Flashback: USO center considered 75 years ago
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 29, 2017
- Before the railroad came to Central Oregon, Glen Ridgeway of Lamonta hauled freight between the railhead at Shaniko and Central Oregon. The trip often was slow on narrow dirt tracks, through dust and mud. It sometimes took wagons eight hours just to get through Cow Canyon north of Madras. In 2007, Ridgeway descendants told their family story to the Spokesman, When pioneer settlers Frank and Josephine Redmond needed lumber for their first home, they flagged down Glen Ridgeway. Ridgeway hauled freight into Central Oregon from the railhead at Shaniko. One day in 1904 as Glen was on one of his runs, he was stopped by a man who needed lumber to build a house. That man was Frank Redmond, and Ridgeway ended up bringing him the lumber. Without a house Frank Redmond might not have stayed, said Joanne Luke of Bend, one of Ridgewayís granddaughters. (Spokesman file photo)
100 years ago
November 29, 1917 — It was machinery which won the great stroke against the Hindenburg line. It was machinery that made the British casualty so small as to be almost uncredited. It was machinery and strategy that permitted the cheapest victory in actual cost of ammunition expended, that a modern army has ever won. Foremost, in the array of mechanism with which Byng clinched his victory was the tank. America, with the allies, can turn out this sort of machinery as fast as Detroit produces Ford cars. Acting as mechanical cavalry and unlike equine cavalry, almost impervious to German fire, the British tanks saved thousands of lives. Substituted for the customary preparatory artillery fire, they saved more lives, always sacrificed where artillery preparation warns an enemy of an impending attack and brings an enemy barrage against the assault waves.
75 years ago
November 26, 1942 — Establishment of a USO center for the benefit of army men who may be stationed in this community got under way this week as committees started work on the many details involved. Suitable location for the center is a primary consideration and possible sites have been looked over. One building has been found on which repair costs will be at a minimum and which will answer the need as far as can be determined. No definite arrangements have been made for its use as yet however. P.M. Houk is chairman of the Redmond USO committee. Mayor W. F. Hardison has been appointed a new member of the group and M.F. Roberts will take Milton Odem’s place.
50 years ago
November 29, 1967 — A special session of Redmond City Council Monday night, meeting with the county court, was an attempt to “iron out a misunderstanding,” as County Commissioner Gerald W. McCann put it, between the county, the civil defense director and local police units. The meeting came as a result of an agreement between Civil Defense Director Bill James and the county court to change the radio link between local police headquarters and the CD equipment on Awbrey Butte at 450 megacycles wave length, ostensibly to improve radio communications throughout Deschutes and Jefferson counties. The misunderstanding arose when a radio technician for civil defense appeared at the Redmond station and, with out previous or then explanation of the plan, attempted to remove or work on the transmitter there. Police chief Milford Mooney denied him permission to proceed.
25 years ago
November 25, 1992 — If you drink and drive and are stopped by police in Redmond, you could be starring in your own personalized video — a video performance that may earn some jail time, a fine, loss of license and possibly forfeit your vehicle. A camcorder has been installed in one Redmond Police Department patrol vehicle, thanks to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The camera will record the complete process of sighting a suspected drunk driver, pulling the suspect over, recording the interview and, if necessary, the arrest. … The $1,600 mini-camera unit mounts on the dashboard of the police cruiser.
