East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-10-09

| Within the past few months the
East Oregonian has received numer-
GUS inquiries concerning the inten-
tion of the government in holding in
reserve a large portion of the first
CmatilIa and Morrow county irrig1-
! ton project withdrawn from settle
ment and extending from the town Of
Umatilla south and west for many
miles, and containing some of the
best and most promising arid land In
! the state.
The government is "speechless" IN
the subject and while the East Ore
gonian believes that the reclamation
department is considering the rec
lamation of a portion of that first
withdrawal by an extension Of the
feed canal of the present Umatllla
project across the Umatilla river at
Cottonwood bend, where the main
feed canal of the present system now
terminates, and possibly by pump
ing plant on the Columbia river in
the vicinity of Umatilla, yet nothing
l.has been given out. Both of these
projects are feasible AND could be ac-
complished at moderate cost.
By the extension of the main feed
canal of the present Umatilla project
across the Umatilla river a tract of
about 1000 acres lying on the south
side of the Umatilla river and most
favorably situated for inexpensive
reclamation. could be covered, and
! it is thought the supply of water from
the present reservoir would be suf-
! ficient to reclaim this tract in addi-
tion to the $4,000 acres in the Una
tilla project proper.
Pumping Plant Is Feasible.
But the scheme which appeals for
chilly to irrigationists and which it is
believed the reclamation department
is actually considering in a quiet way
is a pumping plant on the Columbia
river. The majectic river, carry
ing millions of acre fee. G. + water tu
waste every day in the year. is look
ed upon as the salvation Of half a
million acres in western Umatila
and eastern Morrow cou tiles within
few years,
1t is but 10 miles from Unatilla TO
the nearest point on the Deschutes
river, where unlimited power could
be generated from the falls on that
ruggd stream, and the transmission
of electric power for pumping water
out of the Columbia river to cover be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 acres would
be very inexpensive project, COM
pared to the cost OF building dams
and reservoirs ana storage canals.
Large Area Available.
1t has been estimated by engineers
in the employ of private companies
that about $4,000 acres can be re-
claimed with a lift Of 200 feet from
the Columbia river at point near
Umatilla and that at least 10000
acres could be reclaimed with lit
of 800 feet and the cost of reclaim
ing these tracts by a pumping plant
operated by electricity brought 20
miles from the Descbutes would not
be over $40 per acre, while the cost
Oh the Umatilla project to the settler
will be $62 per acre.
The land that would be reclaimed
by the pumping plant lies south and
west of Umatilla and Joins the Irri-
gon tract and lies on medium slope
toward the Columbia river where It
could be easily irrigated and the soil
will produce in luxurlant abundance
anything planted in II.
These are some of the possibilities
Of the arid land yet held in reserve by
the government in that part of the
Umatilla basin and it is arnestly be-
lieved by those who watch the pro-
gress of government plans that these
lands will be finally reclaimed as an
extension of the present Umatlla ir-
rigating project.