East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-03-10
SURVEYS IN OREGON
WORK OF TOPOGRAPHIC
DEPARTMENT OUTLINED.
Bulletin Issued by the Government,
Although Now "Ancient History"
Shows the Details of the TopO-
graphic and Reclamation Work in
Various Parts OF the State During
Past Year-BnlIetin Edited by
Press Agent of Government.

Although the work of the topo-
graphic surveying department of the
government in oregon has been fully
described by the press of the state as
the work progressed during the past
year, yet the following official report
of the work in the state will be of
Interest.
The following bulletin on the topo-
graphic work in oregon has just been
issued by the government, although
some of the work recounted in the
report is almost two years ald. A
regular press agent, whose duty It is
TO compile these bulletins from Off
cial reports, is maintained by the in
terror department, the present press
agent or editor being Harriet Connor
Brown. The bulletin on Oregon says:
In Oregon 201 square miles of new
area were geographically surveyed
during the last fiscal year. In CO.
operation with the reclamation serv-
ice the level line from Huntington to
Biggs, commenced during the previ-
Gus season, was completed by c. H.
Semper, 149 miles of line being run
and 43 permanent bench marks es-
tabIished
one party was engaged in the re-
vision of the culture of the Portland
quadrangle, for publication on the
scale of 1:62,500. with a contour in
terval of % feet, in order that copies
might be ready for distribution at the
Lewis and Clark fair.
The Granite Pass 30-minute quad
rangle, covering portions of the coun-
ties of Jackson and Josephine, was
triangulated in the fall of 1904 by A.
|. Oliver, who occupied nine stations.
A report on the geology of Central
oregon by Prof I. c. Russell was is
sued during the year.
Stream -gauging stations were main
tained by the photographic branch at
Silverlakc, Vale, Paisley. Bend. Elgin.
Hilgard, Mcdonald, ontario, Narrows,
Owyhee, Baker City, Riley. Burns,
Silvies, Gibbon, Umatilla. Yoakum,
Milton, Joseph, Dell and Malheur.
AS result of reconnoissances
made in 1902 and 1903, certain defin-
lite reclamation projects were selected
for further examination on Umatilla
and Malheur rivers and in Harney
county The Umatilla project is To-
Gated in the north central par1 of the
state near the Columbia and west of
the umatilla, a tributary of the CO.
lumbia-
The topography of the various res
ervoir sites was mapped, topographic
maps were made for % miles Of feed
canal and about 25 miles OF dis
tributary canal, on scale of 400
feet to ! inch Test pits to determine
the nature of the material underlying
the reservoir site, embankment line,
and canal line were made. An exam
ination OF these by the board of con-
sulting engineers led to an unfavora-
BILE report on the project. project
east of the Umatilla river was stud
led and the prospect for ii found IA
vorable. This is now called the Una
tilla project.
The Malheur project contemplates
the reclamation of lands of Malheur
valley from above the town of Vale
to Snake river. Several reservoir
sites have been found here, all of
which have been surveyed and
mapped The irrigable lands were
mapped on a scale of 1000 feet to
inch Diamond drill Investigations
for the foundations at dam sites were
begun about the middle of July, 1904.
Surveys were completed, and esti-
mates and plans for bids and con-
struction were made.