Heppner gazette-times., June 12, 1969, Page 8, Image 8

S HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday. June 12. 1969
Damaging Flood Leaves Mess
(Continued from page 1)
rnul Junes and Harold (Doc)
Slierer, county roadmuMcr, made
a survey Tuesday and Jones
raid later, "We're In a mess."
He said he had no way of es
timating lit this time what road
damage would be monetarily
but said, "As a wild guess.
may be In the neighborhood of
S7S.O00."
The Judge said that damage
was as severe to many roans as
it was in the Christmas flood
of 14 and the January flood
of 1905. However. It did not hit
as much of the county.
Rock as deep as four feet was
faid to be over the willow Creek
road, southeast of Heppner, in
spots. Culverts were washed out
on many roads, small bridges
were torn away, and in some
places the oiled surface of roads
was lifted up and literally float
ed away.
Ed Coleman and Don McKIn
nis of Salem, representing the
Department of Emergency Serv
Ices, arrived Tuesday to survey
the area. Judge Jones said that
the county court had asked Gov
ernor Tom McCall to declare this
an emergency area principally
to enable those damaged to get
loans to help them in the crisis.
Erosion Damage Heavy
As the amount of silt carried
by the flood would testify, the
erosion damage was extreme.
"Damage from erosion Is
fierce," is the way Judge Jones
put it.
C. J. D. Bauman, civil defense
director, made a check Tuesday
to determine if any help were
needed that might Involve call
ing the Red Cross or other agen
cies for assistance, but said that
he had learned of no cases
where families were suffering
fiom lack of food or shelter.
In the rural areas, however,
water has become a problem
ironically. Quite a number of
ranchers have reported losing
their wells through the flood
washing.
On the north side of town, the
Willow Creek County club bore
a heavy brunt of damage. At
least three greens were covered
with mud and debris, and some
fairways were extensively hit,
also being covered with deep
layers of silt.
Practice Green Ruined
Up by the club house, the
practice green was virtually
ruined from a "me, too" flood
that poured from the canyon
across the highway.
Most of the Main street busi
ness section and all those ly
ing to the west escaped damage.
Clint McQuarrie of Central Mar
ket said that some water came
into the back of the store but
he did not believe damage
would be extensive.
Probably hardest hit of all
was the city's swimming pool
a blow to the kids who were
just preparing for a season of
fun Jn its cooling waters. City
Superintendent Vic Groshens
and the city crew were at the
job of making repairs early
Tuesday but it was an extors
ive thing.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he
could not give an estimate of
the total damage to the pool.
While it was known that there
is a great amount of mud and
debris in the pool, the amount
of damage cannot be fully as
certained until draining can be
accomplished. The boiler room
was filled with a heavy layer
of mud and what other damage
may have been done there re
mains to be seen. The bath
house did not apear to be
ktructurally damaged but like
rwmt everything eHe in the
flood's path, was "in a mess'
with silt covering the surround
Ing area.
Horses Saved
Horse that were kept In the
Doyle Key barn were brougnt
out safely before the building
was swept away. Pieces of the
structure littered yards and
streets for the distance that the
flood traversed.
On Tuesday, the community
set about repairing dumage and
seeking a return to normalcy
Almost all available scoops and
trucks were pressed into service.
Many took shovels and did their
work by hand. Most of those hit
were still able to smile and
make a Joke of the trouble that
had beset them.
News of the floeid spread
quickly across the state and to
the nation's capitol. Judge Jones
received a call from Cong. Al
Ullman's offlc? at 7:40 a.m. and
The Gazette-Times received a
call from Don Barney of toll
man's staff shortly after, advis
ing of action being taken by
the congressman to press for
the culmination of the Willow
Creek protect.
Wire services, daily newspa
pers, and television stations sent
representatives here. Several
ame In by private airplane, In
luding Leverett Richards and
Photographer Jim Vincent of
The Oregonian. Channel 6 News
made an aerial survey and de
voted an extensive coverage on
Its Tuesday newscasts to the
Hood, together with reports on
damage at John Day, Prairie
City and at Madras.
While no buildings except
for the one barn were destroy
ed and no lives were lost in
this flood, the consensus was
that it was the worst of the
"modern" floods.
Ranchers Lost Hay
It didn't Just hit Heppner
alone but struck in the rural
areas, too. Some ranchers report
ed losing trucks and equipment
that were swept away, much
freshly-cut hay was lost, and
pastures were ripped by the cut
ting force of the water.
Several said that they had as
much water at least as they
had In the 1964 flood. One of
those was Art Dalzell of the lone
area whose neighbor measured
1.25 Inches.
In lone proper, there apparent
ly was no damage from this
storm. Residents there have been
through the brunt of them be
fore ones that have come off
and down Rietmann Canyon.
Lexington had some flooding
that issued from Blackhorse
canyon, and Everett Brock of the
machinery division of Morrow
County Grain Growers said that
his crew was busy cleaning out
silt Tuesday.
Public Hearing
On Scenic Areas
Due Here June 16
Recent week-end visitors at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ken
neth Cutsforth and family were
her brother, Bob Bryant and two
sons, from Portland. Bryants
wife is the former Joan Spencer,
who is currently enrolled at the
Good Samaritan School of Nur
sing. House guests at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Loyd over
the Memorial Day week-end
were her niece, Miss Susan
Trowbridge of John Day and a
friend, Kathy Stirewalt of Spray.
Miss Trowbridge is a student
at EOC in La Grande and vis
ited in Heppner while partici
pating in the college rodeo with
her school's team.
Designation of 10 scenic r
eas totaling 176.35 miles along
five highways In eastern Ore
gon will be considered at a pub.
lie hearing Monday, June 16, In
the Morrow county courthouse
The hearing, which will regln
at 3:30 p.m., will be held by the
Oregon Scenic Ana Board.
Scenic Area" means an area
udlacent to or along a segment
of a public highway that is with
in a federal or state park, is a
site of historical significance, or
affords a view of unusual nat
ural beauty.
The purpose of declaring a
oenlc area is the pieservaton
of the scenic view in the des
ignated areas, through climlnj-
Ion of certain signs and affect
ing the establishment of junk-
ards.
Among the 10 areas unde-r
consideration are one in Mor
reiw and Umatilla counties, two
in Gilliam and Morrow counties.
and two in Morrow ana wneei-
r counties.
The Wasco Heppner highway-
Oregon IMMil from mile-point
2.50. which Is 1.17 mile's east
from the east eitv limits of Con
don, easterly 30.50 miles to
milcpoint 73. (X), enels at a point
0.33 mile we-st from the junc
tion of the He-ppner-Spray high
way. Another strip begins at
milepoint 74.00, which is 0.63
mile's south from Rhea Creek,
and runs easterly 8.28 miles to
milepoint 8228, which is at
Shone Canvon.
On Heppner highway (Oregon
74 Is one stretch starting at
milepoint 47.35, which is at Hin
ton Ceek, and running easterly
35.80 mile's to milepoint 83.15.
which is at the junction of
the Pendleton-John Day high
way.
Also to be considered is the
area along the Heppner-Spray
highway (Oregon 207) from
milepoint 2.87 at Porcupine
Koad, southerly 5.55 miles to
milepoint 8.42, the north city
limits of Hardman. Also the ar
ea from milepoint 9.05, which is
0.14 mile south from the south
city limits of Hardman, souther
ly 31.91 mile's to milepoint 40.96,
at the junction of the John Day
highway is listed.
Not in this immediate locale,
but familiar to many is the area
along the Kimberlv-Long Creek
highway from milepoint 0.00,
the Junction of the John Day
highway (Oregon 19) easterly
13.19 miles to the west city lim
its of Monument, and from mile
point 26.00, which is 0.89 west
of Basin Road, easterly 7.95
miles to milepoint 33.95, at Shaw
Creek.
Listed in Umatilla and Grant
counties are three areas. One
stretches along the Pendleton-
John Day highway (US 395)
from milepoint 17.00, which is
0.13 mile north of Yellow Jack
et Road, southerly 21.00 miles
to milepoint 38.00, which is 0.57
mile north of Butter Creek. An
other goes from milepoint 96.00,
which is 5.18 miles south from
the south city limits of Long
Creek, southerly 2.31 miles to
milepoint 98.31 at Smith Creek
The last of the 10 areas to
be considered at the Monday
meeting covers nearly 20 miles
between Fox Creek and Mount
Vernon. It starts at milepoint
100.00, which is 0.87 mile south
of Fox Creek, and runs south
erly 19.86 miles to milepoint
119.86, which is at the north city
limits of Mt. Vernon.
I I ' ;.Hj
Mm . V -
REV. EDWIN CUTTING
,-r-. I
i
1 9
REV. MELVIN DIXON
County Budget
Decreases $5000
A slight decrease In tax levy,
amounting to approximately
$5000. Is shown by the proposed
budget for Morrow county for
l!KiU-70. which Is prlnte-d for the
first of two times in this paper
on pages 6, 7 and 8 of section
2.
The total tax levy for the en
suing year is se t at $341,083 as
compared with a total levy of
$316,137 for 1968-69.
The budget remains within
the six percent limitation and
therefore will net requlre a vote
of the people. Of the total levy
S200.083 Is inside the six per
cent limitation, and $141,000 is
not subject to the limitation.
Marion Gre-en is chairman of
the county budget committee
Public hearing is set for 8:30
a.m. on Thursday, June 26, and
all persons are Invite'd to come
and speak either for or against
the budget or to comment on It.
Total expenditure's for the
coming year are set at $085,390
as compared with $706,529 for
1968-69. However resoure-es other
than taxes were $384,682 for the
current fiscal year and will be
down to an estimated $369,087
for the ensuing year.
Rev. Ed Cutting
Named to Serve
Methodist Church
Keep It fresh. First It was Ice . . . now mechanical refrigera
tion has taken over. Through the use of Pacific Fruit Express
refrigerated cars or refrigerated trailers and containers,
your product arrives fresh and ready for market. Precise
mechanical refrigeration is here today. Tomorrow it will be
$ometh(ng new to better serve Union Pacific shippers and
customers alike. YesterdayTodayTomorrow.
Mrs. Sue Tones and Bobbette
traveled to Vancouver. Wn., last
Thursday, where they were
house guests for several days at
the home of her aunt. Mrs. Har
old Vedder. Joining them there
for several davs of visiting was
her mother, Mrs. Delmer Fellers,
from Eugene.
1869 1969
pulling together... Union Pacific and the Pacific Northwest
Flatt's Truck
Service
Coil 384-2292. Condon.
Collect for
SERVING HEPPNER WITH
FAST AND DEPENDABLE
FHEIGHT TRUCK SERVICE
Dally Overnight Service
From Portland Including
Saturdays
MOVING? CALL US
Services Are Held
For Chuck O'Donnell
Funeral mass was held Wed
r.cselav. June 11. for Charles J
(Chuck) O'Donnell, resident of
Heppner about 15 years ago, and
recently of Baker.
O'Donnell is an uncle of Mrs.
Jim Lovgren and Jack Sumner,
and was employed at the mill
while he resided here.
He died Sunday evening, June
8, after an extended illne'ss. Sur
vivors include his wife. Pearl,
of Baker.
Mrs. Lovgren and Sumner
planned to attend the services
in Baker at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday.
Sadness Follows
First 'Free' Swim
Swimming season at the
Heppner municipal pool was off
to a gexnl start with the 4 hour
"free swim" on Sunday, enjoyed
by about 200 splashing, happy
youngsters and 'oldsters'. The
staff of lifeguards and helpers
enjeyed seeing the pool oened
for another busy summer. But it
was short lived. Surging flood
waters of Monday night inun
dated the pool on the eve of Us
regular season opening on Tues
day.
"We cannot say just what is
ahead now," Mrs. Elaine George
commented at the city hall
Tuesday," Nothing definite can
be planned now until they ge
It draine'd and cleaned."
A group of high school boys
were in her office early Tues
day to offer their volunteer help
to clean the pool, an indk'ation
of eagerness of Heppner youth
to get their pool "in operation
again.
Funeral Rite Held
For Alton Basey
Funeral services were held In
Wapato, Wn., on Monday, June
9, for Alton Basey, former Hepp
ner resident anel uncle of Mrs.
James Hager.
Basey passed away on Thurs
day, June 5, at his home. He
had enjoyed good health until
about two years ago, when his
health began to fail. He knew
many people in the area and
enjoyed coming back to his for
mer home each year to attend
the annual Pioneer Memorial
picnic.
He spent his early childhood
years in Heppner, and was
married to the former Tressie
Stewart, formerly of Heppner.
His survivors include his wife.
Emma; one son, Wilbur Basey
of Toppenish, and his niece,
Mrs. Hager, who traveled to
Wapato to attend the funeral
service.
Open House Held
Despite Flood
aiepnner's flash floed of Mon
day night caused a short post
ponement of ceremonle's at the
Open House and Dedication of
the new utilities building of
Columbia Basin Electric Co-op
Tueslay, but the event was held
as planned,
A ribbon-cutting ceremony,
scheduled for 10:30, was post-
pemed until 2 p.m. because of
so many being Involved In flood
cleanup and unable to get hi
because of bad road conditions.
At that time Mayor Bill Col
llns gave a spe-enh of welcome
and other dignitaries had a part
in the ceremonies. A total of
160 attended the open house
during the day, Manager Har
ley Young said.
The winner of the stereo sit
had not been named as of Tues
day afternoon and will be an
nounced later.
Death Claims Sister
Of Carey Hastings
Mr. and Mrs. Carey Hastings
traveled to Hermiston last
Thursday, June 5, to attend fun
eral services at Burns Mortuary
Chapel for his sister, Lorella
May Hastings, who died Mon
day at the Hermiston Good
Samaritan Center.
Mrs. Hastings, 74, was born
January 4, 1895 at Hardman. She
had been a resident of Hermis
ton for the past six years.
the Is survived by one son.
Claude of Alhertsville, Ala.;
three brothers, Guy of Hermis
ton, Carey of Heppner, and El-
wood of Kinzua.
Other local residents travel
ing over for the service were
Mrs. Grace Buschke, Mr. and
Mrs. Elmer Steers, Archie Bech
dolt, and Mr. and Mrs. Adrian
Bechdolt.
Automatic 4-Way Levdmg
The Rev. Edwin Albert Cut
ting, pastor of Methexlist church
es at Dufur and Tygh Valley
lrom 19b5 to 1909, has been ap
pointed by Bishop Everett Palm
er of the Portland area to serve
the Heppner Methodist church.
He will begin as minister here
on bunday, June la, when he
will preach his ilrst sermon in
the local pulpit. The family will
be welcomed at a church picnic
at noon at the courthouse park.
I he Kev. Mevin Dixon, pastor
of the Heppner church for sev
en years, has been appointed to I
serve the Methodist church at
Cottage Grove, and he and Mrs.
Dixon are moving there this I
week.
Family of Rev. Cutting in
cludes his wife, Doris, and six
children. Sons are Ernest, who
is a lawyer in St. Paul, Minn.:
Todd, who is in his eighth year
in the U. s. Air Force, now serv
ing in England; Robert, who is
in the U. S. Navy, stationed at
iNortoik, va.; and Craig, who is
a junior in high school. Daugh
ters are Rebecca, who is mar
ried and is studying nursing at
the University of Oregon Med
ical School, and Vanessa, who
is a freshman in college.
Rev. Cutting was educated at
Byron High school, Byron,
Minn., and received his bachel
or of arts degree fom the Uni
versity of Minnesota. He receiv
ed his divinity degree from Gar
rett Biblical Institute, Evanston,
111.
Before entering the ministry,
Rev. Cutting engaged in horti
culture and farming. He was a
member of the Patrons of Hus
bandry (Grange) for iZ years
and has been a member and
leader in the Boy Scout organ
ization for 28 years. He was
a member of the Kocnester,
Minn., Garden Club and of the
PTA. For a time, he was also a
member of a school board in
Minnesota.
Interested in art. Rev. Cutting
has won "Award , of Merit rib
bons at Rural Art Shows at the
University of Minnesota sever
al times.
Swimming, geology and paint
ing are his hobbies.
The Rev. and Mrs. Dixon were j
complimented on Sunday, June
1, at a farewell given them by
members of the church, lhey
have been active in community
affairs and organizations with
Rev. Dixon serving as a leader
in the Ked Cross. Mrs. Dixon
was employed part time at the
post office and - operated the
Abundant Foods program in the
countv. She was s a member or
the Mother's club.,
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