INTEREST IN UMATILLA RAPIDS
PROJECT IS REVIVED
HERMISTON HERALD, Thursday, January 12, 1933—A rousing meeting of interested parties of this section in the development of the Umatilla Rapids Project at some future date was held here Thursday night (today) in the Hermiston Hotel with Congressman-elect Walter M. Pierce and Mrs. Pierce as honor guests.
E. P. Dodd, president of the Hermiston Commercial club, presided, sketching the growth of the Umatilla Rapids association since its organization in Umatilla, January 26, 1921. At that time the association raised $140000 which was used to prepare a survey, Mr. Dodd pointed out, with $10,000 later appropriated by the state, and $50,000 by the federal government. The three important features in the development of the Columbia river were brought out by Mr. Dodd as reclamation, navigation, reclamation, with the building of a bridge that would serve as an interstate link bringing Washington, Idaho, and Oregon closer commercially.
Ex-Governor Pierce pledged his support to the enterprise at the Umatilla Rapids and expressed his pleasure at being able to appear before representatives interested from this section of the state. He also stated that he was anxious to bring about farm relief within the coming year and favored many points in the Grange debenture plan.
Congressman Pierce congratulated this community on having a solvent bank with such a capable banker as F. B. Swayze at its head. He paid tribute to Mr. Swayze’s ability as a banker in keeping the Hermiston bank open when every bank for a distance of 100 miles east and west on the Columbia highway had closed its doors.
E. B. Aldrich, editor of the East Oregoian of Pendleton, and also a member of the State Highway Commission, pointed out favorable features in the report made by the Bureau of Reclamation and also the Army of Engineer’s report, for the Umatilla Rapids project. He mentioned D. C. Brownell, deceased, of Umatilla, who was one of the instigators in organizing the association. From its beginning, Mr. Aldrich said, D. C. Brownell never ceased in his efforts to promote interest in the project. Following the first meeting in Umatilla, a second group of citizens met in Pendleton where the Umatilla Rapids association was organized with representation from Walla Walla, Spokane, and other sections of the country.
Mr. Aldrich was chairman of the promotion committee that was given a hearing in Washington, D. C. in 1931, when the merits of the Umatilla site were presented before the necessary bureaus. He explained that his action last spring regarding the postponement of the proposed construction on the Wallula cut-off highway was based upon the fact that the proposed route was 13 feet below the crest of the proposed Umatilla Rapids dam, which would render the highway useless in the event of such construction at that point.
The chairman next introduced Senator Ritner, Oregon legislator and a resident of Umatilla county for 50 years, who stressed the importance of navigation in the development of the Columbia river. He stated that the saving to the farmers in the Inland Empire made through navigation alone would more than pay for the construction of such a project, with five million bushels of wheat being shipped from Umatilla county in one year.
Mr. Notsen of Heppner pointed out that the time had come in our nation when it was necessary to decentralize the cities and bring the population back to the farm.
Mr. Harringon of Pasco, Wash., continued the thought opened by Mr. Notson, and stated that he believed the thing that was needed was the development of the west and then the cities would follow. “I believe,” he said, “that the key to cheap power would unlock the entire resources of the Inland Empire.”
Mr. Hartman of Pendleton, who has been connected with the Umatilla Rapids association since its organization, explained the problems that must be faced in this rejuvenation plan, for which this meeting was called.
Mrs. Walter Pierce expressed her pleasure at being able to visit this community, and especially her interest in the cooperative enterprises in evidence here.
Before the meeting adjourned, it was proposed that a committee of men be appointed to work out a program with the present board of the Umatilla Rapids association that would put the association back on a working basis. The committee will be announced later but E. B. Aldrich was named to appoint the place and time of the meeting.
Music was furnished during the evening by the Hermiston High school orchestra and mixed chorus, under the direction of Elwin Knapp, music instructor.
One-hundred and twenty-six people were served at the banquet.
