Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1977)
TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Wednesday, November 23, 1977 Sifting through the M. iiJUwasci 3 Thanksgiving; a meaningful milestone, along the American Way. Our forefathers set aside this day, For feasting and thanksgiving with their Indian friends. Friends who shared and helped them day by day. Yet some folks cry, "Thanksgiving? Why? No rain, little wheat, grasslands simply beat, money buys little to eat." Forgetting the abundance all about, Shutting want and hunger out. Forgetting our land grew from shore to shore, mountain to valley and many miles more. Forgetting our many freedoms, forgetting we walk this land proud and tall. Head held high. Walk day to day, on land no man can take away. So many freedoms; so many choices to make, so many roads to take. I see Thanksgiving everywhere, give "thanks" here and there. Land of abundance, land of the free! America! God granted to you and me. Katherine R. Farrar Thanksgiving 1977 r --TZ . 11 1 r-:' ' - , 2,i Letters Policy ALL LETTERS of general interest are welcomed, providing they are in good taste and not libelous. 250 WORDS IS about the maximum length we can accept, however, if you need more space, please use it. ALL LETTERS MUST be signed to be considered. If you wish to have your name withheld for good cause we will do so after contacting you for an explanation. TELEPHONE NUMBERS should be included. The number will only be used by the Gazette-Times to confirm it was you who wrote the letter. THE GAZETTE-TIMES reserves the right to refuse any letter it deems unfit for publication. LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor, Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Ore., 97836. Letters to the Editor Resident opposes Lex sewer plan Editor, Concerning the Lexington Bond election, Nov. 29, for the new proposed sewer system, I was asked to write down some of my findings that I feel are of major importance to the voters about the proposed project. First, I would like to say that I am opposed to building a new treatment plant. Why? (1) As pointed out in a letter from the Council to the Lexington residents, the residents' share of the project cost, including interest is $524,520.00 with an annual payment of $13,113.00. There will also be operation and maintenance costs we will have to pay. Table No. 9, Part B, Page 12 of the sewer facility plan, states the proposed cost for this will be $6050.00 per year. This is for electrical costs, supplies, miscellaneous and salary for a person to operate the plant. This figure could increase in the future because wages do not remain without increases. These monies of $6050.00 all comes from our pockets and is not covered by grants. (2) Part B. Page 15, Paragraph 6, of the Environmental Impact Analysis states "both alternatives produce a vusual impact which unavoidable and presents a potential for odor Obituaries and insect proliferation." This problem can be contained with minimum amount of preventive maintenance, treated with chemicals. Sewage ponds do at times accumulate unsightly solids on the surface, but these solids will be removed periodically as part of the maintenance program." (Will it be?) (4) Part B, Page 15 states "During the life of the treatment plant, land immediately adjacent to the facility would not be suitable for residentail dwelling." There are residents near all of the three sites considered. The Wagenblast site is out of the city limits, but it will be in site and smell of some homes. Will this problem be taken into consideration? In summation, this plant is unfeasible for a town our size. Many septic tanks placed in the last five years are D.E.Q. approved. I urge everyone to get out and vote November 29, and think before they vote. Thank you sincerely Mrs. Charlene Papineau Lexington, Oregon Harlan McCurdy Harlan D. McCurdy, 88. Heppner, died Sunday, Nov. 20, in Heppner. Mr. McCurdy was born Oct. 5, 1889, in Roseburg and had lived in Morrow County for 79 years. He was a retired wheat and sheep rancher and a member of B.P.O.E. 358, Heppner. He was married to Delia THE GAZETTE TIMES Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor Jim Summers, News Editor Eileen Saling, Office Manager Elane Blanchet, Reporter Laura Craig, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford Local Columnist Davidson in lone, Sept. 16, 1917. He and Mrs. McCurdy were recently feted on the occasion of their sixtieth anniversary. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Tollefson offici ating. Prelude and postlude sacred selections will be played by Carley Drake. Concluding services and inter ment will be at High View Cemetery, lone, with ritualis tic graveside services by B.P.O.E. 358. Sweeney Mortu ary is in charge of arrange ments. Casket bearers are Al Lov gren, Bob Lovgren, Jim Lov gren, Marshall Lovgren, Sta cy Lovgren and Archie Alder man. Mr. McCurdy is survived by his widow, Delia, Heppner; a son, Harlan Jr., Pomeroy, Wash.; a daughter, Maxine Gilman, Eagle Nest, New Mexico; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Francis J. McCormack Funeral mass for the Very Rev. Francis J. McCormack, former pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Heppner, was held Friday, Nov. 18, at St. Mary's Church, Hood River. Father born Oct. McCormack was 17, 1914, at Drum- lish, County Longford, Ire land. He attended college at St. Mel's Seminary in County Longford. His postgraduate studies in theology were at St. Peter's College, County Wex ford, Ireland. He was ordained to the priesthood June 4, 1939, by Bishop James Staunton, bishop of Ferns, in Wexford, for the diocese of Baker, Oregon. His first appointment was as associated pastor of St. Fran cis Catholic Church, Baker. He was pastor of St. Patrick's Church at Heppner from April 7, 1940, to Setp. 1, 1955, then was assigned to Blessed Sacrament Church, Ontario. He was pastor of St. Thomas Church, Redmond, from Feb. 8, 1961 to June l, 1969, at which time he became pastor of St. Mary's Church, Hood River, a position he held until his unexpected death. Father McCormack also was dean of the Northwest Deanery of the Doicese of Baker, encompassing par ishes at The Dalles, Dufur, Wasco, Condon and Hood River. Survivors are brothers, Pat rick and James, both of Drumlish; sister, Margaret Harkin, New York City; and nieces, Rita Dunleavy of Lynbrook, N.Y. and Margaret Devine and Maureene Soroc ka, both of New York. Interment was in the Hood River Catholic Cemetery. Anderson Funeral Home of Hood River was in charge of arrangements. Blanche Brown Blanche Frye Brown was born at Meridith, New Hamp shire on May 13, 1895. She died in Pendleton on Sunday, Nov. 20, 1977. Blanche came to Heppner with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Brown in 1904. Her father ran a dray service in Heppner, hauling supplies from the railroad depot to merchants and others. Blanche attended pub lic schools here. In 1916 she married Harry Brown. They homesteaded along Butter Creek. When he became ill they moved into Heppner. She served as assistant to Librarian Eila Smith until she was appointed librarian in 1957. Blanche Brown served faith fully as librarian for 17 years, during which time the li brary was moved from the city building on Willow Street into its present location. She retired on Oct. 31, 1973. After continuing to live in the Lanham Apartments for some time, she moved to Heirsche's Nursing Home in Pendleton. Mrs. Brown became a member of the Sans Souci Rebekah Lodge No. 33 on Oct. 15, 1948 and continued this membership over 29 years. Services in her memory are being conducted by Father Kenneth Miller beginning at 1 1p.m. Wed., Nov. 23, at All Saints Episcopal Church where she was a long-time member. Burial will be at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery. . Burns Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. She is survived by a nephew and two nieces. The Heppner Library and Museum will be closed this afternoon in honor of Blanche Brown. Fiddlers from across Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho were converging on Heppner this week in 1967 for an old-time fiddle contest sponsored by the Morrow County Jaycees. Some 50 top fiddlers from the four-state area were expected to compete for the trophy and $75 first prize. Included in the entries were Rusty Modrell of Terrebonne, a past Oregon champ, and Linnie Baum of Twin Falls, who placed fifth in that year's national championship. Closer to home fiddlers were Ivan McDaniels, Long Creek.and Ralph Elliot, Kinzua. Other news of the week came from the lone Lions Club where Bonneville Power Administration manager Harold Cantrell told the Lions that his company's power load was doubling at a rate of once every ten years. Cantrell said when the system of dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers are completed, and there is no more room for power generation on the rivers, it will be necessary to turn to thermal plants, most of them nuclear. He estimated that development would begin in the mid 1970's. Looking back a decade earlier, we found that someone else had already done some "sifting" of their own.... "Sixty-nine years ago next Tuesday there was cause for great celebration in Heppner. It was the day the railroad was completed. "A short account of that big event is found in a clipping from some unknown newspaper which has been kept by Mrs. Pearl Devine of Heppner and was recently brought to the Gazette-Times with the thought that it might be of interest on the eve of that anniversary. It reads: " 'Heppner was sure a happy town on November 26, 1888, so happy that the mayor made a speech. The Willow Creek branch of the O.R.&N. railroad was completed as far as that town and everybody celebrated. One thousand people took part. Headed by the band, the mayor, city icouncilmen, Company E of the Oregon National Guard arid 200 school children marched to the depot grounds where! the mayor, Henry Blackman spoke. As the last words of the oration went ringing down the valley, J.L. Morrow! and Henry Heppner, Pioneer settlers in that part of the state, drove the last spike, the militiamen fired three volleys, and that night a free grand ball was given.' ". And in the same week, 20 years ago, Col. J O. Gutherie, commanding officer of Umatilla Ordinance Depot, was in town to discuss the recently-launched Russian Sputnik. At the noon meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, Gutherie talked about some of the missile and satellite programs conducted by the armed forces and said a U.S. space satellite could be launced at any time, but he questioned whether it would be worth it. He said the cost would be extremely great and questioned the justification of the expense unless ample information was received in return. 1 - i i Gutherie said there is no reason for panic and stated the army has been ordered to launch a satellite in the near future. Speaking of airborne armed forces, a routine training mission caused quite a stir in the area this week in 1957 when, "Six National Guard planes from Portland with 12 persons aboard landed at the Lexington airport. The planes were clearly marked with U.S. and Oregon signs but still caused a considerable amount of excitement locally." . A heavy snowfall this week in 1947 heralded the arrival 1 iof winter and caught some lingering elk hunters a bit unprepared. "Snow that apparently has blanketed the Blue mountain range from one extreme to the other, fell to the depth of two feet in the region south of Heppner this past week. Forest . Service officials and hunters report considerable difficulty in negotiating some of the roads leading from the highways into ranger stations and hunters' cabins, with some of the late elk hunters getting stuck and calling for aid from town." Featured at the Star Theater for the snow-bound Heppnerites was "Springtime in the Sierras" with Roy Rogers, Jane Frazee, Andy Devine, Stephen Bachelor, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. jPooeeoBOOBooooooflo a woeoefloooooooooooooeooQ El UL' 11 H0PI V'C- '&Jt. Qaoooooooo mum mm 9 Mi; -44 SATURDAY, NOV. 26 Fair Pavilion 9 p.m. Stokes Landing until 1 a.m. '2.50 single '5.00 couplt Sponsored By HEPPNER SOR0PTIMISTS QBQOOCOOOflOOOOPOOOOOQoa
