Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 8.2006 - THREE
FROM
State takes bottles from Heppner man
THE FAMILY OF BOBVAN SCH0IACK
It hardly seems like six weeks have passed
since D ad peacefully passed fro m this
world to the next. We wish to express our
gratitude for all the kind deeds that have
been done fo r us: the cards, the Masses,
the food, the flowers, the phone calls, kind
words, and for keeping us in your thoughts
and prayers. We are in awe at the huge
crowd who came to p a y respect to our
fa th e r a n d m a y h is fa ith a n d
determination live in us all!
We can not begin to individually thank everybody, but wish to give special thanks to
Mary Ann Elguezabal and Roberta Lutcher for the supper they prepared for us before the
Rosary, the Altar Society for the funeral dinner, Larry Lindsay for reading the eulogy written
by our sister Anne, Bob Steagall for serving as Eucharist Minister, Mark Miller for reading,
Joe and Leanne Lindsay for their musical talents (Dad loved your music and “God must be
a cowboy at heart!”), Father Gerry Condon for his wonderful homily, Carley Drake (organist),
and Country Rose for the beautiful extra touches. Of course no one could get through this
without the wonderful help of the Sweeneys.
We also wish to thank the medical professionals who added so much quality to Dad’s
life the last eight years, the Berrettas, Dr. Datta and the Pioneer Memorial staff, Dr.
Hershberger and staff at OHSU, and of course his personal nurse and medical advocate, our
sister Trish.
For those who attended the dinner and reception, we regret that with the stream of
people flowing through the parish hall, we did not have an opportunity for sharing memories
of Dad. We had asked Daniel to explain the significance of the saddle that was on display
along with the photos of Dad. Daniel has agreed to write down what he was going to say
and share it here.
D A D ’S SA D D L E :
I have been asked to explain the meaning of this saddle. This is not the saddle Dad
used most recently, as you can see the seat is showing quite a little wear. Nor is it the first
saddle Dad wore the seat out of, but it is the saddle we know as Dad’s saddle. To us it is
more than a piece of equipment or a tool of the trade, it is a symbol of what Dad stood for:
his faith, his beliefs and values, like honesty and standing up for what you believe in, even
if everyone else disagrees. When something is broke, you fix it; if a situation is wrong, you
correct it.
SALE YARD ETIQUETTE A couple of years ago 1 helped Dad haul some dry cows to
the auction yard when Bill was laid up after his horse wreck. Dad was in the truck, Rita
and I followed pulling a gooseneck. A long line of trucks, pickups and trailers had
already formed. The line was growing longer and moving slowly when a pickup pulling
a small stock trailer rumbled by and pulled into a spot further up the line. I told Rita
this might be trouble because Dad probably won't let it go!
Sure enough, the truck door opened and Dad climbed out, walked back and said, 'I
wonder why that guy thinks he is more important than everone else here?' I strained
ahead and saw a huge hairy arm hanging out of the offending pickup and said, Maybe
we should let this go!' I could tell Dad was spinning this through his mind, and the
next thing I knew he was walking up the line of trucks, pickups and trailers towards
the one with the huge hairy arm hanging out of it.
Now all of you who knew our Grandma Martha Van Schoiack, you will know that
Dad was driven by genetic forces as he walked up to correct this situation. I was
hoping he would walk right on by, but instead he stopped and faced the man with the
huge hairy arm hanging out of the window.
I could see Dad calmly engage in conversation, and then another huge arm extended
out of the pickup window and a huge hand took hold of Dad's and shook it. Then Dad
turned and walked back with that half smile / half grin on his face. So it was a win-win
situation: the man in the pickup learned a lesson in sale yard etiquette, and Dad won
his respect and friendship. That was Dad's way. he could take an adverse situation
and make everyone walk away feeling good.
TR E SP A SSE R S! We were hunting on opening day of deer season. We had killed a
couple of bucks on the west slope of Juniper and drug them up to the pickup. As we
headed back down the ridge we spotted another pickup on the horizon headed up the
rutted road towards us. The pickup was a dark green 4-wheel drive that none of us recognized
-- that meant only one thing; we had trespassers!
You could feel the tension in the air; it was like two battleships approaching on the high
seas. Actually most of the tension was in the back where us kids were riding; Dad and his
buddy Wilbur Worden were in the front planning out the next hunt.
As the trespassing pickup drew near, we could see a man and two boys in the cab.
Neither of the boys appeared old enough to drive, but the man was letting one of them
take a turn at the wheel. Dad calmly asked them who they were and what they were doing.
It turned out the man’s work had taken him to Portland and the boys lived with his ex-
wife several towns away. He didn't realize he was on posted property and was just looking
for a place to spend some time with his boys. It didn’t take Dad long to think it over. He
told them a spot where they could go hunt and welcomed them to come back the next
year. And so another friendship developed.
They have come back every year since, and now three generations of Fergusons also
come to help gather the cattle out of the mountains in the fall and brand the calves in the
spring. They are like family and were there for Dad and us during his brief stay at OHSU.
When his health suddenly took a turn for the worse, they were with Marie, dear Aunt
Helen, and cousins Darlene, Jennifer, Pat and George when the rest of us could not make
it in time. Our relationship with the Fergusons exists today because Dad welcomed a
stranger who wandered on to his land, instead of kicking him off for trespassing.
BACKTOTHE SADDLE. About 15 years ago, I watched some guys acting out Cowboy
Poetry on the Late Night Show. I thought that might be fun if for only one night! I had
some stories about my own experiences which I put the words to rhyme. I never wrote
them down, just kept them in my head and used my family as a test audience. This one
about Dad’s saddle was his favorite. I realized now I should have told it more often. I
guess I lost interest in the Late Night Show since I don’t watch television anymore.
DAD’S SADDLE is really quite light as far as saddles go;
it’s just all the accessories attached that add an extra 60 pounds or so.
And if you ever had to throw it up on a horse’s back, I am sure you will agree;
because the job takes two men, and sometimes three!
Now most of these items come in quite handy I know;
like that coiled up piece of rope commonly known as a lasso.
And he is always prepared if he should come upon some broken wires;
for he is never without his trusty pair of fencing pliers.
Now that hatchet tied upon the side is something I really admire;
for it can be used for hammering nails or splitting wood to start a fire.
He’s got his old slicker tied upon the back should he find himself in foul weather;
and beneath it a faded pair of saddlebags, built of sturdy leather.
Now those saddlebags could put most any hardware store to shame;
for they contain more items than I could ever begin to name!
He’s got a wide assortment of staples and nails; and a bottle of
Tordon beads should he find a stray knapweed along the trails.
Now the list goes on and I don’t mean to complain;
he rides a good stout horse and it caused him no pain.
And many of these items I like to carry along my self;
but I think there are a few he needs to put back upon the shelf.
For what really makes that sucker so hard to throw upon a horse's back;
is a shovel, a crowbar, and a HANDYMAN JACK!
I
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J
H eppner City M anager David DeMayo with hundreds of confiscated bottles
Jaren Wicklund with bottle collection
Jared W icklund of
Heppner has lost his bottles.
What began as a digging and
discovery excavation on an
abandoned lot in Heppner,
en d ed up w ith the S tate
Historic Preservation Office
getting involved, and finally
H e p p n e r's city m a n ag er
going to W icklund's house,
loading 300-400 old bottles
in to a pick u p tru ck , and
storing them at city hall.
After all o f this, it turns out
no one may want the bottles.
Wicklund had spent
months last year excavating
the b o ttle s from the old
Heppner Gazette-Times lot
after the lot and building had
been so ld to the city o f
Heppner. On May 17 the
Gazette ran a story entitled
“ H e p p n e r m an p ie c e s
together bits of H eppner's
past" chronicling Wicklund’s
various finds of bottles and
other items dug up from as
far as nine and a half feet
down. W icklund talked in
the story about the various
in terestin g things he had
d is c o v e re d and b its o f
information he learned about
H eppner’s past.
T h en it all bro k e
loose. Following publication
o f the story one or more
local people complained that
the bottles were artifacts and
did not belong to Wicklund.
Subsequently Susan Lynn
W h ite, a s s is ta n t state
a rc h a e o lo g is t w ith the
O reg o n S ta te H isto ric
P reservation O ffice, who
had been m ade aw are o f
W ic k lu n d 's
fin d , got
involved and wrote a lengthy
letter to the editor explaining
an Oregon law that would
not allow W icklund to keep
the bottles.
L a te r Dr. D avid
B ra u n e r, a p ro fe s s o r at
Oregon State University at
C o rv a llis
began
c o rre sp o n d in g w ith C ity
M an ager D avid D eM ayo
about just what to do with
all these artifact bottles.
D eM ay o
said
B rauner instructed him to
inventory the bottles and
sen d th e in v e n to ry to
Corvallis. He was also told
to contact the local museum
about taking the bottles.
A c c o rd in g
to
D eM ay o , the M orrow
C ounty M useum has said
they don't want the bottles.
What happens to the bottles
is now up in the air. ‘T m
not averse to shipping them
off to Salem." DeM ayo said
Wicklund excavated bottles himself
Tuesday while transporting
the bottles for storage in the
former dentist’s office which
is part of city hall. He said
the local museum indicated
they did not want the bottles
citing lack o f display space
as one reason.
In the original news
sto ry W ick lu n d to ld the
G azette that he found an
a s s o rtm e n t o f w h isk ey
bottles, m edicine bottles,
tonic bottles, Chinese Tiger
w hiskey bottles, pum pkin
seed flasks, shot glasses, as
well as many others in all
shapes and colors from clear
to cobalt blue to green. He
also found many ink bottles
and bottles used to distribute
medications. He had learned
of three previous drug stores
in H ep p n er fro m b o ttles
imprinted w ith, “Conser and
Ayers Drug Co., Heppner,”
" P a tte rs o n
and Son
D ruggists, H eppner" and
“ S lo cu m
D rug
C o .,
H eppner.” W icklund said
th a t he le a rn e d th at the
C o n s e r and A yers D rug
C o m p a n y w ent o u t o f
business right after the 1903
flood as one o f the men had
been among those that had
drowned.
W ic k lu n d
has
enlisted the help o f 10 books
to help identify the numerous
bottles that are not obvious.
He also has looked at old-
time photos o f Heppner to
try and identify businesses
that had been in the area. He
said that at least two other
buildings had been where the
G azette w as situated. He
said that a mechanic’s garage
was located on the vacant lot
next to the Gazette. He also
said a d o c to r's o ffice o f
some kind must have been in
the area as he saw a wooden
sign with a doctor's name on
it. He also had found old-
fashioned syringes.
D eM ay o
said
W ick lu n d
w as
“ v ery
cooperative” when giving up
his bottles. “ He even helped
me load them up." DeM ayo
said.
OLCC allocates monthly revenue
M o rro w
C o u n ty
re c e n tly
re c e iv e d
its
Septem ber distilled spirits
revenue allocation from the
O re g o n L iq u o r C o n tro l
Commission.
F o llo w in g is the
disbursement: Morrow Co.,
pop. 11,945 — $ 4 ,2 1 3 .
B o ard m an .
$ 3 ,2 5 0 ;
H ep p n er, $ 1 ,4 5 4 ; lo n e ,
$ 3 4 8 ; Irrig o n . $ 1 ,8 3 8 ;
Lexington, $266.
T he
ag en c y
d istrib u ted $13.5 m illion
s ta te w id e in S ep te m b er,
using a form ula based on
O regon's population of 3.63
m illion. The am ount was
35.2 cents per cap ita for
counties; $1.02 for cities.
The 36 counties received 10
percent o f the total, $1.28
m illio n ; 239 c itie s , 20
percent, $2.56 million; state
general fund. 56 percent,
$ 7 . 1 7 m illio n ; and city
revenue sharing account, 14
percent. $1.8 m illion. In
addition, the State Office o f
Mental Health and Addiction
Services received $662.641
and the Oregon Wine Board
got $23.413.
O L C C rev en u e is
d eriv e d from the sale o f
distilled spirits in 241 liquor
s to re s , ta x e s on m alt
beverages and wine, license
fees, and fines for liquor law
v io la tio n s. Last m onth s
revenue share was $10.96
million.
The OLCC collects
privilege taxes o f $2.60 for
a 3 1-gallon barrel o f malt
beverage. 67 cents a gallon
for taxable w ine w ith an
a lc o h o l c o n te n t o f 14
p erce n t or u n d er and 77
cents on taxable wine over
14 percen t. O f th a t, tw o
cents a gallon goes to the
Oregon Wine Board to fund
research and promotion.
Creative Care
Preschool to sell
Christmas trees
C re a tiv e
C a re
P re sc h o o l is o ffe rin g
Christmas trees for sale this
season. Pre-sales will be
from N o v e m b e r 6 -2 7 .
Delivery and pickup will be
Saturday, D ecem ber 2. at
the lone High School bus
parking lot from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m.
Cost for Noble Firs
is $36 for a six-seven foot
tree and $42 for a seven-
eight foot tree. C ost for
Douglas Firs is $20 for a
six-seven foot tree and $22
for a seven-eight foot tree.
Som e special o rd ers for
smaller or larger trees may
also be possible.
C o n ta c t
E rin
H eidem an. 422-7131 or
422-7542 or e-mail her at
ehcideman@ ione.k 12.or.us
for ordering inform ation.