Chamber denounces new forest plan

Senator George E. Chamberlain spent several days getting a better acquaintance with Wallowa county citizens and conditions. He stopped first at Wallowa and then Sheriff Edgar Marvin, D.W. Sheahan and O.M. Corkins brought him to Enterprise in an automobile Thursday afternoon. He spent that evening meeting citizens around town and attending the Knights of Pythias lodge where a considerable number of men dropped in.

Suit against the Enterprise Hotel Company for $7,500 damages has been filed by Mrs. Emma Bauer, administratrix of the estate of her daughter, Louise Hollembaek. The action arises out of the death of Mrs. Hollembaek in the basement of the hotel, July 22, 1913. Holding an electric light by an extension cord, she fell to the floor. The current continued to pass through her body until she was found dead — a considerable time.

R.C. Mays, a former resident of Lostine, was killed under an automobile last Saturday, about three miles from Elgin where he had lived for a number of years. The funeral was held on Sunday at Elgin.

Events of the past week look to the building up of the central part of West First street — the north and south street past the Wallowa National bank and the Fraternal building. Ross R. Falconer and Delbert Homan bought of S.A. Gotter the quarter block at the southwest corner of Greenwood street. This is the quarter Mr. Gotter has been using for his implement business.

A meeting of the directors of the Wallowa County Fair association was held Saturday afternoon and many matters taken up for consideration and decision. It was decided to again secure a first class aviator as a daily attraction, and the correspondence on file with the secretary indicates that in addition to the usual trips by an aeroplane the aviator secured will guarantee to perform all the stunts included in the modern aviators achievements.

70 YEARS AGO

July 19, 1945

Considerable interest has been manifested in the establishment of a state park at the head of Wallowa Lake in order that this recreational and scenic spot might be properly developed and maintained and made available to the public in perpetuity.

The many friends of Ranger Keith McCool were shocked Saturday morning to hear that he had passed away in his sleep Friday night at the Lick Creek ranger station. He had visited with friends and fellow service employees until 11 o’clock Friday evening and had retired in apparent good health and spirits. Saturday morning when he was called to breakfast he did not answer. Investigation disclosed that he had passed away quietly in his sleep, death apparently being due to a heart attack.

Sgt. Mark Hall, who has received his discharge, arrived home recently. He was overseas in the European theater for 30 months in the 3rd infantry division and was awarded several decorations, the ETO ribbon with eight stars, French Fourragère, American Defense ribbon and Good Conduct ribbon. He is one of the seven sons of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Hall who have been in the service.

Final tabulations in the 7th War Loan show that Wallowa county exceeded its quota almost 50 per cent with sales of $432,842, and a quota of $305,000. Even in the sale of bonds to individuals, where many districts did not meet their quotas, the county went over the top by 112.5 per cent. The bond quota on sales to individuals was $245,000 and sales totaled $275,704.

Plans for the establishing of a lumber mill were discussed recently in a meeting of timber owners of the Troy area with Supervisor Carl Ewing of the Umatilla National forest, the object being to establish a lumber mill at Troy.

50 YEARS AGO

July 22, 1965

Chester Arthur Gibbs, of Joseph, passed away at his home on Sunday, July 18, 1965, following five years of failing health. He was the son of William and Arminta Gibbs and was born December 25, 1880 in Mill Springs, North Carolina, coming to Wallowa county 52 years ago. On March 10, 1903 he was married at Kinsley, Kansas to Glenna Blanche Steffy who survives him. He was a retired farmer.

At a meeting of the Wallowa County Boundary Board held Tuesday, July 20, at the County Courthouse, the clerk of the board was directed to complete the plans and to publish notice of hearing for the formation of an administrative district. The district to be formed will consist of the existing Districts No. 6, Joseph and No. 11, Bridge.

The new United States Forest Service Timer Sale Contract, which governs sale of Government-owned timber to industry, was introduced and explained to 36 local lumbermen at La Grande last week. The training session on the new Contract, which was updated for the first time since the early 1950’s and went into effect July 1, was sponsored by the (Oregon) Forest Practice Committee, a division of Western Wood Products Association, Portland, Oregon.

25 YEARS AGO

July 19, 1990

An 18-year-old mushroom picker from Montana was arrested at 8:30 p.m. last Wednesday, July 11, following the robbery at gunpoint six hours earlier of $8-10,000 from a mushroom buyer at Salt Creek Summit east of Joseph.

The Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors on Friday adopted resolutions denouncing the new Wallowa-Whitman National Forest management plan for reducing the supply of federally owned timber available for harvest.