100 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 6, 1921

With the slogan “Give China a Chance,” a drive for the relief of famine stricken China was started in Pendleton when the American National, First National, and Inland Empire banks announced that they would act as depositories for contributions. The appeal comes from the America Committee for the China Famine Fund with headquarters at Bible House, New York city. This organization states that fully 15,000,000 Chinese are on the verge of starvation. “China gave civilization to the world. It gave much of the best literature, the printing press, added greatly to the world’s art,” reads the literature of the American committee. The plea for aid is backed up by a proclamation from President Wilson who has become so concerned over the conditions of the Celestial Empire that he has appointed committeemen in every state to work for the relief.

50 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 6, 1971

Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, agricultural scientist who received the Nobel Peace Prize for 1970, will be in Pendleton next Saturday. Borlaug, a wheat breeder whose efforts in eradicating hunger have become known as the “green revolution,” will visit the Pendleton Experiment Station where he will confer with Oregon State University researchers and Oregon wheat industry leaders regarding OSU’s wheat research program. That evening at a public event Borlaug will speak on food production and economic development in developing countries. The OSU School of Agriculture is responsible for Borlaug’s visit to Oregon. Prior to his visit in Pendleton, he will be on the OSU campus where he will visit with cereal research workers and make a major address.

25 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 6, 1996

It’s official. Wal-Mart is coming. The mega national retailer closed the purchase of an 18-acre parcel of land formerly owned by the Harris Foundation adjacent to Southwest 20th Street and Court Place. “When you think about these small Eastern Oregon towns, they run along for 20 or 30 years and then they get the right attitude and go on a growth spurt,” said John Taylor, a local real estate agent who saw the sale through to its conclusion. “I think 1996 will be that growth spurt for Pendleton.” The retailer has submitted preliminary drawings for a 102,085-square-foot store that will be built at the site of the former Harris Pine Mills furniture plant. The Pendleton development had to leap significant hurdles in the form of a costly two-year environmental site cleanup mandated by the state Department of Environmental Quality and an off-site traffic impact analysis required by the state Department of Transportation. Wal-Mart will be required to pay $112,000 as its share of street improvements associated with the project.