Looking Back: A Glimpse Through The Chronicle's Files page B2 July 9, 2006 20 Years Ago, July 9, 1986 A fire driven by a strong west wind covered 300 to 500 acres of grazing land in the Klickitat Hills [Washington] before it was controlled about 8 a.m. Tuesday through the combined efforts of four fire departments and many volunteers. The fire started about 2 p.m. in the Oak Canyon area. D.W. Breshears, assistant chief of the Dallesport Fire Department said. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Klickitat County sheriff's office but fireworks may have been involved. The field surveys in the city fire department's weed abatement program are about 75 percent complete and the contract for work on property that is not in compliance with city ordinance will likely go out for bids by the end of July, Fire Chief Al Jones said. A local man has beaten the odds by graduating from U.S. Forest Service smoke jumping training and is presently based at the Redmond airport. Tim Lynch, the son of Bart and Helen Lynch, is one of 28 members of the smoke jumper unit. There were 31 when the group of 23 men and eight women started, but there is about a 40 percent washout rate in the class. 40 Years Ago, July 9, 1966 Thirteen candidates are in the race for five board positions in the proposed Wasco Rural Fire Protection District and here are eight candidates for directorships of the Mosier District. Residents in the Wasco district will vote next Tuesday on whether to organize districts and on board candidates. Wasco District candidates are Henry E. Benson, Leonard Dalbec, Robert W. Fraley, William T. Hachler, Raymond L. Jacobson, John A. Martin Sr., Lloyd H. McKay, A.L. Putnam, Marlin Sasser, Edward L. Seufert Jr., Walter J. Turkovsky, Otis Winchester and Nathan Wright. Special honors in addition to "wings" went to First Lt. Gregory J. Howe, Marine flyer from The Dalles upon completion of his final training flight in Texas. Lt. Howe was the 100th aviator graduated by training squad Twenty-Two in Kingsville, the student year that began in 1965. An election race for the position of Wasco County Assessor was developing Friday with the announcement of Roy Forman, Antelope area rancher, that he will circulate nominating petitions to get his name on the general election ballot in November. 60 Years Ago, July 9, 1946 Playgrounds of the three city grade schools are being changed to provide more suitable facilities for the pupils, James Burgess, city school superintendent pointed out today. The Court Street school grounds is being made into a two-level terrace on the south side of the building. In attendance at the national convention of the Elks Lodge, which opened yesterday in New York, are four Dalles couples. Delegate to the convention is Hans Soll, exalted ruler of the local lodge of the Elks. He was accompanied on the trip by Mrs. Soll. Also attending are R.J. Brown, alternate, and Mrs. Brown; D.V. Bolton, alternate, and Mrs. Bolton; and Mr. and Mrs. Walt Hanna. E.J. Lathrop, former Umatilla County 4-H agent, has taken over the 4-H duties in Wasco County. Lathrop will have headquarters at the county agents' office in the post office building. 80 Years Ago, July 9, 1926 Pinned under an avalanche at the Ninth Street crusher pit for more than half an hour, Clyde Buller, city employee, was dug out at about 2:30 this afternoon by fellow workers and others and taken to The Dalles hospital with a crushed foot and other possible injuries. The accident occurred when a premature blast in rocks above the loading spur brought down an small avalanche of rocks on the workmen below. Wheat fields on Mt. Hood flat should produce 40 bushels to the acre, according to the stand are netting from only 20 to 25 bushels, County Agent C.W. Daigh declared today after a grain certification trip made with B.B. Bayles of the Moro experiment station yesterday. While the yield is comparatively low, the quality was good, it was said. 100 Years Ago, July 9, 1906 Mr. A.H. Lovelace, representing the American DeForest Wireless Telegraph Co., of St. Louis is in this city to remain for perhaps a week or ten days. Mr. Lovelace states that the company proposes to establish ten stations in the state of Oregon this year and contemplates putting a station in The Dalles, connecting with other towns in Oregon. Unbounded enthusiasm prevailed at the convention of farmers held in Wasco Saturday for the purpose of discussing an organization of Oregon farmers. It was decided that the time for the tillers of the soil to band together for mutual benefit has come and a meeting will be held at Moro July 21, when permanent organization will be effected. >From Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Richards, who have spent the past few days with the Rev. and Mrs. W.J. Baldwin at Arlington, The Chronicle learns of the dedication of the Locust Grove Methodist Church, fifteen miles from Arlington yesterday. Incoming and Outgoing messages protected by Trend Micro PC-cillin program