The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-03-07
HEPBURN HOLDS
UP JONES BILL
IDAHO SENATOR PROBES INTO
BENTON WATER COMPANIES
SNAKE RIVER PROJECT.

The Jones bill, granting permission
to the Benton Water company to con-
|struct a dam across Snake river at
Five Mile rapids is still meeting with
serious opposition and there is little
likelihood of the bill passing at this
section of congress unless Senator
Hepburn of Idaho withdraws his OBJ
lection to the bill.
Senator Hepburn is taking personal
interest in the bill and in a letter to
the Lewiston Commercial club he sets
forth what he considers, are serious
objections to granting the Benton
Water company permission to build a
dam at the point proposed. His chief
objection is, that the war department
has already granted to the Pasco
Light and Power company the right
to build a wing dam up the north side
of Snake river which will reach to
the foot of Five Mile rapids Sena-
tor HeyburnAbelieves that dam as is
proposed will seriously interfere with
the rights already granted to the Two
Rivers company. Senator Hepburn sets
forth his opinions in the letter which is
as follows:
Il am in receipt of your letter of
February q, with reference to the dam
proposed to be built across the Snake
river at Five Mile rapids and also a
|copy of the resolutions of the Lewis
ton Commercial club. / am also in re-
ceipt of a letter from Capt Gray, of
Pasco, Washington, regarding the
matter. He enclosed me a copy Of the
resolutions passed by the Pasco cham
Der of commerce.
II have given the most careful con-
sideration to the bill, to the law, to the
regulations and to these communica-
tions. I notice that you say that the
citizens of Lewiston are in sympathy
with my efforts to maintain an open
water way from Lewiston to the sea.
1 am glad to have you say SO. I intend
to maintain an open river from Lew
istOn to the sea.
Il note the provisions which you
suggest as to an amendment to the
pending bill. There has been no effort
to accept amendments to this bill on
the part of those who are pressing it.
II am not willing to leave the matter of
an open river to any bureau of the gov
eminent. do not propose to leave any
option resting in any man, however
thigh his position, the exercise of which
may result in closing up the Snake
river from Idaho to the sea. 1 have
gone very carefully into the proposed
method as set forth in Captain Gray's
letter and in the statement which ac-
companies it. T have great confidence
in Captain Gray as steamboat cap
tain and a navigator.
Rights Already Granted.
THE question involved here is one
of state and interstate government
and powers In the first place, the
rights already granted by the war de-
partment to the Portland parties to
build wing dam which extends prac-
ltically up to the foot of Five Mile
rapids on the north side, plans and
specifications of which are on file with
the war department, would be inter-
fered with by the building Of a dam
where the Benton parties propose to
build.
II have no personal interest in that
matter but merely call attention to
the fact that the north side of the
river is already occupied by a permit
from the war department extending
for several miles along that side of
the river. have requested a financial
statement of the Benton company, and
la copy Oh their articles OF 1ncOrpOra-
ton. have not yet received these.
What Captain Gray Says.
Captain Gray says: Il will say for
your information that if the bill is
passed the company will dig a canal
On one side of the river of sufficient
width and depth to allow steamboats,
and barges and RATS Of sawlogs and
lumber to pass through, with the
locks in the canal sufficiently high to
allow traffic to pass through at ex-
treme high and extreme low water, or
all the time. After the canal and locks
are completed dam 20, 80 OF IS
feet high according to the amount of
power wished to be developed or all
lowed by the chief of engineers) will
be built all the way across the river
from the canal to the opposite bank A
Spill-way will be provided for floods