The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1920-07-01
SCIENCE Of YEARS IS
JOHN DAYS HERITAGE
(Pendleton East oregonian. }

every year!
How many people will it support?
How much wealth will 1t add to the
three counties in which it is located?
These are big questions and II the
answers are Of any value they must
be something more than a mere es-
innate or fanciful display for ad-
yertising purposes. Such questions
have been asked and answered so
much In the west during recent years
that the fellow who foots the bill
nowadays usually takes them at the
wholesalers discount of 50-25-5, and,
then subject to approval after ship
ment. Five years ago at Hermiston
when the congressional appropriation
committee visited the Umatilla pro
ject, Representative Mondell of Wy
oming, In speech said that good
pioneer settler was endowed In addi-
tion to his usual five senses, with
a sense of Prophecy This was fine,
and 1t is true. but good deal de-
pends on what is meant by the sense
of prophecy. Many settlers have
been lured in a new Eldorado by hyp-
motto influences produced by beau
tiful pictures sketched on hazy can
vases and their conclusions have NO
relation to the logic Of events. II
all were true that has been told about
the wonders of western lands and IL
farming were like the average city
bred fellow thinks 1t is, Congressman
Mondell's statement would have little
value
His sense OF prophecy Is, howeve.
but the cool logic of events practic-
ally carried out. 1t is no Arcau,
or dream world. 1t is the heritage
OF the average citizen who measures
what may be done by what has been
done, and. then adds the spirit Of
hope and enduring purpose. This
sense OF prophecy when applied to the
John Day project can read the future
only by a scientific consideration Of
present facts and conditions and what
has been accomplished in like situa-
tions in the past We have shown
that irrigation Is now a science, or a
system of we'll organized facts, in the
Umatilla-John Day basin Soil tests
the duty of water, methods of irrigat-
ing, kinds OF crops, climatic condi
tions and marketing are all under
stood and we know how to apply
these facts to the John Day area with
but little risk as there is no condi-
tion on the John Day that has its
counterpart in the varied lands al
ready developed throughout the dis
trict.
Five Acres to the Person.
Annual statistics taken by the rec
lamaton service at Hermiston for
several years shows that the full crop
development of FIVE acres and the ad-
dition of one person to the population
keep pace together. The same is
true at Staniield, lrrigon and Board
man. These figures include the
towns. The towns In all these in
stances have no other resources than
the surrounding irrigated lands.
Wherever there Ia FIVE acre tract Of
full grown alfalfa, or garden or or
chard there is one person. The John
Day. therefore, with Its 0,000 acres
will support, and will require to han
die its resources, $4,000 persons in
It's towns and on Its farms.
Another line Of government statis-
ties show two and one-half persons to
each irrigated farm. The farm unit
usually laid out Is 20 to 40 acres.
This would make over 10000 farms
or over $4,000 people on the land
alone.
How much would be the annual ag-
ricultural output? Alfalfa is produc-
ing tons per acre. Some tracts pro-
duce more, but on an average the re-
turns will not exceed this amount at
least for many years. Multiplying
100000 acres by 6 and then by the
price of hay runs into dizzying figures
in Oregon. If hay is worth $40 In
the stack it is $1S,000,000; il $40 is
the price, the John Day project could
be built with one years crop and
leave a winters supply Of food for
$4,000 people. Yakima, last year,
produced nearly $4,000, 900 worth
of crops and the John Day with the
same prices can be made to do the
same. The substitution of fruits,
grains, vegetables, hops, pasture and
livestock will reduce the acreage
output very little, II any. This Is
more than the present annual output
of the lumber of Oregon; more than
the wheat of the entire state; and
more than the livestock and hay COM
bined. 1t would be greater than the
present fish, fruit and mining out
put combined. And il the reader will
add to 1t the 100000 acres now under
projects, not one-fourth developed
yet, he will be convinced that we are
still in our swaddling clothes, though
lusty young babes.
Increased Wealth.
e. Fifteen years ago the Umatilla pro-
ject was assessed at about $4,000.
Its assessed valuation Is now about
$3,000,O00. When all the land Is in
cultivation the actual wealth, includ-
ing towns, livestock and chattels will
exceed $6,000,0O0. The John Day
project is fifteen times as large as the
East Side Umatilla project, and on
the same basis Of figures its wealth
will nearly reach the round numbers
100000, 900. This is twice the pre-