Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1965)
UCPFNCI GAXnTT nil? , GAZETTE-TIMES MOSBOW COUIfTTS KEWSrAPEl Tl. !!ef.pnrf Gurtl established March 30 The Heppner Timet established November is, mi NtWSMMt PUIIIIHIII AIIOCIAIIOM WCSLXT A. SHCKMAlf Editor cud ruUUbw Subscription Rates: U-50 Year. Every Thursday and Entered at aa Second Class Matter. Ridiculous Proposal It U difficult to understand by what temerity a legislator from Eugene propose to consolidate five eastern Oregon coun ties Gilliam. Morrow. Sherman. Wheeler and Umatilla with the county to be known as "Umatilla." Rep. Richard L. Kennedy of ruger.e. a Democrat. has actually Introduced such a bill In the legislature, as hard as It U to believe. Perhaps his action Is so ridiculous as not to Justify ex position. It is hardly conceivable that it would have any chance of serious consideration. But In view of the current trend to take away from the small and add to the big. residents of the five counties In our area should generate some alarm about this. Introduction of the bill In Itself is getting foot In the door. Is it possible that this young representative has any Idea of what he Is proposing? Does he have any acquaintanceship with Eastern Oregon and it problems? Does he realize the serious economic Impact this move would have on our area. Does he have any conception of the distances that would be Involved between communities of the massive county and the county seat? Did he consult with any of our area s leaders whose people are so vitally affected? Were these five counties consolidated, the new county of Umatilla would embrace 9.065 square miles. This would be a larger area than six of the 50 states and about the same size as three others. It would exceed in area the following states: Connecticut, 5.009 sq. miles; Delaware. 2.057 sq. miles; Hawaii. 6.439 sq. miles; Massachusetts, 8.257 sq. miles; New Jersey, 7336 sq. miles; and Rhode Island. 1514 sq. miles. It would be almost as big as Maryland, 10.577; New Hampshire. 904; and Vermont, 9.609. With the county seat In Pendleton, the residents of Mitchell Ivould be about 180 miles from the county seat Those in the Maupln area would be about the same distance. Condon would be more than 100 miles away, and Fossil would be 120 miles distant Loss of county seats in four counties would have a very depressing economic effect, far more widespread than a cursory contemplation by a man from Eugene might reveal. There would be considerable loss of payroll and loss of a great deal of local county business. Mest counties attempt to buy at home, and the taxes that businesses pay are fed back to them. The fact that county courthouses are in these communities brings additional business to them. It would be a crippling blow to Hhe newspapers 4n these county seats, and the areas depend on these papers for local Information. Probably the greatest wrong that would be done by Rep. Kennedy's proposal, though, would be to accelerate the trend to take government farther from the hands of the Individual citizen. Local communities have seen their schools closed through consolidation moves in the attempt to provide better education. To many small towns, loss of schools has meant loss of com munity centers with a consequent sacrifice of some voice by the individual in the small districts on how the schools are to be conducted. On the state level, we have lost ground in Eastern Oregon on representation so that today we are permitted only one representative in the legislature for 9,065 square miles and only one senator for 8,752 square miles. On the Congressional level, we are right now facing re districting which will add to the mammoth area that the second Congressional district must cover, again lessening our voice. Why is Eastern Oregon subject to such Increasing encroach ment so that it must constantly be on the defensive? One reason is that it has no major media to sing its praises, to point out its importance and feed the populace information on its prob lems and needs. It has no large daily papers; it has no television stations. Thus, there are those In high places in our state who ignorantly believe that this is a "land of sage brush and Jack . rabbits." We become fair game for appalling proposals by theorists who take neither the time nor the trouble to seek, search nor make any attempt to understand. It was only a few short weeks ago that Warne Nunn said at our Chamber of Commerce banquet that nearly one-third of Portland's exports in a recent year went to the Orient, pre sumably the bulk of it in wheat. This was a market developed by the wheat counties in an exemplary example oi initiative. Doesn't the western part of the state recognize this economic importance to them? If so, why the continuous efforts to handi cap and throttle Eastern Orgeon? According to press reports, Rep. Kennedy's proposal by his own quotation, ". . . would be a start on the governor's proposal of consolidating and reorganizing counties." This is strange support by a Democratic legislator for a Republican governor. Not more than six months ago Governor Mark Hatfield spoke in Heppner and told us of the bright future for Morrow county and Eastern Oregon pointing out how the John Day dam would open new vistas and reiterating that the Boardman Industrial site, a project that he has nurt- ured from the first, was one of the greatest locations for in dustrial development in the world. He has stated again and ' again that this would turn into a complex of the greatest economic importance to the State of Oregon. Is it logical to consider a merger of counties where such vast progress is contemplated? Nunn, in his talk, was even more glowing in optimism on our future. One of the theories of county consolidation is that it will bring tax economies to the people. This must be discounted. True, it would eliminate some offices in the present county seats, but the staffs of the larger county would be enlarged with deputies and secretaries, working In more grandiose build ings. Check at the Morrow county courthouse any day and you will find the officers working and busy. The fact that the government is under close scrutiny of the people serves to hold costs down. When Rancher John Smith wants to talk to the county court about a culvert out on his road or discuss a matter of weed control, he can walk into the courthouse here and present his case. He may not win his point but he will get consideration. Could he do this conveniently if the county seat were 100 to 150 miles from him? If he lived, say at Eightmile, chances are he would be greeted with. "Where's that?" This, providing he had the opportunity to infringe at all on the time of the officials he sought It would be as difficult to get something done on a particular county road in this 9,000 square mile area as it is now to get major Improvements on the Willow Creek highway on the state level. Whatever governmental economy was gained by a consoli dation would be more than lost by the depressive effects when county seats were taken away. If legislators such as Rep. Kennedy are serious in their -TIMES. Thursday. March II. IKS ujtrraii. isr. iomowwn '""""7 NATIONAL IOITOIAI HELEN C SHERMAN Associate rubllshw Single Copy 10 Cent. IMblUhed the Post Office at II ppner. Oregon, efforts to effect economic In government, they could do much greater service by proposing a one house legislature lor the state. There U llttl excuse for two when each U based strictly on population. The people have a clwvk and balance safeguard In the Initiative and referendum. Millions of dollars could be saved In one swoop by this Idea. This would also have some curtailing effect on the number of 'pet peeve" bill and out land lh proposals that are Intro duced at the espens of the taxpayer. Aa this U written, a letter arrive from our Rep, In In Mann (printed elsewhere on thU page). He counlers Rep Kennedys bill by proposing tbut not costing taxpayers money by Intro during a bill I that Lane. IJnn. Benton. Marlon and Claikamss counties be consolidated. Undoubtedly, the Lane representative will consider this preposterous. It U all right, as the old b8 goes, when It happens to -thee, but abhorrent when applied to "me." Renv Mann, obviously Indignant over the proposal, writes that It must be a "rather expensive Joke. That It could be. but It Is much more appalling tnan runny. Migration to La Grande There Is certain to be quite La Grande Friday and Saturday, The HePDner Mustanrs have basketball tournament, and It Is certain that they will have large following of local fans to support them there. The number will perhapa even exceed the some 300 who went to Milton-Freewater Saturday night to see them defeat the Enter- prise sharpshooters In a thrilling game. Since losine the first three league games of the season. the Mustangs have been In n have evidenced an unusual desire and determination in every succeeding contest. When Pilot regular game, they fought right In order to gain the fourth spot In the tournament. There Is something Inspirational and dramatic In watching an underdog work against odds. The spirit that the Heppner team shows Is the antithesis of the disease of apathy. o prevalent In our modern society. Perhapa this Is one reason why it Is such a captivating pursuit to watch the Mustangs at work. Their novcr-aay-die attitude Is invigorating and re freshing. By their efforts they have shown that they can be the equal of any team In the Greater Oregon league. They will enter the tournament In somewhat of an underdog role, but everyone, not the least of whom are the Pilot Rock and John Day players, know that they have a good fighting chance of gaining the championship. The Rockets will have to play better than they did in the last game here to beat them In the opener. It's going to be tough to maintain "business as usual" In Heppner Friday afternoon and Saturday. It's easy to understand Ed Dick's advertisement In this paper "Closed Saturday We'll See you In La Grande." Many of those who can't be there will be sorry that they are unable to make It. but the Mustangs can well know that all will be 100 behind them In spirit This Is support that the Blue and Cold have earned and deserve for their performance. It goes without saying that they will do their very best They don't know how to do anything less. TO THE EDITOR... To the Editor: Enclosed herewith Is a copy of HB 1835 which would con solidate the counties of the 2Sth legislative district into one county and a copy of a letter I have written to the author of the bill. One can only assume the author of the bill must not be serious. I am advised it costs the state $600 when one of us Introduces a bill. At that rate we can only con clude this is a rather expensive joke. IRVIN MANN. JR. . , Representative. 28th Legis lative District. Representative Richard L. Kennedy State Capitol Salem, Ore. Dear Representative Kennedy: My understanding is that your purpose in introducing legisla tion to consolidate the counties of the 28th legislative district Into one county is to create a bigger governmental unit that you believe would be more ef ficient and more economical than the five county govern ments we now have. It takes an hour and a half longer to drive from Milton Freewater in north eastern Umatilla county to Mitchell in southwestern Wheeler county than it does to drive from Port land to Eugene. May I suggest to you then that you direct your considerable en ergies to effecting a consolida tion of Lane, Linn, Benton, Mar ion and Clackamas counties in to one county. This would in volve an area with which you are more familiar and we East Oregonians, and parti c u 1 a r 1 y those of us in the vain legisla tive district, will take care of our own governmental structure. The county then formed would be about the same area as the one you propose. By apply ing yourself to this major step in county consolidation, be as sured that you would form a really big government that would surelv be that much more ! efficient and economical than are the present structures. Sincerely yours, IRVIN MANN. JR. Representative, 28th Legis lative District. Dear Editor: The community of lone has something to be proud of A clean well kept school. The stu dents and faculty have a great deal to do with this but I feel most of the credit goes to the custodians. We have some very good ones and they spend a lot of time working as it takes a lot of work to keep up the areas such as the cafeteria and gym. I had the opportunity, not long ago to be in another school (outside our county) and was astonished it was not kept up any better. I'll not go into de tails but it was not clean. It was then I thought how lucky we were and why we should be proud of the way our schools are kept Our 'custodians keep the floors shining (and that's not all), so let's all give them the big 'Thanks" they deserve. Yours, truly, Grace McKinney lone, Oregon Tell the advertiser you saw It In the Gazette-Times. migration of lleppnerites to and for good reason! battled their way to the district underdog role. Undaunted, they Rock edged them In their last back to win two piayon ui To the Editor: It is certainly gratifying to re port another very fine low rec ord for few serious man-caused forest fires in Oregon for the 1964 season. The fine support we have re ceived from newspapers, radio and TV stations has been a large factor In making this good record possible, s It is significant that In spite of increased use of Oregon's forest lands by loggers, hunters, campers, fishermen, picnickers and sightseers, that there has not been a corresponding In crease in the number of man caused fires. This is a tribute to the stellar work being done to ward the prevention of fires. Your help in this effort is very much appreciated by all for esters charged with the manage ment and protection of our for est lands. We know also that you realize that we can never completely eliminate man-caused fires and that our Keep Oregon Green eductional forest fire prevention program must receive continuing attention. In this we know that we will always be able to count on your support. Albert Wiesendanger Executive Secretary Keep Oregon Green Ass'n. 2750 State St Salem, Oregon Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Jensen vis ited this week end in St. Helens at the home of her mother, Mrs. Ava Baseel. ; ,; - . " . . . , - r- - k birvf f ...,2V. VrftU- -z"- ! " zris ' hrr1- .-i,?-: J Some tigers are fierce. Some tigers are ferocious. We build both. There's the incredible GTO with its extra helping of horsepower (360), or the way it comes (335). Or there's the LeMans with a 285-hp V-8, a 250-hp V-8, or a 140-hp six. Either way they're all Quick Wide-Track TljJCrt tigers with bucket seats, carpeting and lots of Oh-you-kid I PODtiaC Lt ESailS & GTO Sff THf NEW SONNfVllU. STAR CHIEF. 6 RAND PRIX. CA7AUNA, J2, L MANS. CT0 AND TIMPEST AT YOU AUTHOfllUO PONTIAC MAIM. FARLEY MOTOR CO., MAY & CHASE, HEPPNER, OREGON Chaff nd Wes JACK VAN WINKLE seemed a bit disgruntled as he hoaed off dirt and mud on HM and concrete around hi service station Tuesday. , Te been watering this for 13 vears and haven! had crop cl," he said. BUILDING A NEW HOME must tw one of the most Interesting excellence that a person ran have. All the Idea of the entire family mum be coordinated in the planning. vv m. fuisforth had express ed the Idea of building his new i. ...... ...M.-rm-.l aiii-r inr ivn- " ........ .I...... .if "iktiiania iv im-. Mm wife Barbara apparently ihia round, and the new tutsforth place. going up near the golf course. U no Ponderosa. On tile. too. had the Idea of putting In a one lane bowling alley in the basement, but we understand that Uarhara prevail ed over this. too. While Orvtlle was away or busy with some, thing ele. the wife told th masons to extend the fireplace flue Into the basement and set up another fireplace n the lower level, right where Orvllle envisioned the bowling pin to be. To the Editor: There ha come to my atten tion recently a rumor being circ ulated in our vicinity that dur ing the recent flooding of the Willow Creek Basin, the Red Cross did not respond to a re quest, or some requests for aid. This l not true! To my knowledge, there has been no single application, nor even verbal request, for any kind of aid as a result of the December flood. This office has always responded Immediately to any kind of request for aid In whatever way our policies al low, as many people whom I have served can attest. We have, furthermore, even exceeded our policies on the local level In order to helo In Isolated case where the board of directors deemed It necessary and urgent. For the public's Information, the Red Cross Is prohibited by national policy, by which we are governed, to give disaster aid to less than five families In volved in any one disaster. There can be. however, certain forms of aid administered from local funds if the situation warrants such a loan. or. In rare Instances, a grant. This office, therefore, investigated, In conjunction with Sheriff Bauman but to my know led ce. received no report or re quest for help. If any misunciersianairiK oi any nature has arisen, I Invite anyone to come and interview your American Red Cross worker. I hope that everyone will re spond to the Red Cross drive for funds In order lor us to continue this agency's effectiveness. Very sincerely. MELVIN DIXON (Home Service Worker, Chapter 100) American National Red Cross To the Editor: I sure enjoy your paper and must say we always receive It on Friday or Saturday. That Is pretty good time. I must say. You know I will be 72 years next May and the Mrs. will soon be 69 years. We are two of the few of our age that were born In lone that are still up and around. Mrs. Evalyn Farrens Is my sis ter and Louis, Elmer, Archie and Roy are my brothers. There U only one left In my wife's fam ily, Mrs. Verda Ritchie of Port land. Thank you, Glenn A. Ball 909 So. 34th Ave. Yakima, Wash. Chatter Sherman Tough lu k. On Hie! Hut I probably will be more fun sit !in around the fireplace than It would be chasing bowling hall back and foitn. WARNING! A new fad h In the grade school, and It mav have caught the drug Mores with cinnamon oil " short supply. Klda buy a tiny iw.nu ..f the oil br 35tf and Hick t.s.ihi.lcks in It. Then they suck on the toothpicks. Man. that hot stuff! If you are a la in a home now plagued with cinnamon oil and are a guinea pli for your Md. oun now what wo mean we wonoer u might have a detrimental effect on some youngster who might be allergic to II? Some sly parents might dig a yo-vo out of the trunk and see if he can't get that started again as a diversionary tactic. At least we don't have to ut o '! AT A SFRVU'E STATION In Milton-Freewater after the game Saturday night, a young man got out of a Volkswagen and approached u. "Are you from Heppner?" After getting an affirmative reply, he Introduced himself a Steve Barber from Enterprise and said that he was a "ham" l amateur radio enthusiast) who "worked'' Kav Nichols and lUs- kell Sharrard In Heppner quite often. He asked that regard be conveyed to them. Barber tnen extended obvious- Iv aincere congratulation and kkxI wishes to the Heppner High basketball team "You certainly have a fine team." he said, "anil we hope they win at La Grande." He ex pressed some disappointment be cause the Savages lost, but said that Heppner quite noticeably showed a greater desire and de termination. This, we thought, summed It up correctly, and we pasa on this little Incident because we thought It a rather unusually nice gesture of Rood sportsman ship on the part of a stranger. SCARCELY A WEEK goes by In this newspaper business that we don't write the obituary of some elderly rson. A great many of them have led Import ant and significant lives, but be cause of the Interval letween their active peaks and the time of their deaths, the go.nl thing that they have done are lost to memory or dimmed with the passing of time. Thus, the sig nificance of their passing Is not always placed in proper per spective. A few, however, remain active until the end. Such was the case with Mrs. Lena Shelton Searcy, mother of Mrs. Charles Rugglcs. She was a painter, among other things, and kept busy at It to her 93rd year, at the time of her death. Such a person Is a true Inspiration. While she did not live here, many here knew of her and her achievements. IT IS ONE of the small tragedies that we seem to reserve the eulogies for the time Immed iately after death, that we neg. Icct to record the good things and historical facts about our elder citizens while they are with us. With every passing year, some of our once-prominent residents complete their lives and take to their graves Information that should have been perpetuated. Families of elderly persons could help by writing down the significant things In the live of these people. Some day we would like to see something worked out whereby a history of Morrow county, as revealed by those who made the history, could be compiled and published. WALT Mt'RETTA of the fWing i ornpsny aii in a talk to the lone lions the other night that Ihe new tet site near lloardiiian has a problem with navy bomb I n it plane. No, It Un'i the noise thev make, but apparently they come In l"W over the I- site that It gives Ihe personnel there Ihe Jitters. The iiinpaitv has a weather towrr alxiut pi) feet high, and omeiimes it eetn that the planes are uo.ii-intf in l.Mer Otn this The site I near the flight iir..,r and It seem that the ll( like to use the iwer line to the tent stand a a guide toward the target. INTEREST OK Heppner pe. ner eople Round lip, In the ivntiieton alwava great, is maie ren greater with the selection of Shannon Mahonev. our last ear s Fair and Itodco ouceti. to the Round Up court this rar She' a fine addition to the court, and her part In the pro ceeding will he a matter of pride shared by all In Morrow county. The GT editor are also (rrsonally happy over the selec lion of Jan McCurdy. daughter of Mr. and Mr. Hon Mcv'urdy of Pendleton. Having known bei parent since before her birth, we have followed her growth each vear since infancy by the t hrlstma card with a cur rent picture of Jan that we re ceived from the Met'urdys. Each ear's card. too. carried an ap propriate clever poem twe sua et they were written by her talented mother. Peg). Only when Jan went t OSU two year a'o were the picture card discontinued. With (Shan and Jan on the court, we'll lixik forward to the Round Up thl year. (We'll have to apologize to Shannon for call Ins her "Shan." which she dla claim a a name, but couldn't resist the rhyming of "Shan and Jan."). When you patronise Gazette Time advertiser, you help makw a better p-per. Tell them you saw It In the Gazette-Timer COMMUNITY BILLBOARD Coming Events HEPPNER HIGH BASKETBALL District A 2 Tournament EOC Gvm. La Gramle. Heppner vs. Pilot Rock. Fri day. 7:30 pm. Finals. Saturday night. FOOD SALE By Heppner Extension Unit Saturday. March 20, Central Market. 11 am. ELKS CRAB FEED Saturday, March 20. 0:30 pm lone members hosts. Special Magician program, dancing following. BLOOD BANK DRAWING Register now with Mr. Or- vllle Cutsforth. Drawing Monday, March 29 Elks Temple. SPRING VACATION For all county schools, March 20 29. SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY C. A. RUGGLES Insurance Agency P. O. Box 247 PH. 678-9625 Htppaer
