, 1880-07-26
Official Ignorance.

Of the hundreds of thousands OF dol
lars appropriated by the present Congress
for the improvement of rivers and har-
bors in Ooregon and Washington Terri
tory, the latter, with more miles of navi>
gable rivers, more seaboard, more har-
bors and more tonnage employed in its
ocean commerce than Oregon, gets $4,000
onlv for its own exclusive use; and this
NAV be taken as the measure of the in
f1uence and sagacity of Delegate Brents.
This $4,000 was appropriated ostensibly
for the improvement Of the Skagit river
Major Gillespie, engineer in charge Of
the works, has reported to the Depart
ment projects for carrying on the same,
which have been approved. With refer
ence to the Skagit river, in Washington
Territory, he says it is impossible to state
how the appropriation should sbe applied.
An immense raft near the head has long
obstructed it. If the raft could be cut so
that boats could get through on favora-
bic tides, it would be navigable for fifty
miles for boats drawing from 4 to 6
feet. He recommends an examination,
and if it can be done, he proposes that
experienced axemen, under the direction
of superintendents, shall open channel
by days labor. The work cannot be
done by contract, as it is impossible to
prepare specifications. 1t should be done
at low water which occurs in August and
September.
We thank Congress, Major Gillespie
and our Delegate for nothing. Major
Giliespie's headquarters are at Portland.
Twelve hours running time by railroad
and steamboat, would have brought him
to Seattle, where he could take passage
by steam )oat to the head of navigation
on the Skagit river three or four times a
week; which is delightful trip to the
tourist and a journey of imperative duty
to the experimenting engineer before re
porting upon matter of public expend
iture for an object OF which he is mani
festly profoundly ignorant. Though We
are aware that the course he has adopted
= ~: - 7sss.,allv practiced in carrying on
Government iouS -ltories; the
vouchers for the expendl,as,s being con-
sjdered the only thing requisite.
IT Najor Gillespie bad made personal
examination, he would have found no
raft 10 he akagit, or any other obstruc
ton to navigation; and he would have
found five well appointed steamers ply
ing regularly between Seattle and the
head OF navigation. on that river, seventy
Gnstead of fifty miles above its mouth,
profitably engaged in the transportation
of freight and passengers, with scttle-
ments Of farms and villages where there
was neither access by roads nor by water
before the RATS were removed. He would
have learned upon inquiry that the re-
inoval of those rafts-the cost of which
was estimated by a Government engineer
at $s0,000-was accomplished by "a par-
ty of experienced axmen," bv their own
labor, without the aid of dollar from
the Government, or from any other
source, except St me voluntary contribu>
tions of supplies, from other citizens,
who recognized the Importance of the
work, and had for years vainly sought
aid from Congress to that end.
Had Delegate Brents given as much
attention to the interests of his censtitu-
ents as he gave to party matters in which
he had no interest but to magnify him
self, he might have had this beggardly
appropriation, which cannot now be used
for any practical purpose. turned to the
account OF the laboring men who did
the work for which they received no re>
muneration from the Government, and
for which their petition was on file at
washington vi He ullSht have nau IL
applied to the removal of RATS in the
Nooksack, by which another fine agricul-
tural region would be opened to settle
ment. But either through ignorance or
willful negligence, he allowed the, pit
tanee wrung from the shame of Congress
to fail of its object. This is specimen
of the way in which our interests are
serve dby the General Government.