Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-04-20
THE COLUMBIA RIVER AND THE
u. >. N. COMPANY.
: The Question Of Transportation and
Monopoly Discuesed--Com
Rates-.Facts for the Country.
PORTLAND, April II, 1873.


To the Editor Of the Oregoniaa:
am advised that our company has
been grossly misrepresented by design.
ing parties before the committee of Con.
gress in connection with the bill for ex-
tension Of time for the completion Of the
Northern Pacific Railroad -statemen
having been made that we are grind.
ing monopoly" and robbing the people
OF Oregon in various ways, etc, etc In
view of these statements it has been
urged that certain restrictions should
be put in the railroad company's bill
compelling them to commence the build
ing of their road at Kaama, or Port
land, or around the portage at the Gas
cades, in order to relieve the people of
Eastern Oregon from the power of this
"grinding monopoly" etc. am aware
that statements have been made 10 our
own community that there is some con-
nection or understanding between the
n. P. Il. Il. Go. and the q. S. N. Co.
Or, IN other words, that "they are one
and the same thing" But | beg to
state that our company has not dollars
interest, directly or Indirectly, in the N.
p. r. r. Co. Yet am free to admit
that, regarding them as the only COM
pany through whom we have the faint
est hope. of getting railroad connec
ton with the East, we feel friendly to
wards them and have no desire to throw
any obstacles in the way of their obtain
ing such legislation as will euable them
to go 90 and complete the building Of
their road.
In view Of the statements heretofore
referred to l feel it duty | owe to the
company which l represent, to submit
brief statement regarding the navigation
OF the Columbia river aud the manner
In which the business is being conduct
cd BY our company. The navigation OF
the Columbia river on account of OBJ
structions at tho Cascades and Dales is
divided into three divisi MS, viz: Lower,
Middle and Upper Columbia. That
portion below the falls at the Cascades
"a distance Of 63 miles from Portland)
is termed Lower Columbia. Here We
make portage by railroad of six miles
TO the Upper Cascades. From this lat.
ter point to the Dalles. distance Of So
miles, it is called the Middle Columbia.
Thence from the Dalles to Cello there
IL another portage by railroad of IA
miles; thence above Cello we have the
Upper Columbia; distance from Cello
70 Wallula. los miles. From Wallula
to Lewiston, Idaho territory, We have
IL miles OF navigation on the Columbia,
and $50 miles of navigation on tho
Snake river, thus making the total dis.
lance from Portland to Lewiston, 4Ol
miles. On account of these breaks in
our line, and the great rise aud fall of
the river, (some 40 ieet) we are CON-
PEELED to keep up feet of steamboats,,
many of which lie idle for large por-
ton of the year, besides the building of
expensive inclines ard floating wharf
boats at our several landings. All
freight shipped between Portland aud
Dallos has TO be handled six times; that
destined tor points above Cello 10 times.
and for Snake river during low stage
OF water II times. All that section of
country East ofthe Dalles, and tributary
to the Columbia and Snake rivers, is en-,
tirely destitute Of timber aud poor
quality Of drift wood usually costs Sc
per cord, with the quantity very limited;
consequently We are compelled to traus-
port nearly oil our fuel from tho Middle
Columbia across the portage at the
Dalles, thence by steamboat to the Up
per Columbia and Stake rivers, thus ia
volving an enormous expense, especially
when steamboat for single round
trip from Cello to Lewiston consumes
50 cords OF wood.
The navigation Of the Upper Column
bia and Snake rivers, at low water. is
attended with great risk, and no,with.
standing VIC build our steamboats, in
compartments. and employ the most ex
perienced and skilled pilots, it is by no
means AN unusual occurrence to have
the bottom Of our boats torn nearly out
OF them, thus involving large OUTLAWS in
hauling out and repairing, to say moth.
ing OF the chances of losing boat alto.
gether occasionally. The foregoing are
among the difficulties attending the
navigation Of these rivers, and as the
subject is looked into they would seem
TO warrant even higher rates than have
been charged by our company for sever
q years past, taking into consideration
the capital employed aud the risks 10.
CURED. | believe it is admitted on all
hands that our steamboats, are A in
every respect, and that the business in
trusted to us is done promptly aud sat,
isfactorily.
Nov, regarding our rates of charges
(ior here is where the s.grindiny mo.
nopoly aud "robbing the people" must
some IN, if anywhere.) The company
which | have the honor to represent,
was organized 10 the year 1860, and has
from its organization been practically
under the same management "a at the