Junction City bulletin. [volume] (Junction City, Or.) 189?-1901, 1901-02-14
Vote on Senator.
SALaa, February "A,
Letter from c. A. Harp.

The following letter from Mr.. c. A.
Harp, Of Stockton, CAL, is OF great in.
terest to the people OF Junction, and
should be given the consideration it de- /.
serves. There is not the least doubt
but what if this project was pushed to
completion, n saw mill would he imme-
diately located here, followed by other
enterprises, and the town would double
in population aud amount OF business
transacted in no time, comparatively
speaking.
Stockton, CAL, Feb 6, 1901.
Editor BULLETIN, junction City:
DEAR SR-Contirming my verbal
agreement to write for you n shoit ar.
ticle regarding the water ditch from
point OH the Willamette River, near the
mouth OF the Mckenzie River, through
the chain OF lakes TO Junction City, |
wish to state that during my residence
in your city, several of us made up n
sum of money TO hire Mr.. Collier, OF
Eugene, to 60 over the proposed ditch
line; which he did, and reported the
project feasible one in part. How.
ever, we were figuring on the ditch as a
power proposition as well as to float
logs or lumber down, while there is,
as remember, about % feet fall from
the point where water would he taken
| from the willamette River 10 Junction
City. However, the only fall for power
purposes that can be figured on is from
the lower end of the last lake, near
Junction City, and the fall from the
lake to the south line OF the city is about
eight feet, and, deducting the depth Of
your ditch from tlis fall, Il would leave
not more than five feet, possibly less.
Then to secure any fall Of value the tail
race would have to be several feet deep.
Either this, or the lakes would have to
be levied so as to raise water higher in
them.
Alter several years reflection on the
matter and following along the lines
found to be most practical by others, /
would recommend that the question Of
| trying to secure power from the ditch
be eliminated. do not hesitate Ia sag
that | believe the ditch, ii constructed.
simply to be used as a ditch to float logs,
lumber or wood down 10 your city, would
be OF sufficient benefis to you to,justiiy
the expenditure OF FIVE times what the
ditch will cost. The ditch can be cheap.
iy constructed ii the powe! question il
eliminated and a system for handling
LOGS and lumber can be put in that will
give your city even greater advantages
than you would have ii located in the
midst Of the timber. The land slopes
toward the streams, and you can get
logs into a stream when it would Dc
very expensive to get them out and
hauled TO saw mill. As this ditct
would leave the river at a point below
the mouth Of the Mckenzie river, your
VII hDthb iitlht tbbCEE5 W IlldL GUllFt
: timber section for less than 10000
while it has cost the Booth.K Kelly Lum
. ber Company $200,OOO0 or 100000 t.
! get into one little valley; and there i,
no doubt but If you had the ditch con
structed you could cut logs side by side
and you could get your logs to your mil
one third less than Booth.KelIy, ever
though their mill is only short distance
away. Nature has been overindugent
to yonr city. She has left low depres
sion and clearly marked the course Of 2
great commercial Highway iuto your
city. She has done more. She hai
even formed u number OF great storage
basins where millions OF feet of logs car
. be stored in safety, land. locked and out
! Of all danger Could nature do more
Could YOU ask more? With the djtci
constructed, lumber can be- hafd dleC
cheaper than any place in the Valley
i. and this will create a demand for mil
locctions Build the ditch and you
: city will Immediately jump to the from
s. by leaps and bounds
, Yours truly,
@. A. HARP.