Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-11-23
new VIEW BY HITCHCOCK
Prepares to Approve Rejected lr.
rigation Project.
HAD TAKEN BAD ADVICE
WalCOtt Removes Objections 80
Umatilla, OkanOgan and
SunnyAide schemes.

Washington, Nov. 17.-Secretary
Hitchcock is preparing to reverse him
self and approve the Umatilla irrigation
project in Eastern Oregon, as well as
one or more projects in Washington
This, at least, is the inference to be
drawn from an authorized statement
made at his office today to the effect
would be taken some time next week
which would be satisfactory to the peo-
pie of Oregon, and that similar action
was to be looked for on one or more
Washington projects. 1t is not known
at this time what Washington projects
will be approved, further than that the
choice will lie among the Teton, Okla
hogan and Sunnyside schemes, all of
which have been favorably recommend
ed by the Reclamation Service.
This announcement from the Secre-
tary's office was made after q confer
ence between Mr.. Hitchcock and Di-
rector Walcott, OF the Geological Sur
vey, who is the intermediary between
the Secretary and the Reclamation Ser
vice. This afternoon Mr.. Walcott re-
turned to the Secretary all papers bear
ing on the Umatilla, Okanogan and TIE
ton projects and, in addition to the
original recommendations, submitted
unanswerable arguments showing that
all these projects are not only feasible
and desirable. but that there is no
feature about them to which objection
can legitimately be raised.
As far as the Umatilla project is con-
cerned, Mr.. Walcott not only pointed
out where money was available for its
immediate construction, but showed
that there was no ground whatever tor
the Secretary's objection in allowing the
Maxwell Land 4 Irrigation Company to
hold 800 acres with water rights out OF
its no ding OF 10000 acres which it pro-
poses to sell. 1t was demonstrated be-
yond a question of doubt that such a
concession can legally be made to this
company, inasmuch as it's rights are
vested and it is willing to reinquish to
the Government the major portion of its
land and Improvements. This showing
completely demolished the Secretary's
objection.
As to the Tieton and Okauogan pro
jects, which the s etary refused to
approve simply because there was no
money available, Mr.. Walcott was able
TO make an equally effective argument,
showing that in fact there is ample
money on hand 10 the unused Palouse
spportionment to build not only these
two projects, but the Sunnyside project
as well, and Mr.. Walcott, it is under.
stood, went to the extent of recommend
ing to the Secretary that be approve all
three projects.
Mr.. Hitchcock sidetracked the Sunny
side project for the same reasons that
he declined to approve the Umatilla
project in Oregon, the owners OF the
Sunnyside canal having insisted upon
retaining a small portion of their prop
erty with water rights attached. 1t was
pointed out to Mr.. Hitchcock that he
himself had approved several big irriga-
ton projects in which owners OF private
irrigation systems were permitted to re-
tain more than loo acres when they
came in under the Government project.
In one instance the Secretary, though
he has; forgotten it recognized vested
rights OF one such company to the ex-
tent OF GLOWING it to hold $4,000 acres
with water under one Government nro-
ject. Such arguments were unanswer-
able and Mr.. Wa'cott left nothing on
which the Secretary could base further