Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-10-23

/ NlMEuAiNl W Nhs VI nAhAR
ernment was expected to bear the
whole expense. II, however, con-
| gBess views this as a new project, Il
may be difficult to obtain the nee
essary appropriations at the coming
session of congress. Following is a
brief history of the locks of the Will
lamette at Oregon City:
State Helped 60 Build.
The canal and locks at Oregon
City were built in 1S7O-1S72 by the
Willamette Falls Canal & Lock Co.,
at total cost of from 100000 to
1926, 900. The state of Oregon APP
propriated 100000 to aid the com
pany in the construction OF the
canal and locks limited the rate to
be charged, required the payment to
the state OF 10 per cent of the net
profits, and reserved the right TO
buy the locks at actual value at the
end OF 20 years. the value TO be de-
termined in such manner as the leg
lslature might direct.
In 1899 the board OF officers OF
the corps OF engineers Investigated
the advisabillty of acquiring the
locks and canal and reported, among
other things, that the cost OF origin
al construction, "at present prices"
GS99), or to build the locks anew.
would be S314,300. Deducting the
cost OF needed repairs. S3S.SOO, the
value OF the locks at that time was
determined TO be S275,000. TO
which was added the cost of original
right OF way, making the value in
1899 SS1O,5OO.
Costs More Co Build New.
The board also reported that new
canal and locks could be built on n
new location for S439 900, according
20 one plan and $456,OOO according
to another.
II was further reported that the |
average net income OF the locks for
Ave years years previous was $21,-
057.37, which capitalized at per
cent gave n value OF over $421,000.
The Portland General Electric of
.ered to sell the canal and locks at
81, ,20O,O 900, but the board held this
excessive, and mentioned $456,0OO
as a limited price to be paid, and
recommended that II satisfactory |
terms OF transfer cannot be agreed |
upon new system OF canal and
locks be built at a cost OF s456, 900.
Another investigation was made
by the board in 1909, upon the spe-
cial subjects of injury to manufae-
turing interests by the construction |
Of new locks or the purchaEe OF the |
old locks and their use for navlga-
tion exclusively and THE extent OF
the title OF the Portland General |
Electric. The board found and re-
ported that by constructing n divid-
ing wall to separate the navigation
from the power canal the canal could
be operated exclusively for naviga-
ton without injury to the manufac-
turing enterprises,
No Right 90 the River.
The board also submitted COM
munication from the then United
States district attorney, John Hall
declaring that the Portland General
Electric has no right 20 the full,
free and continued use OF the waters
OF the Willamette river for manufac-
turing purposes, and that the United
States may take all the water OF the
river, N necessary, for navigation
purposes, and that II riparian own
cls or owners OF private canals and
and locks suffer injury thereby they
are without remedy against the gov
ernment.
II it becomes necessary To utilize
private land above high water mark,
this would require a condemnation
suit. and the measure OF damages
would be the value OF the land and
damage 10 remaining lands. exelu-
sive, however OF the question OF di-
vision of water for navigation pur-
poses,
In recent conference with the
members OF the Commercial Club at
oregon City, l personally was great
~ impressed with the desirability
and importance of the removal OF
the rocks and distractions forming
the Claokamas rapids and shall
gladly and earnestly cooperate with
the Oregon delegation in endeavor-
ing TO secure the early attention OF
the government engineers TO these
distractions to navigation and se-
cure such federal assistance as the