Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-02-11
SUBJECT OF WATER SUPPLY FOR
SEASON OF 1910 DISCUSSED
EVERY EFFORT TO BE MADE
The Work of Rebuilding Power
House of Dam and Its Probable
Cost.


phine Irrigation and Power company
held call meeting at the parlors of
the First National bank at 8 O'Clock
on Monday afternoon. 1t was an oc-
casion of great Importance, as it re-
lated to the question of water sup
ply for the irrigating bitches for the
season of 1910. The directors pres
ent were H. L. Gilkey, president; ].
G. Riggs, secretary; H. G. Kinney,
G. H. Garner, G.. A. Hamilton, o. s.
Blanchard, e. E. Blanchard and G.
G. Coutant.
The destruction by the flood of the
pump house and some of the crib
work and the tearing loose of planks
on the spill way and the undermining
of the big Jackson pump and other
damage by the flood came up for
explanation and discussion. 1t was
shown that certain members of the
board were thoroughly familiar with
conditions, but no one ventured an
opinion as to how long It would take
to make the necessary repairs, but
1t came out during the meeting that
the work Of reconstruction necessary
would cost, to do 1t properly, from
$4,000 to- $50,000, but as this
work must be done by the Golden
Drift Mining company the irrigation
board only touched on this subject in
cidentally In relation to the probable
1ty of being able to get water sup
ply for irrigation by May Is, should
water be needed by that time.
The members Of the board, as a
whole, were unit as to the neces-
sity of providing irrigation for the
water users this season and plans
were discussed for getting It some
where else II the Golden Drift should
by chance fail to complete the re-
pairs on the dam. Every possible
plan to bring about the relief of
those farmers under the ditch was
talked over and fully two hours earn
est attention was given the matter
before adjournment. A committee
of three was appointed to make a
Thorough examination OF proposed
plans and make a report to the board
of directors at meeting to be call
ed by the president within the next
few days. At five o'clock the meet
ing adjourned.
The Courier ventures the assertion
that the irrigation company will
leave no means untried to secure
water this season and II It is not
provided II will be because II Is be-
yond the reach OF human effort. The
destruction OF the pump house was
great misfortune, but II is possible,
we are told by men OF experience, to
rebuild that part OF the structure
that went out in season to meet the
demands OF irrigation. The plank
torn from the spillway and some Of
the timber taken out has been re-
placed and made sufficiently strong
to withstand any probable floods that
may happen this spring, and nothing
more need be done, either to the dam
proper or TO the spillway. until the
low waters OF early summer. The re-
building OF the pump house, experts
say. will consume at the most 80 days
n the work Is undertaken by men
OF experience. The first thing to
be done Is the building OF Golfer
dam from the penstock dlagonally
up stream shoreward, so as to shut
off the water that is now rushing
over the power house site and the
s0.O0O-pound Jackson pump, which
was undermined by the flood and
left in 16 feet OF water at the lower
edge OF what was the old power
house. The water once shut OF by a
coiferdam the work Of rebuilding can
he pushed forward rapidly. This
new work will be Of necessity done
in concrete and II will cost no small
sum. The intake OF the big gravity
ditch was carried out by the flood
and this will have to be reconstruct