Yesteryears: HR Saddle Club rodeo in 1949

With the opening of the North Bank Highway and the growing popularity of the Columbia River Highway, the ferry between Hood River and White Salmon has now just about as much business as it can handle. Between last Thursday and Sunday night, the ferry was called upon to handle more traffic than ever before in its history, the main part of the traffic naturally being automobiles. On Sunday evening, a party of Hood River people who arrived at the White Salmon end of the ferry found 27 cars waiting to cross the river. As there was little prospect of getting the car across the river inside of three hours, they parked their cars in the long line and crossed on the ferry, their auto being transferred at a late hour on Sunday night.

 

 

On Tuesday afternoon, a number of local and visiting motorists were held up on one of the busiest corners in town by a lady traffic officer, who explained to them the rules of the highways and byways and presented each with a copy of Oregon traffic laws. The lady “cop” was Miss Evelyn Hunt, “Miss Personality” of Hollywood, and, judging from the smiles she received and bestowed, she is certainly strong on personality.

 

 

Fire of undetermined origin, but believed to have been caused by smoldering embers of firecrackers, destroyed a big swath of scenic Eliot Woods Sunday. The unusually dry spring and early summer had drained all moisture from the deep forest duff and, once the fire had spread extensively and unnoticed in the forest floor, only a strong wind, such as that which swept the valley Sunday, was necessary to provide all the makings of a blaze, which spread with rapidity.

 

 

The big two-day Hood River Saddle Club rodeo will be ushered in by a parade through Hood River City streets tomorrow morning, 10 a.m. daylight saving time, at the foot of Oak Street. The general public is invited to take part in the parade, which will include floats.

 

Because of the damaged condition of cherries, a number of lower valley growers early this week decided to quit any further effort to harvest the fruit, for the reason that further loss would be entailed in taking fruit off the trees.

 

 

Complaints from businessmen in the area over lack of parking space will result in replacement of the parking meter at the corner of Fourth and Oak streets, next to the Mobil Gas station. The meter had been jerked when the station went in, due to fears of a traffic hazard near the station driveway. The city council now decides the hazard does not exist and parking space is more important.

 

Sale of fireworks to local residents from a booth in White Salmon was a major police headache over the Fourth of July. “I think more people from here patronized that stand than did anyone from Washington,” said Chief Frances Woolston. Sale of fireworks is legal in White Salmon, illegal in Oregon.

 

 

“It looks now,” ventured Dick Smith, “as if we might come out about $200 ahead on our Fourth of July program.” Smith was general chairman this year for the Jaycee-sponsored Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration here. If the books do not end up in the black, it will be the first time in three years it’s turned out that way. For the first time this year, buttons were sold in an effort to finance the program. Activities were expanded this year to include more outside entertainment.

 

 

Remodeling work has started that will give United Telephone Company a whole new look in its local operation. Formerly Tonn Auto Parts at 12 and C, the building will become The Phone Shop, a telephone retail outlet district office and service headquarters. The auto parts store, now Northwest Auto Parts, has moved to a former supermarket.

 

 

A proposed “new look” for part of downtown Hood River went to the Urban Renewal Board in a preliminary draft last week, but some price tags will have to be attached to the changes before they get more consideration. A Streetscape Committee of the board, through KPFF Consulting Engineers, has been developing a downtown renewal plan on an early 1900s theme. It includes such items as replacing the tall, mercury vapor street lights with cast iron and steel standards, topped with modern sodium lamps; benches, litter receptacles, fountains and planter pots.

 

 

Thirty-three teenagers from Taiwan are doing their best to soak up everything Hood River County has to offer this month. The visitors from Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second largest city, are here to hone their use of spoken English. That still leaves plenty of time for swimming, boating and other summertime diversions. On Wednesday, the scheduled called for basketball, volleyball and croquet during American Games Day at Hood River Valley High School.

 

 

Hood River County Sheriff Joe Wampler spent Thursday and Friday keeping curiosity seekers away from a stranded barge. He manned a patrol boat and warned kiteboarders to give New Dawn a wide berth. The vessel ran aground near the mouth of the hood River about 3:15 a.m. on July 9. As of press time Friday, gasoline totaling more than 1 million gallons were being offloaded from the New Dawn to another barge owned by Tidewater Barge Lines.