, 1859-01-07
From the american Railroad Journal, oct. Is, lSjSl
Northern Pacific RaiIrOad-NaVigability Of
the Columbia River

lof the Missouri river. We now propose tC
E redeem the promise then made, of present
, ing similar facts in relation to the naviga
bility of the great connecting and inter
locking river on the western slope of the
continent, the Columbia.
, The Columbia drains vast extent oi
country from the Rocky range to the Pa
cifc, situate between the parallels of 42a
and $50 3O. The main Columbia takes
its rise in about parallel SOC, flows to the
northward and making a large circular
} bend to the westward in about parallel 52e
30 finally takes nearly due south course,
till it reaches the parallel of 46o when ii
passes to the ocean in q nearly due west
course, its mouth being in latitude Acc 49,
Its principal tributaries are Lewis or
Snake river, which flows through the
southern portion of the country drained by
the system Of waters Of which the Colum.
bia is the mai1 stem, and whose valley has
furnished one Of the great routes of travel
from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific,
and which emptes into the main river about
latitude Acc is; and Cark's Fork which
drains the central portion, and empties into
the Columbia about parallel 49a L. Both
these rivers have reaches of navigable wa
ter and deserve consideration in connection
with the Columbia itself.
Besides these tributaries, are the Spo-
kane, which flows into the Columbia from
the east, and the Yakima, Wenatschapan
and other streams which flow from the
Sgest. As these streams are not navigable,
even in reaches of any length, except small
portions Of the upper waters Of the Spo-
kane, known as the Coeur d'Aene river
and lake, further illusions to them will not
be called for, except in reference to their
facilities for rafting lumher in high water.
The Kootenay river, however, which has
its rise in the Rocky Mountains, flows in a
course nearly parallel to that of Clark's
Fork, and empties into the Columbia about
20 miles above the mouth Of Clark's Fork,
has, undoubtedly, considerable reaches of
navigable waters; but as it is out of direc-
ton in regard to the streams draining the
eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, and
is in connection with no overland route it
will not be considered further in this paper.
The main Columbia has for many years
been navigated by boats aud canoes from
tho Boat Encampment, near its source in
the Rocky Mountains to the ocean, and
reaches in Cark's Fork aud the Snake
river have been navigated in the same way
The navigation is obstructed by several
rapids and falls, requiring portages even
for canoes in the most favorable stage Of
water, and of other rapids requiring por
tages at low water. The journals of the
officers and employees of the Hudson's Bay
Company give much interesting information
in regard to the difficulties and the danger
and labor required to overcome them.
Our present purpose, however, is to con-
slider its navigability for steamers, and we
shall give facts in detail Of the distractions
and facilities of the river as far as the Ket-
tie Falls near Colville. Wewill commence
at its mouth.
From the Columbia entrance up to the
Cascades, a distance of l60 miles, the river
is without obstruction, and eau be navi-
gated by large steamers. Sea-going steam
ers can ascend as far as Vancouver, lis
miles from its mouth The Indians say
that at the Cascades the river used TO be
perfectly free; but the gradual encroach-
ments on its precipitous banks at length
gave rise to land slide, which falling into
the river, made a sort Of natural dam,
which is evidently the case from the appear
ance of the shore. There is a portage
around the Cascades of one mile and a.hulf
The next obstruction is at the Dalles, 205
miles from its mouth. At this place, the
Columbia makes bend like horse shoe
towards the South and runs through ba-
saltic trough with walls about twenty feet
in height and two hundred yards apart, the
current is very rapid, but is not rongh.
For canoes, a portage of eight hundred
PAGES avoids this obstruction. For steam
ers, canaling for a considerably longer dis
tance would be required. In the absence
of careful surveys, we have not the means
for stating the distance along which i'm
provementT must be made to furnish con
tinuous navigation, or in the absence Of
such improvements the shortest land port
age which would be required. The port
age now in use is from the Dalles to the
mouth of the Dechutes, a distance of ten
miles. But this can unquestionably be
very much reduced.
For the past two seasons, the army sup
plies for the Walla-Walla post have been
transported in sailing vessels from the
mouth OF the Dechutes river to old Fort
Walla- Walla, and it is known that from
that point to Priests Rapids no obstruc-
ton exists. Snake river, which flows into
the Columbia forty-eght miles below
Priests Rapids, is also navigable for cou.
siderable distance, certainly to the mouth
of the Pelouse, 694 miles from its mouth
and probably to its junction with the Clear.
water. Lewis and Clark took canoes on
, the Kooskooskia, SO miles above its juno.
ton with Snake river, and descended the
Kooskooskia and the Snake to the junction
of the latter with the Columbia, from the
Tth to the 10th da" of October, 1905, the