January 27. 1954
THE CAPITAL JOURNAL, Salem, Oregon
Paw
SALEM WATER COMPANY IN 1895
A
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fit
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shown in the foreground is the water pumping station built
by Wallace interests and supplemented by steam power in
1890. The long, wooden shed reaching to a Pelton water turbine
installed in the millrace adjacent to the Pacific Agricultural
works housed ropes that ran over pulleys and transmitted addi
tional water power to the pumping station. Stacks shown in
the middle foreground are those of the local electric light
plant, then a steam generating plant fired by surrounding piles
of cordwood.
Waterworks Interesting
Part in Salem History
By BEN MAXWELL
Disastrous fires that had crackl
ed uncontrolled through false
fronts and ramshackle hostelries
that constituted the business dis
trict of the frontier town that was
Salem in the 1860s was one argu
ment. Others suspected that shallow,
dug wells in the downtown district
had become contaminated.
Nearly everyone agreed that Sa
lem needed a pure supply of wa
ter for human consumption and an
abundance of it for combatting
combustion. In 1870 David Allen
and J. M. Martin, a local grocery
partnership, approached the coun
cil and asked for a franchise. This
they received December 30, 1870.
Salem Water Company was or
ganized February 21, 187J, with J.
M. Martin, W. F. Boothby, N. Sta
pleton and David Allen as incor
porators. Boothby was named pre
sident, Allen secretary. The 17
year franchise was specific: The
company agreed to furnish the
city with water for $1800 yearly,
lay a mile of pipe the first year
and charge no higher rate than
elsewhere on the Pacific Coast for
towns of a comparable population.
A downtown reservoir was also
specified.
A rather fanciful plat of the town
for 1876 shows this reservoir as a
big water tower on the west side
of Front Street between State and
Court and on Lot 3 in Block 63 to
be exact. Masonry supported a
wooden framework 50 by 60 feet
and towering 80 feet above was a
wooden tank conceived as a reser
voir to hold 270,000 gallons.
Promoters, and they were not
lacking here in the 1870s, visu
alized the lofty tower as a suit
able viewpoint for showing the
city to visitors and investors. To
reach that elevated lookout
around the tank they climbed a
circular stair built around the
shaft. They reached the top
breathless but relatively dry
when there was no wind and
reservoir did not leak excessive
ly. President Boothby had gone
In San Francisco and there ob
tained a patented Blake steam
pump that would lift 150.000
gallons of water an hour, four
and a half gallons per stroke
and 60 strokes a minute. A suc
tion line eight inches in diame
ter extended 75 feet into the
river and, after the reservoir
had been filled, discharged di
rectly into the wooden mains
that served the town. Wil
lamette river water circulated
through the Martin & Allen sys
tem for the first time Septem
ber 2, 1871, and 11:30 a.m.
A decade later the water tow
er at the river front had come
to be regarded as an unsightly
landmark. Rank vegetation
flourished around its well irri
gated base and folks who went
to the river bank to dispose of
their garbage complained that
wind whipped water from the
leaking reservoir oDsiruciea
their intent.
April 1, 1881, Santiam Water
rnmnanv nwned bv Whealdon
and Edwards and housed within
the Pacific Agricultural worKs,
v,n uonnrahls structure now be
ing slowly dismantled at Trade
and High Streets, was acquired
bv Salem Water Company. Pow
er generated by a Pelton turbine
wheel in the millrace and three
and a half miles of pipe serving
the central and southern part
of Salem went with the pur
chase. Salem's combined water sys
tems were an attractive invest
ment for R. S. Wallace, capital
ist and newly arrived investor
who acquired the local system
February 8, 1885. He immedi
ately went about improving his
system and service by replacing
old and deteriorated wooden
mains with iron pipe. Before
his death, October 13, 1891, Wal
lace had placed the intake1 main
in the South Salem slough and
his pumping plant at the present
site of the water office and
plant on Commercial Street.
Connecting pumps located here
with the Pelton power in the
Pacific Agricultural works came
as a natural and feasible devel
opment. Power from the Pelton tur
bine wheel was transmitted to
the pumping station over a dis
tance of about 600 feet by a net
work of ropes operating over
pulleys. A wooden shed cov
ered the entire distance (Lib
erty street was not then a
through street) and protected
the installation throughout the
life of its usefullness.
Additionally a reservoir hold-,
ing 2,000,000 gallons and 176
feet above the town was con
structed in South Salem and
connected with a 10-inch main.
Presently it became evident that
water power alone was not ade
quate for efficient pumping and
Wallace installed a steam plant
at the pumping station in 1890
to supplement it.
In 1893 J. M. Wallace, an eld
er brother and trustee of the R.
S. Wallace estate, extended the
intake across South . Salem
slough, across Minto's Island
and into the river beyond. In
1898-1899 a filter crib was con
structed on the island. Mean
while the over-rated pump in
stalled by R. S. Wallace in
1890 had demonstrated its inca
pacity and was replaced in 1893
94 by a Dow vertical triplex
pump. This may be the same
1800 - gallon - per minute pump
now in place in the pump pit.
If so this pump is now acti
vated by a 40-horsepowcr elec
tric motor. John L. Geren, man
ager of the Salem municipal
water system, points out that
though this old installation has
not contributed to the mains for
years it is ever ready on a
standby basis with an intake
reaching in the paper mill flume.
In event of catastrophe and the
holocaust that might follow
(this writer envisions a great
earthquake that might fracture
the North Santiam feed line
and a volcanic eruption of Fair
mount Hill with glowing lava
and cinders descending upon the
city) this old displacement pump
could again go into action pump
ing contaminated water at a rate
of 1800 gallons a minute.
In 1900 Salem Water Com
pany supplied water to 886 serv
ices in Salem then with a popu
lation of 4250 confined within
"Acid indigestion so bad,
I WAS AFRAID OF ULCERS!
'Hon no mm poln, ihonk, lo Pundrnr
.1 .rid Miotic. . hf.rtbUr-th.t.kl
to pmrriplion-typ." formul. of F .
rf,,n0.r. Ph.O. Mlllly-pr;vrt Pfunto
T.M.U iootb. iT p.l" ftl S.I "
nrthlnf 7" Mk-wH" '' ' '""'Vi
T.bUU. 100.0M.OOJ .14.
municipal boundaries establish
ed in the early 1860s. When
Wallace interests disposed of
the 42-year-old family heritage
to Oregon-Washington Water
Service Company, July 1, 1927
(Capital Journal on April 11,
1927 carried a news story about
this transaction involving be
tween $850,000 and $900,000)
6300 users were listed on books
of Salem Light, Power and Wu-
ter company (a reorganization
April 10, 1911) with peak re
quirements of more than one
bilUon gallons of water yearly.
Aspirations towards municipal
awnership of the local water sys
tem were manifest in 1909 when
the measure failed to get suf
ficient support and again in 1914
when an ordinance in this di
rection passed the council.
Promptly enough it received the
mayor's veto. Late in 1931 a
special election set up a plan for
municipal ownership. An ap
praisement placed the value of
the system at $792,000. Three
and a half years of bickering
followed and finally, when the
city got around to purchase of
the Oregon-Washington Water
Service interest during July of
1935, the price agreed upon was
approximately $1,000,000.
Willamette river, because of
pollution, and aging installa
tions, was no longer regarded as
a suitable water supply for Sa
lem. North Santiam river, long
considered as a potential source
of supply, was designated as such
by municipal authorities March
2, 1936. Construction of an in
take on an island in the North
Santiam River near Stayton and
leading the supply to Salem
through a gravity system was
an elaborate and expensive ac.
complishment in the late 1930s.
Fairmount reservoir built in
1936 about a mile and a half
southward from the business
district of Salem has a capacity
of 10,000,000.. More recently a
500.000 gallon reservoir was
built in the Candalaria district,
a 100,000 gallon water tower in
Kingwood and a 250,000 gallon
tower reservoir on Downs street.
Last year saw completion of the
100 million gallon Turner reser
voir to insure a greater flow ca
pacity into the Salem system and
provide an additional measure
of security. West Salem is now
supplied with water from the
North Santiam by a 24-inch main
carried by the new Marion street
bridge.
John L. Geren, manager of
Salem municipal water system
and successor to Carl Gucnthcr
who left the city's employment
Dr. Floyd Utter Takes
Refresher Cours
Use a dull finish aluminum or
glass pie plate, if you find that
tne Dottom crusts of Dies are
over-browning in other baking
ware.
in 1952, states that the water
department employs 50 persons,
Has a greatly extended pipe
mileage now being exactly de
termined and provides water for
not less than 12,500 services.
Last year Salem's water require
ments ranged from between six
and 24,000,000 gallons daily.
58
Dr. Floyd L. Utter of Salem, is
enrolled this week in a short re
fresher course in full dentures at
the University of Oregon Dental
school in Portland'.
He Is one of 10 practicing den
tists from three states in the lim
ited postgraduate course. Dr. Ut
ter is executive secretary of the
state board of dental examiners
and a graduate of the Oregon den
tal school.
Park Pictures
To Be Shown
Colored slides of a trip through
the Canadian Rockies and visits to
Banff, Lake Louise, and Waterton
National parks are scheduled to be
shown to West Salem Lions club
members when they meet at Gold
en Pheasant restaurant Wednesday
at 6:30 p.m.
Junior Eckley who took these
pictures, announces that besides
beautiful scenery of mountains,
lakes and waterfalls, he has many
interesting shots of bear, elk,
moose, mountain sheep and moun
tain goats.
Their return trip from Canada
was by way of Glacier National
park in Montana, and the Wallowa
mountains of northeastern Oregon.
' Members are especially invited
to bring guests.
Cold Wave Kits
All of Europe
LONDON I Bone-chilling
winds, whirline in from the des.
olate Russian Steppes, sent tem
peratures plummeting to the low
est point in years Wednesday
throughout Europe. The weather
man said more of the same was
in store.
Ice and snow hampered sea and
road travel.
In Northern Greece, shiverim?
in the coldest winter in 61 years,
maurauding wolf packs padded up
to the outskirts of some cities in
their search for food. B r i t i a n
cnalked up its coldespnnight in
two years.
In Munich, Germany, the mer
cury dropped to 3.2. Below-freezing
conditions were recorded all
over Italy and Rome had its first
real snowfall since 1950. In Ber
lin, four below zero was forecast.
From all over Europe the re
ports were the same: Villages cut
off by snowdrifts, trains running
late because of Iced-up switches
and cars skidding madly on glassy
roans.
MAYFLOWER CAPTAIN
KINGSTON. Mass (U.P. The
Jones River here was named for
the captain of the Mayflower,
wmuii arrived ai ncamy I'lynv
outh in 1620.
Taxation Very Close to
People in Oregon
By CLAUDE STEUSLOFF
"Taxation is closer to the peo
ple in Oregon than most any
state of the union because of the
initiation and referendum;" State
Senator Howard Belton stated
during the forum session on tax
ation Tuesday afternoon at the
Western Oregon Livestock meet
ing. Of 394 measures on the bal
lot since 1902, when the initia
tive and referendum became law,
127 have been initiated.
School taxes make up 67 per
cent of the tax load, it was
brought out in discussion of the
provision by which school elec
tion voters need not . be taxpay
ers. In explaining efforts of the tax
commission to equalize tax as
sessment, Sam Stewart of the
commission said that in 1953 the
assessed value of livestock was
at 15 per cent of market value,
a much smaller rate than ob
tained ten years ago. In 1952,
sheep were assessed at ,21 per
cent of market value, cattle 26
per cent, swine 36 per cent and
horses 56 per cent.
Eastern stomach worms must
be controlled in young cattle and
both young and older sheep or
stockmen will bo forced to quit
irrigated pastures, Dr. J. N.
Shaw, Oregon State college veter
inarian told the afternoon session
during the panel discussion on
pasture management. Liver
flukes are also a menace on ir
rigated pastures, he said. Also
some new irrigated pasture par
asites have been discovered in
beef calves.
Hubert Wllloughby of Harris
burg; Lyle McKinley, Woodburn;
Eddie Ahrens, Turner; Chester
Weidel, Drain; Glen Martin, Mc
Coy; Elton Watts, Silverton, and
Joe Johnson, Oregon State col
lege, other members of the panel,
outlined their- experiences with
both irrigated and dryland herb
age.
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Shibley
of Oregon City, whose outstand'
ing work in cattle production and
pasture improvement won for
them the title of Oregon Grass-
man of the Year, were present
ed. The Herman Oliver trophy,
emblematic of the title, was on
I display.
John Withers, Paisley, pres
ident of the Oregon Wool Grow
ers, was introduced, as was Frank
Beeson, secretary of the Oregon
Cattle Raisers association and
Walter A. Holt, general manager
of the Pacific International,
Population growth in the U. S.
is such that in 15 years demand
will catch up with supply and
surpluses will be no problem,
Walter Leth of Polk county noted
in his opening remarks as toast
master of the evening buffet
banquet
Salem Singers, 20 -member
chorus directed by Ernest Fries-
en, sang a group of numbers.
They were accompanied by Lou-
clla Wackcndine.
Bob Payne, son of Mr. and
Mrs. R. N. Payne, Salem, enter
tained with lively pantomine
which was very well received.
Western songs were offered by
Hubert Aspinwall, Salem guitarist
and singer. Donelle Mapelton of
McCoy played on the marimba.
He was accompanied by his
teacher, Mrs. Druscilla Wilson.
Four past presidents of the or
ganization were honored with
guts. They were Albert Julian ot
Scio, president In 1947-49;
Charles A. Evans, Salem, 1948
1950; Archie Riekkola, Astoria,
1951-52, and Howard Leatherman,
Coqulllc, 1952-53. Harry Lind
gren, Corvallis, who has been
secretary for 18 years, was also
honored.
Numerous Salem concerns have
donated articles which have been
given at door "prizes during the
several sessions.
Rain, Snow in
Third of Nation
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
More rain, snow and sleet pelted
wide areas in the Eastern third of
the country and in the Far West
again Wednesday.
The rain and snow in the East
ern belt extended from the Great
Lakes region and Ohio Valley
northeast and through most of
Pennsylvania, New York and the
New England states. The snow hit
the Western Great Lakes region
with heaviest amounts of 2 to 4
inches over Southern Wisconsin,
Eastern Iowa and Northern Illi
nois. Some sleet also was reported
in Midwest areas.
Snow continued in sections of
the Northern Rockies extending
westward to a rain area along the
Northernthe e,
Pacific Coast which spread from
Northern California northward
through Washington.
Mild weather continued In the
Eastern and Southern sections 'of
the country but colder air moved
south and eastward into the Cen
tral Plains and Central Mississippi
Valley. More sub-zero weather
was reported in the Northern
Rockies and Northern Plains,
while temperatures were around
seasonal levels in the Far West.
Coffee Up 'Only' ;
10 Cents a Pound
SAN FRANCISCO Wl West
Coast coffee drinkers, take heart.
Your cotfee will go up O-N-L-Y
10 cents a pound by April, accord
ing to estimates of importers and
roasters who process most of the
West's coffee supply.
Increases to $1.06 a pound were
forecast, but boosts to $1.25, pre
dicted for some East Coast cities,
were not anticipated here.
KSLM Children's
Book Program Starts
Through special arrangements
made by the Oregon State Library
staff, KSLM will begin broadcast
of a 13 week series of juvenile
book reviews, "The Carnival of
Books," each Saturday morning
at 10:19 a.m. This series n( pro
grams originates in the NBC stu
dios in Chicago and features dra
matized excerpts and children's
comments on the particular book
selected each week.
City, county and state school of-.
flclals, and librarians of nearby
communities have endorsed the
series as filling a definite need in
providing greater incentive for
book-reading by the younger-students
and efforts are being made
toward organized listening parties.
Books reviewed will be available
not only at the library but at local
book st'-. s h the area.
Hamilton's
WW
Tliey'll see you looking
much lovelier than
you looked yesterday
4K
You can EAT AND ENJOY SUN VAL
LEY BREAD ... the answer to
"diet blues." low In calories (less
than 50 to the slice) yet high In
muscle building proteins. And flavor!
just try it toasted it's I new taste
thrill. At your favorite food store.
"Made by the Bakers of
Master Bread"
More than astonishing. It's
astounding! In 20 seconds you
appear to have suddenly grown an
entirely new and flawlww skin.
Lanolin Plui Liquid Make-Up
covert the sins of your own skin
that well. And it makes you look
so pert end vivacious because each
of the five shades is a living color
that looks alive. Also, Lanolin
Pius Liquid Make -Up helps
make your skin softer and
smoother looking. $1 plus tax.
LIQUID
MAKE-UP
I
Open Fridays
'Til 9 P. M.
We'll help you win the
battle of the budget.
Help you win It with
high style too . . .
Because we have e
shipment of fine
sofas that will
create the atmosphere
of pleasant luxury
for a surprisingly
low price.
Think of it!
Full 4" foam rubber
cushion- Arms
heavily foam covered.
Highest standard of
quality maintained
throughout the
manufacture.
Meticulous tailoring.
All joints multiple
dowled end blocked.
Corners heavily
reinforced, securely
glued end screwed
to the rails.
Select kiln dried hard
wood lV thick, free
from defects. Finest
webbing is used to
support oil tempered
springs.
You simply can't
beat this offer.
-At Easy Budget Terms.
Hamilton's Decorating
Service cost you not a
penny.
We'll send an expert to
estimate the cost of car
peting your home at no
expento to you.
U
n
n
in
n
furniture fashion
Regularly 314.50
Special In
9 Smart Colors
259
50
balancer prices
Park Free When You Shop at
23C CHEMEKETA - SALEM
Fine Furniture at Popular Prices Since 1 894
You've got a dote 7 to 8, Thurs
day night, Jan. 28.
Turn on your porch light . .
Signol you'll give! Join Mothers
March on Polio.