TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, September 7, 1978
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RARE II has
effect on many
The United States Forest Service wants
help.
It is completing a nationwide study of
national forest lands not yet penetrated by
roads and is inviting public participation.
Officially designated as roadless areas,
some 3.1 million acres more than 10
times the size of Multonomah County are
involved in Oregon's portion of the
national study known as RARE II
(Roadless Area Review and Evaluation).
SALEM SCENE
By Jack Zimmerman
An exclusive to Oregon's weekly newspapers
Purpose of the study is to determine how
much of the roadless land to set aside for
wilderness designation and how much to
release for multiple use, a concept
blending recreational access with fores
try, grazing and mining.
When the study is complete, the Forest
Service will make its recommendations to
Congress probably shortly after the first
of the next year.
USFS already has produced a volumi
nous environmental impact statement for
the roadless areas and now wants the
public to express itself regarding use of
these vast lands.
If you own a camper, travel trailer,
mobile home, offroad vehicle, outboard
motor, ski boat, snow skiis or even a rifle
and fishing pole, you should make certain,
your wishes are known. Most recreation
connected with the foregoing will-; be;
banned or at least become more difficult '
to enjoy on any land designated as
wilderness by Congress.
Most people consider any sparsely
populated, relatively undeveloped area a
wilderness. They achieve a wilderness
experience by visiting almost any forest
as long as it isn't jam-packed with other
human beings.
But Congess is much more definitive.
When it designates an area a wilderness,
that means no human access except on
foot or horseback. It means no roads and
permanent structures. It means no ski
lodges. It means no cabins, camp shelters,
fireplaces, water systems or even toilets.
Offroad vehicles and outboards are
banned.
Wilderness means the land remains as it
is. No one is allowed to harvest its timber
and reforest the land for future genera
tions. No one is allowed to mine its mineral
deposits or graze livestock on its
grasslands.
Oregon currently has 1.3 million acres of
wilderness 8.4 per cent cf the state's
national forest land. It can be visited only
by hardy backpackers and those affluent
enough to rent horses and other pack
animals for lengthy excursions.
Wilderness visitors represent about 2
per cent of the population. The remaining
98 per cent is expected to conduct its
outdoor recreation on multiple use lands or
go without Wilderness designation doesn't
preclude hunting, angling or cross-country
skiing. But it limits those activities by
each individual's physical endurance and
stamina.
Demand for forest recreation mostly
non-wilderness in nature is expected to
double by 2020. The demand for wood
products also will double in the same
period.
Sizeable increases in congressionally
designated wilderness lands will do little
more than increase already growing
pressures for grazing, timber production
and recreation on existing multiple use
lands.
If you have an opinion on this subject,
write your views and .send them
immediately to: USFS Pacific Northwest
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Region (R-6), P.O. Box 3623, Portland, OR
97208. Deadline for receipt of public
expressions involving establishment of
more wilderness areas on national forest
lands is Oct. 1. 5 1 , .. . ' , ;
Maps and complete descriptions of each
roadless area under study are available at
all USFS officers. Opionions relating to
specific roadless areas likely will have
greater impact on the final forest service
recommendation than simple pro-con
statements regarding wilderness and
multiple use generally.
Congressional creation of more wilder
ness in this state's national forests should
be a subject of great concern to all
Oregonians. In addition to providing
recreation, our national forests contain a
significant inventory of timber upon which
our largest industry depends in great
measure.
Each acre of forest withdrawn from that
inventory creates additional pressures on
that industry, the jobs it provides and the
economy as a whole.
Where to write
Federal
Following is a list of Orpgnn and Eastern Orpgnn public
officials for the information of readers who want to
communicate with them:
U.S. Sen. Mark 0. Hatfield. Russell Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington. D.C. 20510. Member of Appropriations
Committee, Interior Committee, Rules Committee and
Indian Policy Review Commission. Portland office , Pioneer
Courthouse, Rm. 107, 520 SW Morrison, Portland, Ore. 97204.
phone 221-3386.
U.S. Sen Bob Packwood, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg..
Washington,' D.C. , 20510. Member of Finance Committee and
Commerce Committee. Portland office, 1002 NE Halladay.
Rm. 700. (PO. Bos 3621), Portland, Ore. 97208, phone
233-4471.
U.S. Rep. Al Ullman, of the Second District, House Office
Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Member of Ways and
Means Committee. Salem office, 530 Center St. N.E., Rm.
330, (P.O. Box 247) Salem, Ore., 97308, phone 399-5724.
State
Gov. Robert Straub, State Capitol. Salem, Ore. 97310,
phone 378-3100.
State Sen. Ken Jernstedt (MorrowrGilUam and other -counties),
311 Pine St., Hood River, 386-1393.
State Rep. Jack Sumner (Morrow, Gilliam and other
counties). Route 1, Heppner, 676-5364.
GAZETTE TIMES
Picture credit
Carving on a wall of an abandoned shack along a
trail into the John Day county depicts a "Chinaman"
complete with 'pigtail' and artists Initials.
Fair praise given
Editor:
I would like to thank personally all the Morrow County
people who helped make this our first weekend fair such a
fine success. There are many who deserve a personal
thanks but it is impossible to do this. My special thanks go
to the lovely King and Queen, who traveled from their
home in Pendleton and took the time to be present during
the Fair, family fun night and the parade; to the many
exhibitors, superintendents and everyone who was there to
help out.
Also, I do not want to forget the Morrow County Fair
and Rodeo court who added so much by their presence, the
fair board and most of all to that wonderful, hard-working
fair committee.
Again, I must say that Morrow County people are the
greatest in the world.
Delpha Jones
Fair Committee Chairman
...have something
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The Gazette-Times welcomes
letters from readers on any subject
of general interest...letters should
be not more than 250 words
Fifty years ago this week during the opening of the 1928 big
game season, a local sportsman who was either a very good
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Heppner, leaving the city without electricity for nearly two
days.
Later that week, Heppnefs brand new stop sign ordinance
took effect, requiring for the first time that automobile
drivers stop at intersections to "The Oregon-Washington
Highway", or Main Street.
The ownership of the Heppner Hotel changed hands in
early September of 1928, with Mrs. J.P. Cochran and her
daughter, Dayal, of Canyon City taking over the hostery's
operation. Mrs. Cochran pledged that "it will be our
endeavor to make the working man in overalls feel just as
much at home as the first class tourist."
Sixty years ago this week, Morrow County stockman Nels
Justus was en route to Chicago with nine railroad cars full of
market-bound sheep.During that same week in 11918, Sand
Hollow rancher Harry Turner and Lexington schoolteacher
Edna Carmichael were married.
A farm auction at the Peterson & Eskelson Ranch
southwest of Lexington was a major social event during this
week in 1918. The two ranchers sold their Morrow County
holdings so that Eskelson could move to Colorada and to
allow Peterson to move to Canada, where he had purchased
another farm.
Farm equipment sold for $6,682 during the auction consi
dered high prices during those pre-inflation days. Attesting
to the healthy financial condition of the bidders was the fact
that nearly all transactions were made in cash. The
Lexington Red Cross pur three roosters on the auction block
during the farm sale, to raise money for war relief efforts.
Patriotic Morros Countians bought the birds for $83.50 not
chicken feed, even by today's standards.
Many Morrow Countains were digging mud from their
basements and clearing debris from their yards 25 years ago
this week, after flash floods swept through the area.
Soil erosion ran from 50 to 175 tons per acre along fields in
Blackhorse, Clark, Eightmile and Valentine canyons.
Normally dry Blackhorse Creek in Lexington spilled out of its
bankd, filling basements and washing out gardens. A
railroad bridge between Heppner and Lexington washed
away, and the highway connecting the two towns was
covered with mud and water in several places. Atotal of 1.3
inches of rain fell in the Eightmile area within less than 45
minutes.
During that wet week in 1953, three Morrow County youths
left for the equally damp climate of the Willamette Valley to
begin classes at Oregon State University. The three entering
freshmen were Michael Grant of Heppner and Rudy
Bergstrom and Don Bristow of lone.
Heppner cowboy Floyd JOnes aboard his favorite mare
"Lucky", won the amateur roping contest at the 1953 Morrow
County Rodeo. Cornett Green was a close second
Five years ago this week, Richard Ekstrom, a 1955 lone
High School graduate, was m. named Seattle District
manager of the Social Security Admistrarion.
Later that week in 1953, state police game inforcement
officer Vic Groshens Jr. arrested two men for killing a doe
out of season. Appearing in Heppner Justice Court, the pair
pleaded guilty, but protested that "we killed it for the meat
and didn't spoil any of it."
"But you did open the season a little early," replied Judge
Charles O'Connor, as he handed them each $305 fines.
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THE
'GAZETTE -TIME
The Off icial Newspaper of the City of Heppner
and the County of Morrow
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.
i G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher l erry M. Hager, Managing Edit
Rick Steelhammer, News Editor Eileen Saling, Officer Manager
Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford Local Columnist j
Ron Jordan, Printer
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