1926 — 100 years ago
The first carlot of asparagus ever shipped from hood River was rolling westward to Chicago on Wednesday of last week. The shippers were the newly formed Mid-Columbia Vegetable Growers Association, a cooperative selling organization which includes most of the growers of asparagus on a commercial scale here.
The decision to send a carlot to the Chicago market came when the Portland market collapsed, after opening very firm, and that it was a wise one is proved by the fact that a number of inquiries are coming from Chicago and other points for mid-Columbia asparagus at good prices.
— Hood River News
The final shipment of 2500 baby chicks will arrive Saturday, Manager W. S. Nelson of the Chamber of Commerce stated today.
A movement in the county to name and mark all market roads, and to urge every ranchowner to put his name or the name of his ranch in a conspicuous place along the road frontage, was given impetus in the endorsement of the Chamber of Commerce board at its meeting last night.
— The Dalles Chronicle
There will be a Basket Social at the Mountain Brook Community Hall on Saturday evening. April 24, followed by a social evening. A cordial invitation is extended to everyone. Ladies, please being baskets to be auctioned, and men! — don’t forget your pocket books. Proceeds of the auction are to help pay for the piano in the hall.
—White Salmon Enterprise
1946 — 80 years ago
Urging residents of Hood River county who have not been vaccinated during the past five years to obtain protection as soon as possible Dr. W. T. Edmundson, county health officer, states that, while oriental smallpox now appears to be on the wane in Seattle, there is a grave possibility that this disease may be later introduced into this Hood River area through the medium of orchard workers.
It is well authenticated that, in past years, outbreaks of infectious diseases have been definitely traced to transient workers, who, in the near future, will be arriving here in large numbers. Residents are urged, as far as possible, to be vaccinated by their own doctor.
However, says Dr. Edmundson, there will be one more clinic here, at which vaccinations will be available. This clinic will be held at the city hall on Tuesday, April 30, between the hours of 7 and 8 p.m. This will be the last of the clinics at which vaccinations will be featured for the benefit of residents who wish to obtain protection.
— Hood River News
Plans for the development of 51 lots in Westpark addition on Chenowith road into a veterans’ housing project with an ultimate 50 homes were announced today by Walter McFadden, owner of the lots.
The increase in crime in 1945 was the greatest in the 15-year period in which the federal bureau of investigation has been tabulating nation-wide crime statistics, it was declared last night at the semi-annual FBI law enforcement conference at the city hall.
Work will get under way at once on the construction of 20 one-room cabins, a 30x60 foot utility building and other facilities at the permanent farm labor camp, adjoining the county recreational grounds west of the city...
— The Dalles Chronicle
1966 — 60 years ago
Dynamite is found on Hiway [sic]. The Sheriff’s office received a call on April 9th at about 11:40 a.m. from the Washington State patrol that a rock hound had found a charge of dynamite on the old highway between Rowland’s Lake and Locke Lake.
The dynamite charge was located about 100 feet west of the water fall, and about 4 feet above the road.
It was found the powder or dynamite was left by the last contractor and was harmless.
—White Salmon Enterprise
The Yakima Indians were expected to open their commercial salmon netting season on the Columbia River at noon today in violation of Oregon and Washington fishing laws. Enforcement officers from both states were poised ready to arrest the Indian gillnetters. ... The Yakima tribal council adopted an ordinance March 23 for a five-week season in the river from Bonneville Dam upstream to McNary Dam.
Four months of freedom ended Saturday at Visalia, Calif., for Oskar Leonard Posey, 22, who broke away from officers Dec. 15 after he had led them to a cave containing a cache of stolen liquor. Wasco County Sheriff Sterling Trent said Posey, arrested by the FBI on a fugitive warrant, was scheduled to be arraigned at Fresno Monday morning.
— The Dalles Chronicle
Each tree in bloom is a bouquet in the Hood River Valley — Oregon’s most spectacular garden at this time of year. The lens of Joe Kollas gives a good idea of how the blossoms are especially impressive this spring. He chose a spot on the old Dalles road to set up his 4x 5 view camera with a telephoto lens for this shot. Special film helped cit the haze to give him a clear view of the trees in the middle valley and of Mt. Hood.
He took the picture a day before hordes of visitors came to make the rout of the valley during the Pine Grove Grange sponsored Blossom Day tour and smorgasbord. Some 15,000 to 20,000 persons caught a glimpse of this view during the day of the smorgasbord, according to a sheriff’s estimate of traffic on Sunday ... Sunday’s smorgasbord was a far cry from the starting one 13 years ago. About the only thing the same was that Mary Moore was the chairman. She has been chairman or co-chairman every year. “That first year we lost money,” she remembers. “The next year we had 75 people.”
— Hood River News
1986 — 40 years ago
Three plants in operation. Turbines are turning this week at three points along the Middle Fork Irrigation District in a new multi-million dollar power generating project.
Engineers are still working to bring the output up to design capacity, but for all practical purposes this system is on line.
— Hood River News
Skyline Hospital is one of many hospitals feeling the pain of hospital payment cuts enacted Feb 1. by the state.
“This isn’t a little rain, it’s a thunderstorm,” John Ochsner, administrator of Skyline analogized.
It’s also an indication that the state is pushing that burden onto hospitals and private payers, he said.
—White Salmon Enterprise
Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh has received a temporary Uruguayan identity car that will enable him to remain in the country while his request for a permanent residence visa goes through official channels, authorities said.
Development of Riverfront Park is proceeding on schedule with some of the projects already underwritten.
The Oregon Court of Appeals, saying federal law supercedes state law, today overturned the state Environmental Quality Commission’s denial of a certificate for a hydroelectric dam on the Deschutes River.
— The Dalles Chronicle
Commented