100 Years Ago

June 8, 1921

The more conservative element of the population of Echo is not unduly excited over the reported strike of gold and silver in paying quantities on a homestead about 12 miles west of here. A good many claims have been staked, but so far as could be learned here today, no one has seen the mine from which specimens of ore were take where the rich strike is supposed to have been made. It is rumored that one of the principals in the present rush figured in an episode of the same kind a few years ago when on the strength of samples taken he secured quite a sum of money for development purposes. The mine never showed any profit.

50 Years Ago

June 8, 1971

Mayor A.L. Draper of Umatilla escalated himself into the mayorality hall of fame in recent years by banning the sale of Playboy magazine within his city. Then he tangled head-on with state officials on the city’s role in dog control. Monday night in the Umatilla City Council meeting he opened a new can of worms. Stray cattle wandering into Umatilla will be herded into a city-built cattle corral near the cemetery on the southwest edge of town. Ownership of cattle will have to be proven to the city’s police department before the cattle will be released. According to the city, the owners of the cattle will sweeten the city’s coffers with cash for violating the city’s stray livestock ordinance.

25 Years Ago

June 8, 1996

With the sun beating down, building a playground is real work. But building the Funland Community Playgrounds has its unique attractions, like a visit from “The Cool Off Committee.” That would be Carol Clupny, who comes around periodically to blast you in the face or neck with a squirt gun, with your permission of course. Another woman offered sun block, and Rose Stephens, 11, walked around with a tray of cold drinks. Building a 13,000-square-foot playground in five days, using volunteers, takes much local planning and the expertise of Leathers & Associates, a firm that has built more than 1,000 of them around the world in the style of old-fashioned barn raisings. But even the construction supervisors say Hermiston’s project is a whopper compared to most others they’ve built.