East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-07-13
AMAZING SITUATION

(Continued from page H.

Sometimes we made Sur identity
known to people with whom we talk
ed, at times we left that in the dark
in order to get at the inside facts more
closely We learned a lot not only
about the country but about the rel
ative merits of outside connections
with Heppner, Pendleton aud Baker
We learned at first hand what motor
travel between Grant county ana
Baker is like because we made the
trip from Prairie TO Baker and home
via La Grande and the oregon trail.
| The following will give a line on
what they say for the same thoughts
seemed to be in the minds of nearly
everyone met:
Heppner; I'VE like the Heppner
people, but Heppner is too small, we
cannot find a good market for our
products there: the banks are not as
strong as the banks at Pendleton, we
cannot count on getting labor in
Heppner it Is nearly as far to Heppnet
as to Pendieton and the roads are bad
PendIeton Is Preferred
Pendleton; I'VE want togo to Pen
dleton. Grant county people prefer
Pendleton banks, Pendleton is large
town and on the main line. We ""F
sell odr products there and buy what
we want at the stores. We want +,
| dleton flour; we can get labor in PEN
dleton, we want Milton-Freewate
fruit. But we cannot get to Pendleton
now because of lack of a proper road
Baker; In northern Grant county,
/ from Ritter to Long Creek, Baker does
not exist. Prairie, the terminus Of the
sumpter Valley railroad which runs
from Baker, Is too far away. In the
Canyon City country, there is an in
terest in Baker but it is not an en-
thusiastic interest Just why will be
shown later. Build q decent road from
Umatilla county to Grant county and
PendletOn can beat Baker by two
touchdowns" without training.
There are some factors about the
Grant county road question not we'll
understood BY the casual umatllla
county resident. The subject Is much
bigger and more important than would
seem ut first glance. A good road to
Grant county will not only open up
trade between northern Grant county
and Umatilla county, such q road will
place all of Grant county with its 5000
people and assessed wealth of $4,000
900 in our trading zone. This Is true
because the auto and the truck must
be relied upon TO provide transporta
ton facilities for that region and en-
dleton is the logical and most accept
able gateway. BY keeping the gate
closed we are not only penalzing our
selves but we are holding back the
development OF q wonderful region.
Walter Mccormack Knew
Another feature not well understood
here is that this North and South high
way constitutes the logical route from
Spokane to California. Walter Nc
Cormach knew what he was about in
1915 when he made his famous low
rear run from Walla Walla to San
Francisco. Bad as the roads are and
D 4 no thew were then that route was
the most direct and feasible road from
tnIs region TO the Bay City, McCOrm-
mach went through Pilot Rock, Ulsiah,
Dale. Long Creek, Canyon City. Burns
and on to the Golden State. Look at
the map and you will see the value of
this route which is little used now be-
canse Umatilla county has ignored its
end Of road building. Burns people !
are as anxious as Grant county people
for this road. They want to come
north and 90 to Portland via Pendle. (
ton over the Columbia highway It is
Just as near for them as the other way
spd q vastly better trip. >