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Oblong folio. 14 x 9.25 in. [98 pp (unpaginated).], on thick black paper stock. First 60 pp. with 139 silver gelatin photographs, tipped-in w/ black corners, or mounted at two corners, many w/ negative number w/in negative at lower fore-edge, a couple w/ captions w/in negative, nearly all w/ bright strong contrast (a few w/ creasing from poor storage, a couple w/ closed tears). Contemporary limp black cloth Housh Co. post-binder, label on rear pastedown, punch-sewn at gutter margin w/ black silk braid, gilt lettering stamped on lower front cover corner (minor edgewear, sunning to fore-edges, minor bumping to corners, a few photos removed by family), still a VG bright exemplar. These historic photographs trace the efforts to revive, and expand, a troubled irrigation system constructed largely by private enterprise from the end of the 19th-Century through to 1905, after the failed Carey Act project was taken over by the US Bureau of Reclamation, and the State of Oregon. Unscrupulous land promotion companies, and developers such as the Columbia Southern Irrigation Co. had acquired the rights to the Tumalo Creek water flow from the Three Sisters Irrigation Co., and local landowners, with the Union Pacific claiming that 18,000 acres were tillable, but by 1905, less than 1000 acres were supplied with enough water, and far too much settlement in the Upper Deschutes River Basin. Within five years, Bend is incorporated, Laidlaw (later Tumalo) is platted, and unfortunately for the latter the railroad completes to Bend by 1912 bypassing Laidlaw, and settlers were incensed. One of the photographs shows a "Good Roads" protest parade by Tumalo residents as they began urging the State of Oregon to improve connections to Tumalo, and the roads. The State and Bureau of Reclamation draft noted Civil Engineer Olaf Laurgaard (1880-1945), and transfer him from Okanogan, WA where he has been competing roadbuilding, and irrigation projects, in order to improve and enlarge the Tumalo Project irrigation and canal system, as well as build a new reservoir and dam at Wimer Flat. The first part of the album focuses on the survey crews, surveying the route, the rugged terrain in the area, with shots of camp tents, hunting, mess tents, original holding ponds and reservoirs, mill wheels falling apart with need for repairs, and occasional side trips to the Deschutes River. In addition, the Tumalo Project office and Laurgaard's office building is shown, the barn filled with project supplies, and other town scenes. These are followed by engineering crews digging and expanding irrigation ditches and canals, building wooden water flumes crossing fields, and through steep canyons, well-digging equipment to reach aquifers, and horse teams grading earth with Fresno scrapers. By the close of the album, the project is nearing completion, wooden flumes stretch across grain fields, irritation ditches such as the "Finished Ditch in Howard Canyon," appear in the images, and Laurgaard and his crew survey several of the finished areas. Unfortunately, even with the newly enlarged canal system, and the new well-built dam, the new Tumalo Reservoir failed to hold water. By the time this was fully realized, Laurgaard had moved onto new projects and become the City of Portland Engineer by 1917. He is perhaps best remembered for construction of the Columbia Slouth drainage channel, improving the Ross Island Bridge, widening Sandy Blvd., and entirely upgrading and developing the decaying Portland municipal wooden docks and port areas with concrete piers, and abutments. In the following decades, the Tumalo Irrigation District failed with additional diversion dams, and still more canals to the point that it was recommended to the Federal and State Governments to not expend further funds, while the City of Bend continued to expand and buy up local Water Rights. Later in the 20th Century the Bureau of Reclamation rebuilt the dam and reservoir at Crescent Lake. The Library of Congress ho.
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