The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1928-01-26
COMBINE ROSA AND MCKEE AND BEGIN
WORK AT SAME TIME AS AT KENNEWICK
Gle Eum Storage Started this Year with Appropria-
tion of Half Million - State to get Behind
Demand for More Appropriations

1 from Tie WTlIISu SIdbSIuSllIS
made by Commissioner Elwood
Mead to Senator Jones, concerning
future work on the Yakima pro-
ject, it is apparent that the depart
ment of the interior intends to
commence construction of all the
remaining divisions of the Yakima
project, including the Kennewick
division, in the fiscal year 1881,
which commences on the first Of
July, 1880.
In his letter to Senator Jones,
DR.. Mead stated that the depart
ment now plans to make an engin-
eering investigation during the
next six months to determine the
feasibility of including a portion
of the lands Of the Mckee division
with the Rosa division, thus COM
bining those two divisions. If this
were done there would remain but
two divisions in the Yakima pro-
ject, namely, the Kennewick and
the Rosa, with which would be
combined a part of the Mckee.
The Rosa division is the one en-
braced within the Yakima-Benton
irrigation district. The commits
sioner then stated:
"The Interior Department APP
preparation bill recently trans
mitted to congress, carries an
appropriation of $500,000 for
beginning construction on the
Gle Elum reservoir, thus adj
vancing that feature on the
ten year program from 1892
to 1929, and it is hoped that
construction can be carried on
at this rate until the compile
tion of at least the lower part
of that storage development.
Assuming a satisfactory out
come of the further investiga-
tions outlined above (that is
| the combining of a portion of
the Mckee with the Rosa), it
1 is now proposed to recommend
the initiation of both the Rosa
/ Mckee and the Kennewick un-
its in 1881 rather than 1884,
or one year before the COM
pletion of the Kittitas division
as now planned. This in effect
advances the time of begin
ming all the proposed Yakima
work three full years on the
ten year program"
There has been some misappre-
hension on the part Of some Of
our readers who have been led to
believe that the combining Of the
Rosa and Mckee may have some
thing to do with the Kennewick
division. Such is not the fact. Our
division stands by itself as it has
in the past. Whatever arrange
ments may be made as to the COM
bining of the Mckee and Rosa di-
visions will have no effect upon
our own. Some have also thought
that the statement by the commits
sioner that work would be COM
menced in 1881 means that it will
be commenced in the calendar year
1881. This is not correct. The COM
missioner refers to the fiscal year
which, as stated above, commences
July 1, 1880. If the program as
indicated by the commissioner is
carried out, it would mean that
the budget submitted to congress
in the calendar year 1929 would
have to carry an appropriation for
the Kennewick and Rosa divisions.
The declaration made by the
commissioner is already having its
effect in the spirit of encourage
ment that is apparent on every
hand. 1t is hoped by those inter-
ested in the Kennewick Highlands
that every man who has been able
to retain his holdings up to the
present time will find some means
of. continuing until actual con-
struction puts these lands where
they belong in the foremost irri-
gated section in the state. 1t is
our belief that from this date for
ward there will be a gradual but
continuing improvement in the
marketability of land on the High
lands and in the price received
therefor.
cit is long lane that has no
turning" Evidently ours has turn
al