The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-31
coLUnsIa RIVER.

There i as- Interest al Portland ia
The o.d schesne for Improvement ct
the tfpper coiansbia river, promoted
soubsless by recen, event, which iilus-
tratzs the incompatible commercial
advantages OF Puget Sound. A cons
mission Of government engineers have
been talking The matter over and have
listened 20 statements from everybody
who has cared 20 be heard. Among
others Mr. g. H. Dosd, vice-pfesiaent
Of The fsari OF Trade. acting Is the
representative Of that body. appeared
b~fe-e the commission and recon-
me.aad the construction OF n boat
rszeay at The Daiies 20 cooperate
with the canal at the Cascades. His
rian. Mr.. Dold sail, was favored by the
Board after careful investigation. We
anote from Mr. Dodd's argument:
ia this way bsrxss and steam 'soats eouh
be iossied At points on the snake river sni
along the Tine Of The Upper Coiunbia and
brought down TO Portland without break
ing bulk, aud then be reshipped In British
botions TO the United kingdoE direct, 80
thar the wheat raised Ia the grain fields OF
the valley Of the Aso;ln anu In the Pasouse
country couid be brought 10 Liverpool,
England. with bat single rehandiing.
A railroad could be CONSTRUCTED al Cello
% carry a cradle suitable 10 accommodate
boats Al least 80 feet long. which could be
transported acrass the portage at very
reasonable cost Steamboats, 10 carry st
least 40 tons. with machinery a power
erfnI as possible, could be con
strmcfea within the 10 feet. aud
suisasle harges could be built at reason.
able Coz, To carry 30 To 100 tons and the
to9boas and traiu Of bArxes should be- n
suitable construction tn safely pass the
deep waters Of the Middle Columbia with
out danger 10 the cargo or vessel, and IN
this way the desired end be reached more
economically than by the construction Of a
portage railway pure aud simple.
OF all the plans prupyssd for sFenspor;a-
tion, the cheapest ~ thai FOR tie coAsirue.
ton 81 boat railway, and u has this ed.
vantage over ali other plans--shat Il can be
contributed in reasonable tine, while 20
construct a canal fifteen Inlles long. largely
through hasalt rock would be the work Of
years. aud further the praetieabllity Of q
canal is quite questionable, A. tae rise and
fall Of the Columbia At Cello Is over forty
feet.
A portage railway pure and simple would
necessi,aie i9ar handbags Of The grain and
the waste which must necessarily eusue
snd the desfaesion 10 packages absolutely
unavOldable.
II Il que stioaablc Il this plan Is pgac-
ticabie. The difficulties Of construct
ing ship railroad OF broad guagc
between Cello ard The Dalles are
very serious AND the cost OF the work
would necessarily he very heavy.
Such a road would be an experiment
doubtful as TO its result. Further
more. the Cascade canal il not yet
compieied and Is not likely 20 be ior
years h cone. II will cost million
dollars 10 finish the work aud this sam
is not likely 10 be forthcoming inn
mcdiatcly unless the government
make radical change in il method OF
river and harbor work
The truth is that II the people OF
Oregon wal, for the government 10
open the river it will soi be opened in
time to benefit the generation now oe-
cupying the country. The only prae-
tieahle way /, for the state % take tho
Job 10 hand. and this plan IA likely to
he proposed 10 the state legislature
at IL next ses' ion 10y Gov pennoyer,
who has already committed him eli To
the psojsct ii a portage railway at The
Dalies,
itisnotASely that any Improvement
of the Columbia river will ever make
that stream pTacticil highway ior the
product ot the Columbia Basin, a. il
vas before the day of the railroads
In ans event the railroads viii con-
tinue 20 10 the business. bat Improve.
meat OF the river would be good
thing a. 1t would unQueStiouahly have
the effect 20 reduce rates in grain
carriage by rail 80 the minimum
cast Of cardago b. water. Whlic
there Is u4t. in our iuIg
ment, tho iaiaic-t promise OF
advantage Tor the Columbia river a..
as iiast Pagc, Soan3 in the proposed
improvement, there Is promise In it OF
great beueat Go producers east OF the
Cascade moUntaus, tosh north and
south % the stats line.