The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-03-21
G, \, MAY MAKE SURVEY
RAILWAY COMPANY ANXIOUS TO
SEE IRRIGATION PROJECT
CONSTRUCTED
WANTS COUNTRY DEVELOPED
II Plans Carry Examination viii BE
Made This Spring With Chance
For Early Construction

II. II. Granger, j. A. Blackler, j. F.
Samson and Ernest Riste, represent
ing the East and West Okanogan VAL
ley Irrigation districts, met l.. c. Gill
man, assistant to President Gray of
the Great Northern, in Spokane last
Wednesday, and as a result of the
interview, expect the Great Northern
company to make immediate prepara-
tiOns for the detailed survey of the
project. Mr.. Gilman was on his way
east to confer with President Gray and
met the representatives from here by
appointment. The meeting was ar
ranged for the purpose of discussing
details of proposition for the Great
NJ .hern to make the desired survey
contained in a letter from President
Gray, and to clear up all questions of
procedure connected Herewith.
Mr.. Gilman will return from the east
the latter part of this month and early
in April he will visit this
place and make a personal examina
ton of the project. He will probably
be accompanied by Louis w. HILL,
chairman of the board of directors of
the Great Northern According to Mr..
Gilman, his company will select a
competent, practical irrigation engi-
neer of high standing to make the ex-
animation of this project, if they de-
eide to go ahead with the survey, as
there is every reason to believe they
will do. The survey will be started
just as soon as the necessary arrange
ments can be completed and finished
as soon as practicable. The cost will
be advanced by the Great Northern
and the bonds of the districts will be
taken at par to cover the cost. The
survey in all probability will be COM
pleted by the middle of June or the
first of July if present plans do not
miscarry.
The Great Northern Railway COM
pany is anxious to see this country de-
veloped for it means tonnage to them
AS Mr.. Gilman tersely put it, why
should the company build the Oro-
ville-Wenatchee line if we cannot de-
velop the country through which it
traverses?" The expression eve" is
interpreted by the directors who con-
ferred with him to mean the Great
Northern company acting in conjunc-
ton with the people of this valley to
promote common interest.
Mr. Gilman made it plain in dis
cussing the sale of the bonds of the
district in case the survey proved that
the project is feasible, of which he ex-
pressed no doubts whatever, that his
company will insist that all land un-
der the ditch above unit to each in
dividual of probably forty acres be
listed for sale at reasonable price
to insure that it goes into the hands
of bonafide settlers and homeseekers.
The company will do nothing to as
sist in floating the bonds if this is not
done and every precaution taken
against placing the project on spec
NiotiNC anu tlluS III Wig tlLc
price of land out of the reach of ac-
tual developers. This is the policy of
the government in the management OF
its reclamation projects and has
proved to be one of the most practical
and beneficial provisions of the SER
vice.
The chances for the commencement
of actual construction this summer OF
early fall are growing brighter There
is now no apparent obstacle in the
way of the Great Northern making the
survey this spring. This will deter
mine the actual cost per acre of the
project. and as soon as the detailed
information thus gathered is available
it will be possible to dispose of thu
bonds providing of course, that tn,