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
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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.
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cause we will do so after contacting you for an
explanation.
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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.
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SATURDAY, NOV. 26
Fair Pavilion 9 p.m.
Stokes Landing
until 1 a.m.
'2.50 single
'5.00 couplt
Sponsored By
HEPPNER SOR0PTIMISTS
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