This week in history: April 15, 2024

More than 57,000 cherry blossoms in The Dalles orchard district have been hand pollenized during the last week by workers under the direction of Professor C. E. Schuster, horticulture expert of the Oregon Agricultural college, in the third and last hand pollenization experiment to be conducted in Wasco county.

Finding of the state water board in adjudication of the relative rights for the use of water on Mill creek and its tributaries, in which The Dalles city was given certain rights to take water from the east fork of Mill creek in addition to the water of the Dog river, were confirmed...

For the Saturday Easter egg hunt, 200 dozen eggs are being colored by a committee of the Kiwanis ... — The Dalles Chronicle

The closing day for filing for the primary election brought out several new candidates for office in this county and in several instances contests will now add some interest to the coming election. W. A. Langille has filed for the Republican nomination for representative to the state legislature on the Republican ticket. Up till last week, J. H. Hazlett, Democrat was the only candidate for this post. It also developed this week that friends of Allison Fletcher had filed for him as candidate for county commissioner. He is the only candidate. There is also to be a contest for the post of justice of the peace, I. Blagg having filed to contest the nomination with A. W Onthank present incumbent. — Hood River News

An unusual sight greeted residents of the White Salmon valley early Monday morning when the ground was covered with snow. However, in town, the snow had disappeared by breakfast time, but on Burdoin Mt. where three inches of snow had fallen, the ground remained covered until noon. The sight of snow during cherry blossom time is unusual and many people expressed fear of damage to the bloom. During the morning and also Monday afternoon light showers of hail of short duration also fell. — White Salmon Enterprise

1944 — 80 years ago

A prisoner from Hood River county ... was lodged in the Wasco county jail today because of the inadequate facilities at Hood River, according to a report from Sheriff Harold Sexton.

More rat poison will be scattered at the city dump Wednesday and Thursday by Roy Fugate, district agent of the wild life and game commission, it was reported today ... A decline in the number of rats has been noticed since the project started last fall ... — The Dalles Chronicle

Shipment of an estimated 12 tons of tin cans to the Metal and Thermit Detinning corporation at South San Francisco, Calif., was completed last Saturday by the Hood River County salvage committee. Joe B. Young, committee co-chairman, W. B. Durland and Arthur Grafious, together with R. E. Steele, coordinator of the county civilian defense council, spent the larger part of Saturday afternoon “strong arming” nearly eight tons of cans into a large dump truck, from where they were transferred to the Union Pacific rail siding and loaded directly into a car. Half loaded when all of Hood River county’s cans had been put on a board, the car was routed for a stopover at Salem, where it will be filled this week with cans contributed by the Marion county salvage committee. It then. Will be sent on to San Francisco and the tin reclaimed for essential use in the war effort. — Hood River News

Bingen grade school children are collecting discarded phonograph records. Pupils will call at all homes in an effort to salvage as many as possible. The Columbia Recording company will make new recordings on these turned-in records and they will be distributed to men and women in the service, sailors, soldiers and marines. A prize of one dollar will be given to the pupil who collects the greatest number. The contest closes on Friday. — White Salmon Enterprise

1964 — 60 years ago

Cold air settling in draws and pockets damaged this area’s blossoming cherries to an undetermined extent Thursday night ... thermometer readings in the low 20s at some locations... Growers laid down a smudge that hung over the hills and valleys around The Dalles in an effort to offset the chilling effects, and some of the fires were still burning long after sunrise. — The Dalles Chronicle

Upper Valley swim pool committeemen announced after a meeting Friday fund raising drive for the project will begin in about two weeks. Chairman Eugene Euwer said the committee was gratified at it Friday meeting to learn of interest from widespread parts of the country.

“We want to stress that this would be a county-wide facility, said Euwer. “Some people think this is a Parkdale thing, but if it becomes a reality, were going after the whole valley to use it.”

As they plan it, money will be raised for an indoor pool. The committee has proposed that the money for the pool be raised locally, with the covering provided by the school district. The pool would be part of the school plant. One committeeman said “$20,000 has already been pledged, we want to raise $50,000 and get a full-size pool.” — Hood River News

1984 — 40 years ago

A major repair job to The Dalles Natatorium will not be done this year as the city council has decided to wait to see what happens with a plan to form a recreation district head.

Preliminary studies show that the slide area in The Dalles can be controlled, engineers told The Dalles City Council Monday night. Reduction of the ground water appears to be the most feasible method ...

Supporters of Judson Baptist College, 150 strong, dined with U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield in the Columbia Gorge Hotel Monday night then donated $13,712.70 to help save the college. — The Dalles Chronicle

Concerned about rising theft and crime activity? So are we, so this issue introduces a new type of column we hope will provide one more vehicle to reverse the trend. It’s a “Crime Stopper” feature designed to take a closer look at burglary, theft and other similar crimes than has been done in the past. We hope readers perceive it as a tool for them to help reverse or stem the flow of crime. Public participation is essential if it is to develop into the kind of useful service it can be. Those who do make contact can be sure confidentiality will be honored. The intent is to make the feature, which will appear whenever collected material warrants it, a way for looking deeper at the problems. That may uncover information needed to corral the violator. Both the new column and related articles are on Page 4, Section II of today’s Hood River News. Check it out — it might provide some new food for thought. Law agencies in Hood River are cooperating in trying to channel appropriate information to it. — Hood River News

2004 — 20 years ago

A man accused of trying to hire the murder of his wife and one of the men he allegedly attempted to hire appeared in  Wasco County Circuit Court Wednesday, but neither entered pleas.

This consortium of seven libraries in three counties recently went on-line in a big way. With a couple of mouse clicks at any one of the libraries’ websites, patrons can now search the combined resources of all seven libraries... — The Dalles Chronicle

School district business grows diverse each April, as the school year begins to wind down and plans begin for the next one. The agenda for Wednesdays’ meeting certainly had variety, as the Hood River County School Board welcomed its newest administrator, Connie Kennedy, who will become assistant superintendent in July and approved an irrigation easement agreement with Farmer’s Irrigation District to go across Westside Elementary property. In addition to approving the Westside easement, the board also heard a request for a sewer line easement that would run north-south across the Hood River Valley High School grounds, from the City of Hood River. The city Connie Kennedy asked for the easement as part of it planned Wind-master Corner sewer project. — Hood River News

It’s auction season in White Salmon – Students from Whitson Elementary School have been hard at work lately, preparing themed gift baskets for sale at the Ice Cream Social & Silent Auction coming up on April 30 at the Park Center. The annual event represents the school’s primary fundraiser. — White Salmon Enterprise'

Global Headlines

1924

American Tourists Reported Murdered

Dawes Plan Before Reparations Body

1944

Sevastopol Ablaze, Capture by Red Troops Imminent

Japanese Suffer Heavy Casualties On Indian Front

Britain Imposes New Restrictions

1964

DeGaulle OK Following Secret Surgery

Aviatrix Delays Next Flight Leg

1984

World court studies U.S. harbor mining

Elephant, trainer killed in electrical accident

2004

Researchers see progress in predicting El Niño

Military presses bin Laden search

Iranian diplomat assassinated

South Korean vote an upset

Europe nixes bin Laden ‘truce’