the second district and
requested support of his fellow
Democrats.
Local candidates from the
party not present included Joe
Tatone, Boardman, seeking a 2
year term on the port commis
sion; and Lloyd Berger, Irrigon,
seeking a 4-year term on the
commission.
Colfee was served to the
group by Mrs. Paul (Betty)
Brown, secretary, and other wo
men. At the conclusion of the
meeting Chairman Lamb showed
colored slides of Alaska.
Special Collection
To Help Stricken
Special collection will be
taken by the Methodist church
on Sunday, April 12, with the
money to go to relief In Alaska,
the Rev. Melvin Dixon, pastor,
said.
The collection will be taken
through all the Methodist
churches in the Oregon con
ference at the request of Bish
op A. Raymond Grant.
night from telegrams arriving.
He said about 10 families have
requested information through
the Red Cross and almost every-
globulin were distributed with
out charge.
A total of 66,000 first aid
courses were conduoted In the
year and -1,098,900 certificates
were awarded for completing one
or more first aid courses.
In water safety, 2,152,200 cer
tif icates were awarded to individ
uals completing water safety
courses, and 101,3001 volunteer
Instructors participated.
For the past 10 years the an
nual expenditures of the Red
Cross have ranged from $86,000,
000 a year to $116,000,000 a year.
Although the Red Cross has re
sponsibilities defined by law, it
is not supported by government
funds. It receives its support
from the voluntary contributions
of the American people.
Banquet Slates
Boeing Speaker
Here on April 9
j0hn Arthur Olmer, community
relations manager of the Boeing
Company, Seattle, will be the
principal speaker at the annual
banquet of the Heppner-Morrow
County Chamber of Commerce
m the Heppner American Legion
hall at 6:30 pm.. Thursday, April
i , rresiuent At Lamb announces,
Olmer will be accomDanied hv
Robert Knoll of the community
relations department of the com
pany's Aero-Space division and
probably by William Belt of
Hermiston, president of the
Space Age Development assoc
iation. Date of the banquet, originally
set for Monday, April 20, was
changed to the April 9 date in
order to schedule the Boeing
speaker.
Recognition certificates for
contributions made to the com
munity and area during the past
year will be made during the
banquet. Selection of those to be
recognized will be made by the
Chamber's awards committee.
In an innovation this year, two
past presidents will be honored
by presentation of plaques.
Those to receive the plaques will
be red ulmbel, who was presi
dent in 1962, and Dr. Wagner,
president in rJW. At a recent
meeting, directors decided to
start a tradition of presenting
plaques to past presidents as
recognition of their service to the
organization and to the com
munity. Entertainment at the banquet
will be furnished by the Heppner
7th and 8th grade honor chorus,
directed by Mrs. Ola Mae Grosh
ens. Invocation will be by the
Rev. Bill Alsup, pastor of the
Assembly of God church.
Women of the auxiliary of
the American Legion will pre
pare and serve the dinner.
A social hour, with Bert Huff
as chairman, will precede the
banquet. The social hour will
start at 5:30.
Tickets for the banquet are on
sale at the Gazette-Times,
Turner Van Martcr and Bryant,
Gonty's, First National Bank and
Bank of Eastern Oregon.
Little League
Meeting Called
Organization meeting of the
Little League for the coming
season will be Friday night at
8 p.m. in the offices of Turner,
Van Marter and Bryant.
LaVcrne Van Marter says that
parents, coaches and other in
terested adults are invited to at
tend. "We badly need people who
are willing to help In any cap
acity," he states. There is need
for coaches, umpires, assistant
coaches and others to help with
the program.
It is planned to get the league
underway about May 16 this
year, and it Is hoped that first
tryouts can be held about April
18. This means speedy action,
Van Marter pointed out. It Is
hoped that as a result of the
Friday night meeting personnel
nan be lined up ih'ht away.
Any who are willing to take
part in any capacity are urged
to attend.
one has been accounted for.
The Rev. Dixon said that he
reoeived a report from Alaska
early this week that the Charles
Willard family Is safe, but he
did not receive information as
to their local connections so did
not know who to advise.
Telegrams received by Frank
Turner on Monday brought news
from his daughter and other rel
atives in Valdez, Anchorage and
Fairbanks of their safety. His
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond Huddleston
and daughter Sally lived In Val
dez, which was 80 damaged.
They were evacuated from their
home and moved north to Copper
Center. A -randdaughter, Alice
Huddleston, is attending the
University of Alaska at Fair
banks, and reported unharmed.
Another granddaugh t e r, Mrs.
Harry Sloper and family, live
In Anchorage and their home is
not badly damaged, according
to the family reports. A call
from Mrs. Huddleston early
Thursday to her father said she
Paper to Print
Letters Next Week
Letters from relatives of lo
cal people, arriving too late
for publication this week, will
be printed in the Gazette
Times next week to give ad
ditional details of the Alaskan
earthquake.
The paper would welcome
any letters which give graphic
accounts of the disaster as it
affected those known locally.
If any photographs concerning
these friends and relatives are
available, they would be ap
preciated, too.
and Sally had arrived in Port
land and were coming to Hepp
ner where Sally will enroll in
high school.
A letter from Mr. and Mrs. Bill
Bedford on Tuesday to his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bedford,
relieved anxiety of their safety
and the condition of their home
in Anchorage, where Bill is em
ployed by the Texaco Company.
The couple and their three child
ren were not hurt and are still
able to remain in their home,
although they have no water,
and electricity only intermit
tently. Temperature in their
home has been at about 35 de
grees. They melt the snow and
boil It for use in their home.
They received a wire Saturday
assuring them that all Texaco
personnel In Anchorage was
safe. -
Two sisters of Mrs. Ed Hunt
of Lexington, Lucille Wells and
Mrs. John Davis of Spenard, were
reported to be safe.
Mrs. Barney Malcom of Hepp
ner received word that her two
brothers, Max and Harold Ham
ilton, are also unhurt. Each man
has two houses in Seward and
one in Cooper's Landing, some
40 miles away. Max Is married
and has three high school age
children, but Harold Is un
married. Two daughters, junior
and senior In high school, were
staying in Seward at the time
of the earthquake and ran from
the house when the quake hit.
Mrs. Malcom is sure that at least
one of the houses is gone at
Seward and does not know as
yet what other damage was sus
tained. One of the brothers has
several businesses in Cooper's
Landing and the other is an en
gineer for the City of Seward.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gonty re
ceived a letter Thursday from
Dick Calvin, former Heppnerlte
who is now sales manager for
Cache Auto and Truck Parts at
Spenard, near Anchorage. He re
ports that he and his family are
"all O. K." and the George Brad
ley family, also formerly of
Heppner, Is also safe. Bradley
Is manager of the auto firm.
"We are still in business with
the mess all picked up," Calvin
writes. "We lost all our dishes
but enough to eat out of, but
we feel very fortunate as we al
ready have heat, lights and
water, though the water has to
be boiled for drinking. Frame
construction proved to be far
belter than concrete to stand
quake action. Things are in a
mess but will straighten out real
fast. They do things in a fab
ulous hurry here in Alaska."
Mrs. Maurice Groves was ex
tremely anxious about her son-in-law
and daughter, who live
in downtown Anchorage, and re
ceived no word until Monday
afternoon. She then received a
brief note from them, Mr. and
Mrs. Mark Musgrave, saying,
"We are scared to death but
O. K. Will write more later." He
is In service there, and she works
at a bank. Mrs. Groves does not
know if their residence was de
stroyed or not.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ott, parents
of A 2C Oakley Ott, stationed
at Clear Air Force base, Fair
banks, have not heard from him,
but believe that he was not in
volved in the catastrophe.
A dramatic and vivid account
of the earthquake was written
by Ginger Brown, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Hillard Brown, who
is an elementary teacher at Fort
Richardson, Just out of Anchor
age. She was visiting in Homer
at the time of the disaster and
happened to be in a grocery store
when the shocks came. Cans on
shelves first began to "dance"
and then she found herself amid
a pile of groceries that were
Continued on page 8)
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