Heppner gazette-times., June 13, 1968, Image 1

LIBRARY
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EUGENE.
ORE
97403
It Happened 65 Years Ago
85th Year
Number 16
3PFNER
(GAZETTE-!
ME.
Heppner, Oregon 97836, Thursday, June 13, 1968
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ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. When Heppner's devastating flood of 1903 itruck on June 14. It
did a pretty good Job o! wrecking the T. W. Ayers house which stood on Chase street a lew
lots south of the corner of May street But the upper story c4 the house, minus the cupola and
remodeled, was re-erected on Chase street to serve families for years to come. This is one of
the most used of the well-known Heppner flood pictures.
'Black Clouds Over Heppner'
BrougEif Death June 14, 1903
By
MILDRED CAROL FLETCHER
Few areas in the Northwest
have possessed dull, uninterest
ing histories since the North
west has, itself, had a very in
teresting development during
the last two centuries. The in
flux of settlers into the North
west brought a new breed of
people together, the adventur
ous, determined people who set
out to carve from the west
new land and a new life. These
people brought with them hope
for a new and better country,
and gradually both country and
city life were formed in the,
midst of vast expanses of wu
derness and sagebrush. A new
land was born, a land only part
ly fertile because of rich soil,
This could be said to be a sum
mary of the history of practical
ity oil 1tiac In
including the community of
Heppner, Oregon.
The settlement of the hilly
area near Heppner was origin
ally founded by cattlemen who
in 1858 drove their herds into
the region to forage. Finding an
abundance of rye grass along
the creek bottoms they estab
lished cattle camps from which
grew the first settlements. The
first permanent settlement in
the region was Heppner, then
known as Standsbury Flat in
honor of the founder, George W.
Standsbury, whose log cabin
was for several years the only
white man's dwelling within
many miles. A small, but thriv-
inrt cotftflmflr.t enn n urop rvvrwwT !
ji i j, m,vin,iiiv.in, own v fi u w '
ing near the Standsbury resi
dence at the confluence of Hin
ton and Willow Creeks on the
level valley floor, protected by
the high dome-like foothills. By
187.1 the small town had grown
to such a size that a store was
in full operation and the need
for a school was recognized. La
ter, at the suggestion of Stands
bury, the towns name was
changed to Heppner in honor of
the most active citizen, Henry
Heppner, who had established
the only store and was largely
responsible for the erection of
the small school.
Indian Scares Come
Like many other small towns
of its day, Heppner was the ob
ject of Indian scares. In 1878
when a band of Paiutes were
fleeing from the cavalry forces
and were reportedly coming
toward Heppner, the settlers
banded together in fear of the
eminent Indian raids. When no
such raids occurred the people
dispersed to their homes thank
ful that the Indians had chosen
another route of flight. Thus, we
might say that the foundation
of Heppner was not unlike any
other happy, healthy Northwest
town. It seems, however, that
the relatively peaceful life of
small towns is often broken in
the most rude, unforgettable
manners, put lew towns were
College Sophomore
Writes Article
On 1903 Disaster
Friday, June 14, will be the
65th anniversary of the great
Heppner flood of 1903. Prob
ably millions of words have
been written about the flood,
but The Heppner Gazette
Times this year has obtained
permission from Carol Fletcher
of Yakima, Wn, to use her
account to mark the anniver
sary. Miss Fletcher has complet
ed her sophomore year at Yak
ima Valley College where she
is majoring in foreign lang
uages. She was born and rais
ed on the ranch of her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Fletch
er, at Goldendale, Wn., where
she graduated from high
school in June, 1966.
Miss Fletcher's story of the
flood was written as a term
paper in Northwest History in
the fall quarter of 1967.
"My choice of a topic was
simple because I was very In
terested in the Heppner flood
since my grandfather, J. H.
Pearson, at that time of Lena,
had worked six weeks as a
member of the clean-up crew,"
she states.
Milwaukie Man
Visits; Father
Died in Flood
John Stein, 74, of Milwaukie,
whose father died in the
Heppner flood 65 years ago,
was a visitor here Tuesday.
The father's name was also
John Stein, but he was listed
among the victims as "Mr.
Stine" in the early reports.
Because the flood claimed
his father, the son never lived
here.
It happened this way: The
elder Mr. Stein, with others,
was in the process of buying
the bank here and had been
in Heppner about three
months. His family was get
ting prepared to move here
when the flood came, and the
father perished. So the family
never came here.
The Milwaukie man came
Tuesday with Sam McMillan,
former resident and now of
Portland. They were guests of
the Norman and Alfred Nel
son families.
ever stricken so severely as
Heppner on the rainly Sunday
of June 14, 1903.
"June 14, 1903 was an import
ant day for me," recalled Wiley
Pearson, "it Was my eighth
birthday. I can remember stand
ing on the porch watching the
black clouds billowing to the
south of us, then the rain came.
It was raining pretty hard, but
not hard enough for us to worry
about. As the heavy rain be
gan to fall many people in the
Heppner vicinity were pleased to
see a heavy rain to aid their
crops. Little did they know that
to the south, where at least one
little boy had seen dark angry
clouds, there was not merely a
heavy rain, but a roaring tor
rent. The angry waters drowned
the land, formed rivers in dry
washes, overflowed the banks of
Willow Creek and Balm Fork,
and rushed in their haste to
ward the sea.
No Warning Heard
Due to the pounding of the
rain and the roaring thunder no
warning sounds were heard as,
the torrent surged downstream
Thus, without prediction a wall
of water forty feet in height de
scended upon Heppner. Few peo
ple were prepared for any such
disaster; many knew nothing of
the flood until their buildings
began to move.
Panic was the automatic re
action of the people as the wa
ter leaped through the streets
and buildings spun from their
foundations. A wild rush for the
hills resulted, and many lives
were lost when the people bolt
ed from buildings and were
swept away by the current. The
survivors watched helplessly
from hillsides, unable to do
anything to aid those who did
not escape. People unable to get
to higher ground rushed to the
upper stories of buildings and
prayed that their lives might be
spared.
The effects of the flash flood
soon were quite evident for in
the strength of the mighty tor
rent everything gave way.
Buildings spun like tops and
crashed into pieces, large trees
snapped as if they were only
toothpicks, and the victims
clinging to drift bobbed like
corks. In the midst of the chan
nel nothing could resist the
force of the current and total
destruction was left when the
water receded within one hour
of when it first struck the small
town. It seemed terrible that
what had taken so long to con
struct could be lost during one
hour. During such a tragedy
one can almost always find
County Budget
Resources Down;
Levy to be Up
Morrow county's budget for
1968-69, approved by the budg
et committee on May 28, holds
within the 6 limitation but
will require a tax levy increase
of some $28,000. Of the increase,
$18,000 Is pnrt of the road ser
ial levy voted late in 1967 by
the people.
The serial levy approved at
the special election was for
$150,000 per year as compared
with the former levy of $125,000
per year. However, adjustments
in land appraisals recently nave
cut the assessed valuation and
the levy will net only $143,000.
The budget committee, includ
ing thn pniintv rnnrt. ndnntpd ihp
such was the case of one of the policy this year of keeping costs
older members of the commun- to a minimum and every effort
ity. I was madp to nare anvthiner not
Houses Float By essential. County Judge Paul
Julius Keithley calmly sat and Jones said.
watched the houses float by Thus, requirements for the
while he sympathized with the Reneral fund for the coming
poor victims who gazed back at year are set at a total of $245,-
him. It seemed that all of the 51 slightly below the $245,831
buildings in the valley were or iast vear. Total budget re
floating by his own steadfast quirements in all funds are al
house. Finally he noticed that so down, dropping from $723,915
some pale element of comedy;
not only were all of the build
ings floating by, but so was the
landscape. Then came the harsh
realization that it was his house
that was riding the current not
the others. Calmly he moved
upstairs and then onto the roof
as the lower parts 01 tne house
were demolished. At one point,
while on the roof he rescued
one person by pulling him to
safety. Two miles downstream
from' Keithley's homesite, the
tattered roof- and the two board
ers floated to shore. Actually it
was the calmness involved with
thinking that Keithley, himself,
had no problems that saved the
lives of these two people. Hero
ism came in many forms, one
in the calmness displayed by
an elderly man, another in the
energetic actions of Leslie Mat
lock and Bruce Kelly, two mem
bers of the community.
Two Men Act
When the first waters hit
Heooner these two men flew in
to action. They realized that
the town was lost and that they
were useless tnere but down
stream lived many settlers. Only
nine miles down the valley lay
the settlement of Lexington,
farther yet was lone. Matlock
and Kellv broke into a hard
ware store, grabbed two pair of
wire cutters, leaped onto their
horses and sped down the vai
lev. Bv not following the roads
on shortcuts to individual
homes, the two men were forc
ed to cut fences and traverse
all kinds of obstacles. Nothing
could stop the men as they
shouted warnings to the settlers
who were in danger. Riding on
both sides of the creek so that
they could warn more homes on
their wild ride for lite, they
reached Lexington slightly
(Continued on page 8)
for the current year to $706,529
for the ensuing year. But re
sources other than taxes have
also dropped rather sharply,
going down to $384,682 from
the $434,114 for 1967-68, and
this is a factor in the levy in
crease.
Total taxes to be levied are
$346,137 for 1968-69 as compar
ed with $318,014 for I9b7-b.
Of the total to be levied
$203,137 is wit-tin the 6 limi
tation and the balance of $143,
000 (the road lew) is not sub
ject to the limitation. Last year,
the amount witnin tne 0 11m
itation was $193,014 and not
subject to the limitation was
the road levy, then $125,000.
The budget is printed for the
first time in this issue of The
Gazette-Times on pages 4, 5 and
6 of section 2.
Since the budget does not ex
ceed the limitation no election
will be held. Public hearing is
set for June 28 at 9 a.m. in the
county judge's office for the pur
nose of hearing anyone speak'
ing either for or against the
budget.
Sacramento Lawyer Visits
In Scouting Oregon Trail
About 30 Turn Out
To Start Summer
Recreation Plan
Man Listed Dead
In Flood Visits,
Very Much Alive
When the Heppner flood hit
in 1903, the name of Grover
Swaggart was listed among
the victims.
But Swaggart, now of Wood
burn, was back on a visit
Tuesday, still very much alive
65 years later.
He was living on the Swag
gart ranch 12 miles north of
Heppner on the fateful June
day, and didn't come to town
to see the results of the dis
aster until two weeks later.
But some of the Swaggarts
living in the area did perish
in the flood. Somehow, due to
the understandable confusion
of the time, Grover Swaggart
was listed as one of the vic
tims. He was attending school in
Pendleton during that period,
and when he went back, he
states, friends would see him
on the street, turn pale and
utter exclamations of disbe
lief. Swaggart lived in this area
for 40 years, of which four
were in Heppner, before leav
ing 43 years ago. He was born
on the ranch north of Hepp
ner. At one time he operated the
old Central Market (in the
present location of Economy
Market) for about 18 months.
Swaggart returns to Heppner
occasionally. He had planned
to come for the Memorial Day
picnic this year, but Mrs.
Swaggart was ill, and so they
couldn't make the trip. So
they postponed it until this
week.
About 30 voung people turn
ed out Monday night at the
high school gym to register for
the new summer recreation pro
gram which has been organized
under SDonsorship of the Hepp-
ner-Morrow county Chamber of
Commerce, according to Stuart
Dick who is one of the three
college leaders of the program.
Registration will continue
each night through the week,
and all young people are in
vited to come and join the fun.
Cost is only $2 for the full pro
gram Whicn win continue
through the month of July
Among activities now getting
underwav are trampoline, bas-
kPthall. tumbling, and volley
ball. Other activities will be
started if interests of those at
tending go in other directions,
The registration fee includes
$1 for insurance. Bulk of the
cost of the program is carried
bv a $100 donation from the
Chamber of Commerce and sim
ilar contributions from Morrow
county and the City 01 Hepp
ner.
On hand to get the summer
sessions started Monday nignr
were Dick, Raymond Nichols
and Martha Doherty, all older
college students with Back
grounds and training in pnys-
ical education.
ThP activities will be held
par-h evening. Monday through
Thursday, from 7 until 8:30 p.m.
at the high scnooi gym.
Although 110 students in
Heppner had indicated interest
in the program through a sur
vpv conducted prior to the end
of school, the turnout of 30 was
not disappointing to the in
structors. They felt that tne
nnmhpr will grow and that
some had conflicting activities
on the first night Dick empna-
sized that all young people
through high school age are in
vited to participate, and an ef
fort will be made to provide
worthwhile activity for all. The
number taking part is about
equally divided between boys
and girls.
A Sacramento lawyer, who
seeks to instill more 'Ameri
canism' in the children of
America and create interest and
curiosity about tnelr fore
fathers is traveling the Old
Oregon Trail route and was
a visitor at the ranch home
of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Krcbs
last Sunday and Monday.
The man is Bob Kleeman,
42, of Sacramento, Calif. He
began his journey in March
and expects to travel on
horseback along the Oregon
Trail route as far as St. Louis,
Mo., from where he will con
tinue on to New York City
and back home again to Cal
ifornia, taking the same route.
He figures the entire trip will
take from two and a half to
three years, and he is work
ing his way along, picking up
odd jobs as he goes.
The Krebs said that the
traveler rode up looking for
water for his animals, a Pal
omino horse and a mule,
which carries his tent, cook
ing utensils and gear. He had
been told that Willow Creek
runs all year around and was
auite surprised to find it dry.
He remained at the Krebs
home as a guest at their In -vitation.
Kleeman Intends to write
two books on his travels, one
Swimming Lessons
To Start Here
Tuesday, June 18
Swimming lessons will start
at the Heppner municipal pool
on Tuesday, June 18, and reg
istration will be Monday, June
17, at the pool from 11 a.m. un
til noon, Stuart Dick, lifeguard
and instructor, announces.
Classes to be scheduled in
clude mother-tot, which is for
the mother and one child aged
1 to 4; beginners; advanced be
ginners; intermediate; swim
mers; junior lifesaving; and
senior lifesaving.
The classes each will be of
one-half hour duration and will
be scheduled from 9 a.m. until
noon each week day. Times of
the specific classes are yet to
be set and will be determined
on registration day.
A basket fee of a2 covers pool
costs. In the case of the mother
lot class, the mother pays the
$2 fee. The American Red Cross
supplies teaching materials free
of charge.
Another special feature new
this year is a teen night, which
will provide supervised swim
ming for teenagers every Fri
day from 9 to 11 p.m. Charge
will be 50c per swim. It will
start June 14.
An early morning swim for
male adults from 6 to 7 a.m.
is another new feature. A wom
en s swimming hour may be.
scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m., and
women are requested to notify
Dick if they are interested, or
of another time preference.
All special swimming hours,
which require additional operat
ing costs, will require a sep
arate fee. Season tickets do not
apply.
Private parties may be ar
ranged for organized groups at
the pools at hours other than
regularly scheduled swims and
classes. Those interested are
asked to contact Dick.
an adult novel and the other
a children's book for grades
three through six. His wife,
a school teacher, will write the
children's version of the book,
through notes and tapes that
he makes as he travels.
Mrs. Kleeman joins her
husband from their home in
California for short periods.
She does not travel with him
as she had been in an acci
dent and is unable to ride
horseback.
The visitor, whom Mrs.
Krebs describes as clean cut
and cordial, gave the Krebs
an account of his life, saying
that he had once been a
farmer, a policeman and
eventually became a lawyer.
He contends that the children
of today don't know enough
of their forefathers and he
hopes, through his book, to
create enthusiasm and inter
est for learning about the past
for young people of today. He
added that California school
children do not have to sa
lute the American flag in
school.
He is much enthused about
the country he is now travel
ing and says he likes Oregon
so much he may decide to
settle in the state when his
journey is through.
The Krebs family and their
guest enjoyed sourdough hot
cakes and bis c u 1 1 s made
from a sourdough starter
which Is said to have come
across the Oregon Trail in
1864, although Mrs. Krebs
isn't sure of the actual date
it was started.
The man resumed his jour
ney Monday afternoon down
the Butter Creek road, taking
the old highway route from
Echo into Pendleton.
'Romans' Invite
Brave Male Adults
To Early Swims
A brave and hardy segment
of the local male population,
who earned the title, "Ro
mans," last year for their par
ticipation in the sport of vol
leyball, have a new wrinkle
this year in their physical fit
ness endeavors, and they in
vite other male adults to come
and join them.
The group Is arising at an
early hour daily Tuesdays
through Fridays for swim
ming sessions at the new
Heppner municipal pool. They
swim from 6 until 7 a.m.
Six were in attendance at
the first swim Tuesday morn
ing. While the atmosphere
was on the chilly side, the
water was nice and warm,
and they all enjoyed it, ac
cording to Bill Collins, one of
the "Romans."
Others making the plunge
were Bob Abrams, Joe Balfe,
Herman Winter, Larry Prock
and Loren Lucore.
Those who wish to join them
are cordially invited. A charge
will be assessed to cover ex
penses of using the pool, and
the charge will be made even
though the participant has a
summer swim ticket. Amount
will be determined by the
number of participants.
Those interested are invited
to contact Collins or Prock, or
to merely show up at 6 a.m.
at the pool. No examination,
either physical or mental, is
required.
Equipment
Tabs Cuts;
Vote July 1
Morrow county school district's
budget committee slashed $47.-
G56 from the proposed 1968-69
budget at a meeting in Irrigon
Monday night. At the same time,
receipts in the budget were in
creased from $279,702 to $282,102
because of a recently announc
ed increase in expected state
basic school support funds for
the coming year of $2400.
Thus, with the cuts and the
$2400 increase in resources, the
tax levy to be asked at the elec
tion on Monday. July 1. will be
$50,056 less than that on which
voters balloted on June 3.
Total budget requirements
were reduced from $1,313,876 to
Si,ZM,Z2U, and total taxes to
balance the budget were reduc
ed from $1,094,174 to $1,044,118.
Total general fund taxes are
now listed at $1,044,118 with
$292,476 inside the 6 limita
tion and $751,642 outside the
6 limitation. This requires a
total levy outside the limitation
of $8.85 per $1000 of true cash
value of property.
Total general fund taxes for
the amount both inside and in
excess of the 6 limitation will
be $11.93 per $1000 true cash
value. This represents an in
crease of approximately $1.50
per $1000 true cash value for
school taxes above the 1967-68
year.
Work Until 1:15 cum.
In making the cuts, the com
mittee worked until 1:15 a.m.
after hearing questions and
comments at a public meeting
in tne a. u. Hougnton school
with about 30, in addition to
committee members, attending.
At a previous meeting In Lex
ington on Friday night, about
50 turned out to discuss the
budget and present their views.
In paring the nearly $50,000,
the committee invaded many ar
eas of the budget.
Teacher salaries were reduc
ed by $18,000 by eliminating
two teachers. One which was
cut was the special education
instructor, including the coun
selling program, at Heppner Ele
mentary. Also at the same
school three first grade classes
will be combined into two, and
Mrs. Alena Anderson, first grade
teacher, will teach a second
grade class. Mrs. Anita Stock
ard, former second grade teach
er who has resigned, will
therefore not be replaced.
Here are where more of the
cuts came and the amounts
pared:
Educational television hook
ups, $1,000; supplies for class
es, $2,065; replacement of ve
hicles. $300: contracted transDor-
tation services, $800; field trips
eliminated, $1,000; custodial
supplies, $300; replacement of
equipment reduced by $5880;
planned purchase of new equip
ment dropped, $9,461; upkeep of
grounds reduced $500.
Public employees retirement
cut $1000: Social Securitv nared
$300 (by reducing staff); golf
course rental in Heppner cut,
$100; salaries for student hot
lunch servers cut out, $4500;
supplies for lunch programs,
$500; salaries for athletic offic
ials pared $1,300; paving at
Heppner Elementary, $500; lev
eling at Riverside, $150; remod
el girls' rest room at Heppner
Junior High, $4,000.
Reduction of amounts allow-
(Continued on page 8)
Senator Nominee Ken Jernstedt Talks
To Chamber On 'Get-Acquainted1 Trip
Rep. Kenneth Jernstedt of
Hood River, who is Republican
nominee for the state senate
from the 18th district (which in
cludes Morrow county), spoke to
the Heppner-Morrow county
Chamber of Commerce Monday
on a "get-acquainted" visit.
He won the Republican nom
ination in the primary election,
being unopposed on the ticket,
and has apparently also won
the Democratic nomination, al
though official returns have not
confirmed this. If this is true,
he will appear on the general
election ballot in November as
the Republican-Democratic can
didate.
Jernstedt, who served with
the Flying Tigers In China pri
or to World War II and is now.
owner of the Coca-Cola Bottling
Company in Hood River, is cur
rently representative from the
22nd district (Hood River and
Wasco counties).
In his talk, the genial poli
tician stated that he is in fa
vor of more basic school sup
port from the state, and made
it clear that he feels state gov
ernment in Oregon is "way
above most states in the na
tion." As one example, he cited the
fact that votes taking on all
matters in the legislature are
recorded and are open for pub
lic inspection. In many states,
the votes do not show on the
record, he said.
Chamber members learned
that the senatorial nominee is
very concerned about the "one
man, one-vote" principle, which
he feels penalizes the people of
eastern Oregon. He said that all
counties east of the mountains
have a total of only five sena
tors and nine representatives.
By contrast, Multnomah county
alone has eight senators and
17 representatives.
"We are the forgotten people,"
he said.
In his Initial appearance here,
Jernstedt immediately faced
questions on the sales tax. He
Is in favor of referring a sales
tax to the people, he said, for
their decision, but said that he
would never be in favor of such
a tax unless it has a built-in
property tax offset feature.
"At the present time 97.8 of
the nation's population is liv
ing under a state sales tax," he
said.
In answer to a question on
the possibility of seeking prop
erty tax relief through added
income tax, he said that Ore
gon now ranks among the high
est income taxing states in the
nation. If enough were added
(Continued on page 8)