This week in history: July 17, 2024

Wells Bennett, nationally known motorcyclist, who holds the record for the cross country run from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts, as well as the run from Canada to Mexico, and the 24 hour run on the Tacoma speedway, has announced his intentions of attempting that which seems impossible. During the Legion Climb this weekend, Bennett, with a special equipped and constructed motorcycle will try to climb Mt. Hood. He has been up to the mountain and has a fairly good conception of the nature of the undertaking which will be his, and still insists that the feat is possible. There are numerous skeptics, and very few who think such a stunt on a motorcycle possible. The hundreds who will attend the Legion Climb will have the opportunity of witnessing this exciting performance. — Hood River News

Stereopticon pictures of Itlian cities will be shown tonight at the city park. Use will be made of the new seating arrangement provided for the chautauqua. The program will begin at 8:15. — The Dalles Chronicle

In a letter to The Dalles-Wasco County Chamber of Commerce from Wililam P. Merry, the Portland Chamber of Commerce has sent a marked copy of the dinner and luncheon menu of that organization for the month of July, in which one of the headliners as a side dish for this month is the item “Stewed Dalles Apricots.” — The Dalles Chronicle

1944 — 80 years ago

Unparalleled increases in agricultural wages throughout Oregon and other Pacific coast states, causing “farm labor piracy” on a large scale, have forced the creation of a wage-stabilization board to enforce a monthly wage ceiling of $200 for farm help, it was announced here Friday of last week by Chester H. Preston, field representative out of the office of Colonel Phillip G. Bruton, director of labor, War Food Administration. Preston stated that the wage stabilization program was authorized by the anti-inflation act of October, 1942, and was inaugurated after farm wages had spiraled to a peak 156 per cent higher than farm wages in the 1935-1939 period, and 36 per cent higher than the 1942 period. — Hood River News

Wasco county is “over the top” by at least $30,000 in the fifth war loan drive— and bond sales were continuing today. — The Dalles Chronicle

 Maury Maverick, chariman of the Smaller War Plants corporation and vice-chairman of the War Production board, today “strongly advocated” postwar construction of a transcontinental chain of airports and super-highways, one of which would extend from Seattle and Portland east to Cleveland O., and would employ an estimated 200,000 persons and cost $10,000,000,000. — The Dalles Chronicle

1964 — 60 years ago

A Japanese boy who wants to study architecture in the United States has written his appeal for aid to Hood River Mayor Robert Neilson. “I am sorry for my implite,” he starts out, “but I don’t know your name and state of your city.” He continues by explaining that he is Japanese boy 17 years old named Takanobu Omaki, and that he will soon graduate from his school. He wanted to come to this country, but had almost given up hope when he learned of a friend who had a sponsor in this country. “If he who help me sent to school I will never dislike to work and his miscellaneous work. I want to work in his farm and pasture,” wrote the Japanese boy. He wants to go to high school to study English for one or two years, then go on to study architecture in college. — Hood River News

Since the new interchange on US 197 connecting this main north-south highway with The Dalles by a frontage road was opened a few days ago Oregon Highway Department officials admitted they have heard quite a bit about it from motorists who say they are confused. And Wasco County Judge James Hunt said he’d had a few beefs, too, but as yet had entered no protest with the highway department. — The Dalles Chronicle

A financing plan for purchase of a new switchboard for the Deschutes Telephone Co. at Maupin was approved by State Public Utility Commissioner Jonel C. Hill. — The Dalles Chronicle

Saturday about noon, the Columbia River claimed the life of one more victim, this time the life of a 66 year old resident of the shanty town west of Bingen’s city limits. His companions stated that Alfred Olius Olson had remained on a raft in the river when they came in to shore. They looked back to see him face downward in the water. Efforts by the men failed to revive him. The body was taken to the Gardener Funeral Home here. The man was a former resident of Colfax, Wisconsin according to information released Tuesday. — White Salmon Enterprise

1984 — 40 years ago

Patience and persistence paid off for Dan and Sharon Dillard, owners of Cooper Spur Inn, when the Hood River County Commission gave them clearance to complete a cabin construction project on their property dating back to 1976. The commissioners cleared the way by removing a condition restricting the cabins to a size issued in an original variance, and allowing construction on larger foundation slabs already poured. In fact, one cabin was raised and has remained uncompleted because of the continuing disagreement over the variance. The same questions were raised Monday night that previously led to a stalemate over the cabins, but this time the result was different. Dillards originally applied in 1976 to replace eight cabins that had been on the property which also includes the Cooper Spur Inn restaurant at Cooper Spur junction south of Parkdale. — Hood River News

Upland Industries and Union Pacific Railroad subsidiary companies of the Union Pacific Corporation, announced a ceremony on July 16 the donation of 80 acres of frontage on the Columbia River to the Port of The Dalles for the development of Riverfront Park, which will become recreational grounds for the public. — The Dalles Chronicle

2004 — 20 years ago

A health care training facility and building repairs on The Dalles campus, together with the site acquisition and permanent classroom construction in Hood River, form the core components of an $18.5 million bond measure Columbia Gorge Community College will place before voters this November. College board members Tuesday night directed staff to prepare a notice of bond election, ballot title and official resolution for the proposed general obligation bond measure in the Nov. 2 general election. Estimated levy rate would be 53 cents per thousand of assessed valuation, although this will vary slightly according to interest rates and total property values. — Hood River News

The Washington State lawmakers plan to introduce legislation in Congress next week that would create a national geologic interpretive trail form Montana to the Oregon Coast. — The Dalles Chronicle

Washington state will ask a federal udge to expand a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy, seeking to halt new shipments of low-level radioactive waste to the Hanford nuclear reservation. — The Dalles Chronicle

The DOE has not fully complied with federal environmental laws, and the agency should complete the Hanford cleanup before bringing in more waste, Gov. Gary Locke and Attorney General Christine Gregoire said in a statement Friday. — The Dalles Chronicle

Richard Cortese, the new Bingen-White Salmon Police Chief, was officially sworn in on the evening of July 7. In a police tradition, Officer Kyle Kolling from the Clyde Hill Police Department was on hand at White Salmon’s City Council meeting to pin the chief’s badge on Cortese’s uniform. Cortese served as a police lieutenant in Clyde Hill, a community near Bellevue, before taking the chief’s job in White Salmon.

The oath of office was a family affair: Cortese’s parents, who live in Camas, attended the council meeting, along with several other family members from Vancouver. Cortese, who was hired to replace longtime chief Ned Kindler, started work in White Salmon on June 21.

“I’m trying to get to know all of the routines here, and trying to learn the paperwork, it’s been a processes,” Cortese said, “I’m having a chance to see a lot of people I knew from before and meeting all kinds of new people.” —  White Salmon Enterprise,

Global Headlines

1924

U.S. Ambassador Offers Services To Aid Premiers

Wife Criticized For Bobbing Hair, Leaves

1944

Germany Invaded By Russian Paratroopers Today

Sweethearts’ll Be Getting Lots Of “Jap Flags”

England To Send Powerful Forces To Pacific War

1964

Army Medic Dies In Viet Nam Ambush

Nudity Too Much, Paris Police Say

Captured Pilot Alive, Healthy

1984

Germans fund El Salvador

Romanian royalty visits

Soviets call for arms talk concessions

Israelis attempt coalition panel

2004

Palestinian’s leader wants out

FBI finds new strategy by al-Qaida

Russian killing linked to probe

Japanese arrest chess fugitive