The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1921-08-18
Why Heppner Gets Trade

Why Heppner Gets Trade
Under this caption. as a sub-head
TO the write-up in the East OregOnian
Of the 10Th INST, descriptive Of the
trip made into Grant county by the
Umatilla county representatives a
few days previous, is the following:
In other words the trip home BY
way Of Heppner shows why this
county has lost business that former
y came this way and how BY one
stroke that business and much more
may be made to flow nOrthward
We can see why business is 60
ing to Heppner, said Judge Schan-
nep when the party was at Monu-
.ment, enroute to the capital Of Nor
row county. The roads to Monument
are good. But Monument is 55 miles
from Heppner and after we had COW
cred that distance We saw the Situa-
tion more clearly in its real light.
Grant county business is going TO
Heppner instead Of Umatilla county
towns because that route is the less
er of two evils, The road to Hepp-
ner is not a boulevard and after We
get our North and South road to func-
tioning it will seem even less of a
boulevard than at present"
The article goes on to state fur
ther that in getting out this way the
people of the Monument section have
troubles also as Immediately on
leaving Monument there is a grade
that is a half-brother to our own be-
loved John Day grade" and the pic
ture is, of course, set forth in about
its worst light
The fact remains, however, that
Pendleton and Umatilla county are
going out to get all the trade possible
from the Northern Grant county sec
tion, and from now on they will leave
nothing undone that should be done
to get it. True they will have to get
hold of money with which to make
the road building program the sue
cess they hope it will ultimately be
but we have no doubt whatever of
their getting it, and in time dividing
up, at least, what little of the inter-
ior trade Heppner now enjoys.
Condor is also looking forward to
a goodly portion of this trade because
of their connection with the John Day
highway. Yet Heppner has all the
advantage in distance and it only re-
quires the completion of good road
that can be travelled the year round
between this point and Monument to
insure us the permanency of this
trade, as we'll as opening up to us
other parts of the interior trade we
are not now getting.
With market road money and for
estry service money the Morrow
county end of the Heppner-Monu-
ment road could be well built; and if
properly constructed, as much of it
now is, the maintenance will not be
excessive. A little cooperation by
Grant county to get that end of the
road in good shape is all that is real
ly needed now, as our own county
court has a mind to do all that is pos
sible, and to do it just as fast as the
means is provided.
With the Grant county end of the
Ritter road put in as good shape as
is the Morrow county portion, there
will be no question as to where those
people will come to the railroad.
Heppner being their nearest outlet,
they are going to come this way.
In the meantime, it behooves
Heppner business interests to keep
we'll in touch with the situation and
be prepared to get and hold this
trade regardless of what is done by
Umatilla and Grant counties in the
construction of the North and South
road; a move that is good one and
should succeed. For looking at it
from this distance, a good road lead
ing into Heppner from Long Creek
via Ritter, and another good road
from Monument to this city will be
the means of inducing a goodly por-
ton of the tourist travel that may ul-
timately come over the North and
South road to come our way.