The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-11-23

Endorsement OF the Umatllla rapids
power project as the first step in the
open river program for the Columbia,
endorsement of the Smith-McNary
bill now pending in congress and re-
quest for the appointment Of board
of engineers by the secretary of war
to make a survey Of the Columbia
river from Vancouver, Washington
to Priest Rapids Idaho, as directed,
was the outstanding action taken by
the Open River conference in Pendle-
ton yesterday.
The three-in-one proposal for the
canalization of the river, the develop
ment Of hydro electric power and
irrigation of adjoining arid land was
unanimously backed by delegates
from all Of the Columbia basin points
attending from three states.
A stirring address by Joseph N.
Teal on what shall we do with the
Columbian" opened the conference in
the morning. Both this speaker and
A. H. Devers of Portland who called
the conference to order urged gov
ernment aid for the opening and de-
velopment of the Columbia.
Cooperation with railroad trans
portation and not necessarily competi-
tion, was advocated by Mr.. Teal in
explaining the proposal to open the
river for water transportation. The
speaker showed the great benefit to
be derived by the railroads, by the
electrification of the lines through
power development on the Columbia
Right improvements of waterways is
the most important part of my sub
ject," the speaker stated.
Clearing away Of bitches in govern
mental action which might hinder the
application of the three-in-one pro-
posal, and thus make the whole prob
lem Of water transportation, irriga-
tion, power development, one move
ment, was the argument of the speak
er. The Importance of the develop
ment of the down river cargoes by
the improvement of the arid lands
on both sides of the Columbia, was
emphasized, to work with the up river
cargoes to the "bread-basket" coun-
try.
Major George Mayo, United States
engineering corps; F. c. Schubert,
civilian engineer of the same corps,
spoke on the problems of rendering
the Columbia navigable and told of
work already accomplished by their
department.
At the luncheon given by the PEN
dleton commercial association, Judge
Gilbert W. Phelps of the Umatilla
Rapids Power Stewier and Judge
Stephen A. Lowell, presented the pro-
gram of the proposed Umatilla project
and sketched the Importance of its
development to the entire inland EN-
pire. The delegation was enthusiastic
over the tying up of the gigantic de-
velopment with the open river pro-
gram for transportation.
Judge Phelps outlined the birth and
development of the association, ex-
planning that the interior country
had reached the limit of its finances
and that an appeal must now be made
to the larger cities, such as Portland,
which he termed the chief beneficiary
of development of the Columbia river.
Judge Phelps said that, while the
Umatilla rapids plan had been dis
cussed at meetings Of the chamber
of commerce of Portland and appar-
emily had been received favorably yet
there had, thus far, been little activity
apparent and that Portland's more
vigorous cooperation in the matter
of financial and political influence
is needed to inspire the northwest
ern members of congress to take up
more vigorously the development of
the Columbia basin and the Umatilla
rapids project.
Judge s. A. Lowell Of Pendleton,
discussing the possibilities Of the
Umatilla rapids power project, spoke
of the "great invitation that the
states of the northwest offer to the
seeker for home or investment" call
ing attention to the great undevelop-
ed area Of the three states tributary
to the Columbia and Snake. The
great opportunity" Judge Lowell
pointed out lay in the fact that the
Umatilla rapids project more nearly
fills the requirments of the federal
power act than any other known
project, in that it appeals to the
department of agriculture because of
its promise to improve the condition
of the farms of the three states
through the possibility of cheap pow
er for the electrifcation Of the lines
of the $. P. & s., the 0-W., and the
N. p, because Of their proximity to