James O'Sullivan was born in Port Huron, Michigan June 26, 1876 to James Edward and Anna Waller O'Sullivan. Graduated from the University of Michigan with an A.B. degree in 1902. Studied law there and in 1903 was admitted to practice in the Michigan courts. Until 1905 helped his father in construction. Married Pearl Twiss and had three children: John T., Kathleen, and Arthur J. O'Sullivan. In 1905 was foreman of reinforced concrete construction on the American Savings Bank Building in Seattle, WA. Taught from 1906 to 1909 for State Normal School at Bellingham, WA. From 1910 to 1914 practiced law at Ephrata, WA and installed the first large pumping plant at Moses Lake, WA for the irrigation of 800 acres, developed an orchard and raised various crops. From 1915 to 1929 was president and general manager of the James O'Sullivan and Sons Company, Port Huron, MI, after father's death. Supervised the construction of many large works including electric substations, sewers, drains, canals, coffer-dams, high schools, churches, steam electrical installations, grain elevators, etc. In 1919 visited Ephrata and studied the proposal to build a dam at Grand Coulee high enough to divert water for irrigation without pumping. Interested the U.S. Reclamation Service in the proposal, which requested the State Columbia Basin Survey Commission, which was then studying a proposal to irrigate the Basin lands by the gravity system from Idaho, to include a study of the Grand Coulee proposal. Accompanied the State Survey Commission to the damsite. In 1920 spent three months overcoming the report of the Survey Commission that found the bedrock at the damsite was too deep and that it was improbable that a dam of sufficient height could be built at Grand Coulee. They considered a dam only 180 feet above water and were in favor of the gravity system. Wrote a review of the state report, studied bedrock conditions along the Columbia River, published articles to prove that water could be handled during construction at Grand Coulee and helped interest A. P. Davis, Director of the U.S. Reclamation Service and Hugh Cooper, famous builder of dams, in the Grand Coulee proposal. Accompanied Davis to dam site and secured from him a promise that he would recommend that the State of Washington appropriate funds to core drill the dam site. Davis also recommended that the state employ Willis T. Batchelor, a Seattle engineer, to study the Grand Coulee possibilities. In 1921 when core drilling disclosed excellent bedrock at a reasonable depth at Grand Coulee, reported in favor of a dam 220 feet above low water level and large scale pumping into the Grand Coulee for irrigation. In 1923 Major General George W. Goethals reported against the dam and in 1925 a Federal Columbia Basin Survey Board of Engineers also reported in favor of the gravity system.
From the description of James O'Sullivan Papers 1903-1949. (Graham Public Library). WorldCat record id: 476331896
