Canby Our Town
5
1917
After Canby was without a newspaper for
nearly six months, M.J. Lee began publishing
the Clackamas County News.
February 3, 1917
United States breaks off diplomatic rela-
tions with Germany.
February 1917
Bolsheviks overthrow Tsar Nicholas II;
Vladimir Lenin installed as first Russian
premier. The deposed tsar and his family
were executed in July.
February 13, 1917
Mata Hari, an exotic dancer from The
Netherlands, is arrested for spying for Ger-
many.
May 4, 1917
The twenty-ninth legislative assembly
introduced house bill No. 51 for an act to
approve erecting a new State penitentiary.
April 6, 1917
United States Congress declares war on
Germany at President Wilson’s urging.
May 25, 1917
Oregon law changes the legal age to
smoke cigarettes from 18 to 21.
June 1, 1917
General Pershing appointed to command
forces in France.
June 17, 1917
Prominent lumber man James Adkins is
killed while running to catch a train at
Kraft station east of Canby.
July 13, 1917
L.A. Dillard, dentist from Portland, relo-
cates to a Canby office in the Oddfellows
building.
Sept. 7, 1917
Fair President M. Lazelle, a prominent
farmer and lodge man, dies from injuries
sustained in an automobile accident.
October 13, 1917
Artisans Lodge of Canby is dedicated
with formal ceremony and music by Gar-
rett’s Orchestra.
A QUICK LOOK BACK
1949
— Seven Canby volunteer
firemen, summoned to the fair
grounds with a pumper truck last Fri-
day night to protect the grounds from
fire during the national guard fire-
works and maneuvers, were forced to
pay admission at the gate before the
ticket-taker and a deputy sheriff would
let them in.
They paid “rather than have an argu-
ment,” Fire Chief Clayton Yoder said.
The firemen parked their truck in the
race track infield just before the “bat-
tle” started and brought out their hand
equipment. They could not run the
truck across the infield while the fire-
works were on because; soldiers were
creeping over the ground in the dark.
Two fires started in the dry grass and
were extinguished with hand hoses.
Earlier in the week the fire depart-
ment had been summoned to the fair-
grounds twice when fires were burning.
Both times the gates were opened to
them.
In the party which paid admissions
were Chief Yoder, Omar Marshall,
Howard Giger, Virgil Giger, Norman
Christiansen, Elmer Anderson Jr. and
Andrew Syron. Two of them had bought
season tickets. The others coughed up
60 cents.
The “everybody pays” police also
caught the youngsters who marched in
the Kiddie Capers parade on the open-
ing day. Proud to be a part of the big
show and to have marched with the
Giant Cliff Thompson, the children ex-
pected to stay in the grandstand area
and watch the rest of the show. But
they, too, were charged “admission”
after they were already in.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
Canby Theater faced on Northwest First
avenue. Built by Irvin Westenskow of
Woodburn. Closed March 1958 by Ken-
neth Fellers after vandals did interior
and furnishings damage. Building sold
in 1967 to Canby Post 122, American Le-
gion and converted. (earlier theater had
space on ground floor of Masonic build-
ing est. 1936)
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