The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-11-21
WOULD BUILD NEW
HOTEL IN HEPPNER
II. V. Gates of Heppner Light &
Water Co., Makes Proposition
to City.

Just after tn" lie of July 4tn and
being among number of citizens
discussing the necessity of hotel,
said to one of them-"Buy the
water works and | will build
hotel'-since then quite a number
have asked me if | would. There
fore | am answering the question so
often asked me, and l will be repaid
If it does no more good than to
spur the people of Heppner to some
kind of action that will terminate
in the building of a hotel and re-
lieve the present distressing con-
dition.
Several existing conditions in
Heppner consist of the following:
1st. Heppner is without sufficient
hotel Accommodations if it is to
prosper it must have them in
quantity and quality to meet all
demands. 1t can secure quantity
through the construction of lot of
cheap shacks. If it is to have
quality, now, with a clear field, is
the time to provide for such
hotel; it should have all conditions
OF capacity, quantity, safety from
food or fire and for the present or
future demands of the public. 1t
should be attractive to the travelling
public as well as an advertisement
for the City.
End. Construction now, with
scarcity of labor and material, and
war prices for both, will increase
the cost Of building at least forty
percent above normal or pre-war
costs, every dollar put into building
now, will, after the war, have a value
of only sixty cents. The shrinkage
on q building costing 100000
would be $4,000, having a value
after war conditions are ended, of
only $4,000.
Increased taxes, war demands,
cost of building; financial conditions
could not be worse, and it is for
these reasons that none have come
forward to even suggest a way to
finance the undertaking of hotel.
Another problem for Heppner to
settle is water supply now and for
future. Present conditions are:
1st Present supply inadequate
and very expensive to procure. The
supply can be increased by using
more wells, but as penalty of in
creased cost OF operation and water
rates for all patrons. 1t is, or should
be, well known fact that any cost
Of operating utility must be borne
by its patrons; if they refuse, then
it must go into bankruptcy, and
then, by order of the Courts or the
Public Service Commission, the
patrons must pay.
End. The only other supply is on
Willow Creek, 20 miles from Hepp-
ner, This supply would flow by
gravitation to Heppner, this supply
is, at a minimum flow, amply suf-
ficient for City of 1000 and it can
be easily augmented by using a con-
servation reservoir on Ditch Creek
and supply City of 5000. For de-
creased cost of operation and a
plentiful supply of pure water, Will
low Creek must and will be the
future source of supply.
3rd. Any further expenditures
for new wells, or pumping machin-
cry uses, (at practically a loss), an
that could and should be
applied on the Willow Creek pro-
ject
4th. All medical and engineering
experts; all public Service Com
and all who make a study
Of the protection to health and
manufacturing, and beau
tifying the City, unite in recommend
ing City ownership and operation OF
water works. The Willow Creek
supply should be developed by the
City. Among other reasons are,
that it could secure funds for con-
at a lower rate of interest
than the private utility can; lower
rate of interest lovers cost of opera
tion, tending to lower water rates.
5. The present water works would
be the, distribution system for the
City just as it is now, The Public
Service Commission engineers have
tested and valued it and
they report it is we'll planned and
that the reservoirs are
in the right location Tor the future;
that the water mains are we'll plan
ned and hydrants we'll located; that
the pressure from reservoirs is good
for both domestic and fire use; and.
that any failure to put them to such
use would be a deficient fire depart
ment; the wells and pumping
would always be and are
s,1