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Lincoln County Rivers Farnell�II�CO��V COIJ��TY RIV�RS lVAVIGABILITY STi�DY By ++�:��ES L. Fai�l�ii � r�l. iJ. Research Analyst I� DIVISI�N OF S�ATE LANDS Salem, Oregon March 1981 7NTRO�UC�ION Under th � Equal Footing clause of the Oregon Admzssions Act, the United States Govern�rien� transferred ownershi� of the beds of all navigab�e water- ways to the 5tate of Oregon in 1859. At trie time af this report, the fu11 extent of �regon's ownership is unknawn. The present development trends alang our wa�erways make it apparent that the location af the State/private boundaries is of ext�me fmpartance. The 1973 Legislature recognized this and passed OR5 27�.025-034. This 1aw dire cts the Division of 5tate Lands �.o make a study of all Oregon's wate nvays and to make public their findings. This xeQort deals with those riv�rs in Lincoln County which had significant navigation: the Alsea, Xaquina, and Siletz. P.11 0� these ra.�ers are named after Indian tribes which inhabited �ie area. � Tnanks are due ta the staffs of the f�llowing insti�utiions which provided materials used in this s�udy: Lincoln County Courthouse �incoln Coun�y t�3useum nrPqpn HiGtnri�a� Snr_.iPtv Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wi�.dlife Stat� Library University of Oregon La.brary Gt�t� Ilr�h��r�c Cover design: '�uq �owing sma11 Iog raft on the Siletz. THE BASZN The rivers of i.incoln County form part af th� C�id-Coast Basin. All ris� fn the Coast Pange at elevations up to 3,000 feet and descend directiy into the Paci€ic 4cean. The longesC of the three is the Sile�z wh�ch is 84 miles in lenoth and has a watershed of 308 square miles. The Alsea is 66 miles Zonq bu� drains a larger area thaa the Siletz, 473 square �i�es, The smallest river, the Yaquina, is 59 miles long and has a watersh�d of 253 square ��les [Fiq. 1), Althouqh th�se three rivers, flanked by the sma�ler Salmon and Yachats Rivexs on the north and south bor�ers, form the qeocTraphical basis o£ Lincoln County, a third of the 5iletz �asin is in Po�k raunty a�d 37� of the Alsea is in �enton 2 County. Tn the headwaters gradients are steep but once the rivers have descended to their narrow valleys the qradfents become �ow and even (Fiq. ?).� streamfFow data has been col2ected at a few points as �ollows:� River Location Si2etz at Siletz Yaqcaina near Chitwood Narth Fork �!lsea at Alsea Alsea near Tidewater Years of Mi1e Record 42.b 59 25 6 29.9 21 2 � 33 Mean F1ow High Zow (c`ubic feet per secand) I578 4�,8�0 48 (1921) 25q 6,150 2.8 285 �.4,1C0 12 1536 41,800 45 5treamflow is directly proportiona2 to rainfall, thouqh iti is nrcasianally augmented h_y runoff from SnnW i� �h r�� ��r��. ��cn so �r►e high rlaas occur in the months of heaviest precipitation, December through February, anc3 low flaws at the end of summer, �7uZy through September. The direct relationship between rainfall and streamflow means that there is sharp ciaily variation in streamflaw durir�g tha winter mon�hs. 1 v a 1 A �m N .� ma 'z �� ca � C �1 � � � O i C (A Q � v C CA V� O �"" Z m � � LI) � n � �m m � � r {� � �o � �� � r � � � � 0 O � � r o m Q � �E! � iM� � 2 �Av�cp�zo� The history of navigation on Lihco�n �punty rivers was conditioned hy the �ate settlement of most of the county. In lASS, four years befoze state- hood, the tuture caunty was desiqnated part of the Caast Indian Reservation. That entity was l�ound by the Nestucca nn the north end a point belaw the mouth - of the Umpqua to the south with the roast �anqe formina its eastern border. Pockets of w�ft� settlement only slawZy encroached upon this preserve. The Upper Alsea Valley had received settlers hefore the reservatfon was formed and was �he first area of set�Aement in the basin,� niscavery of the ca�n�ercial possibilities of t�e Yaquina say oyster in 1B64 led to the opening up of that bay �he followinq year. Tt was not nntil Z875 that the A�sea Agency was closed and Indians from the "Aisea Res�rvation" were transferred ta the northern ar 5iletz/�rand Ronde portion pf the reservation. This allowed settlernenti of Waldport and A1sea Bay to take place.� � raflroad was finally completed from Corvallis ta Yaquina in �885, but even this dfd not lead tn sustaiae8 gra,ath of �he reqion. The bar at the mouth af Yaq��na Bay p�e�ented large scale ocean traffic and A2sea harbor had aZways been podr, The Wi�lamette V���ey �n8 Coast Railroa8 suffered financial reverses and alleged sabotage frotn Portland fnterests, �ur�n��_ more the north part vf the future Lincoln County just above Newnort was stil� xn�f�n land, so the port's economic hinterland remained circumscrfbed in that direction. It was as late as ��95 when the Siletz area was opened ta whi�e se�tlement, with this dsvelopment assured ��incnln County was forme� fn ��93.�� The real deve2op- ment ot LiriCOl� County was a��gu�� Q� ��e automohile age beginning in th� 193Q's but only baoming after worLd War II, The d�te that e�itomizes this dynatnic �eriod of growth zs 196�, the year fn which I,incoln City was incoxporated.� 3 fihia slow economic deve�opment a� the basins of Lincoln County rxvers in the late nineteenth and first portion o� the twentieth centuries both encouraged and inhi�ited the use of the cannty's riv�rs. �n the ane hand the crops from �he rich lands of the uppez �1sea perforce had in �art to be mark�ted on the river because of lack of rai3roads and adequate waqon roads. �n the other hand the rich timber resources o� t�e reqion were not harvested dvring the peak periad of river driv�nq, there£ore there is much �ess use nf the rivers for that purpose than the present primacy of t�e timber industry in the county would lead one to expect. L�se of the Alsea, i� particu�ar, for driv�ng was f�r�he dzscouraged because the southern portion o� the county was the victim of the massive Xaquina �urn and much of the timher was destroyed at the tim� the ear2y settlexs arriva�. "For 30 miles fro� the Coast inland the areat�r pprtion of the Iarge timber in Che valley has b�en dest�nyed by fire." A1sea River This was tha ffrst portion af the region to receive whi�e settlers and they came not from the mouth of the river but over the coast ranqe from Corva�lis into L�pper Alsea Valley. when first cultivated these �ands were sai� to have pro�uce� 6n h �f , ���a� Y�r ac�a. T�� prabi�m w�s to qet Lnis bounCeous crop to market. �he raa� hack over the mou�tains to Corvallis was impassible during the months after harvest, so a method was devel��P� te seri� the ��ain and other produ�e of the valley do�wn the A1sea on scows. �eat cauld not be grown near the coast, so the A�sea barges hecame as vital to them as to the upriver farmers because boats found it �ifficult to make p�rt in Alsea Hay, particular�y during the time of winter storms. A m�mber of a pioneer Alsea family described the traf£ic {Fiq. 3, 4a):�� One-way naviqation was carrfed dn, and this nrily durinq periods of high water. For transportation purpo�es on this river scaas� or fZatboats, were employed. Thase scows, 30 to 40 feet in Iength, 4 ° �� �� \ `� ; ,�,��� � . .,,,,. � ' . ,� �� w T' : . . � �" }A � �'. ` � . ., �' ` � I . r � �� ��� � �1 Y .i � ' � -" �J � 6.r"�� t « � � . ��::,. ��. �''�r; � ,, ,� � ; � } _ -� • , ��i M .� 4 .,�r '�1 '*y� t4ti'°k`" s .. 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A1s+�a River at mvutl� csf Mill C��ek belc�,r Alsea, It�+I 42.1. Bec�mber �7, 1'�80. �''1CJ. �b. �i1riC�'1 Sd'1C� SC�W ferry ar� �lsea Bay. Pa�i��t+c �tud,�a s , 6 were floated down to �aldport, carrying such co�ranor]itfes as baGOn, lard, wheat, flour, and 3�um�er. A stalwart man was stationed at the baw of each boat, and another at the stern. The "riaviqators" each cZutched a sing�e oar, the functfon of which was chiefiy to prevent the craft from stickinq aqainst the �ank or collidzng with obstructions. To mske naviqation still more hazardot�s, there were several rapids. These were knvwn by such names as "The Narresws", °i7igqer Creek Rapids", "Old HelZ�on", and "Devil's Jump-O£f", With favorinq cir- cumstances, one of these scows would qo throttgh to Tic3ewater in 1.0 or 12 hours. If the tide were coming in when the scow arrfved at Tidewater, the cra�t had to be moorec3 until the tide �urned. Then the sco�a w�s released to drift the rem�in- ing la miles to Waldport. I.ocal historians pf south Lincoln County have also deve,�oped i�nfa�na�C�iQr� an the navigation o£ the 141�ea;� The A�sea River, of course, �roviaed easiest dccess up to its tf.dewater. puring freshets this stXeam cou2d be used to the tpwn of A1sea and �n�� of the first white men cominq dpwnriver hired Indians with canoes to take them to the bay area. Until 1$86 when a waqon xdad was completed to Corvallis, supplies were barged darnriver in the spring fioods..... Had it not been �or the Alsea River, the Wa�dport-Yacha�s areas would have been by-passec} a little lonqer %n settlement. The river served as nature's avenne of entrance and common carrier to this far west ou t}�os t . As ear2y as 1870 people began to drift downstream, nosinq a�nto their ideas of gre�ner pastttres. Some of these fellows, i3.ke Tom Russell, Jake Holgate, and Petex Hoover moved downriver £rom the uppe� Alsea V�iiey during the sprina freshets when the river was navigab3.e..,. In 1887 Silas Howell, his wife and fqur girls and one boy moved downriver on the spring freshet and built a hotel in Waldport..... Th� timber� �or ��e [���;� r,��ley nouse! came c3own river hy ra�t from Alsea and the mer� mannina the raft were paid wi�h two kecTs of heer. The remaining buildfng �uppiies came upriver from the Waldpart Mi�.�.s. Prier to 1880 aIl the Zumher far Waldgort buildings had been floated davnriver fro� the mill an Mi13. Cr�ek [R�+I 42.1j near thp town nf Alsea. Rafts built af one inch lumber, mostly � n� r��, ?� �, �;a�i�u freighti, then were sa�.d in Wa}�dport for $5. When they reached the�r destinatfons they were converted to houses -- such as the fi.rst schabl. Dick Evans, who cauld not swim a strok�, in his yflvnq�r y�ars, guided rnany of th�se rafts. He ltnew the river's quirks, such as th� narra�ws five miZes below Mill Creek, where trees had the habit of pi}.inq up and bZockinq passage. Here the rafts had to tie up and the narrows 7 inspected hefore procee�in� toward WaldQort. Ctstia�ly one tree held the key to th� "drift" and when it was releas�d, the whol� mess floated and broke up. For a ten hnur day, Dfck was pai� $1.�0, The barqes would make 19 stoPs in the 4� mi2e run. TaThen the river was too low for barges, 2ndians were hired �o haul supplies in their canoes. One time ,Johnnie Roilen and Bill Steprow starte� do�wn the Alsea and hit a big rock. They lost �h�ir hoat huC manaq�d to hold onto a rock alI aiqht. Next day they were rescued. Jahnnie was bald-headed and Pill had �iq feet, so the rock was dubbed "Baldie's Defeat". Anoth�r houlder a few miles further down stream is "Rooster Rock". Some fellows per�hed on it after a wreck. In 1889 army engineers ��asted out many of the da�gerous rocks but not the two with such des�riptive names. �3uch of the Zumber refe�red ta above was cut �� the David Ruble sawmiil buiZt in 1871 an the �drth �ork of the Aisea. burfng severa2 years re�are he moved to Waldport in 1979, Ruble treighte� flour and qrain flawn the Alsea in fZat boats he huilt. In a�l he is said to have made �7 tr.ips.�� 2n their r�ports ta the CHie£ Enqineer in 2879, Z893 and F895 o�ficers o� the Corps ef Engineers described this txafftc, The most circumstantial of these, esoecially for the totai econamic environment of the valZ�y, was written �y �. F, 5avage, Assistant Fngineer, in Septemb�r 1892: The val2ey thraugh which the Als�a River flows is a very na_rr%� one for most of the distance from Alsea Bay to a point upstream, abaut �0 mil�s f.rom the sea, the averaqe width of the bottom lands available for agric��tural purposes bei�q pxpbabZy not more than 3bp f�e�•.•••The river throughout this section flo�ws between hills `rom S00 �a o�v" ieet in heiqht, which axe mastly bare exce�t for the fern and burnt ti�rtber. f;ere and there some fairly good timber is seen on the bpttom lanc3s or i.n sn�ne protect�d canyon, The Uppex Alsea Va11ey is a stretch of bottom land on the upper portian of the river, about 10 miles in lenqth, with an av�raqe w}.dtY! of pB�haps hd�.£ a Eril.le. '1'hi5 p�llgv �.X�o;;?S �i,, .�i iiiiie� above the forks on the North Fork and about the same distance below the forks. On the Sot�th Fork there is, fn addition, a stretch pf qood lanr� extending fpr about 3 mi2es up beyon8 the forks. 7'i1e hi3.Zs inclosinq the valiey o� the tT�apeX Alsea River... rise very shar�ly to a height of 500 to 6�0 feet, [ar�d] are used to a s�all� extent for qrazinc� purpos�s. There is no tit�ber of any value on the hiZls adjoining the beit of good aqricultural land, There is one small sCore at the Alsea post-office, near the forks of the Alsea River, and it is the only store in the L►pper l�lsea E7 VaZley. The anly t�adina done at this store is in the minor articles, as nearly all of the farmers in the section haul most of their grain out to Corva�lis and purchase th�ir suppli�s at this latter point ar in Albany..... There fs a certain pro�ortion from one-eighth to one-forth o£ the whole wheat czop, shipped down the river on flatbaats durinq the winter season, for use in the neighborhoo� of Alsea Bay for food for chickens, hogs, an� othar stock..,.Bacon is aiso an imgartant product, as s�me o£ that article is sh�pped �o Alsea Bay for use there..... The A�sea R�ver £rom its source to the head af tide is a regular mountain stream, composed of rifflPS and rapida and inter�ediate stnooth spots.....It is only during the winter seaso� or when the river is swolien by heavy rains to from 3 to 8 feet a3�ove its Zow-water stage that the navigatfon of the Upper A�sea takes p�ace, The only boats �sed are sma1Z scows drawinq a faot or a little more, which are built as cheapZy as possible hy the £armers, as they have to be abandvned after beinq £lpated down the rfver, as it would be almost impossible to qet any boat up the r�ver. These boats are usualZy from S to B�eet in breadth and fxom 15 to 25 f�et Iong, although scows or �latboats 10 feet wide and 36 feet lonp have been �aken down successfully, when the danQerous nature of the style of navigation is considered, it is remarkable that so few accidents have occurred, for here and there are scattered rocks and bo�w�ders [sic) that are a constant menace to naviqat3on. The upper portion of the xiver near the forks has a grave� bottom general2y, but fa�thPr down �he river bottom is compose� aimost entireZy of rocks. The river at high w�ter is also sometimes �sed far running same few loqs, A sma11 amdunt of work in the way of imprqving this upper section o£ the river has already•been done by �he settlers by blowing up some few racks. Savaqe then commented on the poor quality of the roads, "having once passed over the� it �s easy to vnderstand why the freiqht fzom Cprvallis into the Upger �ls�� �'��1�'r ����i� :Qe as nigh as ane-half to 1 cent �er pound." The population of th� Upper Aisea Valley was 360-44� peo�le, Labst�r co�ntry from 130 to 2��� Lnwer Alsea VaZley arpund Tidewater past-affic� from �1� ta 129, and the section around Alsea Bay f.rom 6�0 to 640 sonZs_ The settlers in the Upper �lsea t►alley have no speciaZ desire to have the river improved for winter naviqation without ther� �ould he some sart of market on Alsea Bay for their produce, which there �s not at present, outsfde of a�urely local d�mand for egqs, hutter, bacon, and a small portion of the qrain crop. It looks to me, from �'] an exa�nination merely, that the por.tions af the Alsea °iver from the forks to the head af tide cou�d be improved sufficiently by the expenditure of a comparatively small sum of money to a�low of a mnch safer and more exten�ed hig�-water navigation of the river. And with such imprave� faci�ities it seems to me perfectly reasonable to expect th�t the products of the LTpper Alsea Va11ey could be shipped to some market - most proha.k�Zy PortYand or San Francisco, by way of Yaqn�na - on the small steam coastexs to considerable more advantage t�an they cou2d be hauled to Corvalli� or other raflroad points. But as "the products of the who�P Alsea. Valley could be Ioaded �nto one hiq grain ship of about 2,000 tons hurde�" he did not recommend more than �lastinq a few rocks on the upper river, the sam� in tidewater, and clesning up overhanq- ing b�sh and timber along the banks which �nterfered with winter naviqation, In 1895 Holland W. Baker qave further information to the Chief Engineer abo�� naviaation of the upner AZsea:�� With water at the hiqh staqe, a boat can be r.�n by two men from tihe forks to tidewater �n six hours...., Rt good hiqh staqe �ne accustamed to run the river can usually succeed in getting a loaded boat through safeiy notwithstanding the present serious impediments ta navi�ation, hut, as above instianced, the h�gh staqe of river is a very eghemera� thinu, a�d the fa�l which will occur in a very few haurs adds qreatiy to the danqers o� the transit, a2though the po�nts of pecu�iar danger ar� not ve�y numerous, ��inq ma�nly concentrate� at the various rapids. These goin�s were eneimerated �y �aker: �obacco Ra�xds, �'oade� Islan� No. 1, Devil's �ump qff, 5havel Handle, wooded �slan� No. 2, �iqaer Creek Rapids, RpUnd Mountain Rapids, Wooded �sland No, 3, Stone ?�ountafn RaFids, The Slide, He�lyan P.apids and McEtirinq Rapids. As far the loct drives mentianed by Savagp, a Benton County Mechanics Lien gives some details abovt one of tnem: David H. Solton has a lz�n on 8p0,000 feet of ffr saw loqs cut in Renton County marked F and R.T., B,n., �,a,, flr�I� �.�, � uti on Lee and Graham land on Alsea River, Benton County between 10 17ecember 1894 ana E!arch �895 £or Peter �Seyers and T, rt. �oombs . 2'he logs are now locateci between said Zand and the bootn of Harrison Bros. sawmill at ��laldpnrt on Azsea Bay, Lfncoln CoUnty, a distance of 45 miles. buring the first c3ecade of this century the To��do Lincaln Co�xnty Leader contained accounts of the barge trips £ram Alsea ta Waldport: "Fall Creek" [RM 27.SI E. E. Hamersley and A. T. Geodman ran a boat dawn the Alsea with a cargo of Zumber and apples. 19 January i906 "Waldport" Dick Evans ran two scaws c3awn the river fram Alsea Valley last week. [Lumber, apples, grain, etc.) The Zargest load was sever► tons, 12 February 1g09 "Waldport" C. R. 'Dick' Evans brougnt down 2 sCOw loads of grai� containing 30(3 busheZs qf oats anci wheat from Tay1o�'s mill iq Alsea Valley. Dick is an o1d hand at this. 4 February 1910 C. R. Ever�s went ta the upper A1sea �o k�uild 2 scows in arder to bring dawn wheat and oaCS, 27 January �.911 bic7c Evens brouqht down g,(1pp pQUnds of grain from upper l�lsea. 3 February 191I Richard Evens of taald�nrt and Aldon �?owen o� Alsea brought dawn a scow laad of qrain. At Fiv� Rivers they took on 75 bushels af a}�p2es far Mr. Webb o£ Waldport. 2� .7amaary �9I2 Additianally the paper reported drives of Zpgs and shingle bolts from Scatt Creek jRM 15] to Tidewater during these years. In 1878 there was np port of entry at P.isea Bay, but the tidaL pnrtian nf the Alsea has since i�een zeqularly navigated botn by sail and �totor propeiled craft. This was qreatly afded hy creation of the Port of A�sea in Z910. Local historians have chronicled some of the early ships which called at Alsea B�y: � government survey vessel, "�,1ba�ross" has th� r3istinction of being the first seagoing vesseZ to cross the Alsea Aar. In 1872 Titus and Lee built the schoor�er ° Lizzi�" at Tidewater anc� in November crossed the bax at 17 1/2 feet wit}� the first il cargo -- wzld cherry wood £or San Francisc�. T�is proved that a boat of ordinary draft could naviqate the entrance..... '^he second vessel, the "P.lice", btzilt by a'�!r, f;untsucker at ��.c3ewater, hauled �umber from caastal norts and also met her fate on the Yac�uina Bar..... ^'he "Amethyst", a little sailinq vessel, G�as probahly the t�ost pictuxesque of all thpse enterinq Alsea Aay,.,Sh� mad� 28 tri�s to ��alaport..... nependinq upon the weather the Amethyst usually - managpd ane trip a month, u7hen the nor�h c•rind howle�, �he stoad off shore far enough that an inshore tack Woula h��,, }��x },nto th� Alsea. This sometitnes took her R00 Miles offshore before she cauld head int On these occasions, when the su�sply of boats were Zate in arrivinQ, the town's kerosene su�ply often ran out, Other saiiing ships tiackinc� over the Pisea Sar includec� Lilly, Hatti.e, , 7oseph, 4?enry, �!ary 8edwel2 and Mary r,ilvert. ,,.. �`wo steamboats built at Yaquina, Mischief and Augusta steamed out and in the �±lsea Harhor with carqoes, mhis ended the era of sails. In 1889 the stear� schooner Wm. x. Ha�ris�n of ].C1� tons was constructed at Waldport, and in ].892 a small steamer the �1,�S�otte drawinq 2 I/2 feet qf water p�yed hetween Waldport and Tidewater post-affice.� Thus fo� over half a century following statehooci the Alsea was a vi�a1 hiqhway for commerce in southern Lincoln c;ounty and the State has a�].aim to its bed from the forks at the town nf pi�a� rnM �„ �; �� `i�e river°s tnouth in the i ... � Paeific. 12 Ya uina River The £irst vessel to e�ter Yaquina Ray was the Ca�amet sent fn 1856 to pi�oviszon Lt. Philip 5heridan at the Coast In�ian Reservation. Many v�ssel� entered the Bay after exploitation of the oyster beds an� settlement beqan in 1664. Vessels were frequently �onstructed on the Aay in succeed�nq years. The Pioneer of 92 foot lenq�h was built above EZk City by Kelly Rros, in 1872; two ysars �ater the si�ewheeler Mo�lie was built at Elk City. Elk City was for most purpases the head of navigation on the Yaquina, and after 1872. there was a regularly scheduled steasnboat service betwepn ��ewport ana EIk City (Fig, 5), ��h�n the Corps of Engineers beaan work on th� Yaqufna jetty fn 1$8�, some stone was qvarried abnve E1k City on Biq EZk Creek and the Yaquina near the head of 26 tide (Fig. 67. Above the head of tide the onZy commercial use of the river was for log driving and timber rafting. Much of this centered on the mflls built by Gearqe A.Hpdges. His first sawmiZl was evidently at Camp Cr�ek, Salado (RM Z3, Big Eik Creek). It was probably built in 1893. A locaZ newspaper reported on March 29, Z894 tha� Hodqes & Lathrop have �,D�� shfngles and 6Q0 posts fn � raft �� s � ? ?�G• ������ L• H�����, c;eorqe`s grandson, aescribed the mill an� its use of Big EZk Creek in ah essay, "Early Logqin� and Lumbering in the Big Elk": In 3.897-98, George A. ��odges and sqrG e=.a*:�� � little sa�i�.� in the ber►d of the F3ia FZk River, ak�ou� Z1 miZes from Elk City. They sawed mostzy for themselves, hut sold some of the lumi�er. They got their logs nn the hil.ls �cross the river from thefx place. They wouZd fa3.1 tihe timber with crc�ss--cut saws or axes. Then they would have to limb and peei each tree so it would slici� down the fi; 7 T mt� ..... .. r � ,- - •��--��. � wuu�t� i�eati Lhe 3.oqs Che direction tk�ey wantecT them tQ go and start them. The Iogs woul� slide down into the rivez or river bottom..... After they qot the ioc?s in �he river, they would raft them down to the milZ..... 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Rr�i 10.5. �'8;nuax�r 7, i981. _ ��.'�,� �� �, � a �� ��,� �� � , t[ ��"''"""��'�: �� ` �_- .� �� �,,� '������,� Y ,�_ �, A � ��: .. ,.�,�. > �" r ,� ) � �� { ,� � d � ��t � � 0. . , �� fi , �4�'^" x � �•n,� � �= r � �� , • ; } a } � " ��i ' � '� •' � Y "q/ ` ��' ��...—,."�' � ,i ��,., � -� ��� a�: �� °� `w `F� � 1 , � �'�.��" �t .. � i � 1 �'; . , _ 'Y�r� .4�' w � "' � "e' � ." � � «�� �. - � � . C F '� . ep- . �d � �, ,' .�.Y' �"` ` F'!�� e � ' �. ' f� 4i" � �� � r �`' } �r � �Y.+�. � r�� � v � � �. 4, d � ",� °R y �. +. `� � ��' .�# . �'� s � .r � "� � M 4�;:� w+� � r� � k w ' ''�" " '`"'-�' � ' : �.. � °�� � '�� ,�",. i`�r,,� . � 1� ` t��s �"�� ° � .; �ti ��:? � � rw •�a •- � y +' '' ?� ,,"aY' � �t y�,'�' . � �� . s ':-.i � . ..r �.. � :��i,�"��r� �� qY;."e ^� `�, �u � �• , � �� . �, '"�" .��tr ,.a. � , , � .� , p�' �A^, ` <n t, � - k �' y^ �. �. . ��� ,q�e �" ;.�! a � "�`� ��"�����A� �Y�4:��'j5�. � .'� : � � y' [` r A I . ` �, . . � , � 7y1Ny �� ,� . � ` , f '�+- `* . A. �ytik . l.V..-#w � v e :;, �� r e Wb � �.� ; �� �� :. t ' .. 4 y ` � � �,. mh,. ei', .. , „ ,� i .. �� � � � � +. ! � � � dM � I �;`" ryr_ �.,i :i� uaa� . lt�F � � # �" � �� ; ` � � r x �: �-.. � � � ��� �, �` ..._ �+r�i� . . ,� � r I# �. „ ' . u �a � i .9 � �+ �' i � „„,� } . ��r r �° ��� a � °� * �i � �� t - � �'` � _ � �,,� � rr � ,� i�� ',� ��. + � . * � .. ���� 1 �„ ` � . ~� � � � �.��. . . �� ��� - �. � Fiq. 7kr. Big Elk Creek at mouth of ��ar Creek, RM 5. Janna�cy 7� 1�83. 15 S�hen there was enovgh lusrEber to make a raft, it was packed to the river and made into a raft. A Iot of wark went �nto the construc�iqn of these rafts. First they got two cherry pales abaut twenty�eight or thirty-two feet long, alZ depending an how �ong they wanted the raft to be, They made ft twelve fe�t wi�e. [It was held by wooden pins.J After the �aft was made, two more poles were put on top and wedged in ti�ht. On later rafts of lutnber, they use� iron bolts. The trnuble began when they deliverea the lumber because the bplts were mare than one or two men couid pack [back upriver ta the miZl.] When the rafts were made a couple wo�Zd get on it and set afloat. They wn�ld build a lean-ta on the raft �n sleep in. They guided the raft with two sweep paddles, one in front and one fn back. They weuld have to tie up when they hit tid� water and wait for the tide to change whenever it was runn�ng the wrong direction. ... It would take them about a week to take the raft all the way ta Newport. 'I'l�ey would average about five thousand feet 1n a raft; and they would get about $100 a ra£t, They were Iucky to get out two rafts in a winter. Hadge� built a steam sawmill in Elk City f� I905 to which most logs frqm the upper river were driven thereafter, but the mill also rece�ved loqs brought upriver frnm the tidal portian of the Yaquina (Fig. 8).2a The Hodg�s wanted logs so they bought fram anyane who would �ag and get the �ogs to the river. When they w�re in the river, Hodges would raft them to the mi�1. The mi�� wovld cut around fifty-thousand €eet a day. This started the first commercial lagging in the Big F.lk Val�ey. It w�s a rew indus}r}�. T�ere �er� many thau�$�ds and mi�Iions o� feet �f timber in the valley. Th�re was good money in �t�gginq, so the mill always had an ample supply of logs to cut. The logging was do�e by ox and horse team�, The only lcg shu�e� in tfie valley were �uilt by the Hodges [Fig. �0]. One was �bout five miles from Elk City and the other was fur�her up the river. De11 Hodges had charqe of all the 1og drives out of the Big Elk. He and some of my uncles would follaw the logs 8own the river in boats. Sev�r�Z men drowned durzng the time af the drives from woa3s to the �i�y, m�C�C w��� �any �zsks in a driv�. Dell Hodqes waded out in neck-�eep waters ta rescue the Zog, ane slip might mean being dragged da�wa stream and un�er. 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"'� riw r�� � _ ` f; �� � f � '.� � �:�, � �' �' �� � �'=� / � �. �'�K� � L �. t- ' : � . � . •l. . s _ + . �. w'�. � . s r.�:';Sr� �.��f��!`��-+.�c. .ti"�' " -�:� r �� �Y'� _ ' Y - - ..r � . � t_.-:�. � :� " �-'�`"_���" _. ,. - - _ -•� __ ..�,• • ' . �4�5°' � " -. . . '��� '4'�-a. ��' �.,• , . _ _ � . ! .. . � ` .µ � av�w lzi • � - , � ... �r � ' ` �'1 �ti�� ��Z� �� - _ � � . _ � . �w a-r�_ �*� J ��'�� 1• . ' � � r�� -_ � � � . ' _ . � � � - �'_- � � 2�;�i~" _ _ _ ��3�..•� . . . . '• . t`��.� . � - ' � -_ ` .• Y' , • i �� '�' ���� S� ` " - . . � �" . _ .- �_ _ wi ^`-�rw A �w : � _ 'ti `r- ._ - � . . .. _ . • ��', � �.%►'� � � ., _S ` • r�_ � � ~ � . - �. - M1 R . �� ^ � \ � r � !�"� a � '!�' , " . . • • - . _ - _� �L _ ' ' _ �;� , ��'tiwr�_�.1 ��1 _ . +� � - v � - . ' �'. � S�r` � � " _ ' _ :�.. �' 1' v+�t -� _ _. . . . � - . .. -. � � . _ �_ ' � ` ` - . � - � �� � . After the �ill was gone, the fiodqes built another mill eight miles uQ the river. They sold the one in Flk C.ity to finfs & Hawkins Co. They laqqed the country around their new mill for t�n years. ..... The Davenports di� a lot oF logginq arpund �923-25. They were a har8 working bunch. mhey would log tiriher fram the top of the mountains with hors� teams and the No�ges would take their �onkey and loq them inta the river..... The Iast loq �rzve was made by my dad, De� Hodges, and his brothers in 1445-46. Besides taking lumber rafts down Big EIk Creek, the Ho�ges h�ilt a iaunch, Ethel, at iJel Haclges' betw�en 190fl-12. I� was taken dawn to tidewa�er and Jim Hodges operated it between Elk City and Newport. Perfodita].ly it was run �p to Bear Creek (!2M 5) fox mainten�nce (Fig. 7b?, It rernained on the run untiJ. 29 1935. The Lincoln County Leader recards some of the ind�viduaZ drives whfch went down the Biq Elk and Yaquina riv�rs to the Hodges and othPr mills after 1905; "Biq �lk" D. S. RamseZl put in a drive of 25,000 feet at the new sawmill of Geo. Hodges. Lafe Pepin of Chitwood (Fiq. 12a] passed Biq �:3.k �ast Sa�urday wi�h a log drive fram up �he Yaquina. f?e will raft from Rocky Bax to Toiedo. Lpgs car� t�e �riven fram the hea8 waters of bptk� Elk and Yaquina rivers. A few years agp we never thaught of logs comfng trom up Fl,k or Yaquina, but now we find millfons of feet of seCOnd grcywth fir that is considered better tha� oFd fir for timber of aIl kinds. �6 Novemher ].906 A year later a gate was put in the fish rack in the Yaquina i.n orde�r to £acili- tate the naw freqtient log dri.ves. "Harlan" [RM 23 Elk Creek; Fig. lla] Lester Grant snd Everett Braan ar� cutting laqs for the E].k City mi11 a.nd will run them on the late raise of the river. 14 �anuary 1910 "Har].an" Ji.m and pel.bert Hndges, willfs ar�d Lester Grant and B. d. Young are driving 600 iogs to Flk C�ty. The dr�ve fs qoing fine. 4 March 1910 2i r , �. :, . , X � �, aa ,� :. � W �° m s r% . , � , ,�� ., �, .. p � ". c , � j � K ,� � rF . � b a '�t ',�,�`�� y } � �, �C ,. � "��fM ..� .a r �� �, y ��.. f 'ed� �`+� � u� �aY'� .. , ' u�� � �'"'t. . � � �: �. L `. �a N . !,. 1 �} � � i � y {V �*•. y ,.r,,9 fi a l"41 ., N � yp �� M "5.�� �� �'j .l� I, �•� W: �"� . . � ' r � (- f a^'�� i -i� ' �"' " � � ,�y'� � ` 1 .� F �,�� � � � �t�� t r � �". ,� � ""mr � -"" ' '"� �"�` . � � �,"�' . Y . , ,�. �,. • • � � . .'� t " . 4� �, ,� .a � + q ��' �+"�iC�h, '���, �C�" , ra•- �- �^a � �`�'�4�� `u��,� ..� � �•�� �8 ,a�4,�.•p" •1 � 0, y.i�'�r e°'y. - �# i . .,.,,� . "'�"5. .. .t � w '� �c ,' ' �' � . �✓ � A�` ` � . �.�¢�., x • ' C `�',`wM'd,��^d�.'i°' ,� V� � y�p� �� ' y �. " . .�.. !3 � ' M 4� `aT�., : . ^"� -�����. w '" �"�" � �� '. S s� d + +� 4 �� „�' . �!t�' • �L ^ A �_ a � �� � h � � ��. a, �. } "�an . � �t� ; '"�, "�' . 5 .�r � `+� �� � � r � p �� � ..� i.� .� �� ,�.��� ^'��" � * ��,° v � �- ir ��;,.� m ,.: '�'+�t:��;� ...� ' �'"��" �' � �a.. � � '�� �. ... w.., ..� ,,�'� � . . � � �� � fi � � � �.., , '' �.� a� �',� „�� r� � �^� �,�,, � � "� �� "�• '- ' W�°�'r� w.`� x'^� s a y �r,� . ",�.. r .. ;:r . . �� a ax� a o-�G . � ,� C' �. r p�», , �r. � � � ��w�,� � � , . ,.,, - � �° � . m � y � "�� ��,��� �' " +�. , , .. ° " '*°re ��," " "�� ' � +'�,►'� . , .,. � �„ ...�r s�ii�'"` ;� .. � � � --;.. a � �.:�.s�, , � -. . g w� '1 .��"i.�» .,,.,:- � �. "� " �„fiy, � rt� / � ' . ��' �� ^���.. n }�+ i n ,. � _ ., A. +"•• �,b� , '. n x � .r � .� ,. �� .� � i� _ .a ... - pr �.. � ' .., . .� � . � � , ' -� ....._ „ _ ... . ... . . . _ - . .: _.. , �,. ���,v�°..� ,. . . . . . _ sw.��, �. •_ �—� . u . . � v3k "'� �, , �'� ,�, � ` , i . „A-.^ " � °° .,� " ... . j � "�"�,��. �§,. r �� „ ,� ,�. , ' �r . , . ,. . . „ . v ..s»- �t�._ ..�.. , � � . �a;. � _ ' , fi , ��' ^ � v° ..�..-. .� ,. '. ' .. �. .,i.� ' . " " ., � � . '.� • ,� � „'�„�,r.. .., . i .. . _ . , . . , . � � m, ..w,a � � ..,���� � � '�- � ��' �� .-;.� �. . . �r. �.. . .. N � ' Fig. 11a. �ig ��11� c:;z at: Harlan. RM 2�.3. �7anuary 7, 1981. � r dH r r �.. �J ' � � � ' �+}w: �'�� � "�",�� � "� ,#+ .� . . r�. A ,.✓,. } _�/ tl �" '"*,� .`°' s ,. M1 ,. . � n • � � �. t�eX , � � �!; � � ' • � �� � "�, e „ e � ;i. T . i' � y;,�.l ` � � d'. � °�.� � , ��,:9 "�••^' /�✓'•• '�! . � rp � B.�'+� if i� . V�F: � 1'I '1 4 „y � - � � �" ` � � a � � `F y �`f 'A .,����� _ � � .�� � . � S � w � A � i � I � �y ' rt � V R.4 6_ �`� �� ��➢ ���� p �'� � � � � `* � '� *� � /r� . u� ��Nvg�� �P,(a � �h �F * ��,ay;��� �m . n ��a �b,�«a .a'�$"* � ��� � ^�'� � � x �� i _ ++' ,,� i Iy �� ,� � �, "� �; �.�. T �r ,� ip^^ � ���y.'�"� �,u"` � :JW�. ��?" _...�xf.�4 .'�w ..�»r������"M'., ��!".�1l�FY�� -„�w�!�. w,� �•� �� "�, I� '� 1 yi � .. . 5 � ��� � �� �� i 7� �„ -�°�`'�'�i^; �' _ . �� . .� � �� �„�w� wiil� �';;: � ��� _ .., .,,, . .�. �..^�+�lct,. � , . ' �. � . ` ' I '. _ � A ' I I � ' . �4 T � , p ... -� �� . . . ' ' ... ��- �` - -_ � � � ` , ..� . . .. -_ . � ,�' ': -, s �r . _' , y ,. . . r. k�. � � . ' ' _.. " • ..'. ^ jv � . 'v".Br.� � v..'��4 +'SG: _ Y . . � „ �•�n.r - ,. _ ^ r '�r' '} 1T .T y � . . : "` �� '.,J'k� � Y� � - �_� �._. 'k''� � .. �rn� �/k'" �. -. -���-�.v.., . . ;.. G'„ '"� a �g :� � - � � i4��"^`"`-t�., �.`'" ., �'^ - o �� . � . , - ., .- ..'� ,�"'". :- "`�,ax .m� ��" � . ""'e�r., `�""��.,,�`",,^T,�_ � '"" "a� �:.-��� '�."".�- � ,� ��' .,�,�W 4 .. '=..w� '+'�._..` ��"'�,", �- -, Y vr-�. .. , .,� :. i � _ ,� ... �"'�'_ � "`ti'"'. ~ a: �..-�.. — :,��,� S.+ - , . . � _ � '__ ... . � � - - Fiq. llb. Big Elk Creek, ftM 19 . 2 . January 7, 1981. 22 "Elk City" K, n, woodfora is puttinq 300,OOD f�et of Ioqs in the Big Elk from C. W. Young's place for the FIk City Lnmt�er Co. 9 Febrnaxy 19�.2 "Elk Ci.ty° K. D. woodford put severa] thousand feet of lpgs i.n the hoom for the Elk City Lumber Co. � March 1912 On the last drive of the season Waod�'or� and Pau2 Chatterton fe�l from thefr logs at the Col. Parker p�ace. Aaker got Chattertott wha could not swim, but woodford drownea. He had been in Bfg EZk valley for four years and was logqing for t�he Elk City L�mber Cnmpany. "Riverside" Lester Grant and his hrothers are drivirig logs dawn E�k River for the George Hndges sawmf�l. 17 January 19Z3 "Big F.1k" C�arence Pa]�mer is logging £or the E1k Cfty Lumber Co. 7 March 19I3 At later c�ates there is adc3f tional� evfdence of �og drivinq on Yaquina River and Big EZk Creek from other sources. On Navember 13, 1923, W. N. Cook an8 Sons or Cougar Creek Logging C4mQany registered their Iog brand C with th� LincoZn County Clerk (Fig. I2b}, They stated that: Saicl logs s� �ran�ed wi21 �a `lrsat�� �h fih� Yaquina Tiver �rom a point near Chitwood, at the covered bridqe there, to Tolec3o on the Yaquina Bay, and on other st�eams in Lincain Cpunty. �,eland Prather, veteran river drfve� 3r� t?�e Wi?�ar.;ette Valley, t;a� ;,na �au ar� Sig Elk Creek where in November 1928 he helped in a c�rive of 300,000 feet of alder logs put in 3-3 miles be].ow Harlan (Fig. lib) and floated to F.lk City, Another tributary of the Yaquina was the acene of loq arfving activity during the first dacade of this century, Depot Creek. �'ram logging on Depot Slough in ]�9p1 (George Bea�inari for Gregson's sawmill), Zoqgers began cuttinq on its headwaters and f�oating th�m down the creek on winter freshets: 23 , Y. . .:���� � _ . i ��`.�. ,,_+' . � _ .� � ,.•, -���� � . ' .., ��'' � �,; "`= . '+�=.:���_'�^��� -.� ` ',� , �� ' ` � f . ` a �' . � ` � _" r �-.--�__--�� • }:-'`' �" - - � . - . ` � j . { r.r' s �. � ' ( ��1i � ' 1 `~ ` "� . }�.'�' . . � ! �.i.y„t , •�.'1y�h� , h4h n��� i1+, � � :�°. u � �� ���; � . . � �, � + �S'�! .e . I .`{ �+ � � , . _ , 1 � . � � w3i:r. � . k : � _ -- .. _ . , . S ' .. . _ .1:: .r' _E - .t - '� � ' ' . . ' . � . . ��' �,- . - , � _ • ' ���'�'.�?�.�„ � ._ _-.. . _ .- �r - . . -� _. �. �_-- _- .. N � ' . �...�. ,.. . _ _ _ � � �. ��• �1�� i � _ � �. _ ,. _ _ ' ' __ . . . : � ' _' �- _ _ �.4 ki '�� .� _ . ���. . '� ���'„ri�� , # _ _ . � �rk -_ - __ . ' , �� -- •'y' ;� . -- - - _ - _ - . -�� --�� ='��` `^��� -- -. - -_ . - . -- .� � �' " - `s ,Y - �^ � - � _-�' --��� � . _� - _ - -- A?: ' ' " ='7 �f ,� ��ti^i „' � _�, _ - � � =� i� _. - .S � �."'� � `: - , _ \ -"+ � _ R�g�= �.,y � ��r+.� �� � � _ T . � 1 .- � . �..� :! �� ,� _ __ ' _ . . 1 -. • ' ` � . - f-SV '��'.' � � _ _-_ � �� :r _ � � . _ � •::r e ,,,r,. -�r T �_� �„� _ — �y.-----� - . . r { 4 ' . � � _ '"•' . j-±? , S/"'r�r��� t �� - . � � _ -- � �, "._ , "7��•, �j � � _ r � ` � :,��� _. r� %~ � ; , .i� `� a = '-. ` � � � � ! � � � �.-.� ) * � � ��:%''•� '�,. �' ! ; �`��r . �_ : �� ��' _ - ri�.. • ..� ��;iF. � . . y � '� ''�" "t'�`t� ;,� "' { ';i�.����° i Y. �� . +� � . '�' b. ^� . . . _ ;: .�. . �ti '` �� �� ~ . ,._ , ; .�_ '�'� � � ti � � �,,��'= � . ti f 7 � ' . . ��- + �� " {;.�4�''� i . ` ~' -:r` •� ` ' � �` . Mose Gregson received 400,000 feet af logs in his boom cut on the Fred Wessel place on upper Depot, 13 �arch Z902 �. L. Gray's logging enqine is stuck on Drake Creek �ridge. Nis logs not yet dawn to ti�ewater but he may get a freshet. 24 March 1905 Heavy rafns an� high tides enabled G. L. Gray to get 5d0,000 fe�t bf saw �ogs to tidewater. 23 �'ebruary 1906 Duzir�g the fall af 1906 a Zogging r�ilroad was bviZt up the f�eadwaters of 1]epot SZough, but some of the milli�on feet of sawlogs which �he freshet brought into Altree's boom in November of that �ear were doubtless floated down I�apot Creek. In December 19p'7 A1tre�'s erew weze reported to have made a rt�n of logs dawn Depot to their boom. It was not unti.l April 191D that there was natice of a �ogginq dam having been placed in the t�pper stream of Depot Slouqh at the S. Romtvedt �ZaGe in the nartheas� corner pf Section 3Z, Tq�wnship ZI South, Range 10 west. This oper_ation ran into the resistance of landowners alonq the waterway. O. }t, Altree's Yaquina Bay Lur:�er Company was l.oqging on the up�er enc� of the .7ulia Kyniston farm and the J. �. Parrish and ?,t�rntsck Z$r�C � 3�jZ� ,�;�� a quaxter abave �he splash dam. The dar� was bvilt 7 feet high where �]epot 6lough had a width of from 50 to 10fl feet: that at many tim�s the nattiral water in said stream is not suffic- ient to float logs �t th� dump of said Iaqqing c�mp, and the defendants...close the dam in said stream and hack the water up and overflaas the land o£ [Ramtved.t]; that when the waters of sairi stream are backec�. up by the defendants' dam �hat it perCO- �$�es �1rAl2(Th f_.hP hankg nF �]-�n �c,��°�;": :tifi2i� i� is ii�� x�i��C.L[ high enough overflaw th� same (and]...has renaered much af [plaintiff's iands] unfit far cultiva�ion. That such £looding is dane at fx�equent and irregular intervals...that when the flood water heZc3 by said dam are released their sudden re�.ease 25 creates a very strong current which thraws and jams the logs against the banks of tihe stream which action further breaks ddwn and destroys the �ands of this plaintiff alonq said banks, etc. Both Jahn F. SteeZe and 0. A. Copeland who had lands just above the ��m brouqht suit to prevent �he sp�ashing. Altree petitioned the Caunty Clerk to declare Depot Slough naviaabl� for log drivinq fpr five miles above its mouth but ended by agreeing to £i�ish his �og flotation by April 15, 1912, Thus from at least Z893 to 1946, rafts of loqs and tfmber and free floating logs were taken down Big EIk Creek from as f�r up as Harlan, River Mfie 22.5, and on the Yaquiaa from Chitwood at River Mile 26.5. One launch had also been built at Salado, River Mi3e 13 of Biq E�k Creek, taken tn ti�ewater, and occasionalZy run back upriver to Bear Creek. Furthermore f.or at least a decad� Depot S�ough (and Creek) were driven five mzles to ti�earater from �rake Creek durina wint�r freshets. All this was in addition to a contfnuous history o£ commercial naviqation on the tidal portions of the river. Therefore the Gtate has the basis for a claim to the beds of Yaquina River� Big EZk Creek and Depot Slough (Creek} ta the upper points indicated as heads o.f navipation. 26 Siletz River There was considerabl� use af canoes above tidewater on the Siletz as the oid place name Cano� �andinq at River �ile 25.5 indicates. mhey w�r� �ised to carry persons and qoods by the Indians for the most part, but raere also commissianed for use fr�m time to time by whit� traveliers and settlers. The last canoe was built hy Archie Johnson at Siletz Agency and is naw o� display at the Lincoln County Museum. After the opening of the 5iletz area to white settlement in 1895, the river served as an artery af cammunzcation �urinq th� next two decades until roads coul8 be built and �he raiZroad extended to the town of Si1eLz (Fiq. 13), In 1902 Ted Kosydar's father rafted lumber from the Siletz sawmill to his faxm site abave Fuchre Creek. It was done r�urinq cxesting hiqh wa�er at niqht with only a lantern for i�lurnination, i?is son marve�s to this day that the �rip was cor�pleted without fatal consequenc�s. The Lincoln County Leader chronicled some o£ th� �ownrive� trips from th� old seat of the Indian agency to Tohnson or Kernvill� on the Bay. �n �anuary I909, Goyrse anc3 Haz�ow �loated dawn the river ti�ith a scow laad af freight. The follow- ing March, John 1�. Butterfielc� came upriver anc� took a scow load of pxavisions down on ris r�turn. At t�� ,¢Tc tire J�h�� Llay�3 �nd '„•illiam *iu�key were alsa preparing to take a scaw filled with proviszons and a raft of lumber c�ownz�iver. The foilowing wintPr Ti.p F�olland and hi5 family floated dc�wn from �iletz in high water at the end af November. Mrs. Fielc�ina of Kernville received a visit �ram her mother and brother who also �ook advantaqe of the same hiqh stage af the river to baat down from Si�etz. In �iarch 1911, a scow load of feed ��as brouqht c3own for Jackie Johnson, 27 r � •'� ���' f+* , ;�.F� .� . �y a �, � � �� ,�,� a t� �m „��' :� �r� ` ' .��r� �� w ��� R � � "�' � �,„;� � '� r �u��"�y` � y���, . . . �;�'IO,.;.r� �. ,.y� � , � rt• . : � AM" �°"d Y 9�, � . :� _ . °��'` .� . . � � ,r 7W ^w n � . � .�"' � ' � �C« .� " � j �R , , t ' . � y "�t �� . �:�,7 �' �'�''�� ^ a �; � . a �. ,. . ' ' , . � � .. � � ,, 'y ... � ,. � � - � i s '?�`�"�. . 4 �S'�{1�Y4 � ., r � �.,�'y�� . °MW� � q� . !' " i � � � �'� '. � ,�.���� 1 �Kr�� � - " F � � � �* " ° f M' �y P 3 �. b N "A�A��'.�r Yf � � -�� ��V ." - �, k y��� 4�'�w(}�; . �. . : p �?4� ��d"'^ . '�",�1° $A~ . �.6 �'i �° � ry.�. .. � �Y�il � :..k , � , :,-+�. � y y Y , �'� �' M u � �ik. I Ar � ' . ; ' � . . . . „ � .�-., xr ^ f �� � d . � ., n � f � * � ` II� �A ��� B fi� y �� � �.. � , � � ri�� � � . �:�� a ��� �� � .,�. � � � h � ��,� ����.� ' _ � p �� °� � *� ���": � . . � "� , .Tp� ^ � �`��'��'��pr��.,,� _�� ,�:. •. �^ u � . . � ��.^� . �p�` � , ',��""'�"'4,w'fr+� �t�., � � 8 � . �E �"..."�',�.���—�. i�. ,;;�4� 1 �'''xs��u;` Pig. 13�. Sil�tz River belaw Highway 229 Bridqe, R�+!! 36.4. �anuary 7, 1981. -�� �-,.._- � �_ _ _ , _ - „� - ���� _ _ �, .. �,. � _ . . - --�- _ - � .�:��..=,�:... �,,, _ � v ~�� � """""�"``_`--=---: ' _ = � 28 Fig. 13b. Siletz River belaw Euchr� Creek, RM 2fi. January 7. 1981. Remarkably enouqh there is almost no evidence of the river hav��g heen used above th� town of Siletz to transport loqs or tim}�er products. Only zn Novemher 1906 was there notice that 3ack West of [tpper Farm (RM 50.5] was usinq the unusuaZZy high water of thaC month to £�oat �osts dc>wn �he SilPtz.�� During World War I, the Spruce Company dumped their Zo�s fram the present fiighway 229 bridge north of �iletz into the river and flaate� them to the milZ they had established a short �istance downstream {Ffq. 13a), in general dawnriver trips frnm Siletz were ma8e by horseback ar wagon to Mowrey's Lanaing frpm which tidewat�r Zocation a boat wduld be used fpr the remainder of the trip. The ear�y mail carriers also used a boat to get to Mo'wrey's Lanflinq and then pac�ed the mafl upriver using small boaCs at four points on their �ourney to €erry themselves back and £orth across the river.� This mixed mod� of carriaqe accounts fnr the �ecer�er 19p9 report that the mail car- rier frem Siletz to KernviZle had capsizea and dther baatinq mis�aps bp the carriers.�� In May 1923, F, w. G�rttula d�posed hefore the Public Service Comtnissfon that he made regalar winter trips wi�h a q�soZin� powered hoat. �o deliver �resh fish as hig� as Canoe Landina and had even made deliveries �p to River �i1e 31. Ted Kosydar of 5iletz says he can rememher hea�inq th� throh pf Gerttula's hoat comin� upriv�r �ra� 4h� windaw Gf �h� �chonihouse he was then attenaina.�� The tidal }�artion of the Siletz had had some laqging qperations in �he two decades after white set�lement. An ex�aanston o� activfty there which wpuld lead to iarge scale lpgqinq above the head of tiae took place durinq w��]� �T�r r, 5iletz spruce was in demand for airp�ane construction during tha� war. W. A, Noon established a mill an the lower 5i�etz about three miles from thP �ar with a daily capacfty of 3Q,000 fe�t, 2g 'Itaenty-two miles up the river on tidew�ter, the logqing camp was constructed from which the logs were rafted and towed td the mil� by smail g�s tawboats. By courtesy af the o�wners the qas schooners Rustler and F. L. �mith and Mirene were engaqed £or the transportation ot the Iumber to Rstoria, an� later the Government qave the use of the new Govern- ment dock at Yaquina and also secured the schooner Rqamer for the run between Siletz Bay and Yaquina. This operation was follared up durinq the 1920's and 1930's by Pacific 5pr�xce Company (with Manary Logginq Company as a subsidiary} and LSnco2n County Logging Company whose operations gradually went above the h�ad of tide. 'rhe latter campany was owned hy A. S. Kerry, C. H. Dav�s and F. E. W�yerhauser, It �00}c more than 800 �illfon hoard feet of loas over the treacherous Sf1e�z bar irt modified �avis rafts fflr marketing in Tillamaok Bz�y, the Calumbi,a River, Grays Harbour and Puget Sound (Fig. 14). '�h�ir camp was a Mawrey's Landinq where they had � floatfng lumber esmp, the Ark (Fig. 15) which housed 7D men during the log- ging seasan. From the camp they loqged along the rfver. The rafts were assembled at Mawrey's Landing and to�wed aut by such tugs as the Dodeca Chahunta and Sea Foam {Fig. lb). Auring the 1920's and 30's, H. E> Crawford also put in logs at Suchre Creek for flotation dawnriver. Later Pacific Pu�p & Paper had a large rollway at Fuchre Cre�k which operated into the Z950's. vernan Castle, wha stizl Z�.ves near that location, operated a sma11 tu� wY�i�h '�ao;� small r�fts f�o� a�ile a�av� �P �ou�h af Eu�h�� C_r��k down the Si.letz to !�lawrey's Landina wh�re they also were mac3e up irtto larger rafts and taken out into the Pacific. 30 a s Y .�aey`• .. �a.M�.6+�-� ,.�'� "ri� � ���� �� ',: :�'k!� � .:.` � �.�.., Ir . - , ~i� - / .,� .• ,; �. � �� '�. ? 1 n* � � f ';�� � i r; 4�w �4 � +�I -+.:,..:_•: � i x p�. "$<,,y�. J ^� ii . •�ws � i . � .� � �� � I� �. r � � , � �� , �� �s ' 1 a � , tr+ o �, .� ,.� d ro � � U ro o � � � � � ro � � � � .c o U �+ � .� • x � � � •o • +� a+ d, w e � � � G�.� H O .. � ' � i i i � I �, • • 1- ��a`Y� 1. ' ` ! � 31 . `' � f . , . , 'v► * ,� ! ' + �. �! �• �, , ., �a � � ,� � �r l ' ;_ �- � . '` �4 . � I d ' �I�.' . ;� {~x �� ; , s i � � � � � � cn «� � o ° � �l � �� H � S � �� O � � � C V � �� o waam _ � . ? , i� %±� .` . +.� � �' ! � i � � �s�i r ,� �,° � t 1. � � ,. . { ' �#1 � ' i � � � • ! �� r t, . ' �' � 4 # + � � � � ' f � ` r. � . � t} � ! � c t � '# ,', `r ,, � :4� � � ��� ��. �. � . , , �,. ��r� � ' . +� .',�� � , �.. ;i'',�4 �� { r,� l � rwr * � ��, . � ' .' � '1 �� ( I '�' ' �''� �r ,�;�,. � , �. �.� � �,��'�� � , `����'���7 }� � ,+. ��I� '�� ; ,,� q� �, � , � '+ 4 r i , �, h f ` � � 'a , . .. � 32 �. �r .�� r ° 4 ,. . £ � # *: } . � � � � W � ,,��J�µ � '�M }N •M M '� n � ���, 'I � � r a � A �a ti ��r w �. �� 4 �� �� �:a � ^ �" � s' i v � `' � � '+ .�"� � � °� an : +�' �a �r� � �� .�� , * „�.. ,�, y � � '`� ��°� ' ,w � , � � �. '� ����" �� � � 9K �� �� .r � ���p+� � / �� Y � + �A � � � �h� � � � r �' 1�1 L7`. �� j� N � � i Fc� rf ��; � � � Q � � � � 5 � � � °' ' .,� �3.Y r°'� 33 1�CREATIONAL NAVIGATION In response to a request for information on the current usaq2 of the rivers of Lincoln County by boats for recreati.anal fishing, the following ctata was sen� by Nelson E. Stewart, Di.strict Fish Biologist a� Newporti, Yearly estimates for the winter steelhead fishery, November-March an River Mile 13-42 of the AZsea River are as toliows : Xear Boat AngJ.ez Days Eoat Days 1979-$0 12,961 5,515 1978-79 21,130 4,736 1977-78 10, 399 4,425 I9 76- 77 1. 7f 8 752 1/ I975-76 1I,�78 4,884 � 1/ Drouqht effect resulted in law L�,sage. The best infprmation far year around usage is that incluc3ed in the 1.978 State- wide Boating Survey prepared by Oregon State C3niversi�y �or the Stat� Marine Board. Figures for the rivers covered in this regort during the 1977- 78 boating season are: ��, � Boat Days St�ream Boa�s Fishing Alsea RiveY 722 �lsea Bay 1,�04 Xaquina River SS Yaquina Bay --- Siletz River 985 Siletz Ba� 128 22,983 ,h ,�c� 1L / 1G J 2,418 57,035 16 , 319 974 Information an the number of boats using the Big Elk is not. available, but i� a.s not great at the present time and is virtuaI.ly confined to the firs� five miles of the river during the spring trout fishing season. 34 Sec�ions of streams most heavily used and time o£ year of gr�atest use are lis te d be law : Primary Sectian Used Majar Periods a� Stream by Boat Anglers � T __Boat An Iq er Use Alsea River Mouth upstream to t3�e May-June mouth of Mill Creek at November--March _ RM 42. Yaquina River Mouth upstream to about N3arch-�u3.y head of Tide at RM 20. 5eptember-December Sig E�.k Creek lrlou�h upstream to about May-July RM 5. Sil.etz River N�ou�h ups�ream to May-November Nlqonshine Park at RM 53. Nov�ml�er-March 35 sUru�xY On the basis of the use of scaws on the A].sea for over 40 years - na't dissimilar fram the sheep baats which gave the State o� Utah tit}.e to the bed of Gr�at Sa].t Lake (�03 US91 but far more numera�s an the Alsea - and of occasional log drives, the 5tate of Oregon has a cZaim to �he lower g3.3 �tiles of that river. This is samewhat �onger than its meandered 38.2 miles. The State of Oregon's claim to the bed of the Yaqui.na River is baeed solely or. iog drives from Chitwood, River Mile 26.5 d�wnstream. Again this is somewha� longer than the meande�er� 24 mil.es of the river, 55 �o��3h in this case the difference might he si�ply a differ�nce of ineasu�rements. A�though Big Elk CreQk had same boat traffic to River Mil.e 5 and t.he Corps of Enginners hold the river to k�e navigable to River Nlil.e 4, 5fi �he principal claim of the State to the bed of the strea� rests on �he loq drives which necurred from Har�an, Rivex' Mile 22.3, downstream fram the 1890's �o t second quarter of this century. Depot Slough/Creek belaw Urake Creelr was also used during winter high flows �or a decad� to float out logs. This is approxima�.ely �� three miies above the point to wha.ch at was meandered in i867."' On the basis of towing sirsai� loq rafts from River rLile 27.3 above the meuth �f Euchre Cr�p fYQ?*.! *he 192�' s tl:r�=a�h tY:� 19��?' � g� �U int�::r.itt�r.t earli�r transport, the State has a claim to the bed of the Siletz River. In this case the claim is less than the meandered 34 miles. 36 �oo�vo�s 1. E�ewis A. McArthur, Oregan Geographic Names, 4th e8. {portland: Oregon Historical SOC1@t.y� 1974}, pp, 13, 667, 813--19. 2. (Oregon ] S�ate Water Resources Board, A�id-Coast Basin (Sa1em, 396�) , pp, 3-4, 3. Tbid., p. 3; U, S. Geological Surney, Crooked River, Siletz Fiver P�an and Profile (1926?, Sheet C. 4. U. S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Data for Qregon, I978, Wa�,�z-#��t� Report 0�78-1 (Portland, Z979) , pp. 444-46, 448. 5. Mid--Coast Basin, pp. 28-33. 6. Yaquina Say, 1778-1978 (Newport: Lincoln County Historical Soci�ty, 1979), p, 6, 7. II. S. Chiet of Engineers, Report, 1893 IV, p. 3444; Comrnonwealth l�.e�rie�r 19:5 {].938) ► pP 293-95. . . ._�., S. D. D. Fagan, Yaquina Ba�Countzy and i.ts Pc�a�le 1885 (iVewport: �.irrcoln County Historical 5ociety, 1959}, pp, 1-2, 9. Yaguina Bay, 1778-197�i, p. 26. 10. E. M. Nelson, ed., Pioneer History nf Nort.h Lincoln County (McMinnville: Telephone Regi�ter Fub. Co.. �951) PP. 9, 18. � 11. McArthur, Oregon Gengraphic Pdames, p. 443. ].2. U. S. C`�ief of Engineers, Report, 1879, II, p. I813; ALid-Coast Bas�n, g. 6. I3. U. S. Chief of �nqineers. Re ort, 1893. Tv p�, 34a�_a5 �rd �ee he?ce:, r� .$=-;p, 14. �'. F, Santee and �. B, Warfielc�, "Early Pioneering in A�sea Valley," �regon Histori.cal Quarterly, 44:1 {1943), p, 59. 1.5. Marjorie H. Hays, The Land that Kepti zts Promise, A History ,of Svuth �incol.n CountY (Newport: Linco].n County Historical Socie�y, 1976) , pp. 47, 64, �112 16. WL'A HistoricaZ Recards Survey, B�nton Covnty, Interviews, FoJ.c�ers Ft and li, State Library, 5alem; Benton County Circui.t Court Case No. 4403, B�nton County Gourthouse, Cvrva].las. Z7. U. S. Chief of Engineers, Re ort, 1893, IV, pp. 3443-�}5. 18. Ibid., i895, V, pp. �507-09. I9. Benton Coun'�y M�chanics Liens 'C', pp. 92-95, Ben�.on Caunty Courthous�. 2Q. Toledo Linco3n County Leader, dates in text and 16, 23 k'eb 1912, 2 Jan 1914. 21. �. S. Chie£ of Engineers� RePort, �879, II, p. 1812. 22. Hays, The Land tha� Ke � its Pramise, pp. 64-65; Lewis and Dryd Marine Hist� ry of the Pacific Ivorthwest (Portland, 1895}, p, 334 for a pha�ogragh of the Mischief �� 23. U. S. Chief of Engin�ers, Rsport, 1891 V, p. 3247; 1893 IV, p. 34g2; Marine History, p. 380. 24. Fagan, Yaquina Bay Coun�, p. �; Marine History, p. 61. 25. ,7ack Fogarty, Some Histo of Earl Steam-aoatan� on Yaquina Bay {Newport; Linco�n County Historical Society, 1956), p. 3; Marine Histary p. 2I6; and see Linc4ln Coun ty Circuit Court Case �Io. b49, Lincoln Cpunty Court-- house, Newpoxt. 26. U. S. Chief of EnginQers, R�port, 1881, 2I2, p. 259�; tT. S. Congx�ss, House Documen� 112, 55th Congress, 2nd sess�on, 27. M. Constance Hadges, Lords af Theznse].ves (EddyvillP: Delcon Historical Publicatians, 1978), pp. 192, 217-19, 227, 229, 233-34. 28. Ibid , PP• 219-21. 29. Tbid. , pP• 229-31. 30. �oledo Lincoln Cpun i,ead�:r, dates in text and 8 Nov 1907. 31. Ibid 22 Mar 1912 and dates succeeding in text. 32. LincoZn County L,oggers Marks l, p. 12, Lincoln County Courthouse. 33. James Fa�neli interview with Leland Prather, 7,7an 1981, 3�4. Newporfi Yac�, uina k3aY News, �5 Apr iyUl, .L3 Mar l�[�� and To�eclo Lir►co�n Caunty Leader 1905 and 1906 dates in text. 35. Ibid 3, 16 Nov �19Q6; 20 pec I907; 11 �'eb 191I. 36. Lincoln County Circuit Cour� Cases Nas. 750, 766 and see 1900. 37. L. L. Haskin, ed., Lincoln County Lore (Newport [Z948]), p. 4. 38. TeleQhone in�e rview w,i.th Ted P. Kosydar, Siletz, 30 nec 198Q. 39. Toledo LincoI.n County Leac3er, 15 June, 12, iKar, 3 Dec I9Q9; 10 N�ar 1911. 40. Ibid. 16 Nov 1906. 41. Telephone interview with Arthur Bensell, Siietz, 19 Dec �9$0, and see La.ncoln Gounty Mechanics & Laborers Li.ens Record 1, pp. 3�45-�6, LincaZn Coun�y Caurt- hovse; and The Tim}aerman, 2Z:4 (Feb 1920}, p. 131. 42. Bense�i interview. 43. Kosydar interview; Pioneer HistoYy of North Lincoln_County, pp. 45, 52, 64-65. 44. 2'oledo Lincoln County Lead�r, 3 Dec �909. 45. Public Service Cammission File L-F-21, State Archives, Salem. 46. Kasydar interview. 47. The Timk7erman 20: 3 t,Tan 1919) ,�. 38 and 22:7 {��y 1921) , p. E2. 48. Pioneer Histozy_af �orth Linooln County, pp. 25-26; A].man A. Y.erry, 60 Years of Logging (McMinnvilie: News-F;�gister Prin�ing Ca., 1962), pp. 62-63; E. R. Huckleberry, Adventures of Dr. Huckleberx�r (Por�land: Oregon Hi.stazi.cal SociEty, 197D), pp. 31-33; and sae U. S. Chief of �ngzn�ers, RE�ort, 19_32 II, p. 9S$; 1939, II, p. 1229. g9. Telephone i.nterview with P3rs. Rachel Strome Criteser, Newport, 30 Dec 1980; Pioneer His�o of N orth Lincoln Count , p. 26; phato o�' Sea Fa am from Ralph W. Andrews, Ti�e r(5eattle: Superior Pu}�Iishing Co., 1968), p. 1?2. S0. Kosydar interview. For other operatars who registered Iag brands for the Siletz River from 1930-52 see Linc:oln County Logge�s D9arks ]., pp. 34, 49, 55, 5'1. They were James �7i.l�an 4f Sile�z, A. H. Oscarson anc� L. P. Wickstrom, Eugene �3utier, John A. and Alvah Strome, George F�ucht and Tim Miller, 51. 3ames Farne�1 interview of I,eland Prather, 7 Jan 198J.. 52. Telephone interview wi�h Ve3rnon Castle, 30 Dec 198Q. 53. Letter from Nelsan E. S�.ewart, rlewpnrt, T�arch 3�7, 1981. 54. Advisoxy Cammitte to the 5tate Land Board� Second Bi�nnial_ �art (Salern, �9 72) p• 108. . 55. Ibid , p. 138. 55. zbid p. 1a8. 57. Tbid , pp. 1I2-113. 58. Ibid , p. 129. —._ ._ _ ,�� _ ` .• . . . .�. • . . •• ' . •• . , . .••' '' � . '�• �.. . . . • . .•• '• ' • '••'��. . � � . . • �. . • � � . , •.. . � '. .' �•. .� � �� � W � . . � � . . � •� . � . •. . • ' a �. > . . �n � •.. . •� � �` "� • - � - � - � - 'oa �v� - -----�_-�- � ��•����� O��N104NI1 ��. • � • . 7 -° i � s' d,5, '��•! ::: . — �, `�6 • d' -I . � 6 • �s � �i � i � 6 : -l+y �—� o • ' s W _J •• g .• '. 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