Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-04-23

of popular meeting-anything tc
defeat the plans.
On September 3 meeting OF
farmers was called at the CONNER.
cial Club rooms and six farmers
added to the committees: Geo. Sabin
X. Thomas, G. A. Hamilton, John
Christie, E. E. Blanchard, L. D.
Allen, and also by courtesy, the
writer was added making "13" (sup.
posed to be an unlucky number)
and Mr.. Gilkey, pretending there was
enough to contend with without
tempting fate with a 'hoodoo," had
Mr.. G. II. Garner added, making a
committee of IA. The hoodoo must
have effectually conquered as Mr..
Garner has done nothing but fight
for irrigation, and has taken per-
sonal charge of the canal building
at the sacrifice of his own business
interests.
A committee of IA is generally
too unwieldy to do business; but it
was not so in this case. The minor
ity Gas is not unusually the case)
did the work. but, Gas is not usual
ly the case) every member backed
the workers, and the earnestness, en-
thusiasm and confidence of ultimate
success shown by these men won the
public, and silenced the knocker
The U. S. Reclamation Service was
called upon for an engineer to look
over the ground and A, P,
Stover was sent here and pronounced
any of several plans feasible, A mass
meeting was called at the Opera
house on October 2S. To this date
all expense of the several months
hard work had been met by the men
doing the work without claim or ex-
pectation of reimbursement.
The meeting at the Opera house
was a most remarkable gathering.
Farmers, bankers, mechanics, mer-
chants, professional men and clerks
crowded the building, each eager to
do his share. 1t was a meeting that
would have been impossible month
previous, and was the result of a
campaign seldom equalled.
When Mr. Coutant, as chairman,
called the meeting to order, and Mr.,
Gilkey briefly stated that the com
mittee had gone its length, that
funds were necessary to secure an
engineer to make survey and estim-
ate of cost; that he and his fellow
workers desired to incorporate under
the state law with capital of $10,-
900, so they could legally do busi-
ness, an endless string of people
in all walks of life came forward and
subscribed to the stock until the
$4,000 was subscribed or pledged
in this meeting; and then elected
nine members Of the board of direc
tors from the workers, members of
the original committee. 1t was an en-
dorsement of which men should be
proud, and doubtless did spur them
on to overcome greater obstacles.
This new and present board Is.
Directors, H. G. Kinney, r. Thomas,
C. G. Coutant, o. S. Blanchard, H. l..
Gilkey, G. A. Hamilton, E. r.
Blanchard, G.. H. Garner, ]. c..
Riggs. This board elected the
following officers: H. l.. Gilkey,
G. Riggs, secretary.
| have stated the committee was
almost in continual session. This
was also true of the new board Of
directors. Incorporation papers were
filed, competent engineer secured,
surveys and levels run, plats made OF
every possible source of supply, dams,
and dam sites were examined, condi-
ton, cost and value reported in full.
When all possible data was In, the
board aDroirted three OF their mem
bers p committee with full power to
act, subject to approval of the stock
holders. This was granted unanim-
ously. This committee was: G. II.
Garner, H. c. Kinney, e. p. Blanch-
ard.
The result is well known. The
Golden Drift Mining Co and Ament
Bros proposition to furnish water
was accepted. The capital stock In
creased to $4,000 to build the
dltches, and the necessary money
subscribed--very simple and easy
when one tells about II, but few real
ize the numberless propositions that
were considered, the legal tangles to
be overcome, the many future inter
ssts to be guarded, the intricate
plans to go over that justice as well
as water be given to each user, the
responsibility and strain that Is mp
on every honest man when acting as
oyent for his fellows I'm such an i'm.