The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-07-14

| Nnen the contract was finally let
by the DIRECTORS of the West Okanagan
valley Irrigation district for the con-
struction of the irrigation system it
became necessary, as a protective
measure, for the district to employ a
resident engineer to look after the
interests of the land owners, and see
that the work was carried out in ac-
cordance with the plans and specifica-
tons. This was an important step to
| take, as it was necessary for the pro-
lection of the interests of the district
that the man selected for this respon-
| sible position be one in whom they
could place implicit confidence-as it
was not to be expected that any layman
should be sufficiently familiar with
engineering lore to check up the work
in its progress and pass judgment up
on its character-and one who by ex-
lperience was well versed on irrigation
IprOblems and water supply, a man rec
ognized as an authority on these sub
Jects. Such men are not so plentiful
that they can be picked up anywhere,
and it was a momentous duty to per-
form. The district officials were for
ltunate, howevrr, in making their Sc
lection, as their choice fell upon j. G..
Stevens, of Portland, who is the peer
Of any man in his profession, and who
has had immediate and active charge
| o. the districts interests since con-
struction first commenced almost a
| year ago.
Mr.. Stevens has become a familiar
| figure about Oroville since assuming
his duties of supervisor and consulting
engineer for the district, and he has
consistently and faithfully devoted his
time to the labors that devolved upon
him. He has been actively on the job,
| in season and out of season, and the
| work he has performed has demonstrate
ed that the directors were fortunate in
securing his services Aside from his
professional ability, while not a free
mixer, Mr.. Stevens is very likable
chap, and with the closing of his con-
tract and the departure for his home at
Portland he leaves behind a number
of well wishers who will always retain
pleasant recollections of his stay in
OrOville.
! At this time after acceptably per-
forming the duties for which he was
engaged, and on the eve of his depart
lure hence, it is not out of place to
give in this connection brief sketch
of Mr.. Stevens life, life of activities,
| life of accomplishment, record that
any man could well be proud of. Few
would suspect from the quiet unosten-
taticus attitude of the gentleman in
his daily concourse and intercourse
with the public since living here that
| he has made such a splendid record,
such a remarkable record for man of
his wears, a record that stands to the
credit of few men of his profession
Mr.. Stevens was born January 3,
1876. at Moline, Kansas. He attended
Union college, at Lincoln, Nebraska,
for two years. and finally graduated
from the civil engineering department
of the Nebraska State University. In
19O2-3 he was assistant state engineer
Of Nebraska. In 1903 he was appointed
| assistant engineer of the United State
| reclamation service. and worked in
Denver. Colo, and later in Nebraska
/ and South Dakota on water supply and
Irrigation problems. He was subse-
auently transferred to the United