HEPPNER GAZETTE -TIM
Bartholomew Family History
Bv MABT BARTHOLOMEW
SETHER
(The following .story was
handed us by Randall Peterson
and contains much Interesting
history):
During the past 60 years,
Heppner has suffered and. sur
vived two great tragedies the
flood of 1903 and the fire In
1918. I do not remember the
first one being only 6 weeks
old at the time but I will not
forget the fire. At the time, my
grandmother's niece, Pearl Shep
herdson, was visiting her for
the summer spending part of
the time with her on the home
stead, part at our ranch and
part in town. The fire happen
ed on the 4th of July when most
of the town people were cele
brating at lone. It started in the
early afternoon and burned
much of the town unhindered.
The Methodist Church and all
the homes on the west side of
the street from my grandmoth
hnncn ovront Dr. McMurdo's
; a " (-
were burned and on north and
down Main Street. The I'aiace
Hotel was burned and other
smaller businesses.
My grandmother and cousin
were alone in the house and be
came very excited, of course.
Thov nttpmnted to save the fur
niture and dragged a good deal
out In the yard ana men weiu
upstairs and threw bedding
down the narrow stairs block
ing them so they had great dif
ficulty in climbing out. Howev
er, the fire did not cross the
street and the house suffered
only from blistered paint across
the front. The huge trees all
along that side of the street no
doubt saved it. Two young men
of my father's threshing crew
arrived to assist my grandmoth
er but found everything under
control and helped in carrying
back the furniture.
But the greatest tragedy of
all was the big flood in June,
1903 caused by the cloudburst.
Most of the water came down
Willow Creekk in a great wall
carrying boulders, houses, ani
mals, barbed wire fences and
newly cut hay. The residential
district of the town was along
the creek right in the path of
torrent. The new steam laundry
filled with heavy machinery
dammed the water for a short
time until a lake 20 feet deep
formed and then gave way, loos
ing ttie water on its victims.
Some men managed to get to
the hills but not many women
and children. Skirts were long
In those days and soon became
water logged trap for the
stumbling women. Many tales
of bravery have been told of
that terrible experience.
Mrs. W. J. Leezer of Heppner
later wrote in her autobiography
for the "Pioneer of Oregon"
that
"We had a house on a hill
in Heppner and during the
Heppner flood our home was a
refuge for a great crowd of peo
ple who were washed out of
their homes on the lower lev
els. The flood occurred on June
14, 1903, which was a Sunday
we had just finished our Sun
day dinner when the storm be
gan to rage. Wo had a Jersey
cow below the house and I
thought she would be drowned
so I went out to try to rescue
her, not realizing how terrific
was the storm. A young boy, Leo
Blackman came running toward
me and told mo to go back to
the house.
When I did, I found so many
people running to the house
that I thought It must be on
fire and that they were coming
to help us. I soon found how
ever that they were coming for
safety. Trees and houses were
carried along by the flood and
the devastation was terrible.
Two hundred people lost their
lives in the flood. My house was
literally packed to the very door
with refugees; there were beds
in every available place includ
ing the bathroom.
The house was so crowded
that when I heard a knock on
the door on Monday, I opened
it and seeing two people stand
ing there, said I thought it
would be impossible to take
them in. Then I discovered it
was my daughter, who had
come from St. Helen's Hall in
Portland, and Bud Shipley, a
Heppner boy who saw her ar
rive in the devastated town.
She had been able to come
by train as far as lone and
through the kindness of a rail
road official was given a seat
in a hack which brought doc
tors and nurses from Portland.
We had no Red Cross in those
days, but we received much
help. Portland sent 500 men and
they did a wonderful work in
helping to clear away the de
bris. Pendleton came to our res-
t.m nnri sont supplies.
Among those who were killed
In the flood were my niece, Mrs.
Robert Hynd, and her two child
ren. Mr. Hynd was found three
miles from the bodies of his
wife and children. Mr. Hynd
while almost overcome, he was
resuscitated.
After the flood. Heppner peo
ple were always frightened by
ES, Thursday. January 14. IVTX
tioaw rain and mads it a
practice to come to our house
when a storm tnreaienea.
The number of dead amount
art in nnn fourth of the DOPUla
Hon of the city. Not even the
larger and more publicized
Johnstown flood of 1889 took
such a proportionately great
number of its inhabitants.
Fred Coe Bartholomew was
a young man of 19 at this time.
Ha had arrived in town the day
before on his return from school
at the Columbia College in Mil
ton. He was with hi father in
the Methodist Church when the
flood struck. His recollections
arc
'The day before the flood I
came by train from Columbia
College at Milton and the next
day, Sunday, June 1, 1903 at
2:30, I was at Sunday School
at the South Methodist Church
a Sunday School that my la
ther instituted which he pat
terned after a like school he at
tended by the Moody Institute
In rhlrapo. Cards were nrlnted
and given to eacn pupil in at
tendance and upon arrival, the
card was presented to me at the
door and punched for records
and any child who did not miss
a Sunday for a year was taken
for a train ride to Petty's Grove
for the day and a picnic.
I will never forget the last
Sunday before this excursion
u.-h th time for the cards to
be looked at to see who got a
ticket for the train ride and the
picnic of course, very few had
every Sunday punched out but
my father went to the parents
of the child and of course each
parent would dig up and all
were taken. But the Sunday of
the flood when Sunday School
was out at 3:30, an awful hard
rain and hail was coming
down and all the sixty children
were not permitted to leave In
the storm and it was figured out
that these children, if they had
been at home, at least 23 would
hnvn hwn drowned. Most of
these children had no home to
go to and were taken to Moun
tain House on the hill for the
tirno twin r. waltiner for the
news of their parents. This was
sure a sad time lor me crying,
and screaming youngsters and
it was always In the night be
fore parents who were not
drowned came on the scene.
For days and weeks the mon
ey was coming in for the help
of the flood victims. As I re
member it totaled something
like 65 thousand. My father was
chosen to distribute as best as
could be to the homeless and
needy. The people that had
been drowned were washed
down the creek and were bur
ied in the hail that was as big
as small marbles and were froz
en stiff and it was 5 or 6
days before they were dug out.
I drove a team from the liv
ery stable of Sam Meadow's
barn. It was a hack and the
bodies as were carried out were
placed three wide in the bot
tom row and then two on top
and the sixth on top and I rush
ed thorn to the morgue where
they were washed and identi
fied. I made 19 trips and then
it was days before they thought
they had them all accounted
for. It was some time before
these frozen bodies were clean
ed as it seemed they were so
frozen and stiff".
My mother has clippings from'
the Portland papers of the re-1
ports of the people of Oregon j
and other states for the vic
tims of the flood, and which
they echo far and wide. Meet
ings were called in Portland
and committees appointed to
gather contributions and to
send men and supplies to the
relief of the town. Among oth
er tilings a note is made of
sending 100 coffins. Since the
railroad was washed out, Lex
ington was made headquarters
for all supplies being shipped
in. The papers were iinea wun
accounts of heroism, rescues,
and near rescues.
Much monev was contributed
both in Portland and to the au
thorities in Heonner. The com
mittee in Portland and to the
authorities there, use a great
Heal to buv supplies of an
kinds and to hire men to work
in Heppner cleaning debris and
hnrvini? the dead. Every effort
was made to do this quickly to
avoid contaminating and water
supply. A report in the Sept
ember 11, 03 issue or tne ure
gonian by the Heppner commit
tee acknowledges all receipts
and lists every contribution and
everv disbursement of the mon
ey received there. This amount
ed to $61,106.95. But sne uoes
COTJE ELECTRIC I
Motor Rewind a 1
I INDUSTRIAL - OOMMERCIAll
FARM AND HOME J
"Vndlrton 376-77K-g
lWlv
In his backvabp at Warwickshire, tna Jtrp kuborn buiit
OW) iTMf ilONMM TANOfM BlCVCie tifft! A09T 32 FKT 100,
WtlSHiNS SOOO POUNDS, IT CAtWItS 14 PA3SeHfit3
A ttNTURV A0O, SNOW
REMOVAL WA foBiooen
IN SOM6 OHE9 BECAUSE
IT INTERFERED WITH
SLEIGHING
V(HjJ United Transportation Union.
not have any reports of the
money received in Portland nor
of their expenditures. According
to the report quoted, some $1500
remained in Portland after all
avnonut were nald and it was
ci nid tn form the nucleus
of a fund for a similar disas
ter.
People of Morrow county to
this day recall with horror the
great Heppner flood. Floods are
still all too common for in Feb
ruary, 1963, there was a small
one which filled people's yards
with mud and recalled to many
the results of the 1903 flood.
The population of Heppner has
changed during 60 years but the
stories go on. And the mass
gave in the Heppner cemetery
is a grim reminder "Lest we
forget."
Jack Sumner Named
Grand Conductor
Jack Sumner has been named
Grand Conductor for the Grand
Lodge of the Independent Or
der of Odd Fellows. He is serv
ing this year under Ben O.
Young of Portland who is the
Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Oregon. Jack has had
the opportunity to travel over
the state with Mr. Young.
CLASP ENVELOPE in a var
12x15 V4 on sale at The Gazette
lety ol sizes from 6&x9V4 to
Times. Ph. 676-9228.
Customer Pay Days
Every day is payday afour dealership. How about you? Want to cash an extra
paycheck? It's simple. International Harvester Company will send you a fat
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M
S3
HAILED A3 AN'ACRlM.
FAMILY CAA. TMB
v-c, AU1Ont0 costs about zJ
Dion AMD cut DO
CAMPSCIL "CWCKBT- Jj-
'can CMM u NORTH. NAM
Ot- ClAUS, SAY 9 Ml 9
, sua i
RAILffOAO IfNOO
repriceratiok car
BOWLING
KoMm Kue Keglers
Tooin W L
M S 40 24
a 39 25
.1 38 25
Noil 29 35
tin R 26 38
No. 2 19 44
High Ind. Game Iris Camp
bell, 177: High Ind. Series Iris
Campbell, 499; High Team
Game No. 1, 551; High Team
Series No. 4, 1588.
Tuesday Nite Owls
Team W L
Cal's Cafe 3 1
Fiesta Bowl V 2 2
Ed Dick 2 2
MiLadies 2 2
Gardner's
Bristow's Market 1 3
uicti Tnrt flame Pam John
ston, 181; High Ind. Series Pam
Johnston, 478; High Team Game
Cal's Cafe, 639; High Team
Series Cal's caie, isji.
Mr. mid Mrs. Hal Sunday ol
McMinnvllle are here auring
the holiday vacation with her
naronts. Mr. and Mrs. Barton
Clark. On Sunday, Mr. and Mrs.
Sunday, with her Drotner ana
sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ned
Clark, went to Tollgate sKiing,
(IIA FROM OR NORTH, NAM N
O ClAUS, SAY 9 Mf 9 SOHHAV
"n-i v sol yoY-
ask about
$
s1
roL'.'eB'SiNc.
Your Friendly Local Cooperative
Lexington
AGENDA SCHOOL DIST.
fUaulotr Board Mevtiatf
7:30 pA, Jan. It, Lwdagtoa
Morrow County School District
1-1
1. Call meeting to order,
Chairman Jark Sumner
2. Minutes of December 10,
regular meeting
3 Financial rerjort
4. Delegations, if any
5. Superintendent's Report,
6. Old Business
1. Consider 1971-72 scnoot
calendar
7. New Business
1. Consider 30 passenger dim
bids
2. Approve contracts for new
certified personnel
3. Consider contract renewals
for administrators (execu
tive session)
a. Mr. Bier One year
contract
b. Mr. Brandon one year
contract
4. Receive classified employ
ees salary requests
5. Consider need for special
board meeting
6. Consider need for special
education program at
Heppner Elem.
7. Consider budget Items
School dismissal grades 7
12 for Small Schools Pro
gram Feb. 3
8. Reports
1. Teacher consultation meet
' ingMr. Sumner
1. Meet with PEC committee
7:30 p.m., Jan. 13, luversiae
2. Next regular meeting, Feb.
15, 1971, 7:30, Riverside
High School
3. Budget message, Tuesday,
Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m., District
Office
Cecil Rill of Heppner recently
returned home from sr.. Anrnony
i. Donintnn where he under
went corrective surgery on his
ankle. The surgery was to repair
an old injury as a result of a
broken foot. Mr. kiu was m
hncnit-ii for a week and is re
ported to be making a good re
covery. "Jusl keep In mind she's
my girl and I'm calling
lime."
or
EXPLORER jjgjjL,
paychecks
Mb nd Mrs. SUv Nous of
Duranw. Colo., made a surprise
vlalt her with her parenU dur
ing the Chrlstmu holidays
Thw an atudenta at Fort Lewis
College. Mrs. Mauas, the former
Frances Abrams naa cauea nur
grandmother, Mrs. Sara Morrow
lonisTon
iiBijoffiQijnojQrfiayiu
Appliances
RICK'S
HOUSE OF DISCOUNT
"If We Don't Have It
Son of a Gun!"
2133 N. 1st Hermiston
Pn. 567-8UWJ
Home of Norsre Appliances
Appliances Furniture Air
Conditioning
New & Used
Automotive
CAMPBELL MOTORS
Sales & Service
Gremlin. Hornet. Ambaaaador
Co-plate Line of Toyotaa
Car Pickups and 4-Wheel Drlra
Body and Fender Repair PalnUnf
Auto Glasa Service
Hermiston Ph. 667-8930
GRIFFIN GODWIN AUTO YARD
useu tars .
Everythlnf In Automotive and
rr trta New Used Rebuilds
Wholesale
Tne noma 01 una -.
road-tested Darta"
Troy Griffin Sam ft Chris
Hod win
Herm.-McNary Hwy. Ph. 6S7-W11
Floor Covering:
STARRETT'S DECOR CENTER
Carpet, Drapery, Paint
Formica, Linoleum, Wallpaper
Expert Installation
Free Estmiates
1000 N. First
Hermiston. Oregon Phone 667-6334
Moving
BEKINS call
SINCE 1891
world wide moving COLLECT
and storage
GO MAC MOVING
AND STORAGE
140 S. W. 11th Hermiston
Herm. 567-5175 Pend. 267-135"
Call on the Professionals
Harold Godwin Bob McAhern
Call 676-9228 for
Directory Ad Rates
Pharmacy
HERMISTON DRUG
114 Main Ph. 567-3072
"Your Family Drug Store"
FOUNTAIN
RECORD DEPT.
PRESCRIPTION DEPT.
Gifts For All Occasions
CALL THE GAZETTE-TIMES
FOR DIRECTORY AD RATES
676-9228
Ready-Mix
UMATILLA READY-MIX
2 Locations , Hermiston and Umatilla
330 W. Elm
Always at Your Service With
Concrete for Home and Business
Crushed Rock
Feed Bunks Misc. Concrete Products and Accessories
Equipment
CAMPBELL EQUIPMENT. INC.
Hermiston 567-6529
Franchised Dealer for Sales ft Service
Ford. New Holland, Melroe Bobcat.
Harvestore, Radio Dispatched Service
Trucks
Tires
0.b K. TIRE STORE HERMISTON
Specializing in Brakes, Alignment
and Balancing
Wide Tires, Fiber Glass and Radial "Rres
Pickup, Truck Farm Tires
Shocks and Batteries
17 Years Fast
Photography
Lyons Studios
620 N. 1st St.
Hermiston. Oregon
Phone 567-6346
Weddlnus Commercial
Portraits Photography
The House of Lyons'1
Louis Lyons. Photographer
Upholstery
All Furniture
Trucks tt Tractors
Booths Upholstery
Reasonable Prices Quality
Work Free Estimates
OS B. Main Street . ..
Hermiston. Oregtm 17838 Ph- T-r
to tell her they wert coming to
surprise her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Bob Abrams.
While here they went on to
Everett to visit the grandpar
ents, Mr. nd Mrs. R. M. Ab-rams.
Automobiles
Rohrman Ford
Ford Since 1930
Ph. 567-3291
Hermiston, Oregon
Boats
Harry Phillips
Company
Herm.-MoNary Hwy.
Ph. 567-5982 or 567-8343
Boats Motors Trailers
Sales and Service
DATSUN DEALER
"Open 7 Days A Week To
Serve You"
You Can Insert Your
Advertising Message for
A Low Rate Call 676-9228
MEADE'S FLOOR COVERING
900 N. 1st Phone 567-6212
Carpeting Draperies Paints
Floor Covering Wall Tile
We Install everything but
the paint
LARSEN
TRANSFER CO,
'Home Of
the
Hppy Movers"
3122 N. First
Hermiston. Ore.
Marvin Fleldsted
Ph. 567-8333
Agent United
Van Lines
Plumbing & Heating
Traner's Plbg. & Htg.
Sheet Metal
Carrier Heating & Cooling
Hermiston McJNary Hwy.
Ph. 567-5670
Evenings 5C7-5714
Radiator Service
JONES RADIATOR SERVICE
o Auto Truck Tractor o Repairing
and Recorlns
Serving this nrea for 18 Tears
Distributor of Hayden Transmission
Coolers
Flex-A-Llte Fans
Ph- 567-0173 or oof-oai
Stationery
TOUR COMPLETE STATIONERT
STORE
Magnetic Siens Books
Art supplies -Picture
Frame
Name Plates
n A M VS. ConvlnK
ARTS! STATIONERY office SuppUes
Dependable Service
Radio and TV
LEE'S RADIO and TV CLINIC
200 S. W. 11th Ph. 567-8413
Complete Television Service
Rentals And Sales
"Electronics Is our business
not a sideline".
MOTOBOLA. gEMTTH SYIiVaJflA
Glass
Hermiston Glass
Cur -d Windshields Safety-Glass
Mirrors
TeL wr-em
10 Hermiston Ave. Hermlstoa. Ore.
2?f)
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