The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-12-18


sion dozen big motor trucks beng
used in surfacing the Hood River
MOsier extension of the II ghwav. The
big cars, overlaid with the snowblan-
Aet, parked alongside streets near the
hotels.
Some say that the snow has taught
how to do the Shmmy
dance. The last passenger vehicle
seen on the streets. a big Cadillac oe-
cupied by {. Dethman and his son.
Fred. danced all over street intersec-
ton when young Mr.. Dethman tried to
turn around. Finally a half dozen
friends, all Of heavy weight, occupied
the tonneau and with the traction thus
given MIR. Dethmsn was able to get his
ear back to the home garage, where he
said he would leave it till the weather
moderated.
One Hood River man hasn't vet
donned a coat. Spectators shiver when
they see Commodore Dean walk along
the streets in his shirtsleeves. But
the Commodore seems as warm AS hot
toast. He has system all his own.
Commodore Dean probably has more
pairs of woollen underwear than any
other man in Oregon. When the win
ter months come on ana the tempera
ture reaches toward the freezing point
he doesn't rush for a coat and an over
coat. With ever 10 degree drop he puts
on an additional pair of woollen under
wear. His requirements for the freeze
were four suits of "heavies." " Com
modore Dean. fortunately, has saved a
handsome competence from hls wears
Of service as a ferryman. and ne is
said to have laid in an extra supply Of
underwear last week.
The only time anybody ever catches
Commodore Dean in coats is when he
is bound to Portland on business or to
attend to ceremonial of the Mystic
Shrine of which he is a we'll known
member.
Hood River had one citizen last Fri
day who claimed that record tor low
had not been established |
the night before John Gerdes, pio-
neer merchant and hotelkeeper, de
clared that IN 1884 the temperature
was lower in Hood River Mr.. Gerdes
says that the Hood river, despite the
swift current, frose over here, and |
that he hired men to use a hand saw
and cut a large supply of ice, which he
stored for meat shop
'Our cold weather that year came in
February" SAID Mr.. Gerdes The
climax of the freeze was reached on
St Valentine 5 morning.
The recent cold wave has played |
some queer tricks here. hut none of |
them any queerer than that happening |
to Judson g. Ruggles. Mr. Ruggles is
an addict to the pipe. After lunch !
Friday he lit up his briar on leaving !
home. He stepped jauntilv into the
Office at the end of walk of egh
blocks, sucking on the pipe. He pulled |
the stem from between his teeth and
twisted into the bowl with finger.
Well I'm drafted, said Mr., Rug
giles. 81 thought that pipe was alight.
Here have puffed all the way from
home. The fog of my breath fooled |
me. | haven't been smoking at all
Once upon a time the head Of the
family could take rest indoors and |
get boy to shovel off his walks for
10 cents, or at the most 25 cents. But |
those good old days are gone. Two
men shoveled off the walks of +. I. .
Franz, They worked as minutes
Their charge to Mr.. Franz was 81
Attorney Derby became alarmed over
his roof 1t cost him SO to have the
snow removed. Snowshovelers charged
at the rate of 81 per hour for their
toll 1t is record fot Hood River.
The lack of horses was emphasized
last week when the snow storm broke
and paralyzed motor transportation.
Rural mail carriers, all of whom now
make their daily rounds in automO-
biles, unable to get horses and bob
sleds, had to discontinue service while
the roads were unhroken. Delivery
service of merchants had become ex-
clusively motorized. The merchants,
unable to get horsedrawn vehicles.
were forced to send out goods by mes
enger. Some were unable to make de
liveries.
Two drivers Of motor trucks, en-
gagged in graveling the Highway, dug
their big charlots out of snow drifts
last Monday and started for Portland.
The men, depsite the fact that they
would have to break the road for most
of the distance, were bold enough to
undertake the trip.
Garage men, who warned against
the trip declared that 1t was fortunate
that the motor trucks were unable to
get out of the city limits. The task
was considered by motor experts an
impossible one. The bold adventurers
turned their trucks into other drifts
and there they awaited the thaw.
1t is an i'll wind that blows nobody
good, and plumbers have been having
more business than they could attend
| to the past week. Zero weather has
given practically every home it's
trouble with frozen water pipes. The
| damage at some homes has been se-
vere where pipes burst. In most in
stances father and the boys could thaw
out the pipes. Frozen water systems
in the country have caused more troub-
lie than in the city.
The local home that could boast of
no frozen water pipes last week was
an exception. Numerous explosions
followed fires in ranges which prevent
ed the release of steam. A bursting
pipe of the heating system of the Bro
sius building, left the Offices and stores
like refrgetators for the greater part
of Friday.
The big storm may delay the open
ing of the Moser Hood River section
of the Highway, expected about Feb
ruary |. until next spring. Transpor-