The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-07-11
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CHIEF VISITS
THE HIGHLANDS
Director A.P.Davis Investigates
Conditions Under Proposed
Sunnyside Extension
BUT HE MAKES NO PROMISES
Expresses Himself as Pleased with
Fine Quality of Land in Ken
newick Irrigation District

A. p. Davis, director and chief en-
gineer of the u. S. Reclamation SER
vice, e. p. Weymouth, Of Denver, en-
gineer in charge Of the western pro-
jects, and r. X. Tiffany, manager of
the Yakima project, visited Kennewick
Saturday and spent several hours in
conference with the directors Of the
Kennewick and the Columbia Irriga-
tion districts and Attorney M. M.
Moulton.
The purpose of the reclamation Of
ficials' visit here was to secure first
hand information concerning matters
in the Kennewick Irrigation district,
the lands of which are included in the
proposed extension Of the Sunnyside
canal. During the forenoon they made
the trip over both the irrigated and
the non-irrigated sections of the High
lands.
While neither of the engineers
would give any information as TO how
soon the government might undertake
the construction Of the extension they
did express themselves as very fa-
vorably impressed with the present
development of the Highlands and the
high quality Of the arid lands in the
project.
From here the officials went TO Yak
ina, where they are inspecting other
units of the Yakima project. OF their
visit the Yakima Daily Republic says:
This evening Mr. Davis will meet
the business men and others interest
ed at the Commercial club. At that
time the Rimrock proposition will be
threshed out. The business men con-
slider that the big storage dam, which
will add $4,000 acres TO the irrigated
lands Of the Yakima valley, should be
finished as soon as possible so as to
provide available farm land for the
returned soldiers. 1t appears unlikely
that their arguments will cause Mr..
Davis to withdraw his contention that
the heavy dam construction, with the
need for crew of several hundred
men, should be postponed until VIC
tory is declared.
"The Reclamation service he ex-
plains, "is already committed to an
after-the-war development policy. It
has fund Of 100000 to spend in
making investigations as to the feas-
ibility of some proposed drainage re-
clamation and irrigation projects.
Some of the money may be spent in
connection with the Kittitas project,
if we deem it advisable.
"The big problem now," says Mr..
Davis, emphatically, "is TO provide
food and munitions for the men in
France. The Rimrock storage would
not be available for i've years and, If
the war lasts that long, during the en-
tire time it would not be adding any
thing to the war resources of the ma
tion.
"Instead Of doing so, it would be
taking from them. It would not add
any food and, while the construction
work was going on, it would be taking
men away from the war industries,
such as the production Of food.
"That does not mean that the Re-
clamation service does not favor the
Rimrock development. The work will
merely be postponed. The time will
not be wasted. All the preliminary
work, which does not require very
large crew, will be done. Some clear
ing, for example, will be done on the
dam site, and the tunnel work be COM
pleted. Then, when the war is over
and the soldiers come back there will
be need for all Of them in doing the
actual construction work. They can
do the work and at the same time be
paying for the places they are help
ing develop. That is, in brief, the de-
development plan approved by the Re-
clamation service.
"The Yakima valley should consid-
er itself fortunate if il can continue
its development during the war and
not be taking on additional labor bur-
dens. The war must come first. II is
The big national job and It is a bigger
Job than most people realize"