T he MILL CITY
ENTERPRISE
Serving:
MILL CITY
DETROIT
ELKHORN
<; \ tfs
IDANHA
LYONS
MEHAMA
By DON PETERSON
Secretary of the Interior Douglas
ON THE SCENIC NORTH SANTIAM HIGHWAY — GATEW \Y TO THE HEART OE NATURE’S EMPIRE
McKay appeared as the principal
epeaker at the dedication of Detroit
$2.50 a Year. ]()<. a Copy
dam Wednesday of this week, flanked
by plenty of top brass, both military
and civilian he gave what has been
called his dedication speech of this
great public service dam. His speech
did not carry the convincing qualities
that could be expected for the occa
sion. Those gathered were not im
pressed and only gave a mediocre
greeting upon introduction by Gov
ernor Patterson. His speech was not
A seven-year Oregon epic has transformed the upper
interrupted at any time with applause
N. Santiam and reached its climax in Wednesday’s dedi
cf any kind and upon completion his
cation. The result is the fourth highest gravity dam in
applause was so feeble that the gov
the
world—a towering slab of concrete as tall as Chicago’s
ernor called him back on the platform
tallest skyscraper and as long as five football fields.
for another “try”, It was another
feeble response.
A crowd of approximately 3,800 assembled in this gorge,
♦ *
50
miles east of Salem. Spectators had their choice of
Contrary to the reporting by the
four
tours, ranging from a stroll across the deck (top)
Capital Journal in Wednesday’s edi-
of
the
dam, to a 40-mile, deadhead trip around the dam’s
tion there was a conspicuous lack of
cheering. Perhaps the mistake was
reservoir.
that the wrong party was attempting
19-Gun Salute Opens Ceremony
to dedicate this block of concrete to
the service of mankind.
Tours conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. paused during
Harry Truman or Wayne Morse
the dedication ceremony. The rites opened with a 19-gun
should have been invited to do honors.
salute by the Oregon National Guard at 1:20 p.m. The
They have been among the forefront
dedicatory
speech followed.
in getting these dams under construc
tion and appropriating the money for
Tours resumed then. The hardy walked down 515
them, either of these men could have
steps through the interior of the dam and come out at the
brought life to the assembled crowd
powerhouse where buses hustled them back up to the
cf about 4,000.
The thought must
North Santiam highway.
have run through the minds of many
present just who does he intend to
The first generator could not be started because of
give this dam too after it gets into
mechanical trouble. Pre-dedication runs turned up the
.cperation? Many of those present
mechanical difficulty.
did not want a Hells Canyon deal
Small Dam To Adjust River’s Flow
pulled on them and it is believed that
it won’t be long until some sort of
The second generator is still under construction. Each
“deal” will be made, if it is not al
generator will have a capacity of 50,000 kilowatts, but the
ready made to give-away this dam.
powerhouse will not run full blast until Detroit’s re-regu
♦ * *
lating dam, called Big Cliff, is finished.
Secretary McKay has been busy
The Powerhouse for Detroit Dam has been a scene of feverish activity this week as 40 workmen race the cal-
denying the truth of statements made
Reason is that it will take approximately 5,000 cubic
endar to have generator in rear of cavernous building ready to throw power “on the line" by June 10. A small
by Drew Pearson in Pearson's column
amount of water has been flowing through generator for 10 days to dry out the windings. Big, 267-ton rotor
feet
of water per second flowing through Detroit dam to
the "Washington Merry-Go-Round”
in foreground will soon be lifted into hole at center by 300-ton overhead crane, hut will not be ready to gen
generate
the peak output of 100,000 kilowatts.
erate power until this fall. Each generator will produce 50,000 kilowatts.
(Photo courtesy The Statesman)
which appeared in Tuesday’s papers
That
is
far more than the normal flow of the North
of this week. Pearson has stated that
|
the contracts offered to private util
Santiam river, which drops to less than 1,000 cubic feet
ities, would raise the price of power
per second in August.
to make it prohibitive for industry to |
But Big Cliff dam will catch the flow and ration it out
operate in the Pacific northwest and |
to
keep water flowing downstream while Detroit dam
that certain restrictions were to be ’
placed on co-ops and rural electric | Detroit dam is 232 miles from Kla-
Some $500 worth of merchandise
closes
its gates and stores up more water.
Detroit—Ray David Johnson, owner
owanies until they are forced to sei! T- :th Falls, 101 miles from Eugene, will be given away at the Detroit of the Detroit Telephone Co., died
Will Provide Double Salem's Need
cut to private companies.
100 miles from Portland, 49 miles Birthday Carnival Friday night, June suddenly Saturday evening at his
Pearson reported that a seven-man from Salem, 55 miles from Albany and ' 19 at Detroit school gym.
When Detroit dam is generating a peak load it will pro
home here.
steering committee from industry of 86 miles from Bend.
Prizes will include a twin waffle
He was born August 12, 1888 at vide approximately twice as much electricity as Salem and
ficials was chosen “to look into the
The Detroit Dam Reservoir is 8.5 I iron, double automatic toaster, electric Alton, Kansas and united in marriage its suburbs use during average wintertime hours.
matter, and in the days that have fol miles long with a shore line of 45 coffee percolator, case of motor oil to Ella Thompson, December 16, 1908
lowed, the stunned silence of repub miles and an area of 4,000 acres, Its and more than 60 other useful items. at Almena, Kansas.
And little Big Cliff dam has its own powerhouse, where
lican industrialists has changed to maximum storage is 455,000 acre-feet
another
18,000 kilowatts of power will be generated. Con
High point of the evening will be
Mr. Johnson and family came to
righteous indignation.”
wtih 300,000 acre-feet reserved exclu the door prize drawing at 10 a.m. Oregon in 1924. In 1928 he moved struction at Big Cliff, which never gets the publicity ac
Pearson continues, “For the north sively for flood control, 40,000 acre- An automatic washing machine, retail to Dayton and managed the telephone corded Detroit dam, is proceeding on schedule. The dam
west has begun to realize that with feet for power and 115,000 acre-feet ing for $280, will be given away.
company until 1946. That same year is slated to start generating power next April.
its higher labor costs and heavy trans dead storage.
A huge birthday cake celebrating he moved to Detroit and built and
After that, employment in the project will soon simmer
portation rates, the end of cheap
Detroit Dam itself is 1,528 feet long new Detroit’s first birthday, will be operated the telephone exchange now
hydroelectric power will mean the end at the crest and 454 feet high above cut by Mayor Nolan Rasnick.
serving the Detroit-Idanha communi- down to the 29 employees, all Corps of Engineers workers,
of industry in that area. Even some the foundation. It has a 1,579 foot
There will be a fish pond, basket ' ties.
who will be required permanently to operate and maintain
of the stanchest republican spokes top elevation above mean sea level ball toss, twenty-one, cake walk and
Johnson
had
worked
in
the
telephone
the project.
men therefore are up in arms against and 339 foot maximum width at the a continuous cartoon movie for the
industry for over thirty years and
Peak employment saw 1,500 working on the project, in
the ‘New Deal' for the private util- base.
There will be plenty of held membership in the Uational Tele
Excavation required to pro kiddies.
ities.”
cluding
those who helped relocate 15 miles of highway and
vide sound rock foundations totaled weiners, coffee and pie.
phone Pioneer association, and was a
Pearson undoubtedly knows what 787,000 cubic yards.
You are invited to come early and director of the Oregon Independent clear timber for the reservoir. At present there are 325
he is writing about or he wouldn’t
Detroit Dam required 1,345,000 stay late—and have fun!
Telephone associatoin.
working at the dam. Most are employed by Consolidated
be writing until he did.
cubic yards of concrete and 7,300,000
Johnson was a member of the IOOF Builders, Inc., contractors for the project.
• ♦ »
pounds of steel. The dam has four
lodge No. 20 at Dayton.
He was
This week I wish to take this op outlet conduits, each five feet eight
active
in
civic
affairs,
serving
on the
portunity to announce the sale of The inches by ten feet, and six radial gates,
city council at both Dayton and De-|
Mill City Enterprise to Mr. and Mrs. each 28 feet by 42 feet on the spillway.
troit. He was a member of the North
(Continued on Page 8)
For the production of power there are
Santiam Chamber of Commerce.
I Medford, June 8- The Hells Canyon Clure warned.
two penstocks, each 16 feet in dia Sunday, June 14 has been announced
Besides the widow he is survived' dam controversy flared anew here | “With the experience of the 30’s
meter, and two generators, each with as “Mill City Day in Camp Kilowan”, by two children, Lola Christenson of j today as the Oregon State Grange still fresh in the minds of most of
a rated capacity of 50,000 kilowatts. Willamette Area Council Camp Fire McMinnville, and Cletus Johnson of opened its 80th annual convention with us, when falling farm incomes were
Detroit Dam is the fourth unit in Girls camp. This will be a work day. Portland and three grandchildren, a blistering attack by Grange Master, immediately followed by the collapse
the Willamette River Basin to be com Mill City folks will take along a picnic Gayle and Norma Christenson and Elmer McClure, of Milwaukie on Sec of the whole nation’s economy,” Mc
pleted. Cottage Grove Dam on the lunch. Camp Gilowan opens to camp Carolyn Johnson.
retary of the Interior, Douglas McKay Clure asserted, “one would think that
Able-bodied woodsmen from many Coast Fork and Fern Ridge Dam on ers on June 25.
Services were held in McMinnville for withdrawing the opposition of the drastic and immediate action to re
sections of the Pacific northwest will the Long Tom River have been in
Moms and dads will help ready Tuesday, June 9, at Macy’s funeral Interior department to a proposal by verse these trends would be the order
convene at Albany, Oregon, July 2-3-4 operation since their completion in camp, Sunday. There are many needs, home. Interment was in Evergreen Idaho Power company to build three of the day but the attitude of those
for the ninth annual Timber Carnival 1942. Dorena Dam on the Row river and every family member will find a Memorial park.
small dams on the Snake river in at the helm seems to be that, given
at Waverly Lake—scene of the world was completed in the fall of 1949.
place of a large multi-purpose fed time, the situation will correct itself.
job to suit his abilities. These jobs
championship logging contests.
Here at Detroit Dam the North need doing for the camp season: dis
eral dam at the Hells Canyon site.
This is certainly not in accord with
The Timber Carnival attracts an Santiam River has an average stream tribution of cots, ticks and mattresses;
Charging that McKay knew what history.”
estimated 100,000 onlookers during flow of 2,000 cubic feet per second i sweeping of cabins and buildings; re
he was doing when he “gave away
its three-day program, including some and a maximum flow of 41,200 cubic pair of several bunks and building
the Hells Canyon damsite”, some
40,000 persons who annually witness feet per second.
' of supports for new canvas bunks; un
thing which McClure asserted he did
Detroit Dam was authorized by an packing and shelving of dishes and
a giant fireworks display, touched off
not have a moral right to do, the
Local school districts in the North Grange Master stated that, "If as the
on the night of July 4. World cham Act of Congress June 28, 1938. One utensils; checking, testing, and repair
pions in four of five logging divisions of the original seven dams authorized of fire-fighting equipment; roofing of Santiam hold their annual meeting result of his (McKay’s) actions. Hells
(Continued on Page 7)
are crowned each year.
Harold Dean, Mill City log truck
one cabin; raising of tent-tops; clear Monday, June 15. Election of a di Canyon dam is never built and the
ance of winter debris from trails; rector for a three-year term takes Idaho Power company gains control driver, escaped with minor scratches
During the Timber Carnival in Al
¡cleaning and painting; and painting place.
of the Snake river, it will be forever Tuesday afternoon when his truck was
bany each year world championships
hit by a westbound Southern Pacific
J. B. Gordon, Idanha, announced to his shame.”
of boats.
are decided in bucking, topping, climb
These projects will be co-operative- the election scheduled for the Idanha
“Following the western land frauds freight train at the Lyons crossing of
ing and chopping. The world title in
i ly shared by Mill City, Salem, and area. Gordon stated that one must of an earlier day, a potent book was state highway 220.
birling—log rolling—is still conferred
I Woodbum volunteers as set up by have been registered 30 days before written titled, ‘Looters of the Public
annually at Gladstone, Mich.,—scene
Dean, driving north with an empty
Funeral services for Mrs. Louise A. thte Area Camp committee.
Polk the election in order to be entitled Domain*. I am fearful that the ma truck, failed to see either the train
of the National Rolleo.
While logging events are the fea Kennedy, who died Tuesday at her I county district is responsible for com to vote; also it is required that one terial for Volume II of that book is or the frantic signals of a switchman,
ture of the annual affair in Albany, home here, were held Thursday of this pletion of the new water system, in reside for the preceding six months now being prepared”, McClure told he told state police later.
eleven Linn county girls annually week at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian stallation of replacements and addi within the school district.
The truck was demolished, the
his audience.
tions to the hot water system and
compete for the title of queen of the church.
In his address, the farm organiza trailer damaged, and the diesel loco
Gordon stated the law is that it is
The Rev. Noble Streeter will offi other related projects. Benton county not necessary that a voter be a prop tion head predicted that the nation’s motive thrown from the rails after
Albany Timber Carnival.
Timber
farmers this year will receive less dragging the truck over a hundred
Carnival buttons and tickets are sold ciate, and interment will be at the people are building a handyman's erty owner.
cabin and clearing up other respon
by contestants to finance the event. Fairview cemetery.
Mill City school district will hold than seven per cent of the national feet down the track from the crossing.
Mrs. Kennedy had lived in this com sibilities as well. The new playfield its annual meeting to elect one di income, although they make up 18
The winner is named on July 2 on the
Highway traffic to Scio was blocked
munity for 35 years, coming to Ore is also on the committee agenda.
basis of total points scored.
rector for a three-year term, and for percent of the population of the coun for several hours, and the Mt. Jeffer
Other activities include dances each gon from Virginia where she was [ Camp Kilowan is located three she purchase and sale of property next try, a new all-time low. The present son Lumber company wa forced to
night of the festival, an amusement ' born October^, 1866. She is survived miles from Falls City, the route out Monday evening at 8 p.m. in the high combination of falling farm prices, shut down when the street to their
lowering farm land values, declining re-saw mill was shut off.
carnival for children, a grand parade, I by a daughter, Kathryn Kennedy, of of Falls City being plainly marked. school building.
a horse show, a model airplane show, Mill City; a sister, Mrs. T. A. Bray, When arriving in camp June 14, bring
Other districts will meet in their export markets and restricted credit
Both the truck driver a ' the loco
a baseball game, a water show and Blackwell, Okla.; and a brother, James hammers, brooms, saws, rags, rakes, local school buildings for annual elec “are the identical trends which pre motive engineer were shaken but
I Whited. Cedarville, Kans.
shovels, family and food.
ceded the depression of the 30’s”, Mc- neither was seriously hurt.
the fireworks display.
tions also on Monday evening.
Dedication Ceremonies To
Bring New Era To Santiam
Facts and Figures
On Detroit Dam
Detroit’s Birthday
Carnival June 19
R. D. Johnson, 64,
Dies Suddenly
Sunday Mill City
Day’ at Kilowan
Grange Master Slaps McKay’s ’Give-away’
Timber Carnival at
Albany July 2-3-4
School Districts
Hold Elections
Mrs. L. A. Kennedy,
86, Passes Tuesday
Lyons Traffic Tied Up
By Truck-Train Crash