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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1906)
-A THE 3I0BKIXG- ORE GOXIAJX , MONDAY, JANUARY ,. 9ME. HARRIMM SYSTEM 0 CENTRAL OREGON WITH BAN ft" OFLTTEEL Tilted State Mall and xpresi 8t9 m Central Orcxoo. Mf'MWM Prttion of th0 Products of half of lPX-W$k thIS at tvro tons per acre and a detent rate r 52 pcr ton rcachcs 51.134,000. W&WMS Md leaves th0 othcr ha,C nm the Npfp 'fOIW J ,rr,Pabl ,ands nd th whole of the unJrrlBrablo product out of the calcu- MffMlSB Ca"16 thIs roaI carries one-tenth WpklMf of th6 081110 exported from Oregon 1 IMWYW ln 3S03 11 mcans head of cattle tJOR many years the. dream of I commercial bodies of Portland of ambitious residents of tho state nas oeen the development of tho v territory of bountiful latent resources known, as Eastern and Central Ore con. Extending from tho eastern foothills of the -Cascades for" 200 miles to the Snake River and Foutn almost from tho Columbia River to the California line is an immense territory, ln which the whistle of the railroad loco motive has not frightened tho "coyote from his haunts or disturbed the blg oyed cattle feeding on ton thousand hills for without transportation facilities livestock has been about the only product of the section. Promises of railroad build ing have been made from time to time by representatives of the great Harrlman system, by corporations formed independ ently of large systems, and occasionally roeonnaisancos have, been made by sur veying parties popularly supposed to rep resent various of the big systems whose rails have- not yot been extended to the Pacific seaboard. Until 1905. howovcr, nothing definite was done, even in begin ning rollminar" work for the building of the dosired railroad to link with Portland and furnish communication with the rest of the country to the largest area of land in tiie United States, except in Alaska!, not traversed by railroad lines. It is for IPOS to bring realization of a measure of the anticipations in operated roads. The Klamathjregion is the objective ccntor of the flrstrailroad building across the Cascades to reach districts south ward from Shanlko, which Is the tor mlnus of the Columbia Southern branch of the O. R. & N. and tho most distant point from the Columbia River toward Central Oregon, having transportation bv railroad, east of the Cascades. It is ap- parent, as has been previously antici pated, that tho first railroad into the southern part of tho Eastern Oregon re gion will come from the south, ln the .California Northeastern, building from Weed, on the Southern Pacific, northwest of Mount Shasta, to Klamath Falls, on which a large force of graders are at work and surveys have but recently been completed to the projected terminus. This line will be connected during the year 1M6. according to the best information ob tainable, with the new Oregon Eastern branch of the Southern Pacific, to be built from Natron . up the "Willamette River to the summit of tho Cascades, crossing tho divide at an altitude of WOO feet at a point near Crescent Lake, thence ln a southeasterly direction passing out upon tho great plain of Eastern. Oregon south of Walker's Range. Oregon Eastern Is Authorized. James P. O'Brien, vice-president and general manager of the Southern Pacific Oregon lines and. Oregon Railroad & Navl . gation Company, recently announced offi cially that the sum of 54,160,000 had been set aside to build tho first 152 miles of this line to tho point Indicated, which is Just at the northern edge of what Is de signated on the maps as "Klamath Marshes." The ascent along the Willamette River and crossing to the Eastern plateau can be made. It Is stated, on gradients not exceeding 1 per cent, although tho first line built will have a maximum of 3 per cent until such time as more expensive work that will require a longer period for accomplishment shall complete the perfected new line. The Oregon Eastern Company was formed a few months ago for the purpose of building a line from 'Natron, across the divide, thence to On tario, making an east and west railroad across the center of the state, from which branches are proposed to be built- north to the irrigated section along the upper Deschutes River, south to Klamath Palls, .and Into other irrigation districts and do vefolng agricultural section of tho state. Having as altitude at the southern mI of Walker s Range, but slightly varying from that of Klamath Falls, the engineer ing corps ln the Held has found that the elevation may be maintained with little change in extending southward to the great Government reclamation project that is within a few years to add 236.000 acres of Irrigated lands to the productive area of Oregon and Northern California. With easy gradients by the California Northeastern from Weed and by the Ore gon Eastern from Natron, Klamath Falls may at no distant day become the im portant midway point on the through route between Portland and San Fran cisco. The present main line of the Southern Pacific would not be abandoned by any means, because the local traffic alone Is too great for that, but it Is al together probable that through trains will operate over both routes after these new lines are linked in Southorn Oregon east of the Cascades. Whether or not the lino across the state, or cither of the branches beyond Klamath Marsh os. will bo con structed at an early date remains to be seon. If authorised by the financial di rectors of the ystem, th fact has not yet been made public; but it Is admittedly the purpose to hasten to completion the first section of 152 miles. ' Advent of the representatives of strong rival railroad, financial and operating In terests into Oregon on the northi and south havo made it imperative that the Harrlman system safeguard the advan tageous position they havo heretofore oc cupied ln the commonwealth, hence the construction movement that Is to eclipse in Its magnitude all similar activity In other states that havo recently been among the foremost in railroad building In the United States. Traffic for New liincs. While It Is not usually estimated by railroad traffic officials that Immediate tonnage may be developed on a new line of track, the prospects for heavy earnings from the day tho road Is ready for operation are particularly promising In Oregon east of the Cas cades. The principal items may be summarized as follows: Firs,t. timber and lumber; second, cereals and other products of the soil; third, cattle; .fourth, sheep; fifth, wool; sixth, mer chandise, express and malls; seventh, passengers. Taking these items ad seriatim, the following; figures are con servative, based upon compilations carefully calculated: Timber and lumber. Two trains a day and 200 tons to a, train. Average haul about 280 miles; estimated freight rate, 52.80 per ton. .For 300 days to the year, results are: Annual tonnage, 120,000. Freight at $2.80 per ton, ?336,000. Cereals andean products The total acreage of irrigated and Irrigable lands reached is over acres. Trans- i or 415 carloads, with an average haul of 150 miles. At the lowest figure earnings of $62,400 arc shown. But one third rather than one-tenth is a much more reasonable estimate. Sheep The sales to points outside of Oregon for 1303 are reported at 500,000. Crook County alone rcpors 175.000 shown on the tax roll. Malheur and Harney not much, If any less. Figuring on the same basis as for cat tie. another sum of 552.400 may be add ed to tho total earnings! Wool Considering tho 20.000,000 pounds of Oregon's production last year It is a safe estimate that one fourth will be carried by such a road as we are considering. The great sheds at Shanlko. the Crook County terminus of the Colum bia Southern, are crowded to re pletion with wool every season. And this point Is Just about the center of the line under discussion. A wool scouring plant, to. handle 10,000.000 pounds, is building at Portland: that at Pendleton handled 3,000,000 pounds last season, and Is to have Its capacity doubled. -So that traffic in both di rections Is assured. At less than cur rent rates wool should add 537,500 to tho returns. . .... Merchandise, general products... mails and express Taking Into account the rapid scttllng-iip of the entire district, development of industries, great and little, breaking and farming of Irri gated land, stock interests , every where, and applying such considera tions to the mileage contemplated, earnings of $1120 per day is very 'con servative. Thus 540S.S00 for the year appears qulto reasonable. The most recent figures for population of sev eral of tho towns along the Central Oregon line from the Cascades to the Snake River are as follows: Prlne vllle, 1200; Burns, 1200; Ontario, 1600; Sumpter. 3000; Canyon City. 700; Bend. 500; Laidlaw, 300. And all are growing fast. Passenger traffic An estimate of only 50 a day to pass over the line is most moderate. At 3 cents a mile this totals to 5251,0(5 earnings for the year. Taking no account of terminal charges, which it is impossible noV to estimate In advance with any de gree of accuracy, the items above given total 52.292.145, as earnings that may be anticipated for the first year of. operation for the Oregon Eastern, when completed with its branch lines. ARABLE MJMADE PRODUCTIVE THROUGH PRIVATE ENTERPRISE What Is Being Done by Individual Farmers and Ditch Companies in Reclamation Work. THE following accounts of irrigation projects leased on private ownership of water supplies In the various counties interested havo been brought up to date. The lists are believed to bo complete, but minor projects may have escaped notice. The first figures given are intended to apply to existing Irrigation. Figures of possible future irrigation arc, of course. In the nature of estimate, and are de pendent on water which either flows now through Irrigating channels, or Is be lieved to bo attainable by construction of dams and reservoirs. Malheur County. Irrigation In Malheur County covers a range of about CO miles on the Malheur River, about 30 miles on the Willow Creek and Bully Creek tributary, and about 24 miles on the Owyhee ditch. Acreage Under Malheur Cunul.s. COMPANY. Owyhee Ditch Company hsssl 5.00V i-vaa mien company I1E2I 4.000 Mm uitcn company i?rm i.oyw eana iiouow xmcii I1F55J l.OXM uiiierman uiton company., iwai 2Jn farmers uuen company.. I1FS64 3,o une&erger Ditch Company. 1RS7I sooJ McLaughlin Ditch 1SS3 1,800 o iison uiicu 1KM 600 Ines Ditch 11881 300 I-Owor willow Creek ditcheslS220.0 12."-) 2.000 LO'0 3.0V) 2.0M 5.4-V) l,O:0 Plan Big Extensions. The only extensions planned or con sidered are tho Government Irrigation projects. These projects would roach a large amount of unlrrigated land, as the plan Is to ubo reservoirs entirely. ' A flowing inch, nf water is estimated to tho acre. Most of the ditches ln operation are owned and operated by the farmers and tho only charge is their operating ex penses. The Owyhee, which is tho only company ditch outside of the Nevada which is not owned by farmers, charged in IKS 53 per acre for irrigation. With reservoirs the amount of land that could be reached by Irrigation Is as -follows: 100.090 acres on the Malheur project of which It is estimated 25,093 acres would belong to the Willamette Valley & Cascade Mountain Wagon road Company grant. This ' land is mostly under private ownership, but not Irri gated. The project covers from W to miles of territory, ranging from flvo to ten miles In width along the Malheur River. For this system a reservoir was planned by tho Government. Twenty thousand acres would be covered by the Government project planned on Ixwer Willow Creek, which 1 exclusive of what Is nqw operated uaeer the present ditch system on that stream. This land is par tially owned by the Eastern Oregon Land Company, the owners of The Ballet Mili tary Wagonroad Grant; they own less than one-third of the property. A special reservoir was planned by the Government for this project. A reservoir is planned onBuIly Creek to -Irrigate the bench land below that creek and It Is estimated that 20.00 acres1 of land would be covered by that project. This land is mostly under private holding, and the land Irrigated would all be land not now reached by any Irrigation scheme. Tho Government also planned another reservoir to cover the land on the Lower Owyhee and Snake River ter ritory, but the acreago of that part of the project Is not known. Peoplp Await Decision. The people of Malheur County are not projecting any Irrigation schemes at the present time, but they feel that If the Government cannot at the present time go ahead with the land covered by the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Wagonroad Company' srant. It should be possible to ko ahead and place in operation tho land In tho othcr grants. By these projects fully 0.000 acres could be irrigated, which would be exclusive of tb Willamette Valley Road Company's grant. That is a cheap Irrigation project, as, according to the Government officials report It could b handled at about 525 por acre, as against 543 estimated under th larger project. Besides, this project ran secure the land on the Government basis. The Dalles Military Grant Is for sale, and Is being sold as fast as pur chasers can be found. It Is understood tho Government will not consider these lesser projects unless tho whole field can be covered with ono gigantic enterprise, but these arc different projects, fed by different streams, under different road grants, subject to different conditions, and lying in different directions. Why these two smaller projects, as well as the Owyheo project cannot be taken up 'in dependent of tho Malheur project Is some thing that tho people owning land and anxious to place tho same under theso projects do not understand. Baker Coanty. Although Baker County has not a single Irrigation project, either owned by indi viduals or corporations, of any magni tude, yet the water ditches, leads and canals form a veritable network over the four great farming and fruit-growing sec tions of the county. In these four sec tions it Is estimated by the county offi cials that there are at least 60,000 acres of land under Irrigation. This comprises practically tho entire farming or tillable acreage in the county, as nowhere has full success been reached In raising either grain, fruits or alfalfa without ir rigation. The first and only irrigation project of any magnitude la Baker County is now under construction. E. P. Smith, the wheat kisg of Hood River, is at the head of a cempaay -which has row commenced the coastntcUen of a ditch which will water S6 acres of land lying adjoining and immediately northeast of Baker City. The ditch will be seven miles long and have a tunnel of several hundred feet under Reservoir Hill. The land watered will be devoted to frultralsing. Water was first turned on land in Baker County as far back as 1S70, when a few of the early settlers In tho Powder Valley near Haines, watered their little garden plats. These ditches have been gradually extended until- now they sup ply water to all the land west of the Powder River from Baker City to Rock Creek. The water Is taken by tho Indi vidual farmers from hundreds of little streams coming down from the moun tains. The Powder Valley farmers use about 14 Inches of water, continuous flow, to the acre, for irrigation. The. same amount Is -sufficient In the Burnt River section, while In Eligle and Pine Valleys the amount re quired Is about two Inches. There Is but very little land left In the county which can be reached by existing systems, probably 20.CCO acres. But there are several thouFands of acres to be reached by new systems following the cast sld of th Powder River, In all about -10,000 acres. Thero r four irrigation $ectIons In Baker County. Th- Powder Valley Is the largest. The Burnt River section Is next and thn Eagle and Pine Valleys. The Burnt River section offers the great est opportunity tp irrigatlonlsts, as there are thousands or acres which might be cultivated If extensive systems of ditches were put in. The Eagle Valley Is a little garden spot, about five miles long by two miles wide and Is very rich In fruits. Pine Valley is about 20 miles long and three miles wide, all under Irrigation. When the new company putting ln tho big ditch demonstrates that water on the land will make a garden out of the great area cast of tho Powder River, there Is no doubt but that othcr people will realize tho fact and as much more land opened up to cultivation in. Baker County as Is now under cultivation. "Umatilla County. Irrigation Is tho chief theme among tho residents of Umatilla County since the approval by Secretary Hitchcock of the Bast Umatilla project, and much speculation Is afloat as to the future of the light lands of the county. The importance of irrigation has never been more strongly realized than It is now. though during tho past few years several private irrigation enter prises havo been started, and steps taken to reclaim a large area of the light land of 'the county. The oldest Irrigation ditch of any consequence Is located directly below Echo, and Is operated by the Allen Irrigation Company. The ditch has reclaimed approximately 1000 acres of sagebrush land, having been in opera tion the past 15 years. The land pro duces alfalfa almost exclusively and has been very profitable to the farm ers Interested Inth vicinity.' Tho Courtney Irrigation Company has reclaimed about 400 acres of land Immediately below the Allen Irriga tion Company's enterprise. Alfalfa, vegetables and fruit are the products raised on this land. The Brownell ditch Is located above Umatilla Station, and supplies, water to 1000 acres of land which lies south of the Columbia River. Tho ditch has been In operation the past foW years. Various Private Enterprises. The HInkle and Butter Creek ditch la located directly west of Echo and although started two years ago it Is yet Incomplete. So far, 1,4 miles of the ditch have been finished. The main canal has a carrying capacity of 10,0)0 acre Inches. The ditch during the past season furnished water for 2300 acres. The Maxwell Irrigation Company, which has Ilcrmlston or Maxwell as Its center, is operating a ditch which Is seven miles In length. Over 100J acres have bceui reclaimed by this ditch. The Pioneer Irrigation Company at Foster owns a small ditch whleh sup plies water to approximately 300 acre?. The largest private enterprise in the western part of Umatilla County is known as the Furnish ditch, owned by the- Inland Irrigation Company. This ditch as originally planned would irri gate 10.000 acres of land, located north of Foster and east of Ilcrmlston. The main canal when completed will be 30 miles" long, IS miles now being fin ished. With the exception of about 2090 acres, tho land to bo reclaimed by the company will not be included In tho Government project. A force of over 100 men Is now employed on the ditch, and efforts arc being made to complete the work by the middle of March. The cost of construction will be approximately 5100,000. In tho northern part of the county. Irrigation In a small way hus been In vogue tor many years. Tho Little Walla Walla River and Its 'tributaries furnish the water supply to hundreds of small farmers and fruitgrowers there. It is estimated that 5000 acres of land Is la this way reclaimed In tho northern part of Umatilla County. The charge an acre for water varies according to the locality of tho land and the cost of construction of the Ir rigation canals. The minimum charge Is $10 and the maximum charge is 540. One miner's inch under a six-inch pressure, or Its equivalent ln cubic feet per second is tho average aupply of Irrigation water to the acre. The actual amount of land reclaimed by private enterprises In Umatilla County Is estimated In round numbers at 12,999 acres. The largest enter prises will probably be extended dur ing 1906. and the amount of land that can he supplied with irrigating water is estimated at about 1S.000 acres. The gravity system of Irrigation is tha' "priflciple chiefly employed in Union County, although two pumping plants were operated last season and two raoro are being installed. Be tween 7000 and 10.000 acres are cov ered by irrigation. In 1S61. irrigation was commenced in a small way. The first concerted action for systematic irrigation was In 1S72, when the Oro Dell Canal Company was incorporated, with a capital stock of 55000, and chartering 2000 inches of water. The main ditch was completed that year, and in the Full water was turned on a large tract, on which the squirrels and crickets had destroyed the crops planted, and the settlers were com pelled to leave. The experiment proved quite a success In the destruction of the pests, which had hibernated. The Gekeler ditch was soon afterward in corporated, with 2000 inches of water, and a number of other ditches were subsequently established in the vicin ity of Union, North Powder, LaJd Creek. Close Creek, Willow Creek. Clark's and Indian Creeks. The earlier ditches were utilized for gardens and for stock-water. The grain lands of Union County were not then Irrigated, and are not to any ex tent at the present time. Irrigation is now extensively employed in th5 or chards. The N'Isly ditch, north of Ia Grande. has 1000 inches of water, which is used almost entirely in fruit culture. The establishment of -the augar factory in 1S9S gave an impetus to irrigation, and iibout all available water rights have been secured, and even more than the usual quantity of water In tho streams during tho Irri gating season will supply. Under a scientific system of reservoirs and re taining dams, to save the Spring flood until the Irrigating season, there could bo held water to cover the entire val ley. An Incorporated company, known a the Grande Rondje Irrigating -Company, has announced plans of securing 10,000 Inches of water from the Minam River, through a course of flumes and canals 30 mile3 for a great portion of the Grande Ronde Valley that is not now under irrigation. There has been no established price for water, as most of tho stockholders In tho ditches are their own consum ers. Under a six-inch pressure one Incn Is allowed to the acre. The water-supply will" have to ha Increased before tho irrigable area in this -valley can be extended. Profits in Apple Orchards. From 70 to 90 apple trees are set to an acre of ground. Placed at a distance of 22 feet apart in rows, SO trees may be set to each acre, but this Is too clows after the trees reach mature sise and when set at that distance alternate trees are cut down when tho orchard growth necessitates. During the years of the best bearing period Oregon appte orch ards will yield fruit to the value of from 515 to MOO per acre, and oven higher re turns arc occasioaally reported. a