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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1908)
11 , locks and Canal Project at Oregon City Considered by L). S. engineering Department. mrrTON MERELY A8KS THE WAR DEPARTMENT TO ASCERTAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN COST OF LABOR AND MATERIALS NOW AND IN 1000 WHEN BOARD OF ENGINEERS DECLARED IN FAVOR OF GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP. jgOLCT0 111" SK'"U" DAILY CAPITA L JOURNAL. SALEM. OREGON. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8, 1008. rt " t nlu find Canal bill In tho Inst legls- tVMttih Jn?n nU hopes of having, In the lifetime of tha J Rlten the peop'o no and dQwn tho wlllamoMo ,.lvor !ofoawrfh'aC. rnrnoration planted at the falh of the river rfPtfT t'lblll provlde4 that tho stato contribute $300.- itr mo . - $100,000 each lowauu Atiu run- XGOnSK GOVEHNJtEXT OP THE AFORESAID (A.w7- necC38ary. One was tuo aecisiou or. me rivers lUiwin" undcrtake such projects untess the stato lu ..wt roniffliW0 io uu .. . ... inMnHv nrA henr At lMt. tnrltCd WOUld lKW fc"v v M te 0thcr reason was that tho federal government ha rD6M. Tfl0 ... j .mii 1nr.tr a nnrl nnnlB nn nnvf- : . . Mi nffl II 11IIU VlUW w..m ... - . - SSrfl STATE OWKKIWIUP ALONE VA3 IMPOSSL MT action without state add Was imprac n0"1"1..- -.-- r,onr n hv- the state leElalaturo nnd will .-i ,i nnnmtn lofiks and canals on navl- : -i.i. tn mainiiuu " . t . .- !. HKU. .- A r-. r A r. crrxf.riv i!U" " . . ter So the jomi P A.i-pni crnvflrnment. As tho correspond- jlrbeccpc . projected Improve- c...i v-onnrtmont will show tho projected lmprove- Tfrf M PeDd,nS and n,y rM1UlreS fl fGW Prcl,mlnftr,C3 t0 'orth acuon ui .""t I Work of Open River Association. .. Valley Open River association has ovorcomo ono atop eiw nii.t, thn final result of frco locks nnd canal. . ... . mrUA.i ndvanco In the cost of lurabor, Iron nnd ,JM " 4. -.nri, and labor is higher than It was In 1900 and 'JLTi for tho cost of rebuilding tho locks and canal at Ore aSe Itt 1900 WILL NOT DO FOR A GOVERNMENT IMUIOVE. W BE MADE IN THK NEAT u iuo. . .... i.a- jrMoned In ronforenco3 between tho Wlllamotts . ..., ...relation, and tho United States cnglneerlhg dopart- 'Li..j Thr-.n conforencoo havo rlso developed tho fact that Lrlne, department at Portland In Washington are disposed to ' . . . .u-.4i. l, rnnl.lllt.r nt Mm nrnlnot TiV.1. nrjble W their conBiaunvuua ui mo ow.v a- tutorial la tho Portland Journal has called forth theso stato- tot Portland and saiem journal navo lougm smo uy i ripruHST I'OSSinLK COMPLETION OF THE LOCKS AND jB A pnOinCT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNACENT, which is Mthem (reo forever. Horo Is tho Journal's editerial: (Portland Journal Editorial, Fob. G.) "WHAT DOES IT MEAN?" i 'ayman cannot undors'nnd tho Ingoings nud outgoings of Poijlbir tho upmovlnEs and dovnslttlngs of legislation at are. not Intended to bo comprehended by tho lay mind. itl Journal Is pardonablo; If It orrs In ithls humble Inquiry: e u It necessary for a now survoy of tho locks nnd cnnnl nt idtrtoasc rtaln tholr probablo co3t? Such a aurvoy" hns nl- Wta tnr.de by tho Unltod Stat03 onglneors, and tholr roport Is nt Tl fiinrej are on fllo with tho war dopnrtmont, nnd If It really nisi coagress can got them without tho slightest trouble Thoso cm Dttnralljr excite curiosity n to why Senator Fulton has had lu- I la h- cnato a Joint resolution ordering a now "ourvoy" of tan and locks, with a view to dotormlnlng tholr probnblo. cost. i's-rrejr' all tho writing peoplo of Oregon nro to got out of this a Does tho action mean that thoro Is to bo no appropriation u if, 'u to be thrown to OrogoninnB as a solnco for tholr disappoint' mi ment? Having had a "Burvoy" already, If this Is not what It means what does It mean? Why a Now Estimate Is Needed. Senator Fulton ha3 Introduced and had deforrod to tho committee on commerco a resolution reciting that tho stato of Oregon has passed an net appropriating tho sum of $300,000 .to aid tho general government In purchasing tho locks and canal at Oregon City or building a now flight of locks at tho falls of tho Wlllametto at that place, and directing the war department to havo an estimate mado of tho dlfforonco in cost of labor nnd materials now and In 1900 when a former survey was mado for the purpose of acquiring tho locks by tho goneral government and ASKING THAT DEPARTMENT TO LAY BEFORE CONGRESS AN ES TIMATE OF COST. Tho war department Is disposed to consider tho project as ponding, and that It has all tho Information necessary for con gress to act, excopt that an appropriation cannot bo mado Intelligently without knowing what tho work will coat, and when a rivers and harbori bill is prepared this project will havo right of way. Tho Project la Pending. Following corrospondenco with tho engineering department has been had showing tho status of the proposed government work for which an appropriation, has been mado by tho stato and WILL BE MADE BY CONGRESS AS SOON AS ALL THE FACTS ARE FULLY BI3FORE IT. Letter of Mnjoi' Rocwdcr. The river and harbor net of March 3, 1899, provided for an examina tion of- "Tho canal and locks Bltuatcd on tho west flldo of tho Wll lametto falls, in Clackamas county (Oregon): With a view to ascertaining tho doslrnblllty of their condemnation and pur chaso by dho United States." Major Fish mado tho preliminary examination nnd a bonrd of en gineers mado tho Anal roport nnd ostlmato of tho cost of acquiring tho locks of tho Portlnnd General Electric company, or of building a now flight of locks on tho other aldo of tho river. Tho conclusion of tho board was Mint $156,000 COULD ADVANTAGEOUSLY AND ECONOM ICALLY BE EXPENDED BY THE UNITED STATES IN BUYING THE PRESENT FILGIIT OF LOCKS on tho couth sldo and putting thorn in a Btnto of repair corresponding to tholr condition when now, or to build a tight of locks on tho other side. Iln making this recommondntlon tho bonrd Btnted, howovor, thnt beforo anything wbb dono It would bo well to uncertain the rights of the United Stntos to tho Wlllnmotto river nt this point. Aotlng on ithls roport, the rlvor and hnrbor act of Juno 13, 1002, oon 'tnlncd tho following Item: "Canal nnd locka at Wlllamottoo falls, Wlllametto rlvor, Ore Ore eon: Tho secretary of wnr lo hereby authorized and directed to ascertain, through a board of onglneors or otherwise, nnd ro port to tho house, whether olthor tho acquisition of tho pfoiont cnnal and locks nt Wlllametto fallo, Oregon, or a construction of now cnnnl and locks by tho United States government nnd tholr oporatlon for tho oxclusivo benoflt of tho navigation of Bald rlvor, would, by withdrawing tho wntora of tho Wlllamottoo river from tho chnnnols In whlorthoy havo been accustomed to flow or othorwlao, lnjuro In a material mnnnor tho operations of tho manufacturing enterprises now In oporatlon or contemplated nt tho Wlllnmotto Rlvor." This matter was nlso roforred to a board of onglnoors which, In turn, obtained an opinion from the U. S. district attorney, John 11. Hall, as to tho rights of tho United States In tho premises. It was Mr. Hall's opinion, based upon certain decisions "of tho courtB, THAT THE UNITED STATES HAD THE RIGHT TO AS MUCH WATER AS IT NEEDED FOBS NAVIGATION PURPOSES, EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF TAKING THW WHOLE OF IT, without any liability to any of tho vested lntero3ts la that locality. This Information Is embodied In two reports. Tho first ono Is No. 202 H. R., G6th congress, first session. Tho lattor Is No. 99, H. R C8tU congress, third session. - TJIE RE-READING OF THESE PAPERS LEADS ME TO CONCLUDM 1 THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PR XFECT BEFORE CONGRESS WHICH IT CAN ACT UPON WITHOUT FURTHER DATA, tt would bo unwlso, howovor, for congress to mako an appropriation upon tho catlmnto of tho original board becauso that ostlmato was basod upon unit prices which wero less, In somo cases considerably less, than thoso provalltng.at tho present time That ostlmato muBt bo rovlsed and oxpootlng eomo audi query as tho ono you havo mado at tho Instigation of Sonator Bourne t havo already Instructed my assistant to rovlso tho original ostlmato oil a basis of tho presont unit prices for rock excavation, concroto, etc. I SHALL IN DUE TIME WRITE TO THE CIliEF OF ENGINEERS TELL ING 1HM OF THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE IS NOT A SAFE GUIDE AT THE PRESENT TIME AS TO THE ULTIMATE COST OF THE WORK BY REASON OF THE PRESENT PRICES, AND WILL TELL HIM HOW MUCH THE ESTIMATE SHOULD BE INCREASED TO CORRESPOND WITH TIBR PRESENT PRICES. Tho abovo Is tho situation as I undorstand It. THERE IS A DEFI. NITE RECO.HSrENDATION FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE PRES ENT LOGICS BEFORE CONGRESS, or failure to got them at a reaaon ablo figure, a doflnlto recoramondatlon to build a parallel flight of lock on tho ast sldo of tho rlvor. WITH THESE REPORTS BEFORE THEM CONGRESS HAS ALL THE INFORMATION IT USUALLY RE QUIRES BEFORE MAKING A DECISION UPON A PROJECT. Project Is Ready for Action. t can be readily soon from what Llontcnnnt Colonol Roosslor of tho corp3 of onglneors of th U. S. A. suya In tho abovo that tho Orogon City locks nnd cannl projoct tho projoct to mako them FOREVER FREE TO THE PEOPLl-: AND GIVE THE PEOPLE FREE AND UNIMPEDED USE OF THE RIVER, Is In tho boat possible condition for tho dologatlon In congress to sec'uro favornblo action. In fact, Congrossmnn Hawloy linn Introduced a bill to npproprlato $300,000 for tho purchaso of tho locks and onnnl, with tho aid of tho Btato. Tho Btnto hns already acted In good ralth and tho federal .government has gono too far to rtroat. With an, united harmonious dologatlon nnd tho honrty co-oporntlon of tho fltato and tho onglnoorlng department thoro Is no good renson why tho otm bnrgo of CO conts per ton on tho commerco nnd products of wostorti Orogon shall not soon bo romovod forovor. Tho Fight for tm Optm River. Tho entlro delegation In congress Is plodged to mako thh tho Initial fight for an opon river from Eugene to tho Columbia, nnd WITH THE LOCKS OPENED AND MADE FREE FROM THE GRASP OF THE COR PORATION THAT NOW OWNS THEM thoro will bo hMiidrodB of thou sands of dollarB saved annually to tho shlppora of western Orogon. Tho Opon River association Is keeping up n coiiBtnnt fight to reach HiIb re suit of milking tho opon rlvor a possibility within a fow years at tho out side Yfr U. T " -"" PORTLAND RAILWAY LIGHT 1 POWER CO. WILLAMETTE VALLEY DIVISION ELECTRIC LIGHT ELECTRIC POWER GAS FOR LIGHT AND FUEL Improvements made and under way at this . , time will make our service in all lines , -; unexcelled ::::: , ,''.".- If you have a lighting problem, a power - ' " difficulty, or want to enjoy the pleasure of cooking with gas let us talk with you . about your needs :::::;; Corner Commercial and State Streets, Salem, Oregon vi 4
