Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1968)
HEPPNEH GAZETTE-TIMES, ThursdaT. Fbru orf 1. 969 2 THE GAZETTE-TIMES Heppner. Oregon 97838 Phone 676-9223 ..-Nnnmn fntTwrr'a NEWSPAPER nVAAVn The Heppner Gazette established March 30, 1883. The ' RfPPner Tlrea ffillshed November 18. 1897. Consolidated February 15, 19U. NIWSPAM PUll$HIl -ASSOCIATION WESLET A. SHERMAN HELEN E. SHERMAlf ARNOLD RAYMOND Shop Foreman Printer GAIL BURKENBINE Society Circulation as becona ciass naime.. Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., until noon saiuraay. I Conservation's Broader Concept In the annual report of the Heppner Soil and Water Con servaUon district (on pages 2 and 3 of section two, this pa per, one can notice continuing evidence of a broadening concept of conservation. The conservation district Is still concerned with saving soil, preventing erosion, and making the best use of water and moisture, but It Is also expanding Into wider fields. It Is more and more concerned about using resources o encour age industry, develop irrigation, and this year, in the Hepp nfr district is showing keen interest in the talk of the thermal nuclear plant that Is being speculated as a possibility for the north end of the county. Conservationists are particularly interested in this pro posal, still very much in the embryo stage, because It stirs fhe imagination on what it might do for irrigation by using the vast amount of water emanating from the plant. So this year, the stress is more than ever on developing power, irrigation and industry as the Heppner SWCD looks to the future in Its planning. During 1967, as Ray French points out in an article in the report? the district allied with soil and water conserva tion districts in adjoining counties to form the Resource Con servation and Development association. They are concerned with the drainage of Willow Creek. Umatilla River. Wa la Walla River, and the part of Gilliam county which drains In to the John Day River. The area embraced is 5,620 square miles or 5.6 of all the land in the State of Oregon! Their Joint planning covers broad vistas, as the article PlnSornetof these broader concepts will be touched upon at the annual meeting Tuesday night in the Lexington Grange hall Members of the Morrow County Port Commission will be present to tell, in a panel discussion, something of the prospects on the thermal nuclear plant. They will tell of what Is planned for the future by the commission. Under the broadened concepts of conservation, the work of the Hepp ner SWCD and the port commission go hand In hand. The proposals being studied, too, are of concern to every one interested in the county's future. The Lexington Grange hall should be filled to capacity for the meeting Tuesday nlglHeppner Soil and Water Conservation district has com pleted a great year to add an outstanding chapter In its con tinuing record of achievement. Recognition and honor came with the selection of Louis Carlson as Oregon Conservation Man of the Year after he was named county Conservation Man. This was fitting, not only because it was an honor well deserved by the recipient, but because of the excellent work done by the Heppner SWCD. It brought honor to a deserving district. Fifteen new cooperators signed district agreements, cover ing 24,932 acres, and the district now has 342 cooperators, covering 994,518 acres. This Is only one gain made. Attention is called to the report of activities listed in the report in section two of this paper. This district is getting things done. The broadening con cept of conservation that is being shown is an example for others, both in Morrow county and throughout the state. In the months and years to come the district's work will be an important part of a coordinated program that will pay off In Morrow county's future, not only for its economic prosper ity but in helping make it a more attractive place to live. Waysides Needed .-.m- n..orfc ani hifl tee on parks and recreation came up with a good recommen dation when they urged the establishing of highway way sides on the Willow Creek Highway and on Highway 207. There are long stretches in the county without public rest rooms or places where a person can pull off the road on a hot day to rest or relax. There is no place towards the north end of the county where a bird hunter or even a deer hunter can park his rig and spend the night in his camper. Having such waysides along the highway would make the coming to Morrow countty seem more inviting and friendly to trflvelers. An attempt will be made to enlist help of the State Highway Department In setting up waysides. It is to be hoped that this good idea "takes," and that It can be ac complished. Too Many Burglaries The wave of burglaries occurring in Morrow county is unusually high for this area which has the reputation of being relatively free of crimes of any consequence. But recently two grocery stores have been entered, and three schools have been prowled. A motel was robbed, and there have been other instances where entries have been mad. While some of the "jobs" may be the work of the same persons, the methods are dissimilar. Money was obviously a factor In some cases, such as at Dcl's Market where a con iderable amount was taken, but apparently was not the mo tive in the entry at Bristow's Market, lone, where only gro ceries were taken, and the money was left untouched. Some seem like near professional jobs, such as the one at Riverside high where an acetylene torch was used to cut into the safe. This, by the way, had a familiar ring, for others around the state were reported as using the same meth odfirst entering a shop to take a cutting torch, then using it to get Into the safe. Others seem amateurish and crude. More damage Is done in making the entry than In the loss from the thefts. In this day and age it is hard to understand why It would be necessary for anyone to steal groceries, as at Bris tow's. There are charitable agencies, the surplus foods store, welfare, and the neighborhood center all set up to help any one who may be hungry. In soma of the cases, more work and effort is made by the prowlers than they net in the thefts, but unfortunately, this isn't always the case. The entries at Riverside and Del s were particularly rewarding. Perhaps we in Morrow county, not being plagued by such crimes, are too complacent about it, and perhaps too care- HEFFNER NATIONAL NIWSPAPEt yrbHjnMi.'n.'.i.ui rntTOB AND PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER REGGIE PASCAL Linotype Operator RANDY STILLMAN Apprentice JIM SHERMAN Pressman Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. rhnmbor of Commerce commlt- The Rhyming UTTERBUGS WHAT MANNER OF PEOPLE ARE THESE WHO PF.RS ST IN SCATTERING GARBAGE LIKE DEMONS KlSSKtstD? SUCH ACTIONS CAN NEVF.R BE LIGHTLY DISM ISSED SINCE ANIMALS EVEN WONT FOUL UP THEIR NEST. THERE'S BEER CANS DISCARDED ALONGSIDE THE ROAD, OLD BOTTLES ENDANGER EACH BAREFOOTED CI; LD. WASTE PAPER. GUM WRAPPERS, CIGAR BUTTS KXPI-ODE WITH EACH GUST OF WIND. AND THE LAND IS DEFILED. OUR STREAMS ARE POLLUTED. THE BEACHES nvTROY KD THE FISH ARE DESERTING OUR SHORES. SAD TO SAY. OUR MOUNTAINS OF TIMBER WILL SOON BE DEVOID. WHILE BIRDS AND WILD CREATURES HAVE ALL HAD THEIR DAY. WITH MAN THE DESPOILER, WHAT HOPE HAVE WF. LEFT FOR NATURES SURVIVAL? THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE IS POISONED BY FILTH, SO WE LL SOON STAND BEREFT OF PLACES TO GO WHEN COMES TIME TO LEAVE. BEFORE WE ABANDON THIS WORLD FOR THE MOON, GIVE HEED TO THIS WARNING: MAKE THEM CLEAN OF GARBAGE AND OFFAL THESE VANDALS HAVE STREWN AND POSSIBLY ANSWER OUR OWN S. O. S. HARRY W. FLETCHER Chaff and Wes Sherman IN PASSING the other day Lucy Peterson meniionea, as sue knrwH ff uriirinpr wenther. that Tuesday was Chinese New Years and that tnings migm cnanse iui the better. She said that this is ninnnspri to be the vear of the Monkey, which means a very good year. Well, sir, on Tuesday came the word that another $29,000 is in the President's budget for the linn,, rvoolr Hum tn on with the $51,000 already appropriated lor tne project, i nai a a. B""u start for the Year of the Monkey, lain, nftpr Jnripe Jones called Cong. Al Ullman's office and was assurea mar. me wu- Irwu rVnnlr -nrnilW is poinff to f?0 through, probably just as soon as tne Vietnam war is scira I n A nArhDna if wa fn n kppn auu i-v i .in w.j ai e from getting involved in anoth er war). witi. oil tha nrnWts helne talked the Columbia Southside project, the talK or a mermai nuclear plant, the fish Impound ments in the mountains, Irrigat ion projects mat may spring uy - , J TT 1 1 on tne recently soia cum. luims, possible developments of the port commissison, possible in dustry that may be brought in or'o lonspri lands this could very well be a great year. it would De a line yeai u umy a small percentage of the pro jects reached fulfillment. But even though this may be the Year of the Monkey, we In Morrow county can't "mon key" around. There is too much to be done. HAVING NOTICED the new pan eling and Improvements made at the Morrow County Abstract and Title Co. office, we stopped In tha nth or Hav to oele a bit and chat with the owner, Harry O'Donnell. The birch paneling makes a vptv fine lmnrovement In the of fice, together with other new wrinkles, Dut tne iurnismng mai catches the eye there is that massive counter, ornately carved, that must have a venerable his tory. Harry believes that it came out of the Fairmers and Stock growers bank from early Hepp ner days. In the improvement project, he (and probably Mrs. O'Donnell) worked some three weeks off and on to remove the old paint and covering, and it is now revealed as a thing of beauty. Some master craftsman has produced that counter. Pieces have been very carefully fitted to make its rollls and gargoyles. There are spots where diamond shaped pieces have been insert ed, as if to take out a knot and replace it with a patch. It's enough to make an an tique hunter drool, but Harry isn't about to sell it, and he couldn't sell it, probably, if he wanted to because he'd have to tear the building apart to get it out. A crane would be needed to move it. WHOEVER INSTALLED the vault at the First National Bank had a good notion of what less. At least during the present wave of entries more vig- ila" Perhaps" doesn't do much good to see that doors are locked when a prowler gains entrance by breaking out win dows, by jimmying doors or by cutting through them. But an alerted public may give some help. If you should happen to see someone at a late hour around a school or a business building when he wouldn't seem to have any busi ness there, tell an officer or call one. In Heppner, we're fortunate in having city, county and state officers stationed here. With the sheriff and his dep uty the state officer, and the three city officers there are six available to call. If you can't reach one, you can get one of the others. , If you run across information that may help solve one of these crimes, report it. If one is cleared, several more may also be cleared. This rash of burglaries is a blight on the good reputation of the county. Americans are getting a notorious reputation for their in differencefor not coming to the other's aid, for "hiding their heads in the sand." We prefer the "old-fashioned" kind of Americans, and we urge our fellows here to be the concerned and alert kind. Philosopher Chatter to use to surround it with last ing material. They used copies of the Gazette-Times! John Ven ard, manager, suggests that they were put there to absorb moisture, perhaps, and not to preserve copies of the paper in a safe place far posterity. John sure knows how to hurt a guy, does'nt he? In any event, one of the papers was dated June 8, 1933, when Vawter and Spencer Craw ford were publishers. One feature of particular in terest in another portion was the display of pictures of Miss Mae Doherty, Rhea Creek; Miss Marg aret Brosnan, Lena; Miss Edna Lindstrom, lone; and Miss Ruth Dinges, Lexington. These young ladies were apparently princess es selected for the rodeo court. Much of the paper is mutilated, so we can't read the caption, but it looks as if it might be "Dorothy's Attendants." Consult ing a rodeo program, we find that Dorothy Doherty was queen in 1933. We also note in the paper that Pat Mollahan-had just departed on a trip to Ireland and that "Labor Day will go down in black when the history of the COG boys of Bull Prairie is writ ten. It marks the departure of Lieut. Zaccor, the mess officer and the leading spirit in the organization of the baseball team." These papers aren't old, as old papers go, but old enough to bring back memories. By the way, the G-T has on file virtually all issues of the paper since 1920. Those prior were destroyed in a fire, but we understand that the county has files of the G-T going back far ther. DON'T MIX preparations for clearing clogged drains with bleaches! This is the word we get from Mrs. Jim (Nadine) Johnson who reports that two women learned this the hard way the other day. The two were cleaning a rest room at the Willows Grange hall. They used a drain-cleaning product that a person buys in the stores, and then poured in some bleach, which one can also buy in the stores Each serves its own purpose, but like gasoline and alcohol, they aren't meant to be mixed. We never took chemistry in school, but we understand that when they are mixed they re lease a gas ox something that is noxious. Well, In the case at the Grange hall, there were two sick ladies. One found herself with a very sore throat as a con sequence of the incident, and both were quite ill. Mrs. Johnson says that she knows of one case that resulted in a death when it occurred in a tightly enclosed room. We've done a little checking at the grocery store, and Forrie Burkenbine said that he has read many warnings on this. Mrs. Johnson also states that it has been in the papers. TO THE EDITOR. . Truth in Interest To the Editor: The United State House pf Representatives will probably be voting during the week of January 29 on the federal truth in Interest bill. This bill, which in similar In many ways to a bill that I have sponsored In the Oregon legislature, provides that a money lender or merch ant who sells goods on the In stallment plan must disclose to the customer the approximate annual Interest rate that he U charging. When the bill passed the United States Senate last year, there was excluded from the bill revolving charge ac counts and transactions in which the Interest charged was less than $10. Congrcsswoman Sullivan, chairman of the sub committee that considered the bill, will be seeking to strength en the bill by removing the two exemptions placed in the bill by the Senate. The board of directors of the Oregon Consumer League, which is composed of 31 affiliated or ganizations throughout the state, has endorsed the truth in Interest bill. We believe that in a free enterprise economy the consumer is entitled to know the rate of Interest that he Is paying. Certainly when the mer chant or lending Institution borrows money itself, they know the rate of interest that they are paying and could easily give the same Information to the customer. If the consumer knew the rate of Interest he was paying, he could make a more informed choice among the var ious alternative ways of paying for the goods that he buys. This bill would also give legitimate businessmen protection from un scrupulous competition. I urge Oregonians to wire their Congressmen in support of a strong truth in interest bill without any weakening exemp tions. Senator Don S. Willner President, Oregon Consumer League Seminar Success To the Editor: Last Thursday night It was my privilege to attend the sem inar discussion based on "The Brave New World," a science fiction novel by Aldous Huxley. The panel of clergymen, teach ers, a doctor, an attorney, and scientists did an admirable job under the leadership of a very able Mr. Kirk Horn, biology teacher at our high school. The attendance and participa tion of the high school students, as well as that of parents, was, in my opinion, terrific. Mr. Horn accomplished some thing at this meeting, more or less spontaneously, that the PTA has tried to get started for quite some time with no suc cess. This seminar brought to gether parents, students, and professional people in open dis cussion which resulted in more understanding and human rela tions benefits to this community- My thanks to Mr. Horn and to the panel members for their efforts. W. W. Weatherford Pioneer Ponderings By w. S. CAVERHILL There is an increasing de mand for better schools, and rightly so. Coupled with that de mand is the cry for better teach ers' salaries. Most district boards declare that they must have more support from the state to meet the situation. They fail to point out where the money is to come from for that support. The cities and states claim that they must have more help from the federal government to meet their requirements, but they do not advance a plan that will put the needed funds in government hands. Only by def icit spending can the needs be satisfied without the agony of greatly increased taxes. There may be a point of no return in this direction. I don't know, but a simple example of our problem follows. A $200 per year increase for those in a $6,000 bracket has this impact in the general econ omy. Most people in that range are in the 25 income bracket, and will contribute $50 to the tax Income, leaving the other $150 to be provided by some other group. Perhaps we are approaching the time when we will tax the peasants to pay the plumbers, tax the plumbers to pay the teachers, and tax the teachers to pay the peasants. It works that way. We'll increase the def icit. George Barkley of Tracy, Calif., arrived Thursday for an overnight visit with Mr. and Mrs. Wes Sherman and family. He was in Portland for a visit with relatives and made the trip to Heppner before returning south. Barkley and Sherman have been friends since boyhood. Pendleton Auxiliary Names Local Woman Incoming President Mrs. R. G. MiMurtry was In stalled president of Ladles Auxiliary. Patriarch Mian of . . ,i...ii..t..n Ki 3 in In (.anion ii-muhtiwi. - stallutlon ceremonies conducted January 1U at me rcnuinuii Fellows hall. Mrs. Alta Kirk. Ilermlston. and Mrs. Earl McMillan of Athena will serve as right and loft aids respectively to the new president. Other officers appointed were Mrs. C. Anna Pueshel. vice pres ident. Mrs. Leon Barnett. secre tary. and Mrs. Willis Leckllder. treasurer. Officer of the dav was Mrs. Gladys Schelr. and of. fleer of the guard was Mrs. Thelma Moore. Chaplain will be Mrs. pther Young; sentry. Mrs. Luella Fletcher; musician, Mrs. hue Taylor; color bearer, Mrs, Flor ence McMillan; color sergeant. Mrs. Freida Majeske of Lexing ton, and color guard. Mrs. Ada Eskelson of Hermlston. Elected as songster for the group was Mrs. Lillian Roman do of Pendleton. Mrs. Florence McMillan con ducted the installation ceremo nies, assisted by the Chevaliers, the men's organization of the ICHlC. UUlH"l"K KllJ' Alonzo Henderson of Hood River was presented with a past pres ident's Jewel. preceding the installation, members and their husbands enjoyed a potluck dinner. Next meeting of the group will be February 13, when a Valentine party will be held. Mr. end Mrs. Wilbur Van Blokland encountered some of Portland's snowfall Monday as they were leaving the Northwest Merchandise Show held in the Neighbors of Woodcraft hall in the city. They avoided the traf fic snarls, however, although reported seeing a jack-knifed truck blocking the approach to one bridge. The Van Bloklands went to the show Sunday In the interests of their Van's Var iety and returned the following day. 4.. A. Salem Scene "Exempt" Property Often Serves Public Interest !h i,b iraaf.anH 1fpmf7.atinn of 111 1U1 f t LI i . . V. exempt real and personal prop erty values in uregon, tne aiaic Tax Commission headlines its rpiwt- "Exemnt ProDertv Gains $4 Billion in Two Years." Listed are sucn classes ui property as burial grounds, li braries, veterans' homesteads, senior citizens' homesteads, zon ed and non-zoned farmlands, and property owned by the fed eral, state and local govern ments. The commission estimates that $13.5 billion worth of prop erty in Oregon is not subject to property taxation up $3.9 billion from its 1965 figure of $9.6 billion. The gain is further broken down to show an esti mated $2.1 billion increase in noKUMv.nwnpH nrnnprtv and $1.8 billion in privately-owned property upon wmcn progeny taxes are not collected. Alarming? In these days of "property tax revolt" and state and local financial problems, it would seem so. Beneath the sur face of the report, however, lie many explanations. Some are pointed out by the commission. "Owners of some types of ex empt properties," the report notes, "pay substantial in-lieu taxes." The severance tax paid on Eastern Oregon timber, which approximates the proper ty tax which otherwise would be paid is one example. Anoth er is the $10 license fee paid instead of personal property taxes on automobiles. This cat egory of exempt property has grown in value, and recent es timates have set the sum which could be raised by a two per cent tax on value of automo biles at $20 million annually. Another softening touch: the commission report states that the true cash value of taxable properties increased since 1965 by nearly $2.2 billion. The new total estimate of taxable prop erty value tops $15 billion, and this is the primary source from which local government derives its revenue. The report's new estimate val ues federally-owned property in Oregon at $4,447,200,000. It does not mention, however, that the federal government owns more than half of Oregon's real prop erty and is exempted from tax ation by federal law. Federal property sometimes pays in-lieu taxes, however, and we can be appreciative of federal aid to countless state and local pro grams. As with automobiles, Oregon lans pay no tax on personal property in the home. The com mission shows a two year in crease in value of $125 million in this class of exempt proper ty. Unspecified is the obvious fact that our steadily increasing personal income makes possible the accumulation of such ex empt property. The report also does not ex plain its estimates on intangi ble property, such as bank de posits, bonds, mortgages, com mon stock, etc., the value of which it says has grown 42 per cent in two years. Because the value of such property in the state is virtually impossible to pin down, it traditionally has been exempt and is subject to wide speculation. A shocker in the commission's Couples Enjoy Trip To Scenic Hawaii Enjoying a ten-day vacation trip to the Hawaiian Islands were Mr. and Mrs. Frank An derson and Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Mahoney, who flew from Port land on January 13, to Hono lulu, on the Island of Oahu. While in Honolulu, they vis ited the Orvllle Smiths, former Heppner residents, who make their winter home In that city, and the Andersons visited friends from San Francisco. They toured the Islands of Kauai and Hawaii on their trip, visiting the famous Purker cattle ranch, among the many points of in terest ... , The couples enjoyed several days of golfing In warm tem peratures, with little rain. The group started their trip home from Hilo, and arrived Friday, January 26. Many Enjoy Evening Of Cards at Annual Altar Society Party Turnout was good with sev eral tables of cards In play at the annual card party sponsor ed by St. Patrick's Altar Society Monday night. Eight tables of pinochle and seven tables of bridge were in progress at the party, which was held in the parish hall. Holding high score for pinoch le was Mrs. Joan Thompson, sec ond was won by Mrs. Kenneth Cutsforth, and low was held by Mrs. Nora Turner. Winning high at bridge was Mrs. Jack Healy, second high was won by Mrs. Adrian Cook, with Mrs. Earl Gilliam holding low score. The door prizes were won by Mrs. Martha Van Schoiack and Mrs. Marjorie Worden. Prizes awarded were cakes, pies, and baked goods, made by members of the Altar Society. Desserts of angel food cake with strawberries and whipped topping were served with cof fee at the close of the evening. Co-hostesses for the event were Mrs. Kandy Lott and Mrs. Bill Kenny. For any kind of printing, call The Gazette-Times. by Everett L Cuttar table Is an estimated growth of more than 100 per cent in two years in the value of state-owned property. The reported in nt SSS7 million represents a sizeable portion of the over all increase in exempt progeny values. This gain, however, although It figures in the total, does not necessa r i 1 y represent real growth. According to a State Tax Commission spokesman, increas es In some categories instead represent better data and more complete Information than were available when 1965 estimates were made, in haianpp thp nronertv tax exemption picture would appear not neany so ingnuui as me $4 billion increase headline would Indicate. A good reading between the lines of the report may well clarify some of the fiscal contusion looming in tne year ahead. Coming Events HEPPNER HIGH BASKETBALL Madras at Madras Friday, February 2 Friday, February 9, Sherman at Heppner Saturday, February 10, Wah- tonka at Heppner All league games Support the Mustangs! GOLDEN AGE CLUB Monthly meeting, Tuesday, February 6 Episcopal Parish hall Potluck dinner, 7:00 p.m., en tertainment following OES SOCIAL CLUB Monthly Meeting Saturday, February 3, 1:45 p.m. Heppner Masonic Hall Members urged to attend CAR WASH Saturday, Feb. 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jack's Chevron Station By United Youth Fellowship $1.00 outside, $1.50 inside and outside DIST. CONSERVATION MEETING Tuesday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m. Lexington Grange Hall Special program SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY C. A. RUGGLES Insurance Agency P. O. Box 247 PH. 676-9625 Heppner ) COMMUNITY BILLBOARD I
