Flashback: Officers raid Legion Hall in 1924; Early stabbing recalled by 1897 newspaper item; Employment picture gets brighter in 1974

Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 28, 2024

100 Years Ago

April 3, 1924 — Officers raid Legion Hall

Tuesday evening the prohibition officer Albert Julian and City Marshal Toney, acting on a hot tip, descended on the American Legion Hall, where the local Post was holding their regular meeting, and placed all those in the hall under arrest.

The tip was to the effect that there would be found intoxicating liquor in the hall. When the officers appeared there was registered every emotion from fear to rage.

The officers went calmly about their business, however, and unearthed a gallon jug, practically full of a colorless liquid which they assumed was moonshine, and with this evidence were about to take the whole party before a justice of the peace, when someone shouted “April Fool.”

This proved to be the case, as upon investigation the jug was found to be full of water — nothing else. And as that jug of water was all that had been found, it was decided that a considerable number of people had been nicely taken in by this All Fool’s Day joke. We are pretty sure we know who the joker is, but we are not saying anything.

75 Years Ago

March 31, 1949 — Early stabbing recalled by 1897 newspaper item

An 1897 issue of the Prineville Crook County Journal which carried an account of a stabbing was recently peeled off a wall by a spectator of the early fight.

W. M. Moss of Sisters who witnessed the argument which resulted in William Stroud sinking a knife into Ed Harris who was helping to remodel the house on the old Woods place near Sisters and in the process of removing the wallpaper the old newspaper was discovered. Moss said the two men were thought to be arguing in fun at first, but their horseplay resulted in severe knife wounds for Harris. Stroud served several years in the penitentiary for the knifing and Harris eventually recovered from his injuries, according to Moss. Wayne L. Moss, son of W. M. Moss, is living on the Woods place, originally homesteaded by A. Cobb.

50 Years Ago

April 3, 1974 — Employment picture gets brighter here

The unemployment rate for Central Oregon climbed from 10.1 per cent in January to 10.6 per cent in February.

However, the seasonally adjusted rate fell from 7.9 per cent to 6.8 per cent, which compares to a statewide rate of 5.7 per cent.

Lumber and wood products employment climbed slightly in February, but remains some 400 below year ago levels due to continued extensive layoffs stemming from reduced demand in millwork plants.

The leading tourist attraction on the West Coast this summer will almost certainly be the Spokane Exposition, with a resultant sharp boost in travel along US 97. However, the key to travel on US 97 throughout Oregon will likely be, once again, the fuel situation in the Bend-Madras area, which has remained critical throughout the winter months.

Income this year from some 16,000 acres planted to mint in the Central Oregon area should be up sharply if favorable growing conditions prevail as market prices for mint oil will likely be between $10 and $15 per pound, up from the $4-$5 per pound price of the past several years.

Between 1970 and 1973, the estimated population of Deschutes County grew by 20.9 per cent, the most rapid rate of population growth experienced by any Oregon county over this period of time. All indications are that this rapid rate of growth has slowed in recent months, but an improvement in the general economic situation, and in particular of the fuel situation, will likely see a resumption of growth, perhaps as early as the latter half of 1974.

25 Years Ago

March 31, 1999 — City rejects golf course in canyon

Months of effort collapsed Tuesday when the Redmond City Council decided it couldn’t accept a counter-offer from a developer who hoped to build a golf course in the south Dry Canyon.

On a split vote, the council rejected an ordinance that would have allowed Tom Fields to build the 18-hole, par 3 course there.

The decision came after the council received a letter from Fields’ attorney saying conditions laid out in the ordinance would make the project financially untenable.

Fields’ partner, Diana Barker, intimated that Fields would likely proceed with his secondary plan to deed the 34 acres of canyon land to a homeowners’ association when they begin to sell the adjacent Stonehedge on the Rim subdivision.

“The applications are already in for the barn,” Barker said.

In her letter to the council, Fields’ attorney Liz Fancher, said the city’s demand that Fields give land to the city for a bike path and build the path, were “deal killers.”

The letter came after the city issued 17 conditions under which it would approve the golf course. Besides the path issue, the city asked that Fields install a stoplight on Highway 126, build an access road and build a park at Quartz Avenue. In exchange, the city would lease Fields several acres for the golf course.

City Attorney Jeff Wilson agreed the city may face legal problems if the conditions were taken before the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

Mayor Ed Fitch and Councilors Karena Houser and Jay Patrick saw Fancher’s response to the conditions as a change in an agreement discussed earlier.

Councilor Bob Green, who cast one of the dissenting votes, argued conditions the city sought were unfair, particularly when it asked Fields to give the city land for the trail in exchange for a lease on city land for the golf course.

Councilor Randy Povey, who also voted against denying the application, pleaded to continue negotiations with Fields,