Yesteryears, June 17 edition

Paul Hubbard, who was tried by jury Thursday on a charge of violating the city ordinance in relation to carrying passengers in the city limits (Hood River) for hire without a license, was acquitted.

Arriving in The Dalles three weeks ago and representing himself to be the principal of the Anacortes (Wash.) high school and telling Rev. G. S. Clevenger of the Baptist Church that he intended to spend the summer vacation in that city and that he wanted to help in church work, Marion S. Taylor, a Baptist singer, made his get-away  with some of the church people’s money but was caught before he could leave the city. He is now behind bars of the county jail, being held on the charge of obtaining money under false pretenses.

1920 — 100 years ago

A slight improvement in the local gasoline situation was shown this week, when, with supplies available, the local Standard Oil office was delivering 100 gallons per day to garagemen. However, owing to the increase in traffic over the highway and the consequent demand for gasoline, the demand underwent a sudden spurt, with the result that garagemen were forced to keep down to the rationing process which has been in force here for several weeks.

1930 — 90 Years Ago

It was a sad morning of reflection for Brady, 21, and Ray, 18, when they sobered up in jail here on Monday morning and found themselves held on a charge of burglariously entering several of those houses at Cascade Locks, owners of which are earning a living in other towns. Both young men are employed by the state highway department ... and last weekend secured a quantity of home brew, which they imbibed not wisely but too well, entered several of the semi-deserted homes and, after throwing various articles from the windows, were arrested.

1940 — 80 Years Ago

Figures submitted to members of Hood River County Public Welfare commission, at the monthly meeting on Monday of this week, reveal that demands for relief are dropping to near minimum for the year, and the budget for the month of July is less than that of the previous month by $200 ... the state decision that no new Old-Age Assistance applications may be acted upon by county commissions is still in force, as it has been since November of last year.

In the local war on mosquitoes, J. E. Slade who, as commander-in-chief, has already scored a series of outstanding successes against these winged pests, reports that good control has been secured since trails were slashed across Morton’s Point and the flooded area oiled after rise in Columbia River to elevation 75 occurred.

1950 — 70 Years Ago

A noticeable improvement in employment for the Hood River area was shown in May, according to Boyd Jackson, manager of the Hood River office of the state employment service. Jackson observes that employment was higher last month than in April. Estimated unemployment fell from 350 in April to 225 in May.

1960 — 60 Years Ago

Sheriff Rupert Gillmouthe is investigating a rash of dog poisoning in the Dee area that has killed six family pets here already, including two in the past two weeks. Preliminary investigation, he said, indicates that the dogs are victims of a strychnine, salt and lard formula commonly used to kill porcupines. The sheriff ruled out malice intent, noting that all dogs poisoned were “running free.”

Hood River County recorded its second case of polio last week, to put it ahead of all other Oregon counties in incidence of that disease.

Harvey Aluminum currently is receiving hundreds of job inquires and applications for employment from employees and former employees of other aluminum reduction plants in the Pacific Northwest and as far away as West Virginia, Michigan, Maryland and Ohio, company officials report.

1970 — 50 Years Ago

Oregon Grangers from all over the state converged on Hood River this week, turning the Wy’east fairgrounds area into a small city and jamming housing facilities from Hood River to White Salmon to The Dalles. Even Earl Moore, soft-spoken former county commissioner who is handling publicity for the Oregon State Grange convention, described the attendance in glowing terms. “There are more here, by quite a few, than have attended most previous sessions,” said Moore.

Difficulties with a new high school building project continued to plague the Hood River County School Board last week when administrators said the landscaping contractor apparently does not intend to alter irrigation lines at the site, which were found to be 8 to 12 inches from the surface of the ground ... specifications call for burying the lines to 30 inches to prevent possible damage in case of freezing weather.

“Bring ‘em back alive rabbits” and four “colored” boys were double winners in Saturday’s pet show in The Dalles, winning the “oddities” category and best costume.

1980 — 40 Years Ago

A special recount board, hand counting ballots cast in the May 20 primary, uncovered an error that has made the difference between defeat and a win for the county school tax base. Through a mechanical error on election night, one “yes” vote was not counted. When the election board found the error, it changed the final tally from a tie (2,076 to 2,076) to a single-vote win for the new tax base (2,077 for, 1,076 against).

VANCOUVER, Wash. (UPI) — The formation of a small lava dome inside Mount St. Helens’ gaping crater signals the end of last week’s major eruption but nothing else about the future of the volatile volcano is certain, scientists say.

1990 — 30 Years Ago

Southwest Washington Health District reports that there are eight cases measles in Klickitat County, the first having occurred in Dallesport on May 8, 1990. Since then, cases have occurred in Appleton and Lyle.

2000 — 20 Years Ago

Voters could be asked this November to consider a $10 million dollar bond levy to upgrade five buildings in the Hood River County School District.

The search is over. Jeff Walker, an assistant coach at Nyssa High School for the past six years, will succeed Don Sperry as head coach of The Dalles football team, according to The Dalles Athletics Director Brian Goodwin.

2010 — 10 Years Ago

After weeks of debate, Wasco County officials agreed Wednesday to hire a veterans’ services officer as a county employee and to appoint its five representatives on a seven-member veterans’ advisory committee by early July.