Enterprise news-record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1910-1911, 1911-01-14
Surveys on West UmatilIa
Project to Be Resumed in a
Few Days.
SUPERVISING ENGINEER
RECEIVES INSTRUCTIONS
Message Containing orders Comes in
Reply to Wire from Government
Board Engineers In Portland-Large
Crew Coming-Redivision of Recla-
nation Funds to Be Made.

at the place known as the West UNA
tilla irrigation project are to be re-
sumed within few days, as the result
of telegram received by Supervising
engineer Hopson Monday from Secre-
tary Ballinger. The telegram reads:
Secretary authorizes continuation
Of surveys West Umatilla with a view
to construction"
Mr.. Hopson said last night that he
does not consider this an assurance
that actual construction work is about
to begin.
'The case will not be settled" he
said, until the secretary has made
a definite apportionment of funds for
the construction work"
The government board of engineers
met at the office of the reclamation
service in the Beck building, Monday
and carefully went over the West
Umatilla project. A. P. Davis chief
engineer. was present.
The board wired its recommended
tions to the Washington office of the
service. While they are confidential
and may not be published, they are
known to be favorable to the project,
following in general tenor the recon-
mendations of the army board of en-
gineers filed in Washington last sum-
mer.
A surveying crew of IL or 15 men
will leave for the Umatilla within a
few days to do surveying and general
investigation work The location of
the dam will be settled and the final
designs for it made.
Surveys will be commenced on
some of the irrigable lands" said Mr..
Hopson.
It is planned to build the West
Umatilla dam just below the junction
of Butter creek with the Umatilla riv-
er. If constructed as contemplated
the reservoir will embrace 10000
acre feet.
Redivision of Funds.
1t has become apparent to Presi-
dent Taft and Secretary Ballinger that
the apportionment of irrigation funds
tentatively made on December 26, Is
both impractical and inequitable, and
1t has practically been decided that a
general reapportionment will have to
be made, says special to the Ore
6Ohldn ITOIu w doLln6t tOn. GopcCldiy
will it be necessary to readjust the
allotments Of the $25.000.000 fund
which represents increment to the
regular reclamation fund for the year.
1911 to 1914 inclusive. There may
be few or no changes in the appor.
tionment of the special $4,000, ,00t
fund.
When this reapportionment comes
Oregon will. receive favorable con
sideration, If present plans are car
ried out. and not only will money b.
set apart for beginning construction o
the West Umatilla project, but some
thing more than heretofore allotte,
will be made available for completing
the klamath project. How mucl
Oregon will receive when the reap
portionment is made will depen,
largely upon the strength of the de
mand put forth in behalf Of these tw
projects.
Oregon Is not alone in demandin
reapportionment Of this irrigation
fund, Washington ana several othe
states with real, live senators. ar
asking for and demanding more mon
ey. and their claims are almost q
good as that of Oregon. Washingto
received $4,000 out Of the $4,000
900 fund, and California got nothin
from either fund. Both these state
through their senators, will insist NJ
on having a fair share of this none,
It may be some little time befol
the reapportionment ID finally mad
but Mr.. Ballinger has uncovered thi
the plan recommended by the arm
board will result In all kinds Of diff
culties. II adhered to. and he expect
with the cooperation Of the reclami
tion service, to prepare q new plan I
apportionment that win place u
money where 1t can be used to be
advantage
How Army Board Erred.
The apportionment suggested by Il
army board commits the governmel
to several extremely costly and con
paratively unattractive projects whis
will require 345,000.000 in addition
the $4,000. 900 recently apportione
to complete them. Should this pr
gram be carried out, the governme
could undertake no new projects, otl
er than those approved by the boar
until 1894 or 1875, and Oregon wou
be left out In the cold along wi
Washington. California and sever
other western states that have CO
tributed heavily to the reclamati'
fund.