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NEWSPAPER LIB
EUGENE OR 97403
D.O. Nelson selected
THE2
GAZETTE-TIME
VOL. 94, NO. 24 HEPPNER, OREGON THURSDAY,
Heppner Lions spearhead
swimming pool survival drive
The Heppner Lions' Club is
now coordinating a major
fund raising campaign aimed
at keeping the swimming pool
open and donations are ap
proaching the halfway point,
Dave Dollarhide told the Hep
Port industrial well O&'d
The Port of Morrow has
awarded the contract for a
second deep well at its
industrial park to Stadeli
Drilling Co. of Silverton.
Work is expected to start
immediately.
Stadeli bid $71,172.80 for
drilling the 525 foot well. The
offer was $10,000 above the
port engineer's Storch Corp.,
estimate.
Port commissioners accept
ed the bid on the condition
that the provision for a sand
screen could be negotiated. If
the well was not plagued by
sand, the additional cost of
installing the screen would be
' a wasted expense.
A $204,000 interim loan for
the entire project will be
financed through the Bank of
Eastern Oregon at Pendleton.
"Is it possible to put this much
money into a hole in the
ground?" quipped Commis
sioner Louis Carlson.
A Storch representative
estimated the well drilling
would be completed within a
month. "We expect to have it
completed and tested by the
next port meeting," he said.
The well will be used by
food processors at the indus
trial park. It will be located at
Public invited
Celebrating a 100th birthday
is quite an occassion and
Saturday, June 25, Heppner
Masonic Lodge No. 69 is
inviting the public to take part
in their centennial celeb
ration. In addition to an evening
dinner and program at the
HHS cafetorium, the lodge
hall located above Gardner's
Men's Wear will be open to
visitors Saturday afternoon.
The evening program be
gins at 6 p.m. in the cafeto
rium with a no-host barbecue
beef dinner catered by Jim
Rogers of the West of Willow
restaurant.
Persons attending the eve
ning program will receive a
copy of the Heppner lodge
history, compiled by Harold
Becket. Excerpts of the
100-year history are included
in this article.
Each person will also re
ceive a commerative book
mark made of deer skin.
At 7 p.m. Saturday, the
anniversary program will be
opened by Worshipful Master
' Richard T. Wilkinson. Feat
ured speaker will be Joseph
W. Jarvis, Grand Master of
Masons in Oregon.
Entertainment will be pro
vided by the Heppner High
School Swing Band and vocal
selections will be presented,
featuring Shannon Kelly and
Jim Ackley.
4 J ftW-" '
pner Chamber of Commerce
Monday.
Dollarhide said a minimum
of $3,600 must be raised by
July 1 to assure a full season of
operation for the pool.
"As of June 12, we had a
the corner of Ullman and
Columbia Streets. "The need
for this well is coming up,"
stated Port manager Rupert
Kennedy.
Until new processing de
mands requires the 1,000
gallon per minute well for full
operation, it will be used as a
back-up facility. The current
well pumps 30 million gallons
of water a month to the food
processors at the park. That
well was completed in 1974.
"What we are doing is literal
ly duplicating the system,"
Kennedy said.
Land for a possible airstrip
at the port was approved by
commissioners. The 4.71
acres, owned by the Army
Corp of Engineers, may also
be opted for use as a freeway
exit into the port.
The 100-foot strip is a
right-of-way that the port was
given the option to buy 10
years after the completion of
the John Day Dam. The dam
was finished in 1966. The corp
is asking $7,100 for the
property.
"If you had told us 10 years
ago that we were going to
have to pay that for it, Td
to attend
Masons celebrate
Dave Harrison, centennial
planning committee chairman
for the lodge, said, "We
certainly hope that members
of the community accept our
invitation for an evening of
fine food, entertainment and
fellowship."
Editor's note: The following
article is taken from a history
of the Heppner Masonic Lodge
compiled by Harold Becket.
The ensuing story covers only
a brief portion of the Lodge's
early history. ..up to the time
the present hall was constru
cted at Us present location.
That hall will be open to public
tour Saturday, June 25.
Persons attending a no-host
banquet at the HHS cafetor
ium that evening will also
receive a complete copy of the
history written by Becket. At
our word, the history is
interesting to Masons and
non-Masons alike as it cont
ains a history of Heppner and
Morrow County as well.
The town of Heppner began
its existence in the mid-1860's,
and it, with the surrounding
farms and stock ranches
contained a goodly number of
young and progressive men
who were Masons. ..some that
were members of a lodge
in at that time distant Um
atilla. ..some members of the
JUNE 16, 1977
total of $1,600 in firm pledg
es," Dollarhide said. "More
individuals, groups and or
ganizations have to come for
ward soon."
A detailed list of donors will
be kept and funds will be
have died," stated Commis
sioner Dewey West. Final
decision for use of the land
will come at a later date.
Port honors West
The Port of Morrow gave tribute to its last active
charter member last Thursday.
Commissioner Dewey West, who has served on the
commission since its inception in 1969, was presented
with a pewter-type plaque. It was engraved with his
name and terms of office 1969-1977.
"Dewey is the last of our original commissioners,"
stated port manager Rupert Kennedy.
West has indicated this was his last year because
the time was right for retirement. "I've enjoyed my
work with the port and this area so much. But I came to
the realization that there are some other things I would
like to be doing." He also said that were he to serve
another term, he might begin to resent the time the
position took.
West has also served the Boardman community as
mayor for 14 years. He was replaced by Gerald Peck
last November. He has been recognized several times in
the past for distinguished service to his country and
community.
Fishing is the main activity the former commission
er is planning for the immediate future. He will continue
as a member of the Boardman City Council.
Masonic orders from which
they emigrated.
All shared a common desire
in the ensuing years, and that
desire was to have a Masonic
lodge in Heppner.
Several years later, in
December of 1876, the Umati
lla lodge became a "parent"
and agreed to give birth to
Heppner Masonic Lodge No.
69. Among the petitioners
from Heppner were Frank
Maddock, J.L. Sperry, Henry
Heppner, O.H. Hallock, Geo
rge Stansbury, A.S. Wells,
H.H. Leatherman, J.L. Mor
row and William Mitchell.
It is interesting to ote that
both Heppner and Morrow
were among the men, before
either their namesake town or
county were officially formed.
The newly-formed lodge got
right down to business and
held its first meeting in
January, 1877, receiving its
charter in June of the same
year.
Frank Maddock, a pioneer
of the area, served as Worship
ful Master that first year and
the lodge met in a hall on the
second story of a building
housing a saloon.
(Pioneers led the lodge)
Maddock was a real pioneer
that came to Oregon at the age
of 16 driving an ox team. He
later moved to Eastern Ore
HEPFNEIf
PAGES
15 c
placed in a separate account
outside the city budget. Dol-
larhide said if extra money is
collected it would be used only
for future pool operation or for
capital improvements to the
facility.
The fund will be established
at First National Bank and the
Lions' Club will oversee
record keeping and all dis
bursements toward pool ex
penses. Donations will be ac
cepted at either local bank.
Lions' Club members Frank
Pearson and Dollarhide, with
the assistance of Butch Laugh
lin, will answer any questions
pertaining to the fund. They
ask that donations be payable
to the Heppner Swimming
Pool Drive.
gon with wife and four
children and took up a cattle
ranch south of Heppner.
Maddock was a born leader,
serving as Sheriff for six years
after Umatilla County was
formed which was the cou
nty in which Heppner lay. He
was captain of the Heppner
volunteers when the Indian
scare came in July 1878.
J.L. Sperry, a settler of
Willow Creek, was the second
WM of the Heppner lodge.
hr County
i D.O. Nelson, Heppner, has
been appointed by Gov. Rob
ert Straub to the position of
Morrow County Judge.
Effective July 1, Nelson will
succeed Paul Jones who
announced his retirement
May 16. Straub made his
selection from a list of three
candidates who also included
W.W. Weatherford, Heppner,
and Daniel Creamer, Irrigon.
Nelson, 60, is a 30-year
resident of Morrow County
and is currently serving on the
county Budget Committee. He
will resign that post along with
his chairmanship of the coun
ty Fair and Rodeo Committee
prior to taking office.
Irrigon zone change proposal
scheduled for public hearing
In an effort to control rapid,
haphazard growth in the
Irrigon area, County Planning
Director Don Burns has an
nounced a proposal that would
rezone more than 4,200 acres
west and southwest of the city.
The plan, subject of a public
hearing June 27 in Irrigon,
would change the zoning
designations of much of the
outlying areas from the cur
rent one-acre divisions to
five-acre "Farm" plots. The
intention is to reduce conflicts
between residential and farm
ing activities.
Burns termed the proposal
and attempt to "get in step
with good planning principles
and seek a better transition
from rural to urban areas."
A 2,500-acre bounded by
Road sought
coal plant to
A petition drive got under
way this past week for the
second time that asks the
Morrow County Court to look
favorably on constructing a
short stretch of road connect
ing the Carty Reservoir gen
eratinc plant site with Ella
Road iust or.tside lone.
The pr'jtion points out that
Portia i; ieneral Electric's
100 years here
During his reign in 1878,
Sperry also served as Sheriff
of Umatilla County and that
year led a detachment of
volunteers from Weston to
Pendleton on to Battle Moun
tain for a confrontation with
the Indians.
Another pioneer, George H.
Stansbury, is remembered for
his buying the Heppner town
site from its original owner
and surveying and laying out
the original town. Stansbury
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1 1
This early day photo of Heppner shows the present day
location of the Heppner Masonic Lodge. The building housing
W.S. Leezer's hardware and implement store is where
Ay
D.O. Nelson
...new County Judge
Fourth Street to the west,
Nevada Avenue to the south
and Ordinance Road to the
east would be excluded from
the change and would retain
its current one-acre designa
tion. "This area is already built
up and is subsequently non
compatible with intensive
farm use," Burns said. "The
area is potentially urbanizable
at some future date and
potentially serviceable with
city services."
Irrigon has already annexed
a 20-30-acre portion of the area
and the possibility of further
annexation remains open.
Burns said the most likely
direction for growth of the city
is generally to the west, but
added that at least 160 acres
coal fired plant site is
"located approximately equal
distance between lone and
Boardman."
Ella Road takes off at lone
and continues as a paved
two-lane road to the edge of
the Boeing Agri-Industrial
Park. From that point to the
Carty site is approximately
later sold out to another
Mason. T.W. Ayers.
The decade of the ISSO's was
a good one for Heppner and for
the Heppner lodge. Business
improved with the coming of
more and more settlers and
the population increased rapid
ly. Toward the end of the 80's
there were about as many
people in the area that was to
become Morrow County as
there are now.
One of the petitions received
" TV
Judgeship
According to the Governor's
legal counsel, the County
Judge post will be on the ballot
of the next general election
and the appointment is not
valid for the duration of Jones'
unexpired term.
Nelson was a dry wheat
farmer and potato raiser in
the area between Lexington
and Boardman before moving
to Heppner six years ago. He
was instrumental in the estab
lishment of Morrow Produce,
a potato packaging plant in
Boardman. He sold the opera
tion in 1973 after moving to
within the current city limits
remains undeveloped along
with numerous other lots in
the city boundaries.
By containing development
to the one-acre zoned areas,
Burns said the county would
be in a better position to
provide municipal services to
areas of higher concentration.
Beginning evidence of scat
tered development is placing
hardships on the county's
ability to maintain safe roads,
adequate law enforcement,
sewers and school bus routes.
Burns pointed to problems
resulting from a 10-unit de
velopment known as Desert
Delight, located near inten
sive use farm areas southwest
of Irrigon. Dust control and
traffic hazards from overuse
from Cart y
Ella Road
four and-a-half miles.
A petition asking the same
thing of the County Court that
was circulated a couple years
ago received no attention from
the Court.
At that time some residents
of lone and Lexington had
mixed emotions about the
early in the year of 1880 was
that of J.D. Locknane. The
story goes that this gentleman
arrived in Heppner with his
family at a time when the need
of a town marshal! was being
particularly felt.
It seems a wild bunch of
cowboys were causing a
ruckus on their weekends in
town... raising cain in general.
Hearing of a new marshall
they mounted their horses and
swept the streets yelling and
Gardner's now stands. The Belvedere Saloon is the
of Murray's Drug Store.
Heppner where he owns farm
and pasture land in the Hinton
Creek area.
Nelson said a keynote of his
administration will be to
maintain with county resi
dents concerning government
policies.
"As long as the people know
the reasons behind the ac
tions, they've always been
very fair," he said.
After eight-years of partici
pation on the County Budget
Committee, Nelson is well
aware of the financial prob
lems he will face but he adds,
"I'm optimistic enough to
think the problems can be
worked out."
of narrow roads have plagued
subdivision residents.
The proposed zone change
would restrict developers
from buying outlying farm
land at reduced prices and
subdividing for housing.
"The sporadic development
really makes it difficult to
coordinate services in those
areas," Burns said.
The approximate 4,200-acre
area considered for the five
acre designation is bounded
by the Umatilla County line to
the east, Patterson Ferry
Road to the west, the Colum
bia River to the north, and the
West Extension Canal to the
south.
See....Zone page 4
road and the inevitible growth
it would bring the small towns.
Beecher
Emert, lone,
is
spearheading this petition
drive.
"I think the road would
benefit the county as much as
it would lone," said Emert,
"this is the type of industry we
should encourage and help."
shooting. The next time they
came by Locknane walked out
in the street and cooly shot off
the hat of the leader, taking a
lock or two of hair at the time.
End of discussion.
J.B. Sperry was the area
representative to the legisla
ture in 1882 and he introduced
a bill to set off a county from
Umatilla Conty to be called
See....
Masons page 3
location
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