The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., October 3, 1968, page 1
Includes photographs

JOHN DAY DAY DEDICATED IN PERFECT WEATHER

     John Day Lock and Dam, on the Columbia river 16 miles southeast of Goldendale, was dedicated by Vice-president Humphrey Saturday in perfect weather before a crowd of about 5000 persons.
     The ceremony symbolized completion of a project begun 10 years earlier.
     Governor Tom McCall of Oregon, one of the three governors present who spoke to the audience, ventured the opinion that this might have been "the last large public ceremony of its kind." This statement followed his observations that the Columbia had now been made navigable to barge traffic throughout its length in this country and that hydro-electric power development on the river has been completed, except for the possibility of a Ben Franklin dam near Hanford -- to be surpassed in the future by nuclear generation.
     The vice-president's talk stressed the need for conservation of the nation's natural resources, with orderly development to replace the "haphazard and wasteful exploitation of them" which prevailed in the early years of our history. "America is crossing the threshold of a new era in resource use," he said, "demanding that progress mean quality in total environment as well as quantity." This new demand is a good thing, he added, "It may prevent our civilization from suffocating itself."
     The John Day dam was a product of the "grand design for the Columbia river" developed in the 1930s, Humphrey said. This design was one which "would get the best out of it in terms of material benefits -- power, reclamation, navigation, flood control and urban water.
     Its achievement comes from the fact that Oregon and Washington are repre-sented by some of the most respected and effective statesmen and women of our times," Humphrey said, naming members of the congressional delegations.
     The vice-president cited expansion of the national park system (including the North Cascades and Redwoods parks), the scenic rivers system, and efforts to reduce water and air pollution, as moves in the direction of preserving natural resources for enjoyment of the people. Water recreation in particular, is neces-sary, he said. "Today I propose to begin rescuing and renewing America's rivers.' And as for the ocean and take fronts, he said "I agree with the Oregonians who have rallied to the cry 'beaches are for kids!'
     The presidential candidate's speech was well-received. One spectator remarked: "He comes through much better in person than on TV." This attitude, and general satisfaction with the theme of the address apparently made up for the fact that the program was delayed for over an hour by the tardy arrival of the Humphrey party -- a delay ascribed by some sources to a hitch in the air flight production from Portland to The Dalles.
     It had been rumored the occasion would be used as scene for a demonstration by "hippies" or "Yippies." Only one such group appeared -- a delegation of two boys and two girls, dressed in the black of mourning, who waited until the ceremony was ended and the crowd was ready to leave before putting on a short war protest act, which they repeated in several different locations.
     Governors Evans and Samuelson (of Idaho) as well as Oregon's Gov. McCall, addressed the crowd. Gov. Evans paid a tribute to "the engineers whose ideas brought forth the design, to the men whose energies produced the dam, and to the people who financed it. He likened the structure to "the pyramids" in size and permanence and followed up with the remark that it is "infinitely more useful."
     Senator Warren G. Magnuson expected his belief in the future of the Northwest and in the investments the federal government has made in it.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer