Morning Oregonian., January 01, 1902, SECOND SECTION, Page 31, Image 31

THE MOUSING OKEGONIAtf, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1902.
31'
it habitat extending nearly to the timber
line.
Washington naturally leads In shingle
manufacture, and probably never will be
overtaken, for it has more than five times
as much cedar as Oregon. Its stand of
cedar Is over 10,000,000,000 feet, on -which
the annual draft Is about 400,000,000 feet.
At this rate of cutting the supply will
not last over 40 years, and the lumbermen
are beginning to give thought to careful
lumbering. The only cedar accessible to
Portland la tributary to the Cowlitz
River, in Washington, and It is in the
hands of persons who are holding it at
btlff prices. The supply of cedar in Ore
gon Is not large, but a railroad to the
Nehalem country would make a large
body accessible to Portland.
IAJMBEB, CUT OF 1001.
Oregon Manufactured JTearly 1,000,-
000,000 Feet Worth ?8,04S,OO0.
According to estimates specially prepared
for the annual number of The Oregonian,
the lumber cut of Oregon last yearjPM
9SS.5C5.000 feet, an increase of over 90,000,000
feet compared with 1900. The cut was
valued at nearly $9,000,000. If last year's
activity in the industry obtains this year,
Oregon's cut will pass 1,000.000,000 feet for
the first time in the history of the state.
At the present mtc of increase in the out
put there is llt..u doubt that Oregon will
In a few years take the place so lojig held
by Washington as the chief lumbering
state of the Pacific Northwest. Washing
ton Is, however, In no danger of losing
the lead In shingle production. Following
Is the output by counties, with compari
sons, for 1900 and 1899:
PoTintv Feet Value.
lf!r-::::::::::::::::c1:K 'SB
IS"E :::::::::: 38SK8 888
Ets" :.::::::::::::: iHBft 8S8
Crook"."..... 3,300,000 40,425
Curry I "'"... &
Douglas 20.000.000 m 25,000
Gilliam ar5mllls- iews
Grant 6,000,000 46.000
Harney 2.150.000 26,875
Jackson ... 5,400000 54.000
jShine ::.::: mq mm
IClamath 22.500.000 27o,000
Lakm..:........ 1.340.000 20.000
Lane 146.875.000 1.S50.000
Lmcoln 2,000.000 25,000
LinS ................... 25 000.000 250.000
Malheur " 200.000 18,000
Marlon .... ....... 35.000000 200.000
Morrow 3 O00000 45.000
Multnomah s2 2'vM
Polk 17.000.000 170,000
Sherman No lumber cut.
Tillamook V. 20.000.000 140,000
UmatfUa ................ 50000 50.000
Vnion $000,000 400.000
Wallowa".! 15.000.000 120.000
Wasco ...." ,-. 65,000.000 5S5.000
Washington .. 14 000,000 SS.000
Wheeler 3000.000 SO.000
Yamhill 14.000.000 1A000
Total 9SS.565.000 58.94S.900
1900
1899
....898,160,000
....669.650,000
8,802.500
6.22S.250
CUT. MUCH LONG LUMBER.
One of the Most Unique Lumbering?
rinntn In the Nortlivrejit.
The Bridal Veil Lumbering Company, lo
cated on the main Ime of the O. It. &
N. Co., 30 miles east of Portland, conducts
one of the most uniaue. and at the same
time one of the most complete lumbering
p.ants on the Coast.
The company own? and operates Its log
ging camps, it cuts its timber from its
own timber lands, and except for a little
minor work, it does not use a horse or
other power aside from that of steam
about the entire property. The forest
belt from which the timber for-the mills
is cut is situated on Larch Mountain, sev
eral mlleb back from the railroad. The
general elevation of this timber land Is
several hundred feet above that of the
river and railroad line which furnish the
most available meins of transportation
for the large product of this company.
A mill with a dally capacity of 100,000
feet of finished lumber is located upon
Larch Mountain. The point of location Is
convenient to the timber belt. From this
mill a flume three miles in length leads
to the main yard and planing mill at
Bridal Veil, the seat of the company's
headquarters, and located on the Colum
bia River and main line of the Oregon
Railroad & Navigation Company's tracks.
As fast as lumber Is cut from the logs at
the mill on the mountain it goes floating
away to the yards through the miles of
flume. When this lumber reaches the
yard it Is picked up and yarded, or put
through a dry kiln, or loaded on cars for
shipment.
Timber grown In this altltudo is much
superior to timber of the forest belts of
lowlands. The timber of Larch Moun
tain Is free from pitch, and also from
the coarse grain found in trees of a rapid
growth. Lumber cut by the Bridal Veil
Lumbering Company Is especially valua
ble for finishing work, and It Is conse
quently n much greater demand than
coarser grained lumber on the market.
At Bridal Vsil station, the O. R. &
N. Cq. is building his main track closer
to the river, thus affording the' Bridal
Veil Lumbering Company considerable
additional needed room, faking advan
tage of the Increased space afforded, the
company next Spring will rebuild their
planing mill, increasing its capacity about
pne-third. They will also build at this
site a new dry kiln. A new 200-horse-power
engine was recently Installed at
their any mill on the mountain. This re
placed the old engine which was not of
sufficient capacity to meet the Increased
requirements of this plant.
This company was the first of the saw
mill companies to use the log trolley.
This was de&crlbed fully in The Orego
nian, issue of November 24 last. By
means of this trolley, logs are picked up
out of the canyons and other places for
merly practically inaccessible, and placed
upon cars op skid rads which furnish
easy transport to the mill. The use of
this trolley greatly facilitates logging In
a rough oountry.
Bridal Veil Lumbering? Company.
While the company's plant at the foot
of Larch Mountain is not unlike other saw
mill plants In successful operation in a
heavy timber belt, Its methods of log
ging are totally unlike those of any oth
er milling company in the world. It is
In the unique methods of logging by the
Bridal Veil Lumbering Company that the
interest of this article centers.
Trees, many of them of tremendous di
ameter and height, thickly stud the moun
tain bide. These trees are felled and cut
into logs in the ordinary manner of these
Western lumbering forests, after which
donkey engines, mounted upon heavy
sleighs made purposely for them, gather
the product in from all directions. Long
cables are employed for this purpose, and
they can strip an acre or two of saw logs
at a single setting. This process is called
"yarding," and when a section has been
cleared the donkey and sleigh are moved,
by using the cables, to another place.
"Bull" donkeys of greater strength than
"yarding" donkeys, with their endless
cables, haul the logs from the "yard" to
a logging railroad, and this latter deliv
ers them at the mill. The "bull" donkeys
use a skid road, but the railroad, upon
which is run a poworfal Baldwin locomo
tive, is constructed much the same
as any other railroad, only It has no cars
in its equipment. The logs, rounded (or
"sniped ') at one end, are drawn over
the ties, one trailing after the other a
string of them half a mile long, sometimes
and their passing over them does not
seem to injure the ties in the least de
gree. Not a team, save those that haul sup
plies to the camps, is to be seen In all
the woods of this big- lumbering con
cern, the steam donkeys having proven
themselves -so great economizers that they
are bound to supplant almost entirely old
methods everywhere. A "bull" donky's
strength and power Is so applied that
30,000 feet of logs may be moved at ono
time, requiring a tension of 120,000 pounds.
Three "yarding" and three "bull" donkeys
are employed.
The arrangements for logging and cut
ting timber are so perfect that seme rapid
work has been done by this company.
So rapidly is all this work done, in fact,
that a tree standing In the forest in the
morning has been felled, sent to the mill,
cut into lumber, "flumed" to the railroad.
passed through the planing mill and dryer
and In condition for the builder before
the sun had set.
The officers of the company arc: Presi
dent, L. C Palmer; treasurer and gen
eral manager, J. S. Bradley; secretary
and planing mill manager, J. M. Letter.
In this edition arc presented views of the
mill and logging processes. They form
but a small idea, however, of the roae
nltude of the planL It is among the hest
in Oregon. Interior lumber consumers
find this not only a convenient but supe
rior concern wjth which to place their
orders.
WATER RESOURCES
OF OREGON
Many Streams That Will Become Im
portant Factors In the Development
of the State "Work of Geological
Survey.
ONE of Oregon's most valuable natural
resources Is in Ita water supply. The
value of this to the state Is much In
creased by the effects produced by the
marked topographical and physical fea
tures and the climatic conditions which
result. Oregon Is fortunate in the pos
session of lofty, snow-capped, heavily
5&rt5rv4..'.t..-.4.T.i.. -
forested mountain ranges. These form
nature's most effective means of levying
tribute on the moisture carried by tho
atmosphere. They are the gathering
grounds for innumerable streams. The
deep accumulations of Winter snow with
in the forests act as natural storage res
ervoirs, feeding and sustaining the
streams which flow from the lofty sum
mits to the dry lowlands.
Tho features of notable value In the
mountain system of Oregon, especially In
the western part of the state, are the
elevation of the headwaters cf the streams,
their rapid fall,, and their close proximity
to the most thickly settled and best-developed
portions of the state. The rivers
furnish an abundant supply of excep
tionally pure water for nyunlclpal needs
and offer opportunities for the develop
ment of many valuable water-pou era. As
population and manufacturing enterprises
increase in the fertile valleys of Western
Oregon, these streams will become in
creasingly important as a factor in the
development of the .state.
Some of these rivers have been made
the subject of investigation by the United
States Geological Survey for the purpose
of learning of their flow apd the volume
of water carried by them at different sea
sons of the year. There is need of an
extension of this work on other streams
WHr3&alaSwKEmmF v !!u,si f.:" photos es'-hichs-.chatten-co.
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P?P5B8MpBBSfe T
A BIG TRANS-PACIFIC LUMBER CARRIER.
Tho above cut represents one of the types of steamships employed by the
Pacific Export Lumber Company, whoso fleet in the busy season comprises as
many as nine first-class powerful steel steamers. The growth of their lum
ber business from 15.255,000 feet shipped during 1SS7 (which was their first
year) to 46.29S.O00 feet exported during the year just closed, is largely tho
result of keeping pace with the development of modern transportation, and
has been of incalculable advantage to Oregon.
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having their sources in the Cascade and
Coast Ranges.
Unlike most of the Western States,
Oregon Is not wholly within the arid re
gion. Sufficient humidity prevails over
large areas for the success of dry farm
ing. For the greater part of the fertile
lands of the state the rainfall is too small
for the production of most crops, even in
the Willamette Valley, and the preva
lence of severe drouths In the critical
crop-growing season makes a certain
amount of irrigation necessary. In all
Juch localities the streams are of great
value, as the extent ofthe acroage which
can thoro be put under cultivation is
limited directly by the available water
supply; hence It Is of Importance that sys
tematic measurements be made of the
streams commanding these lands, and
th.it as much Information as possible be
obtained which will lead to their Judicious
and largest use.
Deschutes n Remarkable River.
The United States Geological Survey
has started Investigations among tho
streams of Oregon as part of its general
study of the water resources of the whole
country. The work In Oregon, however,
Ls but a beginning of what it is hoped
and expected will be later undertaken.
Thus far the investigation has been con
fined to a few of the streams draining
from the Cascade Range; Umatilla River,
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which flows through an Important section
in the northeast, and Deschutes River,
one of the largest streams in the Interior
of the state.
Deschutes River is in some respects one
of the most remarkable streams in the
United States, from the fact that Its vol
ume of flow Is nearly constant through
out the year. Almost universally the
streams run full In the Spring, or wet
season, and aro much diminished in vol
ume in the Summer and Fall; but Des
chutes River has almost no fluctuation be
tween its Summer and Winter volumes.
This feature Is of great Importance, and
makes the river of much more value than
ordinary streams for irrigation and water
power, as absolute dependence can be
placed upon It to supply definite amounts
of water for these purposes.
Tho reason for this remarkably uniform
flow of Deschutes River ls not fully de
termined, but It la thought to be due to
the large storage capacity of tho layers
of lava of which tho surface of that
part of the state la composed. The water
percolates into the lava, and generally
finds its was- to the stream. The river
contains a number of rapids which form,
admirable water-powers. Between Prin
gle Falls and Crooked River thnre is a
fall .of 1300 feet, and It ls estimated that
over 50,000 effective horsepower can there
be produced by diverting the water by
means of short flumes, and without the
construction of dams. It is also possible
to utilize this water for Irrigation.
Lands Fertile aad Easily Cultivated.
Surveys have recently been made which
show tho possibility of constructing sev
eral Irrigation canals heading at various
points along the stream and conducting
water out on the extensive sagebrush and
Juniper plains, and to the gently sloping
benchlands. The soil of thoso areas is com
posed of disintegrated lava, ls very fer
tile and easily cultivated. By the con
struction of these canals It is estimated
that several hundred thousand acres would
be added to the tillage area of the state.
The gauging station maintained by the
Geological Survey on Deschutes River Is
at Moro, 16 miles from The Dalles, and
the measurements show the discharge
of the river tQ be about 5000 cubic feqt
per second for the Summer season, with
but little additional Increase during the
Spring and Winter months. The river At
this point will generate approximately 570
horsepower per foot of fall, and, with the
25-foot fall which Is said to exist there,
14,250 horsepower gross would bo avail
able. Hood River, rising among tho snow
flcldg of Mount Hood, and which has a
value for water-power as well as for
Irrigation, Is being measured. The val
ley which It waters ls noted for the
excellence of Its fruits Tind strawberries.
Umatilla River, which Is also being
gauged, near Gibbon, la Important as tho
source of water for a number of irriga
tion canals In the lower part of Its course.
In order to form an idea of tho possi
bilities of development In the water and
forest resources of Central and Eastern
Oregon, and of the necessities for hydro
graphic work in Oregon, a special recon
noissancc was made at the Instance of
Hon. Malcolm A. Moody, by F. H. Newell,
Chief'IIydrographer of the United States
Geological Survey, and Mr. Gilford Pin
chot. Chief of the United States Bureau
of Forestry. The investigation covered
the Valley of Deschutes River and the
vast extent of fertile country lying on
the southern border of tho BIjo Moun
tain region. In the central portion of the
state. Into this country numerous streams
flow from tho Blue Mountains, which, if
properly utilized, would greatly develop
the country. The most Important of
these are Crooked. SUvles and Malheur
Rivers, each of which can be greatly im
proved by a system of water storage.
On all sides of the Blue Mountain sys
tem, but especially to the west and s&uth,
extend vast areas of rich, arable land.
This region probably constitutes one of
the largest and richest undeveloped sec
tions in the United States. Its soil is
largely the brown loam duo to the disin
tegration of the underlying lava rocks.
On some of tha more favorable portions,
where there ls enough rainfall, great crops
of grain, especially hay, are harvested.
There are a number of largo rivcra rising
on the heights of the Blue Mountains,
which, if utilized, would furnleh the neces
sary watet supply for Its more arid parts
1 , . - . i
ANNUAL OUTPUT,
75,000,000 FEET
Inm
X
CAR AND .CARGO SHIPPERS
- --
and lead to the reolamation and settle
ment of large portions of it. Almost all of
these rivers also contain line water pow
ers, which, when developed, will provide
cheap power for the generation of elec
tricity, pumping of water from the river
eanvnns tn IrrfimtA InrsrA trfiots of fertile
bench lands, and for manufacturing and
other purposes. There Is an admirable field
In Eastern Oregon for the establishment
of an extensh-e system of electric trac- j
tion, the power for which can be derived
from tho rivers. Such a system would
undoubtedly assist In the Increased settle
ment of this portion of the ftate. In an
ticipation of tho part the rivers are bound
to play in the development of this part
of Oregon, It" la most deslrablo that their
resources should be studied. Measure
ments of their flow should be made, their
water-power sites Investigated, their pos
sibilities for irrigation detemined, and lo
cations for storage reservoirs at their
headwaters examined.
Gootl Country Along: the John Day.
John Day River, which heads in the Blue
Mountains, flows west through Grant and
Wheeler Counties, then north between
Sherman and Gilliam, is ono of the most
important of these streams. It has much
the same general features as Deschutes
River. Along Its upper portion some
use of its water for the irrigation or
alfalfa is already made. Lower down In
its course In Gilliam County, there are
fine, arable bench lands, which would be
very productive under irrigation. Careful
Investigation of this river ought to bo
made, both to develop Its supply for ir
rigation and to find whether there are
any water powers upon it which can be
Improved. In the northeastern tier of
counties there are also three or four im
portant streams which would repay In
vestigation. Tho most northerly of these
Is the Grand Rondo River and Its tribu
tary Wallowa, which come from, tho Blue
Mountain and flow generally toward the
north, draining Union and Wallowa Coun
ties, There aro flno powers on both of
these streams which, when accurately
determined, would In all probability soon
be improved. The next largo river to the
south Is Powder River, skirting the north
ern side of Baker County, and Burnt
River, which drains the southern part of
tho samo county. All of these streams
aro at present used for Irrigation, but
not to the extent which would be possible
If tho conditions of their flow were bet
ter understood. Snako River, the mas
ter stream of all of this section, which
forms its boundary with Idaho, should
also be thoroughly studied.
Tha great section to the south of Blue
Mountains, In Malheur and Harney Coun
ties, is in great need of irrigation. Its
soil is remarkably rich, and, 'J. sufficient
water could be found for its cultivation,
largo sections In this now sparsely In
habited region could bo reclaimed. It is
here that artesian waters aro thought to
exist, and it is most desirable that a
careful study be mado bt the geology of
the region, and experimental wells driven
to see whether water can be found. In ad
dition to the possibility of artesian waters,
thi3 section contains several streams
which could furnish much water for ir-
rlgation. Owyheo and Malheur Rivers
traverse portions of this country, and
Silver and-'SHvies Rivers other parts of
it. Tho latter two streams head In tho
southern section of the Blue Mountains
and flow Into Harney and Malheur Lakes.
In this great eastern section of Oregon,
the streams seem to be the one great
- . -
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Portland
Lumbering
4. MANUFACTURERS OF
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Foot of Lincoln Street
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OREGON PINE LUVtBE:
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natural resource upon which the develop
ment of tho country most depends. It is,
therefore, of the utmost importance that
a thorough Investigation of them be made
and reliable facts and figures collected
with regard to their flow and water pow
ers, which will give confidence to tho
capital of the state, which may seek In-
estment in their Improvement.
An important field for Investigation la
the search for artesian waters which may
be found in the eastern and southern sec
tions of the state, une successive layers
of- lava separated by sections of sand and
gravel, of which this part of the state ls
largely composed will probably famish an
underground water supply. The Investi
gations of Professor I. C. Russell, of
the geological survey, which have been
successfully carried on for a series of
years in the neighboring territory across
the line in Idaho, make it probable that a
similar search would yield results or
value in sections of Oregon.
During the past Summer, Professor
Russell's work In Idaho was directed par
ticularly to the lava-covered section in
the southwestern part of the state, which
is similar In structure to the land on tho
Oregon side of the border. His studies In
Idaho led to the location of a number of
artesian basins, one of which closely ap
proached the Oregon border near the
towns of Nampa and Caldwell, Idaho. Tha
formation of the country favors tho re
currence of these artesian basins, and it
would bo of decided advantage if they
could be discovered In Eastern Oregon
and water from this source obtained for
the grazing country In that section. If
sufilcient Interest is manifested by tho
citizens of tho state, it Is possible that
arrangements can be made to have an In
vestigation of this nature started during
tho coming Summer.
It ls duo to the interest and energy
of Representative M. A. Moody that tho
hydrographic work in Oregon is being
pushed. It Is to bo hoped that the people
of the state will appreciate tho value of
this work, and will make their wishes
known for its continuance. So many calls
are made for work In different sections
of the country, that activities in this im
portant branch must, of necessity, be con
fined to those states where the people aro
most Insistent for Its proscutlon.
It is interesting to note that of tho 61,
000.000 acres of land in tho state, about
40,000,000. or one-third, are unappropriated
and still remain Government land.
A proper utilization of the water supply
would tend to open up large additional
territories and greatly increase tho tax
able property of the state.
GEORGE B. HOLLISTER.
Resident Hydrographer, United States
Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.
Will Attend the 1005 Fair.
Tho Oregon Commissioners, to the Pan
American Exposition secured the consent
of Colonel William Hancock Clark, ol
New York City, to become the guest ot
honor at the exposition which will be held
In Portland in 1S05. Colonel Clark Is the
oldest surviving relative of Captain Will
iam Clark, of that famous expedition. He
ia a nephew of tho late Colonel John
O'Fallon, of St. Louis, and until 20 years
ago was a resident of that city.
"I was born in the City of St. Louis 62
years ago, at a house at the corner or
Broadway and Olive street," says Colonel
Clark, "in the same room and on the samo
bed where my grandfather died. I am a
grandnephow of that Clark who was as
sociated with Meriwether Lewis in the ex
ploration of the Northwest. It has given
me special pleasure to respond to the In
vitation extended to me by Oregon to be
present at its exposition in 1905. But in
tho meantime I am deeply interested In
the success of the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition, and will contribute whatever
I may towards that end." Colonel Clark
fought through the Civil War and emerged
from the Confederate Army as a Major.
He is related to the Churchllls and to
many of the famous families of the South
and West.
"I had quite a library ot documents and
records." says Colonel Clark, "bearing
upon the Lewis and Clark expedition,
which had fallen to my care by inheri
tance. But a recent tire destroyed many
of the documents that would have been in
valuable In the recent effort to determine
the preclfao boundaries of the Louisiana
Purchase."
Signed the Oregon Territory Bill.
James K. Polk was elected President of
the United States in 1844 on a platform
which declared The title of the United
States to Oregon to bo clear and Indis
putable, but In tho final adjustment of
tho dlsputo this country lost that part
of Oregon lying north of tho 49th parallel.
In his first message to Congress, submit
ted In December. 1343, President Polk de
clared that the rights of the United States
in Oregon could not be abandoned with
out sacrifice of National honor and inter
est. "Oregon," he said, "Is a part of tho
North American Continent to which, it
i3N confidently affirmed, tho tltlo of tho
United States is the best now in exist
ence." In tho message of August 5, 1S46,
communicating to Congress tho conven
tion for tho settlement and adjustment
of the Oregon boundary. President Polk
recommended that "provision should be
made by law, at the earliest practicablo
period, for the organization of a terri
torial government In Oregon." This rec
ommendation was repeated In the annual
messages of 1S46 and 1S47, and in the spe
cial messago of May 20, 184S. Congress
finally heeded tho President's recommen
dations and organized Oregon as a ter
ritory, and President Polk signed the bill
August 14. 1848.
& Mfg. Co.
4
PORTLAND, OREGON
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Portland, Oregon