East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-06-01

Prospects of securing favorable
action on the construction of the Pa
louise river irrigation project are
brighter than at any time since the
consulting engineers made their last
report" said c. Eugene Bortle, sec
retary of the northwest section of the
National Irrigation association to the
Spokesman Review.
Three kinds of affidavits are being
signed and sworn to before a notary
public throughout the various irrigat-
ed districts of the state and among
the people who have holdings under
the proposed Palouse project. The
latter testifies to the fact that the
man who owns lands under this pro-
ject is willing to pay S65 an acre for
the irrigation of his lands by the gov
ernment, providing it is necessary to
pay this amount, or even 500 per
acre if this sum will be required.
Another affidavit is being signed
by a man who owns lands now irri-
gated, showing the revenues that they
are producing each year, amount of
labor employed, number of acres in
fruits, vegetables, grains, etc.
I'm glancing over some of the sign
ed affidavits that are now coming in
it is interesting to note that some of
the lands under irrigation in this state
are producing revenues to their own
ers amounting to as high as $3.50 an
acre, and very few lands are produc-
ing less than $50 an acre.
when these affidavits are all in
they will be sent to the secretary of
the interior to show relative land
values in the countries contiguous to
the Palouse project; and with the
many favorable conditions that exist
in the country embraced in the Pa
louise project will show that the lands
will stand as security for an eXpendi-
ture by the government Of even 500
an acre.
Walla Walla Club Helps.
"The Commercial club of Walla
Walla has aiken the matter up in CO.
operation with the National Irriga'
tion association and with the men thai
are represented on the irrigation com
mittee of that organization we fee
that we are on the right track to
ward securing favorable action in thu
construction of this project.
Last week the Wlalla Walla Com
mercial club called a meeting in tn,
parlors of the Hotel Dacres and adopt
ed resolutions instructing the irriga
tion committee to assist in the worl
of securing data showing land value
in this state and to aid in enlistin
members to the association to NEE
the expense of carrying on this work
There is perhaps no one man il
the state that is any more interests
in seeing this project through thai
Senator Ankeny. who is the Chairman
of the irrigation committee of tn
Walla Walla Commercial club.
Franklin County Assists.
"The Franklin county chamber O
commerce has recognized and is work
ing with the association in endeavor
ing to secure prompt and favorabl
action by the reclamation service an
secretary of the interior in the con
struction of the Palouse irrigatio
project.
Although the Okanogan project
still under investigation, the NationG
Irrigation association has retained II
interests in its power, and we are dc
ing all in our power to have the GOV
ernment take favorable actlon in Il
final report, as we believe that wha
ever the price may be for the cor
struction of the Okanogan project tr
government can well afford to carl
that through to completion at ii
same time with the Palouse project