The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1919-07-23
BILL BROWN IS
BACK To FISH
An Eycsorc That has for Years
Held up the development of
Fairvicw Section Is To he Rcn,ov-
cd


been doing heres" was the way W
X. Brown put It up to u Herald man
yesterday when he met him on the
street for the first time In ten years.
There are thousands now here who
do not know who "Biil' Brown Is.
but at one time he was by far the
biggest factor In the affairs OF Kiam-
ath county that II ever had. With his
partner. c. W. Hawkins. under the
firm name OF Brown 4 Hawkins. he
came here for the purpose OF placing
the Klamath Valley under compre-
hensive irrigation system. They were
the forerunners OF the Reclamation
Service. that irridescent dream that
was to do so much and accomplished
so little for Klamath county. When
this firm came here II offered. and
In a large number OF cases had con-
tracted. to place the water on the
land for $1,25 an acre per year, Mr.
Brown. who Is one OF the ablest en-
gineers on the coast. laid out the sys-
TEN. and started work on tunnel
from the Upper Lake. which II It
had been completed by the Reclama.
tion Service would have brought un-
der irrigation several thousand acres
that are today above the present
main canal.
After the work had progressed to
considerable degree and the firm
had expended upwards OF 100000. /
the Reclamation Service appeared on I
the scene. The tocsin was sounded ard !
the farmers were gathered from the .
four corners of the county and were .
told that II their good and grand old /
Uncle Samuel were permitted to come /
in here he would put the water on .
their land for not to exceed 500 IN .
acre. and they would have ten years
in which to pay back the money with
charge would not exceed % cents an
acre; that he would reclaim 100000
acres of land and make the marsh
land that surrounded the city bloom
and blossom until it would support
great population, and-well they sold
them the brick. Some OF the enthusi- .
asts were ready to hang Brown ""d
Hawkins because they didn't take to
the woods and let the Reclamation .
have all of their rights and interests ,
for nothing. In the meantime Brown
and Hawkins offered to build the svs-
tenn and sell IL to the people for 81
an acre. but they could not hear any
ernment officials. Finally an agree.
ment was reached whereby the Re-
clamation Service acquired their
rights and they shook the dust OF
klamath county from off their feet.
Since winding up their affairs.
which was about ten years ago, they
have confined their operations TO
Mr.. Brown is accompan-
led by Mr.. Hawkins. both having
pitched their tent on the banks Of
Spring Creek. where they are going
10 try for the next few weeks to re-
cover from the scorching heat that
has been burning up the Sacramento
Valley. Continuing his exclamation,
Mr.. Brown said:
81 have kept more or less in touch
with klamath Falls during the years
hat have passed. but I had no idea
hat the development had bten so
am amazed at the mills
md box factories that have been built
lere, indicative of the solid founda-
ion upon which the city rests. You
Zee no evidence of the boom, which
S another sign that sanity and good
business sense is governing develop
nent.
~ am glad to get back, II even for
,nly few days. always like Klam-
lth and its people and | hope to
make this the beginning of an an
lual visit to what believe to be one
If the best sections on the Pacific