The Delta independent., 1914-02-20
Something About
Alexander

On the thirteenth day of last month
a killing occurred near Grants Pass,
Oregon. Two frontiersmen were shot
dead in their cabin and the officers
of that district have taken and are
yet holding for trial a man named
William Alexander, who seems to ans
wer the description of a William Alex
ander who once resided in this county
and for whom two lakes on Grand
mesa were named. The officers now
holding the murderer in Oregon evid-
emily gained some knowledge of Alex
ander's former residence in Delta
county and a letter ives recently writ
ten to parties here making inquiries
regarding him, and thus have been
revived the memories of old timers
in Delta county of Alexander's mys.
terious disappearance from this sec
ton.
] twenty-five years ago Alexander
was in the service of the Surface
Creek Ditch and Reservoir company
and Richard Forrest owned and oper-
ated farm and stock ranch under
that irrigation project. The water
supply was rot sufficient to cover the
land in those days and Messrs. Alex
ander and Forrest conceived the idea
/ OF establishing reservoirs on Grand
mesa. They staked out seven of the
lakes and. according to Mr.. Forrest,
who called at the Independent office
the first of the week, they worked
upon this reservoir project for five
straight years and he, Forrest, as a
silent partner, had furnished all the
cash necessary to keep things going.
! The Surface Creek Ditch and Res
ervoir company wanted possession of
this reservoir project, now assuming
realistic proportions, and one day they
made a trade of two 90 year fishing
privileges in the two lakes now known
as the Alexander lakes, with Alexap-
der, who afterwards won't to work
to make a resort of the premises.
Forrest wes not consulted as to this
trade or new project and he now
puts the query: What in the world
did he want with pleasure resort
here nearly quarter OF century ago.
The farmers were all struggling for
an existence, struggling to improve
their places and had no thought what
ever of pleasures and the establish
ment of resorts for that purpose"
But Forrest was the silent partner il
the original deal, the other fellow had
charge of affairs and he, Forrest, was
compelled to accept the terms of tho
deal made by his active parter. And
thus passed from their grasp vala-
able reservoir project.
Then Alexander disappeared from
the community without bidding his
partner or anyone else for that matter,
an adieu of any kind whatsoever and
his whereabouts since that time haye
been entirely unknown to either For
rest or other residents OF this county.
1t was said that he was once seen ut
Pennington, New Mexico, and this
recent murder in Oregon in which no
is supposed to nave been a principal
is the second word of him since his
mysterious departure.
Eight years ago skeleton was un-
covered in the district and then there
were rumors that Forrest had killed
his partner. but this skeleton was
thoroughly examined ana found to oe
seven or eight inches less in length
than could possibly be that of AleNan-
der Strange. however, that Forrest
could be credited with killing Alex
ander when there were two or moro
persons in Delta who had sold him
supplies and had seen him pun out
astride OF one horse, and another
packed for long journey, The two
men had never had cross word.
Mr.. Forrest stated that he expected
to go on to Oregon in the near future
in order to identity his Former partner
who is now being held on charge
OF murder.