HEPPNER GAZETTE
THE W
GAZETTE-TIMES
Reppner, Oregon 97836
Phone 676-922S
MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
The Heppner Gazette established
Times established November 13,
1912.
WESLET A. SHERMAN
HELEN E. SHERMAN
ROD (SPIKE) PARDEE
Advertising Manager
Photographer
MARION ABRAMS
Society
Circulation
JIM SHERMAN
Pressman
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
until noon Saturday.
Subscription Rates: $450 Year.
Every Thursday and Entered at the
as feeoona Class Matter.
Fair Appraisal
iv PUmSHItl
V-ASSOCIATION
Anyone who has occasion or opportunity to review ap
praisals of the Boeing lands Just completed separately by
Bill Johnson, county appraiser, and Glenn Gilbert, private ap
praiser of Pendleton, will at once recognize how exhaustive
their work has been and how complete their reports are.
While there is some difference between them In the to
tal valuation figures, the reports show a rather surprising
agreement in view of the fact that they were conducted en
tirely independently.
Johnson's appraisal places the total valuation of the Boe
ing lands at $2,200,790 as compared with Gilbert's figure of
$2,623,170. The major difference comes from their appraisal
of waterfront lands, with Gilbert valuing them considerably
higher than Johnson. They pretty much agree on the values
of the lands in the Boeing tract south of Highway I-80N.
As reported elsewhere in this paper, the Morrow County
Board of Equalization has adopted the Johnson appraisal,
and his figures will go on the tax roll for 1967-68.
Both appraisals at least double the value of the lands
as currently listed on the tax roll at $1,111,080. In arriving
at their figures, the appraisers used figures on sales, when
ever possible, to arrive at fair market figures.
When the Board of Equalization accepted the lesser fig
ure and stated that it felt the Gilbert appraisal on waterfront
lands was somewhat too high, it corroborated, by this action,
that it is not attempting to "gouge" the State of Oregon as
was charged earlier this year by some members of the leg
islature. The county has acted as it is required by law to ap
praise the property within its boundaries to true cash value.
While big figures are involved in the size of the Boe
ing tract more than 96,000 acres) and In the valuation (now
$2,200,790), the result of the acceptance of the new apprais
al is not earth-shaking. Taxes paid on the land by the state
last year were $12,696. If the valuation on property in the
rest of the county remained the same as for 1967-68 and if
taxing bodies' requirements were to be the same, the State
of Oregon would pay approximately twice as much in taxes
on the Boeing tract as it did for the current year
This sounds big, but interpreted in local needs, the
$12,000 additional, for example, would just about pay the
salary of one administrator in the county school system. It
represents only about one-seventh of the amount additional
that will be required to provide for increases in teacher sal
aries this year in Morrow county. Or, on the county level,
it would be only about one-thirtieth of this year's general
road budget
Spread across the county on a millage basis, the increase
in taxes to the state certainly won't be noticed by local tax
payers! It must be borne in mind that the exact amount of tax
increase to the state cannot be determined until other valu
ation figures around the county and needs of taxing bodies
are determined for the coming year.
It may be that the adoption of the appraisal of Boeing
lands will arouse the same legislators again, and they may
call more hearings, but, if they do, they will merely waste
more money of taxpayers around the state. The county has
acted reasonably, wisely and prudently in this matter. The
Gilbert report substantiates the Johnson report, and both
were completed after intensive on-the-ground checks. We
know that Johnson actually took test drillings all over the
Bite with a hand auger to determine soil depths. Their charts,
maps and pictures support their findings. It's all now a
matter of record, and it will hold up in any hearing.
The Board of Equalization and the County Court com
mended both appraisers for their fine work, and they are
right in doing so.
County Judge Paul Jones calls Bill Johnson "one of the
best appraisers in the State of Oregon." Johnson's work here
shows that this is not flattery. According to the recommen
dations of the State Tax Commission, it should take four
men to do the appraisal work in Morrow county that John
son has been doing alone.
As adopted by the Board of Equalization, the Boeing
lands are appraised fairly. The county administration is to
be congratulated for having the courage to go ahead with
the appraisal in the face of the strong criticism at the
state level.
It might be suggested that before any western Oregon
legislator stirs up any more fuss about it that he first come
to Morrow county, look at the lands and read the appraisal
reports. If he is fair and open-minded and believes in the
state law that requires a county to keep land appraisals at
market value, that should settle the matter.
Welcome, Young Tourists!
This weekend will see the county playing host to tour
ing Eighth Graders from Portland for the fourth consecutive
year. This is among the finest programs ever conceived here
to promote goodwill and to demonstrate to the city youngs
ters just what kind of people live in the wheat and livestock
country. Again this year, a crop of youngsters will see first
hand how wheat is grown and how stock are raised. They
will get an understanding of how this agricultural country
contributes to feeding the population and how it is import
ant to the economy of the state at large.
In past years, it has been found that the Portland young
sters look just about like Morrow county kids. They are equal
ly wholesome, lively, and energetic. This year, a person
will be able to tell them apart for city kids will wear name
badges of one color and home kids badges of another color.
But that's the only way you can distinguish between these
fine American youngsters, unless you already know them.
Our welcome to the Portlanders Is again as enthusiastic
and as hearty as we can possibly make it We hope you
have a wonderful time, and we're surely glad to have you.
TIMES. Thunderf. April 87. 1967
HEPPNER
March 30, 1SS3. The Heppner
1S97. Consolidated February 15,
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
Q Asg)cQT,N
buinmeiifmi
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHES
ARNOLD RAYMOND
Shoo Foreman
Printer
REGGIE PASCAL
Linotype Operator
RANDY STTLLMAN
Apprentice
Monday through Friday; 9 am
Single Copy 10 Cents. Published
Post Office at Heppner, Oregon,
'No, Sir. Not Me,
-Who, sir? Me, sir?"
"Yes, sir. You, sir."
"Oh, no, not mo, sir. How about you, sir?"
"No, not me, sir!"
And so on and on, and on.
What's this all about? Well, it might be a conversation
between two Heppner people trying to convince the other to
run for the county school board
As the time for the annual election nenrs Monday, May
1 we find that there is one post vacant for a lone wlthtn
the Heppner city limits. There are no candidates, and to
this time, no one has even agreed to accept the position If
he is elected as a writetn choice.
One of the primary reasons for this sad condition Is that
our people tend to turn on the ones who volunteer their
time and energy to public service.
Some of those holding board posts know they are subject
to criticism. They expect it, tolerate It, and have thick
enough hides to stand it.
But when a businessman serves, and he takes a stand
that is unpopular among his customers he finds he Is sub
ject to shall we say "economic sanctions." In other words,
he loses business.
Despite this, there are those who have made the sacri
fice of serving. They have paid the price. They have done
their penance for being so unwise as to step forward to serve
their fellows.
This is under pressure from the public. It reminds one
of the wolfpaek. There is every Indication to think that this
situation Is not nearly as bad as It used to be here, but
everyone knows that there are those who have suffered for
their service. There are few now with courage enough to
step up and volunteer when they realize such conditions have
existed.
It must be acknowledged that there are fellows among
us who would volunteer, even so, but these same ones are
already overloaded with other public responsibilities.
Last week, a minister said he would accept election as
a wTlteln. We admired his willingness. But this week he
withdrew, stating that members of his congregation had ad
vised against it In his case, perhaps this is as it should be,
since it might be better if the clergy did not serve In this
capacity.
The fact that businessmen are vulnerable for public serv
ice Is downright deplorable. We don't know how to change
it, so long as human nature remains as It is. This Is a gen
eral weakness of our democratic system.
But bless those of strong character who have the cour
age to serve despite the criticism they get!
Aren't there others who might step up one from the
ranks of labor, a retired person, a civic-minded woman, or
someone who markets his products in Timbuctoo instead of
depending on local trade.
"Who, sir? Not me, sir. How about you, sir?"
"Not me, sir. How about . . ."
There we go again. Let's see how It comes out Monday.
Many Facets of BMCC
Vote on the Blue Mountain College budget and election
of one director will be held concurrently with the Morrow
county board election Monday afternoon. It is appropriate
at this time to say again that this community college pro
gram is one of the truly fine things that has happened In
the Umatilla-Morrow county area during the past five years.
As President Wallace McCrae spoke to the Chamber of Com
merce Monday, the thought came of how many facets the
college has developed to serve this area. Not only has it open
ed new doors for our young people, but it has aided many
adults through various courses, has coupled Its program with
civic and health endeavors, is now offering police science
that is cooperating with officers in actual cases of law en
forcement, is developing a fine program In agriculture, train
ing practical nurses, and is contemplating flight draining to
use the Pend-Air facilities so near to the college.
There isn't space this week to consider this topic thor
oughly, but BMCC has been a fine Investment for Morrow
and Umatilla counties, and it's already paying dividends in
training and service.
Congratulations, Louie!
Selection of Louis Carlson as Conservation Man of the
Year Is to be highly applauded. Coupled with his dedication
to conservation practices and his work towards soil and wa
ter conservation on his farm is the fact that he Is one of
the county's finest young farmers. The high esteem In which
he is held by other ranchers was noted in the reception given
him and wife, Betty, when announcement of the honor was
made at the Wheat Growers meeting Friday night. The Carl
sons, besides being outstanding in the farm community, have
done exemplary work in church, schools, and in community
service. It just couldn't happen to finer people!
Pioneer
Ponderings
By W. S. CAVERHILL
Why singe the fringe?
That is what the promoters
of a sales tax propose to do to
the economic pattern of Oregon.
Most of the arguments, for and
against have been presented,
but it does no harm to review
some of them. Some of us are
not sure that additional sources
of revenue are necessary.
A sales tax is not equitable,
makes every salesman a tax col
lector and devours much of it
self in administration.
Not all the people of Wash
ington, Idaho and California are
happy with their sales taxes or
they wouldn't cross the border
to trade in a tax free atmos
phere. It is no wonder that the
governmental managers of the
border states are concerned
about the situation. They voice
phoney pity over neglect to fol
low them. They realize that
many tourists will stay an ex
tra day or two in Oregon be
fore crossing a line to be pen
alized by a sales tax. In spite
of all this, there Is a strong ef
fort in the legislature to "Singe
the Fringe."
Mr. and Mrs. H. D. McCurdy,
Sr., returned Saturday after
spending the winter months in
Yuma, Ariz. They enjoyed
warm, sunny days during their
stay in the south, with temper
atures averaging in the high
80's.
Sir!'
Neill Memorial
Dedicated Sunday
At Christian Church
Special dedication services
were held Sunday at the Hepp
ner Christian church for an
electronic stereo speaker system,
recently installed in the mem
ory of th(: late Roy Neill. Rela
tives and close friends of Mr.
Neill, a member for many years
of the church, made the mem
orial possible through special
donations in his name.
Included In the system are a
50-watt amplifier, turn table,
three electronic stereo speakers
for indoor use and two outside
amplifier speakers which, with
use of stereo recordings, will
amplify chimes outside the
church. Plans are to use the
chimes outside on Sundays and
on special occasions.
Mrs. Neill was able to attend
the services with other mem
bers of the family, returning to
her care at Pioneer Memorial
hospital that evening. Also pres
ent were Mrs. Ralph Scott, Lex
ington; Mrs. Eldon Kinton and
daughters, Mrs. Ralph Morgan
and Mrs. Jim Waltz, all of Sa
lem; Mr. and Mrs. Neil Knlght
en, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Knight
en and two sons. Mrs. Ladell
Smith and four sons, and Miss
Erma Scott, all of Kennewick,
Wn., and Mr. and Mrs. Clayton
Davis of Pendleton.
The Jim Wlsharts spent Sat
urday, April 15, visiting with
Mr. and Mrs. Vern KIrbv and
six children at Fossil. Both men
are employed by the First Nat
ional Bank and both Mr. and
Mrs. Kirby and Mr. and Mrs.
Wishart went to school and
worked at the bank in Hood
River.
Shannon Mahoney spent the
April 15-16 week-end in Hepp
ner visiting her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. P. W. Mahoney. She is a
student at Oregon State Univer
sity in Corvallis.
TO THE
EDITOR.
Withdrows
April 23. 11HV7
To the Editor:
I dieplv regret telling the
electorate of Morrow lounly
that 1 must withdraw from the
Morrow County School Board
raw scheduled for vote on Mon
day, Mav l. Please do not write
mv name on the ballot for dir
ector from the city of Heppner.
Certain members of the par
ish I serve have indirectly ol
j.vted, and have raised many
questions about the wisdom of
a clergyman running for polit
ical office, especially the Mor
row County School Board. He
cause mv primary responsibil
ity must ever be to the congre
gations I serve, harmony must
be preserved at nil costs.
My sincere thanks to all those
who have encouraged me U
make mvself available as a
"write-in" candidate; I'm ex
tremely sorry 1 must let you
down.
To the manv fine people In
Heppner 1 ask that someone
now come forward and make
himself available as a "write
In" candidate. To treat the po
sition of director on the school
board as something like the
plague' Is to deny the validity
and necessity of local govern
ment. We ought, rather, to cher
ish the privilege of even serv
ing on such a board.
Once again, I cannot accept
the position of director on the
Morrow County School Board.
Therefore please do not write
my name on the ballot.
Pastor Don 1'ederson
Hope & Valby Lutheran
Churches
'Homesick' . . .
Dear Helen and Wes:
I've been composing this letter
every week since we moved- Es
pecially after reading the da
Ictte-Tlmes, and such a good
newspaper! 1 get more than a
little homesick!
Three of the "Best Years of
our Lives" were spent by our
family In Hepnuer- The list of
people who helped us "grow"
and added so much to our lives
is without end.
Friends church, tea c h e r s,
community services and organl
Zillions, our home, Arbuckle
Mountain, the Columbia, the
wonderful climate!
We're enjoying Burns and it
will become home. Eastern Ore
gon has the friendliest people
one can find anywhere! Espec
ially "Deat Old Heppner"!
Our lrve and thoughts,
Peggy, Bob, Mary and Jay
Henry
412 S. Grand
Burns. Oregon 97720
Likes Coverage
To the Editor:
The enclosed check covers re
newal subscription to the Ga
zette for another year. Good of
Olive Hughes to have the Ga
zette sent to me.
Have enjoyed each Issue with
all the Interesting news cover
age of local activities, wonder
ful pictures of Improvements as
well as some of the people we
knew while operating Hotel
Heppner eleven years from 1915
through 1956.
My husband, "Sandy" as he
was called, organized the Mor
row County Gems and Miner
als Club. Pleased to note the
club is still active.
He said when Professional Ro
deo was given to the amateurs,
the gate receipts would be less
even though the amateurs put
on a splendid performance. He
always had the town's Interest
at heart
Mrs. Harold A. Sanders
Maywood, Calif
'Let's Do Something'
To the Editor:
You know folks, I haven't
used my stirring paddle for a
month or so, and at that time
I bet $100,000 of our money I
was right and have no takers,
tut one outfit and they used
one million nine hundred thous
and dollars of someone elses.
Well folks we have a secret.
It's been kept so for some 15
years. I discovered it coming
from Pasco just last week. How
we've kept it so I Just can't Im
agine. It couldn't have been
done anywhere else In the
world. Certainly not In Egypt,
Pakistan, or even In Washing
ton, Idaho, or down south In
California. This thing Is big and
In plain sight. The dimensions
are: 40 miles lone and two miles
wide, and Is 70 feet high and
cost over $100 million and Is at
the highest altitude of the Col
umbia hi Oregon. Pasco has
built barriers to keep the dmn
thing off its streets.
It's a lake, the McNary Dam,
complete with Irrigation tubes In
it. There is 400,000 acres of arid
land from Echo to the John Day
river, either under this pool or
within cheap pumping distance
of it. Tlmt Is the same acreage
now under water in the Grand
Coulee project in Washington.
This project brought in $80 mil
lion last year to the Washington
farmers and multiplied by sev
en to the economy of that state.
While no Chamber of Commerce
O' Farm Bureau has ever asked
for a drop of water out of this
lake, let alone our state govern
ment or governors.
There are 168 units of water
going over this dam while there
Is but 14 units in the Colorado,
and the South is spending mil
lions in engineering to get 30
units of our 168.
Let's do something about it! !
O. W. Cutsforth
Chaff ond Chatter
Wes Sherman
WHI AV Here's one m m
'l't...
Forest Log" to cnu i-
lokes: ' toil Ami.it was te ling
about the keeper of a stitte
owned oo who nearu
porpoises were ten K" '"' h ,
sea culls tliev would live for
ever. So the oo keeper ground
omc up and headed ba. k to
feed the porpoises when he
covered the menagerie nn
dead in the path.
"He slcpited over the beast
but was Immediately arrested
bv the FBI.
" 'It's against the law to
transport gulls across a Mate
lion fur Immortal porolscs,
charged the agent."
PROPRIETOR of Heppuer's new
est business enterprise just
walked through the door and
plunked down 7Sc to nave us
run his ad on the classified
page a second time. He Is Kelly
Green, who has Just started a
lawn mowing service The
,.,.,., iiiiuiiws.snian said that he
got good response from his flrit
ml three sieauv cumhiuph. m
hopes to get several more from
the second Insertion.
Kelly Is a boy who has kind
of a special place with the staff
of the G T. We recall him as
one of the hard workers in our
subscription campaigns of a
couple of years back.
It does our heart good to ace
a youngster with initiative and
resourcefulness to create his
own lob Instead of moping
around and saving. "There's
nothing to do," or "There aren't
any lobs around here."
And bv the way we know
from Kelly's work on our cam
paigns that he's a mighty good
worker, and we recommend him
to anyone wanting lawn work
done.
BESIDES BEING Conservation
Man ol the Year, Louis Carl
son. we understand. Is "Wind
mill King of the County." It Is
said that he has more wind
mills on his ranch than any
other lit the county. Maybe he
should be called I Km Quixote
Carlson.
HEAR YE! Hear Ye! All you
people with talent. Now Is the
time to sign up for the Javcees'
Talent Show. Entry blank Is
elsewhere In this paper, and en
tries may be sent to either Gall
MK'arty or llarley Sager
There Is some wonderful tal
ent In this county that we have
seen ami Heard, and mere must
be much more that we haven't
been privileged to learn about.
Probably, for Instance, there
are many who haven't had the
privilege of hearing John Maattn
sing. He has a wonderful bari
tone voice, and vve surely hope
he enters this talent show. Mrs.
W. S. (Pauline) Miller Is anoth
er who would put a lot of vo
calists on TV to shame.
Carl and Betty Marquardt are
noted for their singing, and we
understand that llarley Sager
himself has a very fine voice.
These are Just a few of the
adults that come to mind.
We'd like to see many of
these adults participate In the
talent show.
There Is all kinds of talent
among the high schooler and
the grade school kids, and there
should be an abundance of
them performing.
Jaycecs deserve full support
on this show. Proceeds will go
to their civic projects. There'll
be prizes in each of five dlvis
Ions, and the whole community
can take a pride, as well oh
pleasure. In seeing what talent
there Is here at the program on
May 20.
"IN THE EARLY DAYS of the
printing Industry," says the
Sherman County Journal In Its
last edition, "itinerant printers
Cancer Prevention
Films to be Shown
Three films on cancer preven
tion will be shown at the lone
school cafetorium, Thursday
May 4, at 8 p.m., under the
sponsorship of the lone Topic
Club. The films provide Infor
mation for cancer prevention
and detection.
The club Invites the public
Jo see these films and to en
joy refreshments following the
showing.
RMm AERO
AIRPLANE SPRAYING CO.
Owned and Operated By
PAUL II. HANSEN
Available for assistance with your
spraying problems. Eighteen years'
experience in this area. Personal
service.
LANE APT NO. 2
roamed the country looking for
anv plant that needed extra
help. Some were capable: aome
were not, The procedure for hir
ing ami firing was amazingly
simple. The boa drove nail
In the wall for the new man to
hang his coat on when he went
to work. If the b did not
want him anv longer, lie pull
ed the nail out of the wall. An
Itinerant printer knew It was
time lo move on when hi nail
was gone."
How times have changed.
Printing ahupa now find they
have more natla than printers
and are pretty careful about
pulling nails out of the wall.
A recent survey bv the Ore
gon NewspMT Publisher as
sociation allowed that the 3.1
newspapers participating navo
29 ataff vacancies right now, 10
of which are In th mechanical
department. They exect tH
more In one year and VH In two
years.
Hue fellow publisher In anoth
er twn told us that hi Cham
ber of Commerce Man of the
Year committee, with tongue In
cheek, almost named him the
year No. 1 man for bringing
ih- most drunks to town In his
never ending search to find a
permanent linotype operator.
This, we hasten to say. Is no
longer typical if linotype oper
ators. We are particularly for
tunate In having two fine ones
at the (I T In Reggie Pajual and
Arnold Raymond, who are
steady as they come. With
them around, a fellow can
throw the nail puller away.
REMEMBER to set your clock
an hour ahead before you go
to bed Saturday night.
AND
the i
REMEMBER to vote
L'lllMtt election Monday.
at
AND WHILE YOU'RE out. atop
at the blood bank to give a
pint Monday afternoon.
Coming Events
HEPPNER HIGH BASEBALL
Saturday, April 29, Burn at
burns, i p.m.
Tuesday, May 2, Condon
Condon, 3 pin.
at
HEPPNER HIGH TRACK
EOT Invitational. at La
Grande, Friday, May 5
Heppner Invitational at
Heppner, Saturday, April
29
LITTLE LEAGUE TUYOUTS
Saturday, April 29
Little League Field, fair
grounds Boys 912 years of aga
ELKS' DINNER, DANCE
Spring Surprise Dinner and
Dance. Saturday, April 29
Turkey Dinner, 7 p.m., Danc
ing, live music, 0:00 to
1:00
Elks Temple, Heppner
POMONA GRANGE
Saturday, April 29, 10:30 a.m.
Rhea Creek Grange Hall
First and second degrees
BLOODMOBILE VISIT
Monday, May 1, 2 to 6 p.m.
Heppner Elks Lodge hall
Sponsored by Heppner High
students
WRANGLER PLAY DAY
Sunday, April 30, potluck at
noon, playday races at 1
p.m.
Wrangler Club Grounds
SPONSORED A3 A PUBLIC
SERVICE BY
C. A. RUGGLES
Insurance Agency
Heppner
P. O. Box 247 PH. 676-9625
COMMUNITY V
I BILLBOARD t
PH. 676-9672 or 76-9294
HEPPNER