The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-10-14
Blue Mountains.

| OrdHcH line from Arlington to Con-
don short time ago, there was more
wool shipped from Heppner each year
direct from the growers, than any
other single point anywhere in the
West. 1t is still great shipping
center for wool, but in later years
the wheatgrowing industry has been
extensively developed and cattle and
horses are grown on a large scale.
Nowhere in Eastern Oregon or
Washington was there a more mag
nificent stretch of the famous bunch
grass than that which greeted the
eye of the traveller as he rode across
that portion of Umatilla County now
composing the County of Morrow. l
first saw Heppner in June, 1877, as l
came across that section with my wife
and three babies, enroute to Marion
County to make my future home, and
now recall that for many miles be-
tween Pendleton and Heppner there
were thousands of acres of bunch
grass, two feet in height, where no
animal had taken bite of the splen-
did feed since it had emerged from
tn ground in the early Spring
Within a mile of the several
streams that come down from the
mountains at distant intervals the
grass had all been eaten off, but 9TH
erwise the range at that time was
waving in beckoning invitation to the
ranger, cowboy and stockman.
Grist Mill Serves Long.
At that early day grist mill was
in process of completion by a man
named Beegle, still after 3S years in
service, though it has been several
times remodeled and improved There
were very few houses in Heppner at
that time and the writer recalls pur-
chasing from Jack" Morrow, whom
he had known in La Grande, a small
supply of needed articles for the re-
mainder of the trip.
Heppner has had its share of men
who became we'll known over the
state for their successes in various
lines of endeavor. Among these
should be mentioned w. r, Ellis,
School superintendent, Circuit Judge
for six years and member of Congress
for five terms. John Wilson, who
was one of the first men to go from
the Willamette Valley to the Hepp
ner country to engage in the sheep
business. He served Umatila Coun-
ty in the Legislature in 1880 and
was a member from Marion in 1889,
to which county he had later re-
turned.
G. w. Phelps, at present Circuit
Judge for that district, was citizen
of Heppner and was member Of the
Legislature from Morrow County in
1902. Others Of those who Nero
prominent in developing that section
of Eastern Oregon We're Frank Mad
dock, one time Sheriff OF Umatilla
County, a man of the frontier rough
and-ready type; Judge A. Mallory,
Judge A. G.. Bartholomew, George
Conser connected with the First Ma
tional Bank for 20 years, and J. \.
Brown, twice member OF the Legis-
lature. The Ayers, Rhea and Mat
lock families were prominent in the
early days in furthering the growth
of Heppner and Morrow County, sew
eral of whom still remain there.
After continuing in the mercantile
business for few years, Henry Hepp-
ner disposed of his interests and re-
turned to his first vocation, that of
buying hides. Old-timers in Hepp-
ner recall many of the characteristics
Of this pioneer deliver after wealth.
For several years he rode a mare he
owned all over the country in quest
of hides, and, having no wagon, or
perhaps needing none, he would often
lash several hundred sheep hides to-
gether, with a few cowhides for an
outside covering, and drag the car
go" from the hills miles away into
Heppner by lariat fastened to the
horn of his saddle.
There are several one-story brick
dwellings still standing in Heppner
which were erected by this pioneer
merchant and tradesman, bearing his
name and one presenting the date Of
1889.
"Jack" Morrow remained in bust
ness in Heppner for period of near
" 20 years, was a member of the Leg
islature in 1876 and died few years
ago, leaving splendid reputation
for business integrity and with as
many friends as he had acquain-
tances. His son, j. w. Morrow, own
er and landlord of the Palace Hotel
for a few years and afterward clerk
of Morrow County for eight years,
is now the tax agent for the O.-W.
r. & N. Company in Portland He
also served his district as State Sen
i, ator for four years.
The public will generally recall the
fearful catastrophe which overlook
Heppner on Sunday, June IA, 1908,
when a cloudburst in the immense
tablelands between the city and the
Blue Mountains brought down the
. different canyons and gulches which
t converge >at that point veritable
, wall of water, which the surviving
residents say was 80 feet in height
| as it entered the upper edge Of the
town. Its flow was retarded and az