100 YEARS AGO

For the week ending

July 20, 1924

Portable outfits used against fire

A portable fire fighting outfit, the first ever used in Central Oregon to combat forest blazes, was to be taken today to the vicinity of Pringle falls to check a smoldering fire in peat beds that has been burning underground for over two weeks.

All attempts to check the slow burning fire have been futile and the new fire fighting equipment consisting of an engine weighing about 300 pounds and several hundred feet of hose, will be used to flood the land.

It is explained by forest service officials that the portable fire fighting outfit is constructed primarily for the purpose of checking flames burning in the vicinity of bodies of water — places most frequented by campers. It is probable that the engine will be taken to Odell lake.

Teachers’ grades unusually strong

Results of the state teachers’ examinations held in Bend recently have been received from the state department of education by J. Alton Thompson, Deschutes county superintendent of schools. All but a few of the teachers taking the examinations were successful. One of the teachers in this county who made unusually good grades was John Tuck of Redmond, who wrote for exemptions in various subjects. Several of the teachers wrote for five year certificates.

Lumber is given for girls’ lodge

Half of the lumber for the cabin which will be built for the campfire girls of Bend at Elk lake is being donated by the Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Co., it was announced this afternoon. The Shevlin-Hixon Company is donating an equal amount, it is understood.

Increased output announced at mill

Production at nearly full capacity will be resumed at The Shevlin-Hixon Company’s sawmill a week from next Monday, July 28.

All five bands will be operated on the day shift, while four bands will run at night. This increase is being made with the view of filling the yards during good weather, J.P. Hennessy, general manager explains.

75 YEARS AGOFor the week ending

July 20, 1949

Bend’s water shortage now very serious

With water pressure so reduced in many east side locations that water flow from faucets is cut to a trickle, city officials in the water and fire departments today urged that there be no let up in practice of water economy for irrigation and all household purposes. They termed the shortage acute.

To numerous requests for rule exceptions, which city officials are making courteous refusals. The only exception is that new lawns may be sprinkled on the ordinary forbidden day if hand-sprinkling only is used.

Officials warned that water conservation is entirely for the safety of the public, “Were a fire to break out on the east side where we have no pressure, it could spread unchecked, perhaps imperil the whole town,” according to LeRoy Fox, Bend fire chief.

4-H livestock display draws visitors

One of the display rooms in Eddie’s sales and Service, facing on Wall street, took on a rural appearance Friday, when two members of the Glen Vista 4-H livestock clubs displayed well-groomed stock, as a feature of the annual 4-H rally day in Bend. A 17-month old, 915-pound Black Angus steer, along with three-month-old Jersey heifer calves and a spotted Poland china sow and boar were a few of the animals on show.

Nearly 300 Deschutes county 4-H club members were guests of the Bend Junior Chamber of Commerce Friday. The youngsters registered in Drake park where a program of games and sports preceded the lunch hour. Later in the day they were taken on tours through the Bend Dairy plant and Mid-Oregon Farmers warehouse.

Letter lauds Water Pageant

A member of a party of visitors who “happened” to be in Bend at the time of the water pageant, recently wrote to the Bend chamber of commerce to commend the city on its unique show.

In the words of the writer, P.F. Willoughby, McMinnville, “we had the great pleasure of seeing the floats and hearing the program in that most beautiful setting. One of the party was Robert E. Clark, of Washougal, Wash., who designed six floats which won prizes in the Portland Rose festival. Of the Old Ironsides float he declared, “It was one of the finest floats I have ever seen.” As for the rest, he said, “They were magnificent.” In closing Willoughby wrote, “We are glad we chanced to spend the evening with you and to have had the pleasure of seeing that show. We will be back again next year and, incidentally, we are telling all our friends about the show.”

50 YEARS AGOFor the week ending

July 20, 1974

Ruth Burleigh appointed to Bend City Commission

Ruth Burleigh, 48, 127 NW Wilmington Ave., was appointed last night as a Bend city commissioner, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Gene Johnson. Saying “I’m not nominating her because she’s a woman, because we need a woman on the commission, but because she’s extremely capable”, Commissioner John Stenkamp placed Mrs. Burleigh’s name in nomination.

Mrs. Burleigh, who is a lab technician at St. Charles Memorial Hospital, is married to Van G. Burleigh and has three children. She came to Bend in 1946 from the Willamette Valley. For the past three years, she has served on the city’s budget board, this year as chairwoman. She has served in both local and state offices of the League of Women Voters.

Mrs. Burleigh said today she feels her budget board experience will be helpful to her on the commission, saying she now has an idea of “what you have to know to be effective” as a commissioner.

She is promoting no special programs or plans now, but commented on the city’s financial situation. Revenue sharing funds were used this year to balance the budget, and that can’t go on indefinitely, she said. The city will have to come up with other sources of money, because the federal revenue sharing plan may be discontinued, she said.

Mrs. Burleigh’s first meeting will be next Wednesday, when the commission convenes at 6:15 pm to award street project contracts.

Redmond’s Big R settles into new home

Redmond’s Big R Store was getting settled this week in its new home a mile south of the city on Highway 97. According to Manager Dic Detrick, the new building has 16,000 square feet of floor space, compared with 10,500 square feet in the former location just south of the Redmond city limits. The larger quarters, he said, have permitted an expansion of the business that includes addition of a sporting goods department. The Big R, a member of a 400-store group, is basically a farm discount store offering a wide variety of items, including family apparel, tack, small appliances, automotive supplies, plumbing and electrical equipment, heavy hardware and pope and fencing.

25 YEARS AGOFor the week ending

July 20, 1999

La Pine plan includes signals, sidewalks

After decades of haphazard growth in La Pine and Wickiup Junction, county planners have decided to create a transportation blueprint that includes new traffic signals, more sidewalks and possible bike lanes.

A draft of the plan, which was presented recently to Deschutes County commissioners, was based in part on the wishes of area residents.

For example, residents requested safer pedestrian and bicycle crossings on Highway 97 in La Pine. Planners responded by recommending a traffic signal at the intersection of First Street, which is also known as Red Road, and Highway 97 and a possible second signal about a half mile south at Finley Butte Road and Highway 97.

The communities also asked planners to slow traffic on Highway 97. Traffic lights in the existing La Pine plan would work, but planners included another option: reducing the four-lane highway to two lanes and placing a landscaped median in the center lane.

At Wickiup Junction, planners suggested a “gateway,” which could mean signs, commercial development or a landscaped island at each end of the community to warn motorists they are entering a developed area and need to slow down. Commissioners mentioned the hedges that spell “Bend” along Highway 97 at both ends of Bend as one gateway option.

Another request from La Pine residents was a community-wide pedestrian and bicycle system, and planners suggested adding sidewalks to the community’s streets. Although bicycle lanes are not included in the plan, many of the recommended street improvements could accommodate bicyclists.

So far, the transportation plan has cost $25,000, which came from a state transportation grant. If county commissioners accept the plan, county officials will seek state and federal funding.

Because the plan won’t be implemented until funding is available, predicting when traffic improvements will be made is difficult, said county transportation. But he said the county hopes to have the traffic signal at the north entrance to La Pine in place by 2005.