Heppner gazette-times., June 15, 1967, Page 2, Image 2

REFPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. Thundery, Jun IS. 1967
THP W :V
GAZETTE-TIMES
Heppner, Oregon 97836
Phone 676-9229
MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
The Heppner Gazette established March 3a 1SS3. The Heppner
Times established November IS, 1S97. Consolidated February 15,
191Z
'tfl ninirMriii
tO NIWSPAMt
WESLEY A. SHERMAN
HELEN E. SHERMAN -
EOD (SPIKE) PARDEE
Advertising Manager
Photographer
MARION ABRAMS
Society
Circulation
JIM SHERMAN
Pressman
Subscription Rates: $450 Year.
Every Thursday and Entered at
as Second Class Matter.
Taxes and the Legislature
At this writing It appears that the State Legislature Is
about to adjourn alter a session of record length. Despite
Its difficulties in working out a program to present to the
people on relieving the property tax burden, it has been a
session that has accomplished much In a number of fields.
Therefore, It cannot be Justly criticized for lack of achieve
ment While the public has tended to be Impatient and weary
of the long deliberations, It probably can be said with truth
that the legislators themselves are the most weary of aU.
With the House having failed to secure Senate approval
of Its sales tax proposal. It now appears that voters will be
called upon to ballot in November on a net receipts tax on
income. As of the present, details of this plan are yet to
be spelled out in full with the possibility of late amendments.
Because of this, there has been no chance to study the provis
ions with the thought of determining how palatable it might
be to the people who foot the bill.
In looking back on the session, we believe that House
Republicans were too Inflexible in their stand In favor of
the sales tax, although they have charged Senate Democrats
with "appalling irresponsibility" in not passing the bill and
giving the people a chance to vote on the program.
Perhaps the people should have had this opportunity,
but the catch was that it proposed a "sales tax or nothing"
to relieve the property tax burden. We cannot believe that
the people of Oregon would vote for a sales tax for many
reasons, many of which have been treated in previous editor
ials. It may have been that the members of the House (those
who supported the sales tax) were deathly afraid that the
1H property tax limitation would certainly go on the bal
lot by initiative petition and be approved by the people. Now,
we understand, there are two petitions circulating one that
would seek a 1V property tax limit on true cash value
and one that would impose a 1 limit.
House Republicans probably feel that the sales tax is the
only proposal that could offer a great amount of property tax
relief. It would give much more relief, to be sure, than a
net receipts tax or probably more than any other type of
added income tax.
But who can say just how much relief property taxpayers
actually want? There might be dozens of different opinions.
Perhaps some would just like a guarantee that their property
taxes do not continue to increase year after year. Others may
not be happy until the property tax is eliminated entirely.
One thing that property taxpayers might bear in mind is
the fact that if they get too much relief from state sources,
they will tend to lose a voice in their local taxing programs.
The state will set standards that must be met by the local
governmental units or be threatened with loss of their share
of revenue. This has already been done to some extent with
schools.
Thus, while property taxpayers do have an excessive bur
den in many instances around the state, in the long run they
may find that they are better off by not having too much
property relief.
It may be that the net receipts tax, which apparently will
be put to the voters late this year, will give sufficient relief
to satisfy many while retaining for property taxpayers their
local controL These same property owners still have the right
to vote on budgets over the 6 limitation; they still have
the right to seek positions and to serve on boards, councils
and committees which propose expenditures and prepare
budgets.
If the net receipts tax program is voted upon in Novem
ber, there Is still some likelihood that it will be defeated.
These would almost surely open the door for the 1 or 1
limitation supporters, but we can't believe that these rather
stringent limitations would be in the best interests of the
people of Oregon.
After all, it comes down to a choice for the people
what they want to buy with their money. Probably one rea
son that metropolitan home owners are so avidly seeking
property tax relief is that they have over-extended themselves.
Maybe many have tried to "keep up with the Joneses." Some
of them, perhaps, have bought $23,000 homes on mortgages
when they should have bought $17,500 homes. Perhaps they
gave little thought to taxes when they bought these places.
At hundreds of new homes, mushrooming around the cit
ies, one sees two cars in the carports, boats, house trailers
and all manner of evidence of rather luxurious living.
If they want to spend their money this way and turn
down budgets designed for better schools, better streets and
sewers, better municipal services, this is their privilege.
The reason we pay taxes at all is that our society has
decided that certain institutions, services and improvements
are to be used and enjoyed by all. Therefore, all should
share in paying for them.
Some have special interests in one typa of service but
a lesser interest in another which a different taxpayer might
find of paramount interest For instance, a couple with four
children in school would be more willing, generally speaking,
to pay more for schools than a childless couple.
The trouble comes when someone wants to shift his share
of taxes to someone else, or when one Is paying more than
his Just share. Working out a completely equitable system
can never be anything more than an ideal, but certainly our
society will keep working towards this ideal.
Another difficulty arises when we seek too many services
at too high a cost, and each taxpayer's share becomes too
much. Here again is where the property tax system has mer
it over taxes that go through the state or federal government.
The individual's voice means more.
But the bills that are approved at the local, state and
national levels have to be paid. The individual citizen has
a responsibility to use his voice and vote to see that he Is
not burdened with more than he wants or can pay. Too
many have been lethargic about this point. Budget elections
or bond issue elections never bring out more than a minority
of those eligible to vote.
With the future still uncertain on this tax question, we
would inject Just one fervent hope: That our citizens retain
a sense of real values; that they have enough realization of
the importance of things which all share for the common
good schools, county services, police and fire protection,
streets, water systems, sewers and many other things that
they don't yield to mass hysteria, vote unrealistic limits and
lose the ground we have gained.
The net receipts tax could, if properly worked out, shift
enough of the burden to relieve property taxpayers and still
retain the essential local services that all enjoy.
HEPPNER
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
" , 2
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
ARNOLD RAYMOND
Shop Foreman
Printer
REGGIE PASCAL
Linotype Operator
RANDY STUXMAN
Apprentice
Single Copy 10 Cents. Published
the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon,
Our HospitalA Blessing
After taking a guided tour through the hospital Sunday
at its open house on its 17th anniversary, the thought occurs
again that this institution is a great blessing for this com
munity and the broad surrounding area that it serves.
Unfortunately, relatively few persons have gone through
the hospital to get a close look at its facilities. Those who
have are struck with how well It Is equpiped and how well
it is maintained.
A demonstration was given Sunday ot some new heart
equipment which most persons who are untrained In medi
cine could not pretend to understand completely. Some of
this is part of the hospital's regular equipment and some
was brought here merely for demonstration but may be add
ed at a later date.
Significance of this equipment Is that lives will be saved
in the future among those types of heart cases that had ab
solutely no chance of being spared in the past.
Indeed, we understand that in the not too distant future,
known heart patients will wear devices that will keep them
in electronic contact with hospitals. When the person starts
to suffer an attack, it will register at the hospital. The same
equipment will enable the hospital to determine the loca
tion of the patient at once.
It's simply remarkable what Is being done In the field
of medicine to alleviate suffering and save lives. Within the
limits of its resources, the local hospital is keeping abreast
with modern developments or maintains connections with
other hospitals where the advanced specialized treatment is
available.
Many persons have an aversion to hospitals because they
dont like to think of themselves as being sick or Injured,
but there is no greater blessing when Its services are needed.
Too, hospitals are more pleasant than they used to be.
There have been many developments aimed at the comfort
of the patients, and this is certainly true at Pioneer Mem
orialeven to the gaily decorated walla in the pediatrics
ward where the artistry of Lois Winchester shows In the life
like paintings.
Quite a few organizations and individuals have contrib
uted much on a volunteer basis to the hospital, giving both
of their time and money. Certainly there Is nothing finer
that they could do.
There is considerable need for others to take an Interest
In the hospital, for it is a community Institution that needs
continuous interest and support. Organizations in search of
a project can find worthy ones at the hospital, Just as others
have done before them.
Some thought has been given to the possibility of form
ing a citizens committee to support and boost the hospital
and serving in a public relations way to translate Its needs
to the community. This is something that is well worth fur
ther exploration.
Chaff -d Chatter
Wes Sherman
CONGRATULATIONS to Doug
Drake on being chosen as
Father of the Year!
He is a Big Daddy in the most
affectionate sense, and his ac
complishments, together with
those of his fine family, make
it a well deserved honor.
It is called to our attention
that three of our recent Fathers
of the Year have one thing in
common. They have all had
laminectomies (back opera
tions). These include Drake, Bob
Abrams and Gene Pierce.
Maybe the inference would be
that these men break their
backs to be good fathers.
CHANCELLOR and Mrs. Roy
Lieuallen, accompanied by
their two daughters, Barbara
and Margaret, happily surprised
a lot of old friends in lone and
Heppner Monday. They were
headed for La Grande to a
meeting of the State Board of
Higher Education and decided
to come through Morrow county
to see friends.
We don't know who all they
found in the brief time they had
to spend, but do know that they
visited with Harlan McCurdy
and Lima and Everett Harsh
man.
The chancellor, a graduate of
lone High school, and wife, Bar
bara, never seem to get any
older. They maintain a happy
and congenial appearance, and
he never seems to fret over the
harassing problems that con
front him in the very import
ant responsibility as head of the
State System of Higher Educa
tion. Their two sons, Scott and
Douglas, were not with them on
this trip. Douglas, their oldest
child, will be a senior at the
University of Oregon next year.
SAY, THAT parallel parking
makes Willow Street look like
an entirely new street. It's sur
prising how much more room
there is down the center in the
change from diagonal.
Vic Groshens and the city
crew completed the job of in
stalling the meters and paint
ing the stalls for the new park
ing today, and they'll be glad
to have it done after all the
ribbing we've given them.
Might be that drivers who
have a phobia against parallel
parking will shy away from
Willow for a while, but the
stalls are so set up that it is
easy to get into them.
Groshens went through all the
maneuvers of parallel parking
with the city truck when there
wasn't another rig on the street,
just to get a little practice. He
imagined that there was a car
ahead and a car behind as he
backed into the stall. In so
doing he got within 11V4 inch
es of the curb. We told him he
should be within eight inches,
but he declared that as long as
he was within the limits of the
painted stall (8 feet), he was
O. K.
Notice some of the longer cars
are hanging over the lines, front
and back, but this doesn't hurt
because there is a "neutral
zone" (maybe we should call it
a DMZ demilitarized one) be
tween the spaces. Noticing this
overhang, we accused Groshens
and Wayne Harsin of setting up
the system for Volkswagens but
they shook it off in good hu
mor. KNOWING that the Arlington
rodeo court was supposed to
ride in the Rose Festival floral
parade, we watched the repeat
TV programs of the parade, Sat
urday night, hoping to get a
glimpse of them. After catching
the "Parade Highlights" on two
stations, we concluded that the
announcers and cameramen had
an aversion to horses. Any time
the viewer caught sight of hors
es coming down the street, he
could expect the camera to
swish by them and pick up the
next float.
This happened time and
again, but wonder of wonders!
When the Arlington court came
along on the second program
we watched, the camera picked
them up, followed them, and
viewers got a good look at them.
Princess Janet Palmateer came
in for some closeups. Princess
Barbara Gribble was on the oth
er side of the street but she
got good attention, too.
So far as we know, the Ar
lington court was the only
mounted group that received
such attention on these repeat
programs, although all mount
ed groups might have been rec
ognized on the live telecasts In
the morning, which we didn't
catch.
GILBERT L. STERNES, state
cllmatologist, was here last
Thursday visiting our faithful
Heppner weather observer, Don
Gilliam, and the two dropped
over for a chat.
Sternes was highly compli
mentary to the Gilliam family
for the work they have done In
keeping weather records In
Heppner for years and years.
He was interested in having
some local group sponsor pub
lication of a 30-year climatolog
ical summary for lone and
Heppner, which Is a sheet that
lists concise facts on tempera
ture highs and lows, rainfall,
snow and other Information. Af
ter a directors' meeting at the
Chamber of Commerce Monday,
it appears that the Chamber
will cooperate with Morrow
County Grain Growers on this
project, and the sheets should
be available for distribution
soon to those who have use for
a copy.
But we were also Interested
in other things that Sternes had
to say. He said that Umatilla
is the driest point in the State
of Oregon. That's something we
didn't know. Rainfall there ave
rages less than nine Inches, as
we recall from conversation.
VALSETZ is one of the wettest
places, but not the wettest.
We happen to know about this
because when we were at Dallas
we used to write an annual
story for the A. P. on the town
that "measured rainfall in feet
instead of inches."
Sternes remembe red these
stories, and he remembered the
man who maintained the
weather station in the town that
is owned by a logging company.
He also remembered how the
annual stories suddenly came to
an end when the company found
it was having too much trouble
getting employees to come there
because of the publicity on the
rainfall. At the same time, the
Weather Bureau about lost its
observer in the company crack
down. But Valsetz records something
like 130 inches annually. Some
years it gets above that, and
sometimes falls below.
Wonder what our ranchers
would do with 10 to 12 feet of
water on their lands each year?
It ought to grow a lot of wheat,
but with that much of a deluge,
there wouldn't be any land left
to grow it on.
However, if that much rainfall
TO THE
EDITOR. . .
To Donate Rifle
To the Editor:
On June first I left by Jet
from Portland airport nt 7 50
a in. and was supposed to be at
Charlottesville. Va.. at 6:36 p m.,
but due to the plane from Chi
cago having trouble with some
of its electrical works, it was de
tained fi thrve hours ami fin
ally had to get another Jet to
take the passengers to wasning
ton There I was to take a Pied
mont plane to Charlottesville,
but as the Piedmont Is the only
airline Into Charlottesville, I
had to take a taxi from the air
port to the railway depot and
take the train at 10:45 p.m. I
arrived In Charlottesville about
1:30 a.m. June 2.
The alumni reunion (at the
University of Virginia) was the
next morning at 9:30 a.m. There
were 600 alumni present cut on
ly one from my class. I stayed
with mv niece. Miss Murlal Mc-
Murdo, where her father (and
my eldest brother) live now. He
will be 9i on June 15. I had a
wonderful time seeing my niece
and nephews, as well as some
friends.
The weather was Just about
perfect, and I never saw the
country look more beautiful. 1
also went to see Dr. Hal S.
Hedges, who Is In a rest home.
He Is a noted eye specialist and
now 99 years of age. If nothing
happens to prevent It. he will
be 100 on September 30 of this
year.
When I went to see him last
year at his daughter's home, he
was much more able to get
around and showed me two
flintlock rifles which I had
never seen before. On this trip
I told him we had a museum
here in Heppner and asked him
if he would like to give one of
the rifles to the museum. He
seemed delighted at being asked
to do It and was so glad that
I asked him.
One of the rifles was given to
him by the father of a young
boy who was blind anil lived in
the Blue Ridge Mts. Dir. Hedges
went up to his home, operated
on his eyes, and brought back
his sight. Then he stayed with
the boy for five days until all
was well. When he left, the
father gave him the flintlock
rifle for pay, as he said he had
no money to pay him. Dr.
Hedges told the boy, "This will
b plenty of pay as I have no
Ulntlock rule in all my collec
tion of guns."
Was gone a week and return
ed home June 9.
Dr. A. D. McMurdo
Miss Morrow
Hello. Wes:
Thank you for sending the
paper we miss Eastern Oregon
very much so this will help us
to keep up with "goings on."
Even though we loved our
store, post office, and Eastern
Oregon, we had to come back
to Kent, Wn., for personal reas
ons. However, we'll never forget
the wonderful people of that ser
ene Willow Creek area.
Summer for us promises to be
most interesting as we have a
foreign student from "old" Jap
an staying with us while he
goes to Green River College. Al
ready his warmth and friendli
ness have gotten "through" to
us.
Even though he sleeps on
mats on the floor at home, he
has a bed here and thinks It
will be hard to sleep on the
floor again!
Waffles intrigue him. How
ever, they do have pancakes at
home but can't afford the hon
ey to put on them! So you see
what an impression this Is hav
ing on my family.
We are all happy to be In a
land of "plenty" (even if there
are also plenty taxes to go
along with it!)
Thank you.
Mrs. Mervin (Grayce) Thomas
Formerly "Cecil General
Store"
Supt David Potter was dis
missed from Emanuel hospital,
Portland, Monday after entering
last week for treatment follow
ing surgery recently. He was re
ported to be feeling considerably
better.
came to this country, It would
be a far different type of coun
try than It Is now. We'd prob
ably have timber, ferns and
brush all over the place.
But we recall, and Sternes
confirms, that some points In
the Coast Range leave Valsetz
In the shade (or sunlight) when
it comes to rain. Seems we can
recall stories told by Harry and
Max Reeher of Forest Grove,
who spent their early days at
a homestead at Reehers' Camp
In the Wilson River country, of
rainfall getting up towards 160
Inches, but we cannot trust our
memory on this.
THE CLIMATOLOGIST said that
Uklah is considered to be the
coldest place In the state, but
he couldn't say off the cuff Just
which place Is the hottest.
Without his records handy, he
thought Heppner had had one
of the hottest days on record,
but not the hottest. As he re
called, the warmest day on rec
ord in the state was 119 de
grees. Sternes said, and we can ver
ily believe, that The Dalles is
at least in contention for the
hot spot of Oregon.
'No Tom Lie'
Dear Friends:
I urratlv en oved Arts nun.
ments about the Heppner Silver
Comet Hand and would like,
with his permission, to add a
little to his story.
He was correct about the baud
marching t the depot, but Hat
was In the morning. The band
spent the day In lone awaiting
th incomlmt train (which more
often than not was an hour or
so latel to accompany the Re
publican candidate. W. J. rur
nlsh of lVndleton. to Heppner.
Shortlv before the train was due
a message was received stating
that Mr. Furnish was "unavoid
ably detained" and In his stead
a voting Astoria attorney.
Charles W. Fulton, would be the
Ktu-nker at the county-wide ral
ly that evening. After tootling
around all dav and whooping
It up for the Republican ticket,
most HSCB members were not
concerned about the speaker of
the evening, but when Fulton
launched out on his address It
was evident that the state cam
paign committee had chosen
wisely. Fulton later was elect
ed U. S. Senator
Now to beg a few more Inch
es of your valuable space for
mv pet story. It will be the first
time in print, the worth of which
you will have to be juuge.
Some of your readers who
were around at that time may
have heard and seen this little
comedy. At least. I am sure that
some will remember the lean
ing character. They also will re
member A. Abrahamslck's tail
or -shop on May Street where
"Abe" and his hired tailor, a
smallish man by the name of
Miller, plied their trade. Abe
was a family man and as such
conducted himself as a good
family man should. Miller was
unattached as far as was known
and what he did after working
hours was his own affair. Thus
It was that he showed up at the
rally in a most amiable mood
toward the world In general and
toward the rally in particular.
Robert F. Hvnd was chairman
for the evening's program and
his opening remarks evidently
made a special appeal to Mill-
Pioneer
Ponderings
Br W. S. CAYERH1LL
(Fd. Note: June 14 was the
fi-lth anniversary of the Hennner
flood, and Mr. CaverhlU's col-
I umn this week Is appropriate to
the anniversary .
In almost every tragedy there
is an Incident of oddity In hu
man behavior that stands out In
the grim surroundings.
I remember the time a ranch
er's house was burning and his
neighbors were helping remove
what they could from the house.
It was a bit (Hid to see one man
carry out a pan of milk and
set It down carefully at a safe
distance.
Even ihe Heppner flood was
not lacking In a semi-humorous
Incident. Mrs. Felix Johnson
(she Is the Pioneer Woman of
the Year In Grant county) re
calls how her husband, In a
party helping the rescue work
after the flood, found a tail
Kentucklan perched on top of a
pile of debris after the waters
had subsided. He was not great
ly disturbed. He stretched him
self, shifted his cud of tobacco
to the other cheek, and com
mented, 'That sure was a root
soaker and a gulley washer."
That incident did not mitigate
the misery of the tragedy, but
It did show the quality of strong
nien in an emergency.
BUILDING YOUR
FUTURE?
The best anil
safest way
to build your
Investment Is
through a
First Federal
Savings
Account
OPEN AN ACCOUNT TODAY
Accounts Now Insured to $15,000
FIRST FEDERAL
. SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION
BOX 848 PENDLETON
Mrs. Cutsforth's
Stepfather Dies
John Densllnger of The Dalles
Nti pfatlier of Mrs. Orvllle Cuts
fort li, died In The Dalles Sun
day morning, according to Infor
mation from Mr. Cutsfortli.
Mrs. Culsforth left for The
Dalles after learning of hi
death and remained there
through the first part of the
week. Funeral service were
scheduled In The Dalles at i
p.m. Tuesday,
er. I ly ml was a bit nonplussed
when after the usual oenlng
"It Is Indeed heartening to ce
so many of our citizens gather
ed hi' re this evening to listen
to our distinguished sjieakfr
and the local candidate ... If
this spirit pervades throughout
the campaign It Is quite Plainly
evident that Oregon and Mor
row county will remain In the
Republican column."
A rather small voice piped up
from the rear of the crowd:
"Dot's no tain lie nelder!" The
chairman endured two or three
repetition of the line and con
cluded It was time to bring It
to a halt. He thanked the en
thusiast for his apparent appre
ciation but felt that duo to the
repetition ot the line It was ap
parent something other than his
(Hynd's) remarks was respon
sible. As Marshall George Thornton
led the offender away, Miller
got In the last word: '"Dot no
tarn lie nelder."
O. G. CRAWFORD
Lincoln City, Oregon
COMMUNITY
BILLBOARD
Coming Events
HKPPNFJt SWIMMING POOL
Open Tuesday thru Satur
days, 1 to 4 p.m., and 7
to 9 p.m.
Open Sundays, 2 to 7 p.m.
Closed Mondays
Season tickets: family, $18;
adults, $9; all students and
children. $. Daily tickets
50c and 25c.
PANCAKE SUPPER
Boy Scout Troop (M
Sunday, June 1H, 4:00 to 8:00
p.m.
St. Patrick' Parish Hall
Tickets $1 adults; 75c high
school; 30c children, $3.75
for family
FAMILY RrX'NIONS
Padberg Family Reunion,
Sunday, June IS, lone City
Park. Polluck dinner.
Leathers Family Reunion,
Sunday, June IS, Hardman
KK)F Hall, from 10 a.m.,
potluck dinner.
AUXILIARY BAKE SALE
Heppner Unit legion Auxil
iary Baked Foods Sale
Saturday, June 24
Next to Gardner's Men's Wear
ANNUAL ELKS'
Sunday, June 18,
PICNIC
Cutsforth
Park.
Elks members and families
Hot dogs, pop, Ice cream fur
nished. SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE BY
C. A. RUGGLES
Insurance Agency
Heppner
Rode Chuchus
P. O. Box 247 PH. 678-9625