15 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org Surveyors in the News To resolve the long-standing hassle, the 1955 legislatures of both states authorized creation of interstate cooperation committees to study the problem. For two years, the committees have been horse—trading geography and tax rights. Finally, this week, the Oregon committee announced that a settlement had been reached. The group would introduce a bill in the 1957 Legislature for ratification. A similar bill is to be submitted to the Washington Legislature. Roseburg’s state Sen. Paul E. Geddes commented on the barter Friday: “It was pretty involved.” He was a member of the committee. That may have been Geddes’ last official act as a legislator, for he retires from office Monday when the 1957 Legislature assembles in Salem. Then Geddes cited some problems which periodically cropped up between the two states. When McNary Dam was being built no one could say with certainty where the boundary was. The tax commissions of each state had their own ideas, but their claims overlapped. So contractors working on the dam faced this: Oregon would levy its income tax on the profits of the contractor and the wages of the employees. Some profit and wages were gained on what the Oregon Tax Commission said was its “side” of the boundary. The Washington Tax Commission at the same time was charging sales and use taxes for materials used on its “side.” Both both (sic) “sides” might be in the middle. Which often was where the contractors were too. They kept a constant flow of appeals before each of the tax groups. Men were injured on construction, but had to argue with one state or the other for accident claims. Much the same situation existed over the years along the river. Railroad bridges, for example, were subject to property taxes in both states, but sometimes each state would be taxing the same part of a bridge at midstream. Then there is the case of migratory fish. Which state’s laws applied to which part of the river? No one could say for the satisfaction of all. The disputes were intensified as commercial use of the river developed. But as early as 1908, Washington sued Oregon to recover money which the federal government paid Oregon for title to Sand Island, located intermittently at one spot or another near the mouth of the river. When the boundary first was established in 1859, Sand Island was in Oregon, But repeated flooding of the river washed away parts of the island and deposited new parts to it until the island was removed far from its original location. The U.S. Supreme Court, incidentally, ruled that Oregon could keep the cash. But the bridge—builders, dam erectors, and sand and gravel companies moved onto the river as the Northwest matured. All were required to pay royalties or taxes. Friday, Geddes announced that the two state legislative committees had finally platted the course of the boundary and marked it for perpetuity by monuments. But the new boundary can’t be established for several months. First, the legislatures of each state must ratify the “treaty.” Then it must be sent to Congress for further ratification. Finally, at least in Oregon, the Constitution must be amended. And that takes a vote of the people. Geddes said his committee will recommend that the Legislature put the proposal to amend on the 1958 general election ballot. Other members of the Oregon committee included: Sen. Rudie Wilhelm, Portland; Rep Earl Hill of Cushman; and Rep George Annala, Hood River. State Engineer Lewis Stanley was an ex officio member and adviser of the committee. SALEM CONVENTION CENTER 2025 CONFERENCE JANUARY 15-17, 2025
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