100 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 23, 1921

Sheriff Houser was the host for a large gutter party at 10 o’clock this morning. Approximately 15 gallons of booze were sacrificed to satisfy the demands of the law and the curiosity of a large and thirsty audience. The intoxicating liquors of many colors were poured in the gutter. It was brought from the court house vaults in the original containers. These varied from small bottles to gallon jars. The amateur distillers had even made use of glass tobacco jars to hold their products. Judging from the odors that arose from the gutter, some of the liquor contained little more than one half of one per cent while other containers gave forth odors that suggested a regular kick. In color it ranged from pure white to a deep red and the odors varied as greatly. All of the liquor destroyed had been collected in the several raids conducted on moonshine places.

50 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 23, 1971

Unemployment in Umatilla County rose significantly last month due to seasonal factors and a sluggish economy, reported G. S. Clutter, manager of the Pendleton office of the Oregon Employment Service, from 8 percent in December to 10.5 percent in January. Employment in the manufacturing segment of the economy varied little from December, Clutter noted, but all nonmanufacturing industries recorded losses. The end of the holiday and inventory periods brought employment in trade down 120. Government employment fell 40. Rogers Construction, the prime contractor on the freeway bypass of Pendleton, terminated employment of approximately 40 during the month. The civilian labor force contracted as the total number of occupied jobs in Umatilla County dropped to 17,290.

25 Years Ago

From the East Oregonian

Feb. 23, 1996

Pendleton’s economic future is set to soar in the coming years thanks to new business and industry, increased tourism and rising real estate values. That was the conclusion of speakers addressing the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce’s 11th annual Economic Outlook Breakfast held at the Red Lion Inn. The early morning meeting drew an audience of close to 150. Paul Gerola, city of Pendleton economic development specialist, said the city’s assessed value, which takes in land and the buildings within the city limits, rose from $325 million in fiscal year 1991-92 to $454 million in 1995-96. Building permit valuations for private development jumped from $3.5 million in 1992 to $12.2 million in 1995. The city also is benefiting from the economic expansion of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, whose casino draws visitors to the local area each day. The tribes’ Wildhorse Hotel, scheduled to open in March, and its planned cultural center will contribute even more to the city’s overall tourism strategy and add to the diversification of the region’s economy.