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The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., June 2, 1933, page 1

PIONEER LEON CURTISS NEVER WANDERED AWAY

Leon W. Curtiss of Northdalles who was in Goldendale Monday says that the summer temperatures throughout the northwest has resulted in a three foot rise in the Columbia river water level at The Dalles during the past few days. Continued rise in the water level as long as warm temperatures is expected. The river level Monday morning was 24.8 feet, which is approximately 15 feet below the flood stage. The three foot rise since last Saturday is the first important rise in the river this season, and came as the mercury touched the 86 degree mark Sunday, the highest this year.
On account of the cold spring season and an extremely large amount of snow in the mountains this year, river men several weeks ago predicted flood conditions for this summer. The run-off from the mountains has been slight so far, it is claimed.
The recent warm weather in the interior has caused the Snake river to rise more rapidly than at any other time this season, and the upper Columbia is rising at an increasing rate.
Mr. Curtiss has lived all his life at The Dalles and Northdalles, or a Granddalles as it was known until recently. The first school house was at Rockland, -- the name being changed later to Granddalles. This was in 1867, and Mr. Curtiss attended, although he was pretty young at the time. He says at that time he excelled in spelling, and has a card from the teacher to prove it, and the date, 1867. It is still known as school district No. 1, of Klickitat county.
Many people of Klickitat remember his father, Alonzo H. Curtiss, who came here in the fall of 1858. Nine years before Klickitat county came to permanent existence, Mr. Curtiss called Klickitat "home," and in that stretch of time had witnessed the organization of three powerful states out of the great Northwest and the development of this erstwhile wilderness into one of the busiest and richest sections of the Union. He passed away a few years ago.
A.H. Curtis, in 1889, erected the first roller mill ever built in The Dalles. The Diamond Roller Mills, there being at the time only two burr mills there. It cost $40,000 and was one of the best equipped plants in Oregon.
The Columbia river water level showed an increase of nearly a foot at The Dalles on Wednesday morning. The water level that morning was 25.6 feet. The small rise was due partly to the receding of the Snake river. Reports from Edward Wells, of Portland, indicate however, the Snake river will rise again soon as a result of the warm weather prevailing in the interior.