The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-02-25
BIG IRRIGATION SCHEME.

R. w. Hummer, Amos Tupper and
Dr. c. r. Mckinley, of Brewster, ac-
companied by o. Lauragaard, consult
ing engineer, came up from that place
on the apple special Saturday evening
to meet by appointment A. J. Hill, rep
resenting the Warren Brothers Con-
struction company, of Boston, and.
Henry Kaiser of the Henry Kaiser &
Co., contractors of Portland, Oregon.
Messrs. Hummer, Tupper and Mckinley
were representing the property hold
ers under the great irrigation project
that is to embrace the vast territory
known as Brewster flat, or so much of
it as has not yet been reclaimed by in
dividual initiative. They have been in
correspondence with the contracting
firms mentioned, and owing to the de-
moralization of traffic on the Great
Northern the several parties had to
make arrangements to meet in Oro-
vile, discuss the proposition and close
any deal that the several interests
might decide upon.
Notwithstanding the Inconvenience
Of this trip the Brewster contingent
was well repaid for coming up, for it
is a pleasure to announce that the Wis
itors were rewarded for their trouble
by reaching an understanding reduced
to a formal contract, through which, if
no unforeseen hitch occurs water will
at last be conveyed upon the land in
the southern part of the county after
many disappointments and long, long
waits, and Okanogan county people see
another great irrigation project sue
cessfully carried to finish. AS we un-
derstand the contract as signed up, the
contracting firms represented by
Messrs. Hill and Kaiser will construct
the system upon what is known at a
force account" AS this is explained to
us, the proposition presented and ac-
cepted Is for the district to pay for al!
the material and labor employed, the
same to be provided at the best market
rates, the contractors to receive as
their compensation for carrying out
the contract Is per cent of the actual
cost of completing the system. They
are to furnish the money with which
to meet all expenses and take bonds rs
their pay. The contractors further
agree to put up bond to the amount
of 25 per cent of the estimated cost Of
the installation of the system for a
faithful performance of their contract
and have four months in which to be-
gin the contract. No figures are given
out but originally it was calculated
that the system as proposed would cost
in the neighborhood of $1,250,O0O and
bonds were voted to that amount by
those holding land under the project.
The cost per acre was calculated to be
some 800. 1t was owing to the large
sum involved that the district has had
so much difficulty in finding respon-
sible parties who would do the work
for the bond issue.
! This plan was satisfactory to the di-
rectors of the district, probably be-
cause of the difficulty they have had
in placing the bonds, or finding con-
tractors willing to accept the bonds in
payment for construction, yet there is
an opening in such a contract for
heavy leakage, and the system could
be made to cost far greater sum
than the land owners ever dreamed of
OF course the responsibility of dis
bursements for material and labor will
rest very largely upon the shoulders
of the engineer who will be employed
to look after the interests of the dis.
trict
But a contingency of that kind is not
anticipated, and is only mentioned tc
point out what could happen, and the
necessity of engaging an engineer ir
whom every confidence can be placed