East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-01-05
OREGON SENATORS
TO AID UMAT|L[A
DELAY WILL MEAN LOSS
ON PROJECT EXTENSION
Riparian Rights and Easements, OBJ
tained When Extension Seemed
Sure, VIII BE Forfeited II Year
Goes BY.

Encouraged by the news from
Washington, D. c., that Oregon's sem
atorial delegation will join in urging
President Taft to make changes In
the allotment of s20,000,000 for irri-
CATION, SO that oregon can get $z,-
$4,000 for reclamation work, In
stead of the $925000 apportioned,
members of the Portland Commercial
club and Oregon Development league
seem to feel certain the oregon ap-
propration will be swelled, says the
Journal
George F. Johnson. chairman OF
the promotion committee of the Port
land Commercial club, said today that
prospects for an additional appropria-
ton seemed bright. Not only did Mr.
johnson and other members or the
committee telegraph to President
Taft, urging him to change the allot-
ment, but sent dispatches to j. ]. HILL
head of the Hill system: Howard Ell
lott. president of the Northern Pa
cific railway, and Judge Lovett' heau
of the Hartman system.
That delay will be fatal to the west
extension of the Umatilla project, for
which the additional $2,OO0,OOO Is
asked, is one Of the strongest argu-
ments advanced by business men or
Portland and oregon. They assert
that even a years delay would mean
the forfeiture of thousands OF dol
lars worth Of riparian rights and ease
ments obtained when the project
seemed assured.
Two erroneous impressions have
gone abroad regarding the Umatilla
project" said Mr.. johnson. "One Is
that the board Of army engineers re-
iected the project. AS matter of
fact. each member OF the board ap-
proved and favored the scheme. with
the army board 1t was question OF
money: there was not enough TO go
around; so they cut oregon short.
"Then Il has been enormously CIV
en- out that the Umatilla project, or
properly the west end of the project,
Is a new work, and rs therefore, held
up because the law prohibiting the
starting of any new reclamation
schemes applies to II. In truth, the
project in question is merely an ex-
tension of the project now under way.
Greatness of Umatilla Plan.
'The Umatilla project is one OF the
greatest and most important in the
country. BY the expenditure of ST.
600. 900. land worth $4,000, 900. which
is now being held by the government,
will be turned over to the public. Not
only will the land Immediately under
the west extension pe affected, but
about 10000 acres on the high lands
OF the Columbia river basin, and pos
sibly about 10000 acres in the John
Dav section might later be put under
water.
"The money appropriated for recla-
nation in oregon would do no more
than about complete the klamath and
Malheur projects and would leave the
west extension Of the Umatilla project
abandoned.
I'VE have heard some objection to
the building of dam for the Umaul-
la project. covering about 5000 acres
OF land. The objection was made on
the grounds that many of the set
tiers that hold land in the basin would
be driven from their homes. Little OF
posed dam would go is tillable. People
do not seem to realize that the dam
would help to protect Portland and
much country on the Columbia and
Willamette rivers from the June floods
which so often threaten.
1--WE believe 1t most important that
work on the west end of the Umatilla
project proceed with all possible ra'
pidity The project would be of i'm
measurable benefit to Portland and
to all oregon. Produce from the Una
tilla section comes into the market
from two to three weeks before that
from other regions. That is grea'
advantage.
promises of help have come from
every side. ]. ]. Hill has promised tc
help, and from Judge Lovett, head OF
the Hartman systems, we have wore
that we may depend upon his aid. W.
have received much encouragement
from all sides, and l believe we fee
justified in saying that we believe
that the president will do as We ask