1
.
Ontario is in the
Centre of the Great
Snake River Valley
Corn Belt.
ttm
The Produce from
15,000,000 acre is
marketed from On
tario each year
Representative Newspaper of Ontario, Malheur County and Snake River Valley.
VOLUME XVIIV
THE ONTARIO ARGUS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1915.
NO. 8
(LNtttri
m
WARN SPRINGS
WAS NOT
Deschutes Designated by
Secretary Because Warm
Spring Report Not in
LEGISLATURE FAILS TO ACT
Appropriation by Congress
was not Matched by State
And Is Not Available
News to the effort thnt Secretary
Lane of the Interim d pai iincnt Int.
'! Ignatcd the Deschutes project In
Crook county, an the one for which
he wishes congress to appropriate
$i .".'"hi. tuts cuMSf ij no consternation
In Malheur county, There are sev
eral causes which led the secretary
to di - iKii.ii' this project, chief among
which was the fact that the sur
veyor's report on the Warm Springs
project in Malheur county Is not yet
completed and therefore not In any
shape to receive official recognition
by the department of the Interior.
The fact that the government ap
propriation wan made contingent
upon a like appropriation by the
state of Oregon, is another reason
why It was best that the Warm
springs project was not designated.
For the Oregon legislature refused to
appropriate any money this year for
reclamation work in Oregon, thus the
appropriation by the government can
never be used, and will remain in the
hands of the Interior department. It
la said legislative delegates from
Crook county attempted a mammoth
effort to put ' " 'oprlatlor ' "'
through .tic . . ...iaiiire. hut the econ
omy stand was taken decisively,
there was little prosect of the legis
lature doing anything.
Thus, the Warm Springs project In
Malheur county has not been turned
down, for as yet it Is not in shape
for consideration by the secretary of
the Interior. Secretary i.un was
compelled to designate some project
In order to get congress to make any
appropriation, and he selected the
best one at hand, at this time.
Congressman Slnnott attempted to
put (be appropriation through, with
out compelling Secretary Lane to
designate the project at this time,
thus giving time for the Warm
Springs report to have been complete
ed, but congress refused to allow the
appropriation to go through In this
manner, and the designation was
mude.
In view of the stand of the Oregon
legislature, however. It is better for
the Malheur project, that the Des
chutes project was designated at this
time. The Warm Springs project Is
far more favorable than the Des
chutes project, both from a stand
point of cost, and by reason of the
amount of land that can be reclaimed
It Is claimed the Malheur project Is
now In line, and will undoubtedly be
the next project in Oregon to be taken
up by the interior department.
MRS. STEWART DIES
AFTER LONG ILLNESS
Wife of Local Railroad Em
ployee Crosses The
Great Divide
Mrs. Mia M. Stewart died in On
tario, Oregon. Feb. 21, 1915, after an
illness of several years Klla afar
Reynolds was horn in McChamber
vllle, Iowa, April L'4th, lotiu. She was
married to U. E. Stewart seven years
ago at Denver, Colorado. Mrs Stewart
leaves two children, Noble and Ray
Means. They are of a former marriage
Mrs. Stewart was married in 1882 to
William Means who has been dead
some twenty years. Mrs. M. E. Rey
nolds of Denver, Colorado, mother of
Mrs. Stewart, has been in Ontario for
several weeks and was at the bedside
of her daughter when she passed away
Mrs Stewart was hurled from the Far
ley undertaking parlors Feb. 22, Rev.
Chamberlin of Boise having charge of
the services at the chapel and also at
the grave Mr. Stewart is an employe
of the railroad company at this place
PROJECT
TURNED
DOWN
Hack From ( onwntlon.
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Hoyer returned
Saturday from Portland where they
have been attending the Merchant's
convention. They say the Portland
merchants were Ideal hosts and a very-
satisfactory meeting, especially well
attended by the eastern Otegon mer
chants, was held My. Mover stopped
off a day at Maker on his way home.
KNIGHTS OE PYTHIAS
GIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Over One Hundred Attend
Pleasant Gathering Wed
nesday Evening
The Knights of Pythias entertained
royally at the castle hall Wednesday
evening when the grand officers of the
domain of Oregon and the Pythlans
from surrounding towns visited with
them. A hundred or more were pres
ent god fraternallsm held away. Two
candidates, J. F. Doty and A. Uuerln,
were given work In the first rank.
After this followed addresses by the
grand officers, A. E. Wrlghtman.
grand chancellor and L. R. Stlnron,
grand keeper of records and seals
and by J. II. E llourne. editor of the
Senator and manager of the Insurance
department of the lodge. At about 11
o'clock supper was served In the ban
quet room, which was enjoyed by all.
After Muppi- K. II. Con ; . sided
a 'oastmaster and ..its were In
iuii until anout one o clock wnen
the meeting adjourned. The Incut
lodge Is highly elated at the success
of the meeting and are especially
grateful to the Myrtle lodge of Welser,
who are so well represented.
Mr. Belknap Die.
News has heen received In this city
of (he death of Mrs. Clara llelknap at
Portland Friday, the lth. Mrs Bel
knap was a sister of Mrs. W. W.
Woods of this city. Mrs. Woods has
been in Portland for several days and
with Mr. Belknap accompanied the
body to Prairie City, where the fun
eral was held Sunday. Besides her
husband three sons survive her. the
oldest being 14 years.
LA GRANDE NEWS
PAPER MAN HERE
Mr. ami Mrs Bruce Dennis, and son
Jack, of La Grande, visited in Ontario
the first three days of this week. Mr.
Dennis is the editor and publisher of
the La Grande Evening Observer. He
paid a glowing tribute to this section
of the state when he stated that no
where in Oregon were the prospects so
great for home builders and settlers,
as in Malheur county. "You have
the greatest torn country west of the
Rocky mountains," he said, "and no
where has nature been more favorable
in providing the base upon which to
build ideal homes and prosperous com
munities "
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis and son went to
Nyssa Tuesday morning, and returned
to La Grande on No. 19 Tuesday night.
STUDEBAKER COMPANY
OPENS IN ONTARIO
The Studebaker company through
their local representative, S. B. Brisco,
have leased the brick building next to
the Ontario hotel. They will put in a
tomplete line of implements, spunk
lers, harness, wagons and carriages
and will be ready for business about
March 1. The stock from the Payette
branch, which will be discontinued,
will l,e moved here next week.
and the brother railroad men acted eg
pallbearers. The sympathy of the
friends is extended to Mr. Stewart, the
young men and the aged mother in the
sad hour of sorrow.
MAMMOTH PROTEST
OVER CHANGE
TELEPHONE RATES
Railroad Commission Gives
Suspension of Toll Charge
Until Hearing Has Been
Granted.
Free tolls between Ontario and Nyssa
and Fruitland still exist, despite a
notice of the Malheur Home Telephone
Company, mailed to its patrons the
latter part of last weak, announcing a
toll charge of 16 cents to take effect
between these places Tuesday, Febru
ary 23rd.. In a conference yesterday
between telephone officials and the
committee of the Commercial club, it
was decided to suspend the rate until a
hearing of the railroad commission
could he called, when the matter will
be threshed out thoroughly.
A telegram was sent to the railroad
commission yesterday asking for their: the cotntry today, although some valu
sanction to a suspension of the rates, j I'1'' ideas and plans for future work
and this was granted, in a telegram
from that body, received in Ontario
last night. The hearing will be asked
for today, and will probably be granted
in ten days.
A protest meeting was culled Mon
day afternoon for the purpose of start
ing some action against the proposed
change, and a committee consisting of
H. C. Boyer, Dr. J Priming and
Judge 0. L King M I
instructed to take t!.
steps, if such a course
visable, to restrain
ppointed and
necessary legal
was fun ml si I
the telephone
company from enforcing the ruling
Fred U. Jones, vice-president of the
Malehur Home Telephone Co., and
with headquarters in Boise, was in
Ontario yesterday, and the Commercial
club committee took thJ matter up um) Mah,r counties should be espe
personally. Mr, Jones stated that dally proud of Frank Davey, their
their action in charging a toll to Nyssa representative, lie la a man that
waa under instructions of the State ! stands for the people and wmks for
Railroad Commission, or rather on ac
count of the past rulings of this com
mission. The rate to Fruitland was
charged by the company, Mr. Jones
saying they feared interference by the
Interstate Commerce Commissiqn.
Mr. Jones stated they were willing
to proceed with their contract which
provided free toil to Nyssa and Fruit
land, providing the commission wuukl
allow it, and the matter will now have
to be threshed out with the commission.
A hearing will be applied for iiumcdi
ately by both the telephone company
and the citizens of Ontario and
it ia expected that within ten days
the commission will grant this hearing,
very probably in Ontario.
When the Malheur Home Telephone
Company was organized and took over
the plant and holdings of the old in
dependent company, they agceed to
allow free tolls to Nyssa and Fruit
land. Since this contract was made,
ADVANCE REPORT OF
WARM SPRINGS PROJECT
Engineer John T. Whistler tomplete Preliminary
Survey of Local Government Project ---Final
Report in About Six Weeks
F.U IS ABOIT W.UCH
SI'ltlMiS I'HOJF.CT
Concrete arched dam of gravity
section.
Approximate height, luo feet.
Estimated storage of S8,0Q
acre feet of water.
Estimated total cost, $444,0m.
About 32,000 acies unclaimed
land, under canals.
Cost of storage per acre foot
of water, $3.7o.
An advance report of the Warm
Springs Irrigation project has lain
compiled h Engineer .1 T Whist lei it
Portland, and Is made public this
week. The leport in full follows:
Portland, Ore., Feb. :,, nil"
Sirs In accordance with your in
structions, I submit the following data
COMMERCIAL CLUB
Meeting Held Last Night in
Local Club Rooms Pro
motes Great Interest in
Organization.
What is clained as the most enthusi
astic meeting ever held by the local
Commercial club, occured last night in
the club rooms of the organization, the
t crasgon being a smoker and g"neral
get-together meeting The dull rooms
were crowded and the enthusiastic ad
dress made tiy different members or
the organization, as well as by visitors
from Fruitland, bespeaks a most pros
perous year for this section of the
Snake river valley.
The addresses for the principle part,
were confined to a summing up of con
ditions as they existed in this part of
' were outlined.
Clement Returns
From Legislature
H. W. Clement returned Friday
from a four weeks' sojourn at Salem
where he has been attending the ses-
Hon of the legislature. Mr. Clement
waa representing the Dead Ox Flat
Irrigation district and was much in
terested In some of the bills that
were before the legislature relating
to tins section.
He stated that Frank Davey of
Burns and J. T. Hlnkle of I'matllla
Are A lilt n ml nnfltlnir artvnoa am
L.,,.,, f) ,U(4
fthc good of the country.
Debt Makes Talk.
Kugcne V. Debs, the socialist can
lidate for president at the last elec
tlon, lectured at Molsc and Nampa
Thursday and Friday of last wick
Several popple- from this section went
lo hear him discuss the principles of
his party.
however, a state law was passed grant
ing the Oregon Railroad Commission
the (Miwer to regulate all rates. It is
'claim d the commission has the power
to annul this c ntract, and force the
telephone company to charge tin- rates
as provided, but it is the general opini
on in Ontario that the commission,
when once it investigates local con
ditions thoroughly, and finds that
neighboring towns on the Idaho side
are enjoying free toll service, will allow
a like servick on tins side.
and pieliiujnai) estimates ol cost of
Wuini Iprtnga reservoir for Malheui
project stoiage and of proposed Mai
hem (,'ow Hollow tanal line altcina
m.
Water Supply Records of Malheur
i nci lunoff at Vale tor approximately
fifteen years of the twent)-tlve from
h'"' to 1914, Inclusive, are available
For Middle Fork, thcie an rOOOrdl
for I'.mti, tlnce mouths of l!iu7, and
i '"' to 1914, inclusive
For South Fork and North I'mk
there are incomplete records available
for the ported of ll0i to I'J14, iiiclu
sue
Following is tabulation or annual
and mean monthly tunoff of Middle
Fork at Waim Springs reset voir site
or juiKtion with South Fork, Malheui
at proposed (Incision point below
.luutuia, and Malheui at Vale. This
liit t i is paitl.v from direct lecoids at
Nainorf, partly by combining the icc
Ofdl at North, South and Middle Folk,
(Continued on Page h)
EIGHT CITIES ORGANIZE
TO BOOST THE
Mann Call Meeting.
A special meeting of the Masonic
lodgt of Ontario hi boon called for
I Thursday night. March 4th. Work
in t!ic (list and third degrees has been
planned. The special meeting lias
been called on account Of the lame
amount Of work now on bnnds. The
loilue has ten dlgTtM to confer which
will kcp It hus up to the lime ol tile
summer vocation.
WOMANS' CLUBS GIVE
ST. PATRICK'S BALL
Cotton Ball to be Given for
The Benefit of The
Library
Annually, the Woman's cliih of On
tario ask th' public to assist them to
present a substantial sum to the Pub
lic library lo aid In Its maintenance.
This year the) will give a Cotton ball
on St. Patrick's night at the Wilson
hall. These balls, so popular through
out tlii' entile countn this winter, are
simply an expression of the belief that
any movement whose object is the
stimulation of native commerce le
worthy of the support of patriotic
people and will meet with the approv
al of such. This, with the need of
the beautiful little library, will, they
hope. meet with your liberal patron
age. (towns of Vim rli an Materials.
It Is my Intention lo have my even
ing gowns this winter made of cotton
materials voile, crepe, etc. and to
wear nothing but cotton at evening
entertainments. I have succeeded in
Interesting a uiimbei or niy friends
in this Idea, as it will he no sod ill. i
to went the beautiful transparent ma
tenuis of delicate colors manufactur
ed by some of our southern houses. I
am sure that If every woman In the
United Htatcs who can afford to have
an evening gown at all would since
lo have It of cotton the situation in
the south would very soon he relieved
and I cciialnh shall buy nothing of
foreign make whatever until this
diiadinl cilsis is will past. Orace
Alherton.
WORK RESUMED ON
NEW M000RE BIDG.
T . II. Moore It construction a bmk
building adjacent to the Onlaii I'm nl
lure store The building will In ihniv
six teet by Hcvnib the feet and will
have a celling about fourteen feel
high. It will he built in two moms,
the partition making a fionl mom
thirty six by fifty-two feel und a rear
room tWOnt) two In lliltl.v six teet
I he nai mom will be used In Hi)
Ontnrto Furniturt compnnj as an un
loading and woik mom. It will have
a i.i i id Moor under which will be a
ha: un ui which will he connected to
the fmnt mom.
The trout mom will base a 04 un nt
Mom and will la pcciall.i convenient
lot In aw men hanili' c. sin h as come
in latload lots, or machinery.
NILE LONG'PIPE LINE
IS NOW BEINC BUILT
In oidii to bring wait i lo his land
south of tOWl Kandall Sage will put
in a pipe line over a milt long ion
nci ting with the Owyhee (Inch. I In
land is what is known oj tin Stone
place and is about time miles fioui
town It is on a little higiu i Ii vi I
than the land hctwicu it and tin din h
and to ovcHome this and do awav with
Burning, tin pipe inn win u Installed
I In pipe is being built by Claude
llingliaui, who inanufai tuns cement
and oncrele good- Eai h piece is two
ho t long and about tin oi twelve
im In in diaiuett i and g made ot ion
arete Tin- Ordei (alls im three thou
sand six htftidnd pipe, which will keep
the force busy foi some time.
COUNTRY
Perfect Permanent Work
ing Organization of Snake
and Payette River Valleys
MEETING HELD IN PAYETTE
Is Attended by Mayors of
Eight Towns. Power
Question Taken up
To further the plan nf co-operation
between the cities of the lower Snake
ami Payette River Valleys, and to ef
feet a working organization in which
all the different cities and districts
have equal representation, an associa
tion was formed in Payette last week
The meeting there was attended by the
mayors of eight towns and cities, and
the first and preliminary steps were
taken toward the perfection of what is
intended to be a harmonious working
body to further the intereets of this
vast section of Eastern Oregon and
Western Idaho.
The mayors, or their special repre
sentatives, from Weiser, Payette, New
Plymouth, Nyssa, Kmmett, Parma,
Huntington and Ontario were present
at the meeting. Il is the intention Ii
include in the permanent organisation,
a representative of each of the irriga
tion districts, as well as a representa
tive from each commercial club, and
the mayor of each town. The purpose
of the meeting ami the permanent or
ganixation, is to bring about a united
effort of this vast section in the hand
ling of matters which make for the
prosperity of the whole district.
It has been learned from exerienec
that the best success of any undertak
ing is made Kksible only by 'inited ef
fort. There is probably no section of
the west which offers such wonderful
opportunities to new settlers as the
lower Snake and Payette river valleys.
And on account of the vast iim-cdltd
territory embraced by this district, the
country needs more settlers. By a
gigantic united elfort and harmnmnt.s
unison, more good can be accomplished
along thll line than if each individual
town worked separately.
At the meeting last week, one of
the principal topic t for discussion was
the proposal of the Idaho Power A
Light Company to enter this territory
with cheap power It was the conceii
sun of opinion that atM op power would
lie a boon to flu whole district. Hut
to couiMd the residents of the country
to pay maintainance, profits and in
terest! on bonds of two distinct coin
panies, was looked upon with some dis
favor, providing the company already
in the held Would grant the coveted lie
crease in rates, and bind itself tc these
(Continued on page -I
SCHOOL EOR TRAIN
MEN IS HELD HERE
Especially Equipped Dem
onstration Cars Teach
Efficiency
To Insiin sali l v and I li. kii a
school for tialiiliun w.n, hi hi Inn
Sunday. Spcciallv cuuipped cars tor
demons! I atlou wen Usui h.v a Imaid
of instruction or examine! s who rep
lesenl the I II n ill Pacific system. Ttis
trainmen, including conductors, uigi
in eis, tinmen and hiakcuicn, fioui the
lloise. Vale and Juntuia nianih Inn s
and the main line rmm limn in: ion to
Homestead, were represented.
I In pin pose as slated above was to
promote alcl', to tlelghl and pa: .it n
gi i iiallic and also to promote I
liciitic) in handling the .aim Hubs
win Interpreted, signals ixplaimd
and all questions answind that per
tallied to this sublet l Mr 'lialnit i s,
i hit l dispati In i at Salt Lnke, was the
bead ot tin- boa id and iiui lie appoint
ed as chut Inst rue tot b) the coopaoj
in older that they may base a may at
that kind of work all the time.