The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-12-14
UMATILLA RAPIDS
PROJECT IS THEME
Meeting of Brotherhood Monday Eve
ming Is Well Attended, and Discus
sion of Hydro-Electrie Possibilities
Along Columbia Is Interesting.

The banquet table at Hotel Hepp-
ner was surrounded by some so or
more members and visitors of the
Brotherhood on Monday evening. who
participated in disposing of the
splendid spread prepared by the man.
agement on this occasion. TIE lib
eral supply Of chicken, done to a
queens taste, together with all the
other fxin's, only added one more
feather to Manager Fishers cap, and
has increased his popularity just that
much more with the Brotherhood.
President Waters took charge Of
the business meeting and some small
matters Of business we're disposed of
after the reading Of the minutes Of
the previous meeting by Secretary
Phelps, and then the subject for dis
eussion, Hydro Electric Possibilities
for Morrow County" was introduced
by Judge Gilbert W. Phelps of PEN
dleton, who is president Of the Una
tilla Rapids Power project. The
Judge has had good deal to do with
the preliminary stages of this organi-
zation, and his discussion of the sub
ject was in his usual quiet but force
full style. He reviewed some Of the
acts of Congress covering such mat
ters, and impressed upon his hearers
the three-fold development in con-
nection with the Umatilla Rapids
project, namely, irrigation, or rec
lamation, navigation of the Colum-
bia river, and transportation and in
dustrial promotion in the production
of cheap electric power. The first
would naturally grow out of the i'm
provement and canslization of the
Columbia at the rapids where the
water power would be provided to
pump the water out onto the dry
lands of both Oregon and Washing
ton, and the prospective reclamation
would be near 100000 acres of what
it now arid lands. This same power
would also produce the electric ener-
gy to drive the railroad trains up
and down each side of the Columbia,
and then have plenty to spare to the
surrounding country for a radius of
at least $50 miles, furnishing cheap
power for manufacturing, lighting
and running the machinery of shop
and farm. Judge Phelps went into
detail at some length, and all who
heard him were fully convinced that
the Umatillt Rapids project is one
of the most feasible that is now at
tracing the attention of congress.
Whether it will be taken up and put
over at reasonably early date can
not be said, but it is one of the num-
ber up and down the Columbia where
tremendous horsepower that should
be serving the people is simply going
to waste, while the railroads and the
people at large are having to pay
excessive prices for fuel, and devel-
opment is being held in check be-
cause of its comparative scarcity in
this section, and the prohibitive
prices.
Judge Phelps is for the develop
ment Of this power at some point
along the Columbia, whether at Una
tilla rapids or some other point, but
he maintains that the Umatilla pro-
ject is the most feasible to be con-
structed at this time, all things con-
sidered.
F. A. McMenamin also made a short
talk on this subject and what it
would mean for Morrow county, con-
fining his remarks to the develop
ment of our own immediate section,
and urging our people to attend any
meetings that might be held at any
time in connection with the promo
motion of these projects.
DR.. Conder and Roy Pickens were
other speakers, the latter talking on
the side of the expense necessary to
change from present conditions to
that of electrifying the railroads,
and whether or not they might be
slow to do this. The attention of
Mr.. Pickens was called to the fact
that the Union Pacific was now mov-
ing toward electrifcation, and wheth-
er the development spoken of took
place or not, that road would at no
distant time be largely electrified,
just as the Chicago, Milwaukee and
Northwestern is now.
Another speaker, and one who
would have been heard with gladness,
was to have appeared on the pro-
gram in the person of Sam Board
man, who may be considered TO be
the father of the Umatilla Rapids
project, but he was not able to be
present, and instead wrote out his
speech and sent it to President
Waters, and the interesting paper
was read to the Brotherhood by s.
E. Notson, and it was the cause of
much applause. Sam is genius
when it comes to getting up any
thing that has to do with irrigation
and the development of the waste
places, and he furnished the Bro
therhood some ancient history on the
development of electricity. We tried
to get hold OF this speech so that it
might be given in full here, but
failed to do SO in time for this issue.
Another subject coming up for the
attention of the Brotherhood was
that of a band for Heppner
Sam Notson, being one Of our lead
ing musicians, presented this Ques-
tion, because recently there had Wis
tied Heppner musician and band
man, who, with his family, was de-
sirous of locating in our city, provid-
ing he could receive the proper in
ducement, Mr. Notson stated the
proposition as it had come to him,
and this started the ball rolling, and
a general discussion followed, re-
sulting in committee being ap-
pointed, consisting OF S. E. Notson
and j. P. Conder to find out Just who
and how many were interested in
joining a band, and what the pros
pect would be for such an organiza-
tion at this time, so that report
might be forwarded to the band man.
The prevailing sentiment was that
should such a party come to Hepp-
ner, it would be upon his own re-
sponsibility, as the community was
set against subsidiEing band or
ganization.