Image provided by: North Santiam Historic Society; Gates, OR
About The Mill City enterprise. (Mill City, Or.) 1949-1998 | View Entire Issue (June 26, 1952)
Canyon Avenue Parade T he MILL CITY ENTERPRISE Serving: MILL CITY DETROIT n lx HORN GATES 11» \NH k LYONS MEHAMA MONGOI 1» By DON PETERSON Tuesday morning I had the pleasure ON THE SCENIC NORTH SANTIAM HIGHWAY — GATEWAY TO THE HEART OF NATI RE’S EMPIRE of visiting the Detroit dam site to watch the placing of the “logs” that covered the portals of the diversion $2.50 a Year. a Copy Vol. Vili—No. 26 MILL CITY. OREGON. THURSDAY, JUNE 26. 1952 tunnel. Wm. Tickle and Roy Kendler escorted me to the bottom of the lake bed by a long winding route that took us over to the south side of the San tiam and up and over the top of the dam and then down to the derrick which was doing the work of hoisting the logs and lowering them into place. From there we walked down the hill side to the sandbar in front of the diversion tunnel where we enjoyed a The feature attraction in the North Santiam Canyon grandstand position and watched the this week was the beginnings af Detroit Lake, The per methodical operation of placing the formance was outstanding. Tuesday morning sealing logs in their permanent position, At the bottom we found old reliable Bob off operations on the by-pass tunnel just up-stream from Veness taking pictures of the whole Detroit dam began. As one after another of the huge procedure for the Capital Journal and concrete “logs” were lowered The Oregonian. Russell Hoffman, general superin into position, the North San tendent of the Detroit dam construc tiam river swiftly rose to the tion for the Consolidated Builders, Inc. challenge. was present and in charge of the op eration. A small by-pass tunnel kept the The first log was in place when we angry river away from workmen long As we go to press we received in arrived, but in quick succession the enough for completion of the log-lay formation that three men held up others followed at 25-minute inter-1 ing ceremony. The filling of the res and robbed Chuck's tavern, east of vals.? I was informed that these logs ervoir proceeded at such a rapid pace* Gates on highway 222 just before were j2 feet thick, 3Vz feet wide and that vantage points on the bed of the I midnight Thursday and escaped with 28 feet long weighing 18 tons each, river disappeared underneath water with an undetermined sum of cash. constructed of reinforced concrete. quickly. Especially built platforms | Fourteen of these two foot thick logs Oliver Willis, owner, estimated the were Required to cover the portal enabled workmen safety in the seal loss at less than $1,000. entrance. These “logs” were lowered ing off business. Willis said three waitresses and as gently as a mother would handle Estimates place Detroit dam proper her favorite child, and when they came as being 100 percent complete at the two customers were in the tavern to the point of engaging with the present time. Work on the dam has with him at the time of the holdup. portals they slipped into position State police and Marion county been carried ahead of schedule by CBI. seldom without even stopping as they Final touches on the project will con- j sheriff's deputies launched a search were guided into their position by tinue until June, 1953, according to! for the men, believed to have fled skilled hands to close the great gaping present plans. The power house must in a car driven by a fourth man. hole into the tunnel. Detroit dam began its reign of the North Santiam river Tuesday morning. CBI workmen carefully placed yet be constructed as well as the fill After watching several of these logs concrete "logs" oxer the mouth of the river's diversion tunnel. Quickly the angry river swirled through the being placed those of us on the sand ing up of the by-pass tunnel. j but not nearly the size of Detroit lake. small diversion tunnel and swelled upwards towards the channels awaiting it through Detroit Dam itself. The bar soon found our vantage point was Big Cliff darn is some 27 per cent Tourist’s Mecca Provided small tunnel kept a flow of water going in the river channel below Detroit dam during the sealing off operation getting wet and by the time the eighth complete. Concrete pouring opeia- on the main diversion tunnel. Small white arrow points to small tunnel; and the large white arrow identifies Work on Detroit dam has provided log was in place our point was all tions on Big Cliff will not approach the spot »here the entire river once by-pas«ed Detroit dam. The black arrows pin-points workmen and gives a spectacle for tourists in the North under water and a lake was being some comparison of the size of the whole Detroit dam project. Santiam canyon since 1949. Soon, the huge operation of Detroit and Big born. Before that happened we had (Photo courtesy of Robert Veness and The Capital Journal) beat a retreat to higher and safer however, work on Big Cliff will afford Cliff dams at present. The number ground up at the site of the derrick the greater interest. Detroit dam now of workmen will decease as the two where the logs were being prepared enters into the stage wherein the pub projects enter their final stages. for placement. A crew of carpenters Now that the filling up process of lic can better enjoy its creation. De were on hand to nail strips of tar im troit lake will afford wide recreational Detroit lake is underway, there is pregnated material to the top surface possibilities. Plans are afoot qp this speculation about just when it will of the logs. These strips were about score at present, though only In the reach the level assigned it by the %-inch thick and 3 inches wide. They j Mr. ar.d Mrs. Fred Gooch Sr. of formative stage. Detroit dam area Corps of Engineers. The Engineers Jack M. Stewart, husband of Mrs. were nailed around the outer edge of Juanita G. Stewart, Mill Citv, has re Mill City had a family gathering at was so planned that it could be largely obviously have ways and means of the logs to strips of wood imbedded lowering or raising the level of the devoted to recreation. in the surface of the logs, and when i cently been promoted to the grade of their home on Father’s day. The playground saw a busy week airman second class in the United the next log was placed on this it Big Cliff dam a re-regulating dam. lake, therefore the question may well Those present were Mr. and Mrs. formed a nerfect sealing agency to cut as boys and girls took part in the States Air Force. Fred Gooch Jr. of Sweet Home; Mr. will cause the formation of a lake. be a moot one. (Continued on Patre 8) 'varied pitgriyn. Mothers are uiged Mrs. Earl Gooch and daughter At Tempelhof Air Base, Berlin, Ger •nd M j to pass the word abound so that more Troyla i Earlene, and Mrs. Gooch’s many, Stewart is on duty as mechanic I children may be able to take part in mother, Mrs. Mary Russell, all of at the base motor pool. i the fun activities. Airman Stewart, attended the Taft Salem. The regular schedule for next week high school, and the Mill City high Also Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gooch's will be as follows: school, and graduated from the latter. daughter, Mrs. Sylvia Duncan of Sa A-M.- -Playground Activities. Prior to his enlistment in the Air lem, Mr. Duncan’s work prevented J>is Noah Daniel Kesterson, former old P.M.- -Playground Activities, Force, January, 1951, Stewart was en-1 being with the family. Mr. and Mr». time resident of Mill City, succumbed Arts and Crafts gaged with the North Walker Chem Gooch’s grandson, Bill Gooch,, visited of a heart attack in Portland, Satur Little League and Junior his glandparents a few days before, ical Company, Ore. day, June 21. Kesterson was 73 years Baseball. but could not be with the family Sun of age at the time of his death. He received his basic training at day, Father’s day. Kesterson was born in Jacksonville, Special classes will be started next Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, ano Mr. Gooch and sons, Fred Jr. and Mo., Febiuary 21. 1879. His wife week for archery and tennis. Tennis completed a course at the Vale Tech preceded him in death, she died in classes will be held at 10 a.m. on Mon nical Institute, Blairsville, Pa. Air Earl made a trip up in the woods to 1918. Surviving are three sons and day, Wednesday, and Friday. Arch- man Stewart arrived in the European look i over a new logging job their 1 father has just started. When they one daughter. ery classes will be held at 10 a.m. command in June 1951. returned home all had lunch, then Kesterson lived in the Mill City area on Tuesday’ and Thursday. spent the afternoon and evening visit- ! during and after the first World War. Ralph Jull will be away for the ing. He lived most of his life in Oregon. rest ot the summer ahd Bob Russell Fred Gooch Sr. ami Fred Jr. and When five years of age’ he came to will take his place as a Little League Mrs. Sylvia Duncan entertained with FOR NEXT WEEK Oregon with his parents. assistant. Sheteen Muir and Karen a lot of old-time music. All enjoyed First Game Starts at 6:30 P.S.T. Funeral services for Kesterson were Rue have been assisting Miss Thorr.a- a lovely day. conducted Tuesday, June 24, in the with the Arts and Crafts program. The interior of the main ward of the Santiam Memorial hospital is at this Monday, June 30: Mr. Gooch received nice presents ] stage of construction, with electrical work, plumhiog and steaih fittings Mt. Scott funeral home. Portland. The Miss Thomas has been conducting Mehama vs. Lebanon from the whole family. Mr. and Mrs. i roughed in. Today, according to R. L. Martin, contractor, workmen are remains were interred in Multnomah Firemen vs. Lebanon a story hour from 3 to 4 in the after Gooch are made happy by the fact I laying the 'ace brick, setting the window frames op this ward and putting cemetery, Portland. they have their family living so ne.-i [ on the roof. The maternity ward is also well along and the entire Job noon. The younger children occupy 1: Tuesday, July Noah Daniel Kesterson’s sons are going so well that it is expected to be completed by Christmas. them so they can have their family L. D. Kesterson, Portland, J. B. Kes the first half of the hour and the older CBI Engineers vs. Kellys (Stayton Mail Photo) gatherings often. children the last half. There has been terson, Mill City, and T. B. Kesterson, Lee Logging vs. Mehama of The Dalles. Mrs. Norah F. Mad- much interest in this activity and it Wednesday. July 2: aras of Reedsport is the only daugh will be continued throughout the sum Chuck’s vs. Firemen mer. ter of the decedent. Detroit Lake Born Tuesday When Big Tunnel Sealed Chuck’s Tavern Held Up by Three Gunmen c*£ A . Mothers Urged to Send Children To Playground J. Stewart Promoted Gooches Hold Family Airman Second Class Gathering June 15 Noah D. Kesterson Dies In Portland Sotfball Schedule ______ Detroit Dam. now 100 percent complete, dwarfs ■ * BI crane enlaced in clean-up operations on the bed -rock of the North Santiam riser immediately in front of the up stream fare of the dam. Arrow points to crane. Tuesday was the last day auch a picture as this could be taken, Detroit lake is no* rising. The North San- tiam riser at Mill City is flowing at a very low stage. ( Photo courtesy of The Capital Journal) Next to the last concrete "log” goes into position at the mouth of Detroit dam diversion tunnel. The crane operator stationed many feet above these ( Bl workmen lowered the massive re-enforced concrete slab« into place Tuesday morning. Arrow points to the small by-pass tunnel which bent water flowing in the North Santiam river below the dam during the early filling up stage o' Detroit lake. Eventually the North Santiam river will form an eight and one-half mile long reservoir above th» dam. (Photo courtesy of Robert Veness and The Capital Journal)
