HEPFNER GAZETTE-TIMES.
GAZETTE-TIMES
Heppner, Oregon 97836
Phone 676-9228
MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
The Heppner Gazette established March 30. 1SS3. The Heppner
Times established November 18, 1S97. Consolidated February 15,
1912.
NEWSPAMt
L WASSOC.AT.ON
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. Single Copy 10 Cents. Published
Every Thursday and Entered at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon,
as Second Class Matter.
Two Worthy Projects
On the next two Saturday nights there are events sched
uled in Heppner well worthy of taking a few hours time of
all Both are things that the public will enjoy, and, In
doing so, they wiU promote beneficial projects.
First is the countywide auction for benefit of the Ore
gon Museum of Science and Industry at the fairgrounds Sat
urday, May 13. to be preceded by a dinner given by Granges
starting at 5:30.
All proceeds of the dinner and auction will go to the
new $200,000 Max Lehmann Memorial Agricultural Hall at
OMSI in Portland. Morrow is one of the few counties In the
state which has not yet contributed to this project
The agricultural hall will be the first of its kind In the
nation. Agriculture, Oregon's second largest Industry, needs
the understanding and support of all the state's citizens. The
new hall is being designed to contribute materially to the
understanding of agriculture by urban people. It will illus
trate the importance of science in the development of agri
culture and will provide a stage to demonstrate present and
future benefits of scientific research in that field.
There is a great need to interest and encourage young
people in taking up careers in agriculture, as Morrow county
ranchers well know. Nationwide, some 15,000 jobs open up
each year in agriculture and related fields, but only 5,000 col
lege students graduate in areas which qualify for those jobs.
The new agricultural hall at OMSI will point up the advant
ages and opportunities afforded in agriculture, both through
exhibits in the hall and in the Various educational programs
planned in conjunction with it.
OMSI was built by private funds and is self-sustaining.
All money for the new development is coming from private
sources. The hall will have exhibits from all sections of the
state, covering the many facets of Oregon's economy.
Loren McKinley, director of OMSI, will be here for the
dinner and auction and will bring a quantity of goods to
be auctioned. The dinner will be delicious; there will be
many fine things on sale; it will be a good chance to get
bargains; and, as is true with all such cooperative community-wide
events, there will be a lot of fun visiting with
neighbors.
On the following Saturday May 20 will be the Jay
cees' talent show in the junior high gymnasium. There are
a number of good reasons for saving this date and attending
the show. First, it will provide an enjoyable evening, and it
will be a special treat to see the talent that our area has
to offer. Secondly, it will encourage the good work of those
who perform and give them an incentive to carry on and
do better. Third, it will support the Jaycees whose many civ
ic projects for the area make them well deserving of the
boost. Finally, it will provide funds to be used for other proj
ects to benefit the community and the area. Admission
charge is nominal, but your attendance will help.
Also, it still isn't too late to enter. If you would like to
perform or know of anyone who you think should take part,
call Gail McCarty or Harley Sager now and tell them. They
will appreciate your help.
Beaches are for
Oregonians who cherish the privilege of using and en
joying scenic resources and attractions with which this state
is so richly blessed should be alarmed at the threat of los
ing access to its Pacific ocean beaches. The matter is now
before the legislature and subject to controversy in a conflict
between public use and private ownership to the high tide
line.
Eastern states and California have seen public use of
ocean beaches severely limited by the encroachment of pri
vate developments which block access, put up fences and bar
the public with "no trespassing" signs.
There seems to be outside capital coming to Oregon, par
ticularly from Californians, to do the same thing here. Prob
ably nowhere in America do citizens love their freedom and
independence more than Oregonians, and they should rise to
squelch this threat to what is the state's outstanding scenic
attraction, and, to many, its foremost recreational resources.
Our people take it for granted that because they are Ore
gonians they have a right of heritage to enjoy certain natur
al resources. They share this right with others visiting the
state. They take a pride in the state's rivers, lakes, mount
ains, forests, and its ocean front.
For many years, they had understood that ocean beaches
belonged to the public. Now it is rather appalling to hear
that deeds of private property owners often extend to the
high tide line, or the wet sand. If this Is literally true, and
the owners move to enforce their title, there would be limited
access to the beaches and greatly curtailed use of the recre
ational possibilities. After all, one can't build a bonfire or
roast wieners in the sand.
House Bill 1601 seeks to protect what the Oregon public
thought was its right to the use of the ocean beaches, in
cluding the dry sand. Opponents state that it has legal tech
nicalities that make it a bad bill to enact. For all we know,
this may be true, and perhaps a new bill should be written.
In any event, it is pretty certain that Oregonians will
expect the legislature to work out a plan that will assure
public use for all time to come. Governor Tom McCall, Sec
retary of State Clay Myers, and the Highway Commission
are to be applauded for their staunch stand towards this end.
We know of one coastal development, limited to those
rich enough to pay for frontage lots at breath-taking prices,
where a gate bars the roadway and a man is on duty in
a sentry box to keep out the general public. Because of the
topography of the area, this also controls the beach.
Without control by the people through its government,
the wealthy would eventually monopolize all our natural
wonders. It must not happen to our ocean beaches.
Thursdor. Mot 11. 1967
HEPPNER
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
MiillMIgVriHJ
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
ARNOLD RAYMOND
Shop Foreman
Printer
REGGIE PASCAL
Linotype Operator
RANDY STILLMAN
Apprentice
Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.
the Public
Heading for a Mistake
All indications are that the legislature is certainly head
ing towards putling a sales tt vote to the pivple as a meas
ure to relieve property tax. The public has watted for more
than four months to hear the proposal that the lawmakers
will offer, but it still has not been unveiled.
One gixd guess is that the statewide vole on the sales
tax will come some time after November 15 to capitalize cm
the reaction from property tax statements. If this should
prove true and we hope it isn't the move would be so trans
parent that it should bring considerable reaction from the
public.
Proponents of the sales tax In the legislature are using
every kind of an argument to Justify it and try to show the
people that it is inevitable. We firmly believe a sales tax
would be one of the worst mistakes this state could make.
The proponents say that this is the only way that they
can bring the relief to property tax In such proportion
running up to 85 in their estimates. In doing so, they
cast aside the matter of broadening the Income tax as a pos
sibility on the grounds that it would not bring relief to such
an extent. How does the legislature know Just how much re
lief the public wants on property tax? Maybe the public
would like to continue to exert local control without being
dependent upon the state for the bulk of financing for local
programs.
So the proponents turn a deaf ear on those who Insist
with good reason that the sales tax will penalize those least
able to pay. They point out, time and again, that Oregon Is
one of the few states without a sales tax as if this Is a
reason for enacting one.
We should be proud that we have no sales tax; we should
promote this fact to bring visitors here. We should be aware
of the high cast of collection of the tax, both by the state
and by the terrific burden on small business. We should re
membereven in the hue and cry that property tax Is too
high (which it probably is) that the Oregonian has a lower
total tax than residents of any other Pacific Coast state, and
lower than Idaho or Montana. We should realize that a sales
tax will be a severe economic blow to our fringe areas, such
as neighbor Milton-Fteewater.
We should be prepared for the nuisance that will be
Involved and of the hardships it will work on some seg
ments of our economy. We should remember that it will
bring property relief In greatest measure to public utilities,
who least need it, and that the consumer will have to make
up the difference. Attitude of utilities to this time seems to
be that they don't intend to materially reduce rates to com
pensate the public for the lower property tax payments.
Despite the "economic surveys" it stands to reason that
the fellow with a large family (and often he is the fellow
wirh smallest income) Is going to have to pay a dispropor
tionate share of tax if a sales tax Is enacted. He has no
organized lobby in the legislature, but he has a vote. Re
member, too, that the total tax load per person will Inevit
ably rise in Oregon if a sales tax comes, and that It has to
come out of some pocket.
And finally, remember that once the door is open for
a sales tax of say 31. it won't be many years until the leg
islature will be looking towards increasing it. When that
time comes, the taxpayer will look back to 1966 and think
that he wasn't in such bad shape then as he thought.
Before the legislature convened for its 1967 session, we
were among the many who looked to it with great hope for
a good solution to the property tax dilemma. Now, after being
in session for four months and being perhaps the most cost
ly session In state history the program still has not been
crystallized. The session is inevitably yielding to the pres
sure, power and politics to propose a sales tax ns the "only
way," and if this turns out to be the proposal to the people,
we, like thousands of others will be greatly disappointed.
In ensuing issues of the paper, we expect to write on
other specific matters concerning the sales tax, the first con
sidering the cost to business of the collection of the tax.
Chaff and
Wes Sherman
WE REPORTED last week that
the Eighth Grade Tour pro
ceeded without any trouble of
any kind, but we learned later
that there was one unfortunate
incident that someone may be
able to help correct.
One of the Portland Eighth
Graders was using his father's
Hawkeye 127 camera and had
it with him on the bus when
the tour made its last stop at
Larry Lindsay's place. After tak
ing a picture, he left the cam
era in the bus when he got out
to join the rest of the crowd at
the Lindsay ranch. His young
host also remembers that he
left it on the bus.
But when the youth came
back to the bus, the camera was
gone, and it could not be lo
cated anywhere.
Apparently someone else took
the camera by mistake. The
Portlander's host family is anx
ious that it be returned so that
the loss of the camera won't
mar his memory of the trip.
Anyone who can help on this
matter is asked to contact the
Gazette -Times.
FROM the "Off the Beat" col
umn of Jack Rickard in the
Corvallis Gazette-Times recently
comes this item:
"OSU's new dean of science,
John Ward, has a favorite story
he's told for years.
"It happened on a 1958 trip
to Vienna. Ward and his wife
were on a sightseeing trip up
the Danube River in a group
that included a few Americans.
"The three-bus party was
stopped at the river while the
busses were be 1 n g ferried
across. Another American came
up to Ward and said he want
ed to swim the Danube and
wondered if Ward would hold
his clothes.
"He agreed and the two went
upstream. The stranger jumped
into the swift river and headed
across.
"Ward's bus was due to go
across, so he gave the clothes
to another American in the
third bus, the one the swimmer
was riding In.
"But while riding across, they
saw the swimmer get caught in
the current and disappear out
of sight around the corner. He
looked doomed.
"Later the sightseers stopped
for lunch and there was the
swimmer, a bit wet but in good
health. He got a big round of
applause from the entire group
for his daring stunt.
"Ward was delighted in tell
ing this story and at dinner
Wednesday night he was relat
ing it again.
"And seated at the same ta
ble was Scott McMurdo, who
was in Vienna the same time.
Chatter
"It was McMurdo who swam
the river."
Scott, of course, Is son of Dr.
and Mrs. A. D. McMurdo of
Heppner.
WHEN THE CHAMBER of Com
merce took the field trip to
the Boeing development and the
north end of the county Mon
day, Don Doerflinger, Boeing
manager, asked that no story
nor pictures he printed on the
Boeing installation without
clearance through the Seattle
office. We are willing to respect
this request since it is their
property, and so will not use
any story nor pictures on that
part of the trip until this has
been submitted and cleared
through Seattle. It Isn't that any
secrets were revealed that the
general public doesn't already
know, but this Is a matter of
policy of the company.
WE CAN REPORT, however, that
Mayor Dewey West drove to
the Boeing site in his pickup
truck. Then he boarded the bus
with the rest of the crowd. We
got to visiting with him about
this and that, and we were still
chatting when the bus pulled
away to go back to Boardman.
A few miles away, Dewey came
to and said, "Omigosh, I drove
my pickup out there."
Back at the Boeing security
building, the bus stopped to let
Doerflinger off and Dewey ask
ed the manager to take him
back to the test site. Doerfling
er was happy to oblige but
Dewey missed the tour of the
port commission facilities as a
result.
IF LEONARD MUNKERS is call
ed upon to make many trips
with the big Greyhound-type
bus on such byways as he trav
eled on the Port of Morrow
lands Monday, he'll probably
have to figure out a way to
make the long vehicle bend In
the middle.
One road on which he drove
the bus was just wide enough
for the big rig. It paralleled a
fence, then abruptly turned
right, through a gate. The op
ening was just wide enough for
the bus. Leonard didn't have
much maneuvering room, but
by some skillful negotiating he
managed to wrap the bus
around the gatepost without
touching the side nor getting
stuck in the sands that beckon
ed behind.
It would have made a good
picture if the bus had got stuck,
and the Chamber members had
to fall to work digging it out.
Oh, well, you can't win 'em all.
WE HAVEN'T had a good yarn
from Orville Cutsforth in some
TO THE EDITOR...
Band Was There
Dear Wes:
Now If some of tnv "offer
ings" are becoming dull and
monotonous I know your editor
ial acumen will direct this one
to the wastebasket and no of
fense on my part. iK.l. NOTE:!
Keep 'em coining, Art!)
So far as I am concerned 1
sotnet lines wonder. In pondering
my ant u tit days in Heppner. It
mv viewpoint lias become a bit
befuddled and somewhat dim
med.
Anvwnv there was a time
when the daddies, and others of
about their age hut not yet seal
ed in the holv bonds of matri
mony, had a very fine band
composed of all the better
known and accepted band in
struments of those days. This
band, needless to say, was one
of our town's best assets as
good bands always are. Today
only the youngsters seem to
have the proper approach, as
well as the talent and Inclina
tion, and the elders Just sit and
listen. How comfortable, and
doesn't little Blllle sure swing
a mean trumpet!
But I want to recall one oc
casion when our Heppner Sil
ver Cornet Band was really
chagrined, and a lot of others
along with the band members.
That was the day Will i. (Bill)
Furnish, popular IVndletonlan
and Republican candidate for
the governor of the State of Ore
gon, was due In Heppner to ad
dress a rousing political stem
winder. Preparations for this moment
ous event had been going for
ward for several days like the
big announcements In both the
Gazette and the Times, posters
plastered on barns and other
choice spots controlled by party
members, etc. Yes. politics were
played straight down the party
line in those days. You were
either one of the good guys or
one of the bail, depentllng on
your party bias.
Alone and sad as well as drab
today, the Union Pacific depot
in my time was as much a part
of our daily activities as any
other part of the community.
The train left in the morning
ami en intr back In the afternoon,
every day in the week except
Sunday, when the engine was
In the round house and the
coach and baggage car were
resting on the siding near the
ci 111 water tower. But departures
and arrivals were always the
occasion for much abustle (and
I may add, bustles were quite
the mode then) and ado, expec
tation or Just plain curiosity.
The "Iron Monster" sure brought
out the crowd, although 1 un
derstand that on a per capita
basis, lone laid Heppner In the
shade when it came to greeting
the train.
To the depot on "Will J. Fur
nish Day came the band play
ing 'There Will Be a Hot Time
In the Old Town Tonight" and
other such stirring pieces. I will
sav that about half the Repub
licans in town were on hand
and a few Democrat kids dodg
ing behind buggies and other
rigs, tossing rocks at some of
us good Republican kids. Then
of course there were the mem
bers of the welcoming commit
tee composed of leading digni
taries and headed by Mayor
Frank Gilliam.
The train arrived on time, all
passengers alighted, but there
was no Candidate Furnish. It
was a bitter pill for the Repub
licans and only the Democrats
were cheerful. Mr. Furnish, it
seems, was stricken at the last
minute In Pendleton and never
boarded the train. He recovered
completely, however, and was
defeated In the general election
time other than his letters to
the editor but he told some
good ones on this trip.
Orville said he and Mel Boy
er ottcn hunt coyotes by air
plane out In the range country,
which the C of C crew was In
specting Monday. But those dad
gummed coyotes are so smart
that they run below the high
power lines of Bonneville Pow
er, apparently with the knowl
edge that the plane Isn't going
to crash into the wires to shoot
them.
But Orville wouldn't let them
outfox him. He and Mel would
fly under the wires and flush
out those coyotes.
I dunno about that. If I were
Orville, I'd think my hide was
worth more than that of any
blamed old coyote. I'd let the
denizen of the desert retain his
pride.
THEY SAY that 80 per cent of
the American people have
never flown, and after listening
to Orville, I'm rather glad I'm
one of them (although I have
made a few little hops).
He told about taking off from
Boise airport one time. The man
in the tower cleared him for
takeoff in his little plane Just
a few seconds before he also
cleared a DC-6 and a jet travel
ing parallel.
When Orville realized these
big ships were coming up be
hind him, one on either side,
he knew he was in for trouble.
He gave his plane full throttle,
but knew It wasn't enough. The
big airplanes quickly overtook
and passed him. Then he was
caught in their backwash. This
flipped Orville and he went out
of control.
"My left wlngtlp wasn't more
than two feet off the ground at
one time," said he. But he got
things straightened out all
right.
Orville still probably would
vote in favor of having the man
in the tower take a mental examination.
of the best volu getters ever
by George K. Chamberlain, one
produced In Hie stale.
As for the bund, as It march
ed rather draggiugly hack up
town, I can't recall any music
being plaved nt nil. If any, It
might well have been the
"Death March From Saul" or
something Just as doleful. In
those days anything could hup
len ami It usually did.
Art Crawford
4S.': Kingston Way
San Jose, Calif.
Senator Testifies
To the Editor:
1 thought you would like to
have a copy of the testimony
I submitted on behalf of appro
priations for the Willow Creek
Dam protect.
With kindest regards,
Sincerely,
Sen. Wayne Morse
The testimony follows:
Willow Crook Dam
The Willow Creek Dam pro!
ret has teen under consideration
for almost 30 years. The origin
al study on the protect was au
thorized bv the Flood Control
Act of 1937. The presently pro
txwed project was authorized by
the Flood Control Act of 15.
It would provide multiple ben
efits, including flood protection
for the city of Heppner, irriga
tion. sKrts fishing, recreation,
and municipal and Industrial
water supply.
The flood control aspect of
this project Is most Important.
In 1003 virtually the entire town
of Heppner was destroyed as
the result of a "cloudburst" type
of flood. The Heppner flood was
the fourth worst flood In the en
tire history of the United Slates
In terms of lives liwt.
It Is regret table that the Pres
ident's budget for the Willow
Creek Protect for fiscal 1!W8 Is
zero. In order that prcctinslrue
tlon planning mav continue and
that construction on this urgent
ly needed project may be under
taken nt the earliest possible
date, I ask the Committee lo
approve an appropriation of the
full amount useable by the
Corps of Engineers for the com
ing fiscal year, namely, $160,000.
The Early Days
To the Editor:
The eorlv days are gone, but
not forgotten.
We come into this world nak
ed and go out the same way.
That method hasn't been
changed to this present day.
And we got married at thirty
as a general rule.
Now they get married aa kids
and still go to school.
Our Uncle Sam then was In
the pink.
His Income was beyond ex
penses and didn't need red ink.
In early days, bankruptcy was
rare and considered a dlsgraiv
In Oregon liH'tf there were
5174 bankruptcies filed a
shame for the American rare.
Now they have vaccinated the
silver dollar with Conner lust
.trying to get by.
That lessens the value, taKes
out the Jingle. I wonder what
else they will try.
The diseases those days were
hard to cure.
For they wouldn't tell what
thev were until they matured.
Now If It is mumps, diphth
eria or maybe run down health,
they will put you through the
clinic and remove you of your
wealth.
Well, our cattle were fairly
good stock. Chickens were Plym
outh Rock. Our ducks and geese
were super fine and Poland
China was our swine.
We milked the cow with the
crumpled horn, made our own
butter and raised our own corn.
Now she can unscrew her
false leg from her carcass, cork
up her bottle of dye, put her
false teeth In a basin, and don't
forget to remove that glass eye.
And the false wig Is for beau
ty as well as a lot of style.
The rouge Is used for com
plexion and that lasted for quite
a while.
But when she is all assem
bled and on the market under
supply and demand, young fel
lows I want to warn you might
get splinters In your hand.
Well, it's "put on your old
gray bonnet, with not very
much upon It, and prepare for
the trip some day.
On the highway up to Dover
there isn't any clover, and that
time isn't too far away.
Scott Brown
4934 N. E. Pacific
Portland. Oregon
Heppner Relative?
Dear Sir:
My name Is Kaskel Heppner
and I am 54 years old. For most
of those years I have been led
to believe that a great-uncle of
mine, after whom I had been
named, went west in the late
elghteen-forties or early Ilitlcs.
He settled, I have been told, in
Oregon. Other folk apparently
came and settled also and even
tually there sprang up a town
which was called Heppner, af
ter the original settlers.
Having lived with this story
most of my life, I longed some
day to visit Heppner and find
out whether the story as I know
It is true or forever lay the myth
to rest. It now happens that my
wife and I will be in Heppner
about 1 p-m. on May 24, but I
do not know Just where to look
for the Information I desire.
Whether to use the library, the
county clerk s office or to per
use old newspaper files.
Being intimately connected
with the newspaper field in New
York (Member and former sec
retary of the New York Press
I'liolographers Ass'n), I decided
to contact the editor of the
newspaper In Heppner In tho
hope that he (you) might be
kind enoiik'h to advise me where
to look for the facts, the local
folk lore and legends of the
area.
It must seem rather slrango
to you, and quite nervy on toy
part to bother you, that we
would travel ai-ross the country
mainly to NMllsfv what rould be
termed Idle curloMly. The fad
remains that this has bothered
me for so long Hint I Just had
to do something ubout It, heme
this letter.
I am enclosing an envelope
already stamped anil addressed
which I hope vou will use to re
ply. Please accept my sincere
thanks for having taken the
trouble to rend this somewhat
garbled letter and for any In
formation you might divulge.
Kiixkel E, Heppner
New York, N. V.
(Ft) NOTE: If anyone Is Inter
ested In visiting with Mr.
Heppner when he arrives,
please leave word at tho Gazette-Times
office).
Pioneer
Ponderings
Br W. S. CAVERHILL
Bill Reamer was another
Heppner man who stood tall
niiumg the pioneer stockmen.
Hill summered his sheep on Lick
Creek north of Prairie City, Fric
tion was beginning to develop
between the sheep men and cat
tle men. Tliey were crowding
each other on the open range.
Bill moved his sheep onto the
range and took his camp tend
ers Into Prairie City for supplies.
and a bit of carousel. Bill treat
ed everybody In the saloon as
a matter of public relations.
The next day four armed men
rode Into Hill's cump and told
him to move out.
Bill didn't move.
He naul "You drank my whis
key last night and now you
want me to move. I'm staying."
He did, but the friction on the
range became more serious as
time passed, until the national
forests were established, and
the allotment system stopped
the range wars.
Incidentally, I believe a man
by the name of Chlasey was the
first supervisor of the area. His
office was in Heppner.
Sixty years ago, I was a mem
ber of a crew that marked the
forest boundaries and allotment
areas on part of the National
Forest. There was much oppos
ition for some time from some
of the more aggressive stock
men, but It stopped the shoot
ing. When you patrontze Gazette
Times advertisers, you help
make a better paper Tell them
you saw It In the Gazctu TLmea.
Coming Events
HETPNER HIGH TRACK
Sub-district meet at Madras,
Saturday, May 13.
District Meet at Burns, Sat
urday, May 20.
OMSI DINNER, AUCTION
Saturday, May 13, Fair Pa
vilion Dinner from 5:30 p.m.
Community Auction, 7:00
p.m.
MOTHER'S DAY DINNER
Sunday, May 14', Elks Tem
ple Roast Beef Dinner, 11 a.m.-
4:00 p.m.
$1.50 per person, 75c for
children through 5th grade
AUTO ROAD E-O
Tryouts Sunday, May 14, 1
p.m.
County Fairgrounds.
For boys & girls, ages 16-19.
IONE RAINBOW
INSTALLATION
Friday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.
lone Masonic Hall
Linda Nichols, new worthy
advisor
SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE BY
C. A. (HIGGLES
Insurance Agency
Heppner
Part Time Clerk
P. O. Box 247 PH. 676-9625
COMMUNITY V
3 BILLBOARD I