The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1921-08-11
PENDLETON BOOSTERS
COMPLETE ITINERARY
Some Thirty or More Pass Through
Heppner Tuesday ON Return from
Grant County.-1nterested In Getting
Better Highway Connection South
from Pendleton.

Representing the associated CONNER
cial bodies of Umatilla county, nine
cars of live wires from Pendleton and
other towns of the county arrived at
Ritter Hot Springs ON Sunday after
noon, where they remained over night,
and then proceeded on to Canyon City
and returning via Long Creek, Hamil-
ton. Monument and Heppner to Pen
dleton.
AT Ritter they met a strong delega-
tion of the residents Of northern Grant
headed by Commissioner Caverhiu of
the Grant county court. Happening to
be present at this meeting, the editor
OF this paper was enabled to get pret-
ty good line on what the Pendleton and
'umatilla county fellows are after They
had reached Ritter over the Pendleton-
Alba trail and they were in no frame
sos IA the direc-
ton OF good roads leading out south
from the Umatilla county capitol in
fact they were a sore bunch and lost
no words in condemning the bad con-
nections as far south as the Umatilla
line.
However, no promise could be made
FOR immediate improvement, for funds
were all spoken for and the program
was complete sc far as present demands
were concerned. and the Umatilla peo-
pie could only promise to get behind
some plan that was going to furnish
necessary funds at some future date
1t Will require large amount Of money
to make decent road out to PendIe-
ton from Ritter and where ii Is COM
ing from Is matter to be worked out.
The main object Of the junket was
TO get lined out on a cooperative pro-
gram that will unite the counties of
umatilla- Grant. Harvey and Lake on
the proposed north and south highway
to the California line which, when com
pleted. will be the means of diyerting
large amount Of the tourist travel |
through this part OF Oregon Besides, |
this same road would be the means of |
diverting a very large portion of the |
Grant county trade direct to Pendleton, |
hence the more direct benefit to that
city.
Pendleton speakers, however, realiz-
ed that large part Of this trade was
directly tributary to Heppner. and they
stated that they would not be in the
least sore to have Heppner go out and
get 1t. As matter of fact, Heppner
Is very favorably situated, and on ac-
count OF the far shorter distance IL
has the preference as trading and
shipping point of the populace of nor
thern Grant.
Coming in via Heppner- Ritter road
on Monday, direct from Ritter, we were
convinced that this route is the one
that Will be chosen by the people of
the Ritter and Long Creek sections in
getting to the railroad. A splendid
grade Is now about completed down to
Ritter from the Long Creek side, on
which Grant county has spent a very
large sum OF money. ON this side of
Ritter and between the middle and
north forks of the John Day there is
a lot of work to be done and Grant
county is ready to do it Just as fast
as the means can be provided. Com
missioner Caverhlll assured us that the
people OF his district were very anxious
to have the road put in share lust as
early as possible and the court was in
with their desires IN,
grade up out from the North fork is
IN good shape now and can be readily
negotiated by automobiles and other
vehicles 1t is free from rocks and
quite smooth and people going over to
ritter and other Grant county points
VIII be able to get through easily. The l
Morrow county end of the road Is fine. $
A lot OF good work has been done in G
smoothing up the road in many places
right recently under the direction of !
George Moore. and II is easy going I
from Heppner to the Grant county line c
There are Just two roads into Grant 4
county in which Heppner has much in t
terest: the Ritter road and the Mon t
lment road. II the latter could be fl
placed in shape for travel the year Il
that trade would all come our
way The Ritter and Long Creek Sec
ions would not require such a road
Is could be Travelled all the year but l
hey would like to have such a thor !
'ughfare as it would be easy to get r
'ver for at least six months of the h
ear and the rest of the time they L
would be content, 1t is up to Heppner e
o get busy and make sure of this trade s.
rom these two sections, and 1t Is &
Inc time to begin right now II the "
borrow county court and the Grant b
ounty court could come together, and II
urther. II our business men would take IL
upon themselves to organize n Jun Il
,eting party similar to what Baker and c
'endleton have done and visit the peo-
lie over that way, there is no doubt
ut that cooperative plans could be D.
worked out that would bring about "
he desired results.