100 years ago in the East Oregonian

John F. Hill, who came to the west in April, 1886 from Kentucky, died this morning at 6 o’clock at St. Anthony’s hospital. Mr. Hill, while not being bed fast, has been in the hospital for years.

At the age of 16 John Hill enlisted in the Union army and for four years fought for his country. He was the father of ten children, nine of whom survived him. His wife was taken from him in 1909 and since that time he has gradually declined in strength. Death came as the result of old age.

50 years ago in the East Oregonian

Lightning storms moved from south central Oregon into the northeast portion during the night, touching off more than 120 fires on federally protected land.

Forestry agencies braced for another series of lightning storms today as cooler air moved into the state, ending a hot spell that left the forests extremely dry. Clarence Edgington, U.S. Forest Service fire control officer said fire danger in the forests ranged from high to very high throughout the state.

Eighty of the fires were on national forest land and firefighting crews moved quickly to control them. The largest was 50 acres northeast of Burns. A lightning storm was blamed for a fire which destroyed a $50,000 boathouse and marina on Wizard Island at Crater Lake National Park Tuesday night.

25 years ago in the East Oregonian

“Never!” said Jim Stearns, when he was asked to share his winning technique.

Hermiston Fire Chief Stearns, with a winning spit of 24 feet, 6 inches, won in the Emergency Services category of the Hermiston Watermelon Seed Spitting contest.

Earlier, in a practice session, he shot out a 33-foot shot.

“I want that first shot,” he was heard to say, “but I don’ think they’ll buy it.

They didn’t.

It was close there, for a minute, between Stearns and Umatilla Police Chief Travis Eynon.

But Eynon said he didn’t mind.

“I don’t feel too bad (about losing) as long as I didn’t lose to Roberts,” he said, referring to Lt. Jerry Roberts of the Hermiston Police Department.

“I overslept,” Roberts said about his no-show.