, 1875-11-06

RIVER TRANSPORTATIoY.-A nnr,b.- s.
Oregon capitalists propose to place line Of
steamers On the Columbia River, provided
they can secure sufficient encouragement
hat the propose to do Is set forth in their
circular, from which we copy:
Ihe company agree TO transport FREIGHT
ana passengers up and down the Columbia
i'Iver from Lewiston and Waliula 10 Port
land and Astoria at One-half the rr.s..r.
rates, and the Company will give bonds ,h,r
they Will run their boats for term If tiv.
years The people TO subscribe and pay the
sun. oI $4,000, sixty thousand dollars. every
subscriber 10 receive scrip for the amour, of
money subscribed by him, which s.rip i ra-
cyIya6ie for all freiS Sht and passage On their
line The Company also demand the huila
ing oi fair wagon road from The D.IIes 10
Ceillo. This will have TO be done bv dona-
tons, and Will cost about five tiousan5
dollars.
The parties making this proposition are
represented as being entirely responsible, but
we doubt whether they will be able to carry
1t ont. They propose 10 carry freights through
at one-hait the rates now charged. Let Us
see how this will work The o. S. y. Com
pany freight grain through from. Wallula to
Portland, distance Of 200 miles, at the rate
of S. a ton. To carry tins freight, they en-
ploy three different steamboats,, and TWO rail-
roads, requiring five sets Of hands Now the
new company without the facilities offered
by the railroads, propose 20 carry the freight
at the rate of $3 ton. At the Dalles they
will have to make a portage Of at least ter
miles, and at the Cascades another portage of
five miles, making a total land carriage Of Il
miles. To freight over these pyr,ages alone
viii cost more than 81 per ton, and then It
will ba the poorest business in which Il man
with a team can engage. For the reasons
here given, we deem the scheme impraci lea
ble, and suggest that the matter be well con-
7ideTed before putting up a cash capital OF
$4,000 \ measure of this kind WAS up be-
lore the Grangers Of this vallCT at their meet
ing last summer, and by them voted down.
1t was then deemed altogether too visionary
TO merit the attention Of farmers, and the
Judgment then expressed we deem altogether
correct One Of the mainsprings Of This
movement, if We are correctly informed, Is
Joe HIeel, a man whose character is not calcu-
lated 10 inspire confidence The idea that
he would carry out an engagement in good
faith, will bo laughed at Ly those who know
the man, and hence we suggest that our
readers be cautious before investing their
means in the enterprise. As matter Of
course, we in common, with all others desire
oieaP treghts In fact, cheap transportation Is
with Us a necessity, and the country can never
become cntirc,y prosperous until this deSid,r-
a,um J. secured. Tho establishment OF
line Of second class boats on the river and
bull teams on the rortases viii never bring
about this result All such schemes amount
to little more than chilI's play, aud are uu-
worthy the serious consideration % crown up
men. The real solution Of the difficulty l.
the opening Of the Columbia River by means
Of locks and dams at the Riliss and Cascades.
When ihis Is done, boats can load up wheat
az Nalluia and deliver the same at Astoria
et cost not to exceed ); ton and make
money at that Any other proposition is a
mere deIusion, and he paoplo Who invest
money IN these ilIusorv schemes are quite
sure 10 be swindlod.