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Al Ullman
Appeals
For Project
WASHINGTON. D. C Jum
10. Congressman Al Ullman
tod or asked Houis Appropri
ations Committee members lor
urgent action n the Willow
Creek Flood Control project
Hood at Heppner. '
"I hare notified the mem
bers of the House Appropria
tions committee of the flood
damage." Ullman said, "and
hope that the Willow Creek
protect will receive high pri
ority in their current consid
eration of public works fund
ing." Ullman added. "It is now
even more Imperative that
funds be appropriated to get
the Willow Creek project un
derway at the earliest possi
ble time. If the Heppner dam
had been constructed, it would
have helped protect the peo
ple of Heppner and other
Morrow county communities
from damage and possible loss
of life."
Ullman also noted that a
request may shortly be made
by Morrow county officials to
Gov. McCall urging that
Heppner be declared a disas
ter area.
"Such designation will make
damaged properties eligible
for low interest federal loans
and possibly other forms of
assistance." Ullman said.
"I intend to do everything
possible to facilitate whatever
aid is required," he added.
Ullman's telegram to repre
sentative Michael J. Kirwan.
chairman of the House Appro
priations subcommittee on
public works, was typical of
warnings that the Second Dis
trict Congressman sounded. It
read: "Last night another
costly flood hit the town of
Heppner on Willow Creek in
Oregon. Fortunately, because
cf telephoned warnings from
upstream no lives were lost
as in the deadly flood of 1903.
Property damage may run
higher than floods of 1937. or
1965. You will recall testimo
ny before your subcommittee
on Jroe 2 by Judge Paul Jones
of Morrow county and myself
in support of appropriations
to initiate advanced engin
eering and design studies of
Willow Creek project author
ized in 1965. I am sure you
understand that events of last
night make our plea even
more urgent. Your help will
be deeply appreciated."
Judge Jones Tells
Of Good Reception
On Trip to D. C.
(See page 1, section 2,
for full report)
Judge Paul Jones reports that
he received an excellent recep
tion in Washington, D. C, last
week when he went there to
appear before congressional sub
committees on the Willow Creek
project.
Judge Jones had an appoint
ment to appear before a House
sub-committee only, but had
the opportunity, upon arrival, to
also appear before the Senate
sub-commitee. Therefore, he
made both appearances and
while they were brief, he found
that the committee members
were interested and asked ques
tions following his presentation.
Judge Jones had high praise
for the help and support given
by Oregon's Congressional del
egation. Both of Oregon's senators,
Mark Hatfield and Robert Pack
wood, gave excellent assistance,
and Sen. Hatfield also made a
strong appeal before the senate
subcommittee.
Judge Jones' trip, partly fi
nanced by the county and part
ly financed by the Heppner
Morrow county Chamber of Com
merce, was to urge that a pre
construction appropriation be
made for the project this year.
Funds for such an appropriation
were not included in the Presi
dent's budget, and the admin
istration has announced a pol
icy of "no new starts" this year.
However, the Willow Creek pro
ject is regarded as one of high
priority ranking among the
top three in the State of Oregon.
Mrs. Jones accompanied her
husband, and due to the fact
that they left on a holiday week
end, they were able to spend
some time sightseeing. They
saw many of the attractions of
the nation's capitol, and al
though it was a work time for
her husband, she said she en
joyed "every minute of it."
More Front Page
News
On Back Page,
THIS SECTION
86th Year
THE
HM1
GAZETTETEMi
Heppner, Oregon 97836, Thursday, June 12,
r-- Zt''
WHILE FLOOD WATER
hagen climbed over deposited debris to enter tne
taken about 11 p.m. Monday night.
5 V
LIGHTS OF A CITY fire truck reflect on flood waters on boutn Mam street
late Monday night as it ploughs through the water. Firemen had a busy
night and stayed on duty until 4:30 a.m. after clanger of more crests had
passed.
Conservation Field Day Set for June 18
As State Conservation Men of
the Year, Bob and Herb Peter
son, who ranch as Peterson Bros.,
will be honored at the annual
Field Day on Wednesday, June
18. Many from across the state,
including agricultural leaders,
will assemble at the Peterson
Bros, ranch.
The event is sponsored by the
Oregon Wheat Growers League
and the John Deere Co. of Port
land. At 10 a.m. the group will as
semble at the ranch, which is
located 16 miles from lone, near
the Valby Lutheran church. E.
H. (Tad) Miller, Jr., president of
the Morrow County Wheat
Growers and chairman of the
tour, will introduce guests and
present remarks.
Bob Peterson will respond with
a talk of welcome, after which
the visitors will tour the Eight-
mile place of the operation.
Free lunch, presented by Paul
and Helen Pettyjohn, Shell Oil
.i A J- 'fit ''.-.'-"
.t -
ROLLED almost knee deep past his home on 260
J
and chemical jobbers of lone,
will be at 12:30.
Louis Carlson, 1969 chairman
of the selection committee, Tom
Vaughan, Oregon Wheat League
president, and Don Robinson of
the John Deere Co., will speak
briefly during the lunch hour.
At 1:15 a tour will be conduc
ted on the remaining part of
the ranch operation.
Sharing honors with the title
awarded at the Wheat League
meeting in December are Hen
ry Peterson, father of the Peter
son brothers, and Holmes GaD
bert, who owns one of the
ranches they operate.
The total operation consists of
8,871 acres. All the cropland is
planted and tilled on the con
tour. Other major practices are
stubble mulch, 17 miles divers
ion ditches, 10 acres sod water
ways, subsoiling 400 acres, ro
tation grazing of 307 acres and
deferred grazing 2,350 acres
Anyone interested is invited to
1969
Cj.ttw'&t.,
evacuatea piace ana cnet -
o
vs.;
mum
i 1 T 1
attend the field day to see for
himself what can be done in
conservation.
Heppner District
Second in Contest
Heppner Soil and Water Con
servation district has placed
second in the annual contest lor
the Goodyear award, according
to information received by the
district.
West Linn SWCD won first
place in the contest and thereby
earned the right to send two
persons from the district to the
Goodyear Farm at Mesa, Ariz.
Heppner SWCD received a
plaque for second place.
The Heppner district won first
in the state in 1964 and on a
previous time in the 1950's. The
competition this year included
the 67 districts in the state.
Number 16
EDEPPNEO
Price 10 Cents
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S. Main, Carsten Brand-
K uainage. jtiuic wa0
MORE
FLOOD PICTURES
IPage 5, Sec. 1, and
Pages 4 and 5, Sec. 2
Heppner's Monday
Night Rain .89;
Others up to 1.95
While focus of attention is on
Heppner with a concentration of
the mess after Monday night's
flash flood, it didn't get the most
rainfall, according to reports
from Don Gilliam, Heppner
weather observer, and from
ranchers in the area.
Gilliam's gauges recorded a
total of .89 inch of rain, coming
in two separate heavy down
pours. Ranchers in outlying ar
eas reported as much as 1.95
inches. Henry Baker of the lone
area said his gauges showed
this much. He said that he had
never seen so much rainfall at
one time. Roads were so extens
ively damaged that he could not
get to Columbia Basin Electric
Co-op's open house, even though
he was among those instrumen
tal in organizing the coopera
tive. Don Greenup reported 1.25
inches at his Hinton creek ranch.
Gilliam said that the first del
uge, coming just after 9 p.m.,
tallied .51 inch, and the second
wave of the storm, occurring
about midnight, brought anoth
er .39 inch.
Rainfall for June already to
tals 1.65 inch, all coming in a
three-day period, Su n d a y
through Tuesday. This exceeds
the normal for the month of
June (1.40) inches by .25 inch.
High temperature of the week
was 96 degrees last Wednesday.
The ensuing night's minimum
held up to 71 degrees.
Through the week's electrical
storm, which was prolonged in
termittently from Saturday eve
ning through Monday night, the
weather held warm and humid,
like the steaming jungles.
Complete report for the week
is as follows:
Hi Low Prec.
Wednesday 96 57
Thursday 92 71
Friday 88 58
Saturday 81 53
Sunday 77 58 .30
Monday 81 60 .46
Tuesday 80 58 .89
Monday Night Storm
June, 1903, 'Encore
Just five days before the G6th anniversary of
the Great Heppner Flood, another deluge hit Mon
day night as if to revive memories of the great dis
aster of 1903.
Fortunately, the damage was only a fraction of
the flood at the turn of the century. No one was
hurt, and property loss was not nearly as devastating-
.
But as of Tuesday night there is still no real
estimate on the total loss. In the aggregate, it may
run high, although the flash flood was more of a
nuisance than it was a destroyer.
A torrent of rainfall, accompanied by an elec
trical storm, broke about
Late Survey Shows
Damage
On County's Roads
, Damage to roads in Morrow
county's road system is criti
cal, far worse than the first
evaluation indicated after the
week-end storms, County
Judge Paul Jones declared lust
before press time Wednesday.
He estimated that 50 of
the county roads are damaged
worse than they were in the
devastating Christmas flood of
1964 and January flood of
1965.
"We're lust about at our
wits end," the judge said.
"People will just have to bear
with us."
Members of the road crews
had been out checking various
parts of the county and their
report was made at a meeting
prior to working hours early
Wednesday morning.
Not all the damage was
tione Monday night. Much of
it was done in the Saturday
night storm in various parts of
the county with washes cov
ering roads, some washed out,
culverts lost , some small
bridges gone and sections of
oiled roads literally floated
away. , .
The county has asked Gov.
Tom McCall to declare the
county an emergency area and
the county court is consider
ing applying for a loan from
the state to make repairs
this under a new legislative
act that empowers the county
to borrow against revenues
that it will receive from the
state with repayment over a
5-year period.
"In the 1964 flood we were
able to borrow $400,000 which
isn't available to us now," the
judge said.
Some roads are closed, such
as the one from McNab to
Olex, but a complete rundown
of these was not available at
press time.
Clark's Canyon road Is bad
ly damaged, according to late
word from Mrs. Al Bunch. On
ly a bare passage is offered
by the washed out road which
is covered with rocks and
boulders. The Bunch's drain
age ditches were cut down six
feet by the flood waters, she
said.
Erosion Toll High
And Hoy Hit Hard;
Wheat Loss Light
' Ranches and farms of Morrow
county have suffered damage in
many ways from the week-end
storm and Monday nigms
flooding, but loss to tne oncom
ing wheat crop is relatively
liht This wns the assessment
expressed by Harold Kerr, coun
ty extension agent, ami uaviu
McLeod of the SCS office and
Aior, r.ahn nf thp Soil Conser
vation Service concurred.
Erosion toll was great, rep
resenting a loss that cannot be
. , . . n unA In
repiacea. nay w "'
the low areas witn-water Kuhik
nTDF haled hav and some inai
rveI 3 a na ihat
naa mren wwu.ww. j
was still standing generally win
emerge nu.u u.e ""'6
s U tnrAirrr h -
cut great problem unless u was
washed out
or covered with
heavy silt.
Abrams Has Surgery
At Good Samaritan
Bob Abrams, local attorney, is ":v residents were
reported by his le,Matornany residents were
be getting along very wen iu
lowing major back surgery per-
formed at Fortianas oooa sam-
t-,A of PnrtlanrTe Cnnd ham-
i"""1" - j j "
aritan hospital last Wednesday
mornine.
The surgery involved per-
forming a fusion for a ruptured
disc condition. According to a
15" U"
Tuesday, ne .expects w
leased from the nospitai Dy June
18. but will remain in a Doay
cast for some time.
. His room number jro ior
tnenus wno wish iu wimai.-
with him.
9 p.m. In less than a half
hour, the city's flood siren was
sounded from warnings that em
anated from Shobe canyon
(ilong the Condon-Heppncr
highway).
The waters swept down the
canyon, followed the creek chan
nel and veered towards Chase
street, a familiar pattern in sim
ilar storms of 1937, 1961 and
1965.
However, the volume became
so heavy that it soon overflowed
the channel banks and ran down
ih. smith onri nf Main street. It
engulfed the city's new swim
ming pool just a aay aner u
had opened for Its second sea-
rr, attar holniT PnmnlpteW TC-
built last year under a city bond
issue. .
At the height of the storm,
Motor wm runnlnar ud to two
feet deep on the street by the
swimming pool. jLumDer, smaii
logs, tree branches and all man
ner of debris were carried along
u.. v.a c.uiftHr mnvincr current.
The water surged around homes
in the area, went tnrougn tne
m,i oroa nt the U. S. Forest
Service, Heppner Ranger District,
headquarters ana into us ware
house and garage.
Muck Reaches Foot Deep
The flow was heavy with chocolate-colored
silt, and it deposit
ed as much as a foot of muck
in places on Heppner's streets.
One of the deepest deposits was
on West Center Street and Chase
Street by the Morrow County
Creamery.
Tha mater rnllpd over used
car lots at Farley Motor Com
pany and at Heppner Auto saies.
It left mud at the service sta-
tion area of Jerry's bheii. n
swept through residential blocks
south of the business district,
fiiiinr. hacdimpnls and lavins
waste to lawns and yards, al
ways leaving the mucK in us
wake. . ,
ronnnn Ktrppt. east Ol
UJl VUU1IVM " '
Chase, the main damage again
was from the mess ol tne iiooa.
Little real loss was suffered by
the home owners in this area,
although most of them had
some damage, uoyie ey s omn
was swept away at the height
tha finnH nnrt farms alonz
Ul 11,1- ' -
the canyon to the south were
hard hit with loss to Dunaings,
pastures, small bridges and oth
er facilities.
Firemen, under the direction
of Fire Chief Forrest Burken
bine, had assembled their regu
lar fire drill when the danger
became apparent. Many of them
worked straight through the
night to patrol streets, notify
residents ol tne lmpeiium uau-
ger, check out leaas oi uiuei
waterspouts, ana periorm uin
services.
Four-Foot Head Dissipates
Report came in from the Wil
bur Gourleys that a four-foot
head of water was coming down
C Lr i nnaf n ran IT which flows into
Willow Creek. This was after the ,
crest of the iiooa irom snoDe
canyon, and by the time it ar
rived at Heppner it had dissi
pated enough so that it did lit
tle harm. ,,
City Police Officer Dean Gil
man first noticed the impend
ing flood when he drove up the
Condon Highway during the
downpour on the theory that it
might cause a flood.
"I switched the spotlight on
r.nA niavoH it nvpr the fields.
I could see that dark mass real
t'- '"" ;h "hit- th sir
ly rolling," he saia. unman saia
m: iuim " T"
en anu auunucu
that rPKnitpd in the sounding of
-"-",,." J elMn
me rhbwi "i
Many residents at first con-
I ..i'T ",- hut
siuereu ii a hT Th
many others headea ior nign
erouhd. Some never heard the
siren at all.
In the pitch aarKness anu
with little knowledge of what
Aiimlnn OVfOTit tn knOW
WX3 UVt.UlllUA, v. -
that sirens were sounding ana
hn rain u9 mmin? QOWn III
------ those who ven-
what to ,ao wen t
"
onrt saw the river ol water pour-
and saw tne "ver o v
aiiu oa r. tin. - - - - --
t i,j0 tnwn had no way
amount of damage
"B ?r
,ni Hi. lha Avrpnr 1 1 iiit- iiimiu-
r;"""
Many left their homes, how-
evpr. unt 1 they were
re sure ii
to return.
3ad shap
Roads in Sad Shape
foi,in nunishment. Roads were
Mpflnwhile. rural areas were
, damaged. Judge
(Continued on page 8)