East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-10-27

mat the Jmatllld halfway & Elec-
trio company will develop an electric
power on the John Day river and
build an electric line from Dale TO
Pendleton and from this place to the
Columbia, provided proper support is
given the enterprise, is now announc-
ed by the officers of that company.
A statement to this erfect was made
the East Oregonian today by Doug
las Belts, president; George Arthur
Brown. vice president, and A. r. Tur-
ner, secretary OF the corporation.
At this time all three gentlemen are
in the city consulting with business
men and others regarding the pro-
ject. 1t is planned to have a meet
ing Of the managers of the CONNER
cial association shortly and at that
time the detailed plans of the COM
pany will be made known.
The Umatlla Railway & Electric
company has a power site on the
north bank OF the John Day and its
officers have been working for
year or more upon pans for devel-
oplng that and building an electric
rosd to the Columbia. John IT,
Whistler, the well known engineer,
who built the Umatilla irrigation pro-
ject. and Gerald Stubblefield. who was
formerly with the reclamation serv-
ice. are serving as engineers for the
company They have made a hydro
graphic survey and also a preliminary
SURVEY for the electric road. 1t is
understood that from an engineering
standpoint the road is very feasible
A right of way for the road from
the south end of the county to Pen
dleton has also been secured. AS an
nounced by the officers of the COM
pany the road win go down the north
fork Of the John Day river a few
miles to Camas creeR; thence lead up
Camas creek to Camas prairie; lead
northward along the western side of
Camas prairie TO Willow springs;
thence down the ridge 10 Pilot Rock
down Birch creek ON the east side
for a distance of five miles; thence
across to Mckay creek and to the Tu-
tullla; down the Tutuilla to Pendle-
ton, entering the city at the foot of
Webb street From Pendleton the |
course OF the road is Gown the river |
for few miles and thence across to
Cold Springs landing.
According to G.. A. Brown, vice
president OF the company and who is
serving as the organizer for the COM
pany, II Is the desire of the company
to first raise sufficient money to de-
veop the power and to do at least a
part of the grading work. A bond
issue could then be floated for the
purpose OF raising the remaining
money To complete the entire en-
terprise will require over a million
dollars.
That he represents outside capital
that will be interested in the under
taking Is stated by Mr.. Brown, though
he declines to say who his principals
are. At this time the company is in
terested principally in rousing n To-
cal anu county interest In their en-
terprise So as to pave the way for
raising local money for the work. In
speaking upon this phase oS the sub
ect Mr.. Brown said:
"Three elements go TO make up a {
progressive and thriving
community, and without either OF v
which some part of your civic anato- 4
nv Is wlthered and wasted. The first v
and transportation 4
ire essential and primal, and the
follow as \
light follows day. o
"Who will deny that Umatilla p
county produces as much or more G
wealth than any other county in the d
esources are as yet a sealed book IL
While great wheat fields and enor- VI
nous cattle ranches are to be desired r,
nd something to be proud of, yet Of Ii
hemselves they do not possess those "
lements that go TO make up cities
nd towns, and a well populated II
ountrysde. You lack the population Il
nd YOU lack the population because Al
on are minus the transportation fa- 1t
llities. d.
"Supplement these resources with b.
roper transportation facilities and CT
ou will Immediately create an in
lux of population that will astound
he most optimistic. W
"Ths is what the Umatilla Rail- G,
-ay & Electric Power company pro- Il
ose to do. and all we ask of Pendle- h
IN and UmatiIla county wide-awake b.
uslness men is substantial guar Il