Yesteryears: Trailer-house colony plan to ease housing shortage abandoned in 1946

“The business men have also been most helpful in carrying out harvesters in their autos. One business man alone has taken out 18 loads of home and foreign pickers during the week — all for the good of the cause and without compensation of any kind.”

One of the problems which the city council will shortly be called upon to solve is the location of the outfall of a projected new sewer which is to serve residents and the new high school at the west end of town.

When the matter was first up for discussion, it was suggested that the sewer be located in the region of 17th Street, and the outfall be run into the slough, north of town. Residents of the Heights and 13th Street, however, argue that a sewer in the projected location will serve only the high school and a section not yet populated, and they suggest that if it is located east of the high school site, it will not only serve the new school, but will bring a large area within its area.

At the same time, a number of residents expressed the option that the sewage should not be dumped into the slough, because many visitors who will, in the coming years, use the city auto camp, will use the slough for swimming. Inasmuch as the water in the slough for the greater prat of the year, it is still water and serious contamination will result, it is urged that the sewer main be extended out to the Columbia River or that it be so placed that the outfall is near the present outfall east of town.

Meanwhile, the school board is urging an early settlement in order that they may avoid using the taxpayers’ money for a septic tank system and later for cost of a sewer system.

— Hood River News, October 22, 1926

1926 — 90 years ago

Miss Celia Gavin, city attorney of The Dalles, was a most interesting speaker at the Women’s Club in its regular meeting Wednesday afternoon of last week at Library Hall, with her discussion of “Women and Legislation.” Her discourse covered the history of woman’s part in the legislative government since the beginning, and included an impartial explanation of amendments and bills to be voted upon in the coming election.

She said that the beginning of constitutional government, women were ignored, perhaps from the prevailing idea of chivalry and property rights, and laws were in complete charge of men, thus creating among women the original inferiority complex and the condition of the present day, with women voting, owning property and holding public office is the first real democracy the world has known.

1936 — 80 years ago

The News is able to report that, contrary to what might have been anticipated, there will be few layoffs of workers at Bonneville Dam during the winter months, unless, of course, weather conditions make it impossible to operate. It had been rumored that, inasmuch as units in hand have made great progress, many unskilled men might have to be laid off permanently before the coming winter sets in. However, it is a forgone conclusion that, as soon as other work is available this coming spring, men will be released from the dam project in progressively large numbers.

1946 — 70 years ago

Plans to sponsor a trailer-house colony as one means of meeting the present housing shortage in the Hood River area fell short of gaining approval of the city council after an investigation. The mayor and members of the council made the discovery that the setting up of a trailer colony would entail the building of a community center, including kitchen, laundry, sewers and many other conveniences and the employment of one or more fulltime employees to operate this center. Failing the interdiction of a better plan, the council is content to wait until present barriers to the building of more permanent homes are removed by the administration.

1956 — 60 years ago

Goblins and ghosts stand no chance in Hood River County this Halloween for children and parents will be too busy having fun to take note of the more eerie aspects of the season. Saturday will be filled with window paintings and decoration by a hundred students in downtown Hood River and on Wednesday a parade is scheduled in the uptown sector. The parade will be canceled in the event of rain. Preschool children must be accompanied by their parents to be eligible for parade competition.

1966 — 50 years ago

Spruced up and bright, Hood River’s newly renovated interstate bridge wore a new string of lights beginning Tuesday. It was the latest in a series of port commission projects to update its most valuable asset, the toll bridge. Port of Hood River commissioners and officials of two power suppliers met early Tuesday to push the button energizing the globes on 22 new mercury vapor lights. They formed blue haloes of light in the morning fog before the switch was thrown again after the brief test. Built in 1921, the Port of Hood River assumed ownership in 1951 and began a revision program almost immediately.

1976 — 40 years ago

A bequest by a 91-year resident of Hood River has led to an application to build a home for elderly citizens at 12th and Montello streets, a Hood River Memorial Hospital spokesman said this week. The project, if it is approved for federal funding, would pay for a 28-unit apartment designed for elderly residents. It will be owned and operated by the hospital organization, but it will not be a convalescent care center. It will be for older citizens who are able to live on their own. Cost of the project has been estimated around $600,000. Of that amount, the local share would be from the bequest of Frank Dethman, who was born in the Hood River Valley and lived here all his 91 years.

1986 — 30 years ago

Kids of all ages will throw dignity to the winds this weekend as complexions take on a greenish pallor, warts sprout forth on noses, and fangs not apparent on dental x-rays turn grins to ghastly grimaces. It’s party time, trick-or-treat time, or crazy costume time. Those who don’t have a private party to attend can celebrate the eve of All Hallows Day by attending one or several of the events sponsored by area service organizations or commercial establishments. Halloween is no spur-of-the-moment event, however. Planning costumes, carving pumpkins, practicing shrieks and wails all require proper attention. And saints preserve those who forget to stock up on trick-or-treat goodies. They risk encountering the evil eye of a stream of short and sweet-toothed goblins.

1996 — 20 years ago

Mother Nature may have kept some people away from Harvest Festival, but she didn’t keep those who attended the celebration from spending money on local wares. That’s the word from Steve Richter, a Hood River County Chamber of Commerce board director in charge of the 14th annual Harvest Festival, which ran for three days last weekend. “It was a huge success. The numbers were good and the weather was fairly cooperative,” he said.

2006 — 10 years ago

Sixty-five pie bakers competed Oct. 14 for one of three $1,000 prizes in the sixth annual “Eat Dessert First: 12th Street Pie Contest.” The event raised about $1,000 for Helping Hands Against Violence. “It was a little less than last year, but fairly comparable to the years before,” said Kris Dallman, executive director of Helping Hands. “We had people lined up to buy pie, and that was nice to see.” After the contest, the pie was available for sale, either $3 per slice or $5 for all-you-can-eat. The latter choice was introduced last year, and proved to be a popular one. “We had very little pie left over,” said Dallman. Brian Shortt, owner of Shortt Supply and a major force behind the contest, said the event drew 200-300 people.

— Compiled by Trisha Walker, news staff writer