The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1922-07-13
More Than Five Million Dol
lars Have Already Been
Expended
PIERCE'S TESTIMONY
is A REVELATION
This Project Will Justify
Two Railroads Down
the River

Undoubtedly the most interesting
testimony given last week at the hear
ing in Wenatchee before the state
department. of public works was that
of Henry j. Pierce, president of the
Washington Irrigation and Develop
ment company, owners of what is
known as the Priest Rapids power pro-
ject.
Even to those more or less famil-
lar with the proposed development Mr..
Pierce's testimony was revelation.
One of the biggest surprises was that
the company has already expended in
excess of five million dollars on the
project, fact which in itself prac-
tically assures the building of the mon
ster dam.
Another surprise was that the COM
pany proposes to sell electrical power
for irrigation by pumping at rate
lower than any rate in effect any
where in the world today.
dam can be gained from Mr.. Pierce's
statement that the structure will be
wide enough so that it can be used
both as highway and a railroad
crossing and that it will be available
to the first railroad which is pre-
pred to use it. In the opinion of Mr..
Pierce the development which will fol-
low the building of the Priest Rapids
plant alone will justify the building
Iof two such railroads as the Wenatchee
Southern.
Mr.. Pierce's testimony follows:
/ am Henry j. Pierce, president
of the Washington Irrigation and De-
velopment company, corporation of
the state of Washington and which
owns what is known as the Priest
Rapids power project.
This property is located at Priest
Rapids on the Columbia river in the
central part of the state of Washing
ton and Upon the Hanford branch of
the Chicago, Milwaukee G. st. Paul
railroad, which branch it is proposed
shall be made part of the Wenatchee
Southern railroad.
The Priest Rapids project consti-
tutes the largest possible development
of hydro-electric power in the United
Stats west of Niagara Falls. It's ca
pacity is 100000 primary all-the-year-
round horse power, and a further
100000 secondary horse power can
be produced during the high water
period of the river from April 1st to
September 1st of each year.
The Washington Irrigation e. De-
velopment company, owner of the
Priest Rapids power project, has Sc
cured all necessary franchises, per-
mits and water rights from the federal
and state governments. 1t owns all
but few acres of the 500 acres of
lands necessary for power purposes
such as the dam-site, power house
site and the land which will be over
flowed by the installation of the dam.
1t further owns 100 acres of land
located on both sides of the river
at Priest Rapids and stretching for
nine miles above and three miles be-
low the proposed location of the dam.
An associate company owns $4,000
acres of agricultural lands of finest
quality located on the bench above the
river at Priest Rapids and which IL
is proposed to irrigate and bring un-
der cultivation with water supplied
by pumping plants operated by the
cheap, seasonal, secondary power to
be produced at Priest Rapids. The
company also owns large high grade
limestone deposit on the Snake river
from which it is proposed to ship
great quantities of limestone to Priest
Rapids to be used by industrial plants
to be located there, and it also owns
large clay deposit in western Ida
no which material will be shipped to
Priest Rapids to be used for manu-
featuring purposes. The company has
over five million dollars invested in
its different properties.
The Washington Irrigation & De-