Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-01-13

The work of the surveyors has beer
traced along a point east of Willow
Creek along what is locally known as
Alkali Canyon, thence crossing Rock
creek about seven miles above it's
confluence with the John Day, to
Scott's Canyon. and down Scott s
Canyon to the John Day River and up
the John Day beyond the mouth of
Hay Greek for a distance unknown
to the observers of that locality
The preliminary survey is we'll up
the canyon wall, about $50 to 300 feet
above Croy, and provision is apparently
made for tunnel from Rock Greek
to Scott's Canyon. and for another
from the John Day River to Esaw
Canyon. in order to avoid a long loop.
The identity of the interest behind
the surveying party has been the cause
of much speculation in that locality.
The John Day River has been looked
upon as a possible means of access to
Central Oregon. but the main obiec-
tion to its choice as route has heen
that the river rises in the Blue
Mountains, in Northeastern Oregon.
Its flow is westerly for many miles
before it turns to the north and drops
into the Columbia River. To get
into Crook. Lake or Harney Counties
via the John Day River either q
pass through high spurs of the Blue
Mountains would have to be found or
the mountains sklrted to the west.
Tributary to the John Day, how
ever. are rich agricultural and timber
resources, now unserved by railroads.
in Wheeler and Grant Counties.
Rumor in Eastern Oregon has hereto
fore named the John Day River Can
yon as a means of access for both the
Milwaukee and North Coast Rail
roads to Interior Oregon.
The John Day River. tor number
of years, has also been discussed as
furnishing feasible and shorter
route through the Blue Mountains
than that now followed by the o. r.
g. NJ. and it is suggested that the
Hartman system is behind the new
movement. This theory would ex-
plain the reason for the construction
by the Oregon Short Line of 25 miles
of railroad from Vale, up another
"WilIow Greek" to Brogan, work
on which is now under way.
The construction of the Brogan road
was announced as branch line to
ser,e an irriagted country. but the
district to be tapped is said to be too
small in itself to justify railroad
construction. The branch line is
along the general route of old surveys
made up Willow Greek to the Blue
Mountain divide. This survey skirted
Iron Side Mountain, peak in the
Blue Mountain range, thus getting
over the divide to the upper reaches
of the John Day River, and thence
down the John day.
There is a multiplicity in names
of minor streams in oregon. The
Willow Greek up which the Brogan
branch of the Oregon Short Line is
building flows southeasterlv into
the Malheur River. The Willow
Greek mentinoed in the reports from
Croy rises in the vicinity of Heppner
and flows northward into the Colum-
bia. The Heppner branch of the o. |
R. g. N. is built up the latter creek.
Still another Willow Greek flows
through Madras westerly into the
Deschutes River. and up this stream
the Oregon Trunk line will build /
after leaving the Deschutes Canyon.
Croy is located about 20 miles south
1f the mouth of the John Day River.
Rock Creek flows into the John Day
4 few miles south of Croy, both
from the east. The newly reported
activity begins in o. r. q
Y. territory.