The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1899-05-01
FOR WATER RIGHTS.
Portland aud Dalles Men Having an
Exciting Race.

The following from the Oregonian's
correspondent at this place gives full
account of q race between Portland and
Dalles men for the right to use the waters
of Clear and Frog lakes.
An exciting race is On for beautiful
spot iii the foothills of Mount Hood.
Saturday mornings stage for Wapinitia
carried Attorney Joseph CASTOR, of Port
land, en- route for Clear lake, for the
purpose of posting notices proclaiming
to all men that the Wapinitia Valley
Irrigation Company would hereafter and
forever claim the right to use the waters
of Clear lake creek and Frog lake creek
for the purpose of irrigating Juniper fiat
and Wapinitia valley. At l o'clock this
morning William Blue, mountaineer of
established reputation, from whom the
tall tImbers hides no secrets, left The
DAlles on thoroughbred saddle horse to
anticipate Mr.. Gaston's announcement
by assuring the public in like manner
that the Juniper Flat Irrigation Company
would claim and hold the same waters
for similar purpose. As Mr.. Blue knows
all the deer trails, which Mr.. CASTOR has
yet to locate, it is probable that his notices
will fill the top of the bulletin board at
Clear lake.
An application to the Wasco county
court to set aside the water rights of the
Oregon Land, Immigration & Fuel Com
pany, and the Portland Irrigation, Lum-
Der & Fuel Company, since granted by
the court, first attracted local attention
On December IL, 1894, H. Mccoy. j.
Frank Niles and r. Clinton Incorporated
the first-named company, for the purpose
'offgrnishing water to Jumper fat, and
for some reason on the following day
sold for 81 their asserted water rights to
the company named. In 1895 and dur
ing three months of 1895 some work was
done, when the finances failed, and
George Mccoy, who was the company
and in charge of the ditch work. sur
rendered to the sheriff of Wasco county
to escape rough handling by eighty
.laborers who demanded their pay. He
was in Jail for some tine, and, when the
laborers disappeared, reg ained his lib
Aerty. These water rights are very
valuable, tor by ditch thirty-fve miles
dong $4,000 acres of good farming land
dying between the White and DeschuteE
rivers can be supplied with water fol
stock and domestic use, while at present
farmers have to haul it from one of five
miles.
The Portland parties. F. a. Frazier, H
d. Chapman, J. B. Shonofelt, Alex
Hammond and F. B. Genio, who are
represented by Mr.. Goston, have brought
euit against these two defuuct corpora
tions, and Geek to secure the water right,
which by the failure to prosecute worl
for over one year, have reverted to thu
public, and are captilized at 5000, 900
If the lapse of right is established il
this suit. the first parties filing ma,
claim the water.
A local company at The Dalles. will
Fen Batty, clerk at the Umatilla house
president; Hon. G. Nj. Cartwright, o
Hay creek, vice-president, and Count,
Clerk A. NJ. Kelsay. secretary an,
treasurer, are the men who have sen
Mr.. Blue out on the fast horse. The
are capitalized at $3.50, 600, and mea
business. MIR. Batty owns over 800 acre
on Juniper fat, and his father's famil