The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-09-25
THE CASCADE PORTAGE As TITS.

THE CASCADE PORTAGE As 1T is.
The editor of this journal made fly
ing trip on the Regulator yesterday as
far as the Cascade Locks, in order that
he might be able to present the readers
of the CHRONICLE with statement of
the present condition of the state port
age road, and as far as he could obtain
information of the manner in which the
100000 appropriated by the legislature
has been spent. Arriving at the Cas-
cades he was pleased to find that Cover
nor Pennoyer and State Treasurer Phil.
Metchan had come up from Salem thai
morning, presumably on the same busi-
ness. The governor and Mr.. Metchan
spent the entire time from their arrival
till their departure on the afternoon pas
senger, examining the works, and at the
close were perfectly free in expressing
their opinion that the road was built
substantially and economically; and the
governor, in answer to the question
''What is your opinion of the efficiency
and general management of the superin-
both promptly replied, "We are we'll
satisfied with Mr.. Farley's work, and we
don't know where, in, the world, we
could have got any other person who
would have done as well. 1t is a rare
thing when work of this character is
finished within the means appropriated
tor it. In this case the appropriation
will finish the work. That alone speaks
volumes for the superintendent
The entire road, with the exception of
Il few bents of wharfage at each end, is
finished and ballasted. At the east in
cline the piles are all in place, ready to
be cut the proper length as soon as the
river reaches its lowest stage, which will
give depth of eight feet of water at the
extreme end of the incline. The boat at
present lands in twelve feet of water,
and the incline extends more than suffi-
ciently far into the river to give the pro-
per hight of wharfage. At the end of
the western incline four more bents will
bring the wharf low enough for the
wharf boat, and these are expected to be
in place by next Monday Here very
great difficulty has been experienced in
driving piles, as the river bottom is filled
with boulders of all conceivable sizes,
in gravely cement. So hope
Hess did the task seem of driving piles
this conglomerate that the Off
Ger in charge of the locks construction
pronounced it impossible to be done.
Notwithstanding this, Mr.. Walsh, the
foreman of the bridge carpenters, has
succeeded in driving huge piles from
seven to ten feet through this stuff, and
is hopeful that he will be able to drive
all that are needed to COM
:plete the incline. The work here
seems in every way sufficiently substan-
tial to stand any conceivable current.
In addition to the main track there is a
switch that runs parallel with the river
for two or three hundred yards, intended
for convenience in loading wood. From
this track a switch leads to the round
house and still another runs along
pierre of leveled ground, over which it is
intended to build a shed sufficiently
long to cover all the cars used on the
portage. The shed is expected to cost
about $2700. The main line and all are
laid with forty pound steel rails, upon
which is stamped the name of the max
ers, the Belville Steel Company, of
Illinois. The timbers used in the in
clines are heavy and substantial and
competent judges pronounce the road as
whole, and in every part, well and sub
stantially built.
Ground was needed for round house,
sheds for cars, Office of permanent agent
or superintendent, a work shop store
room and other like purposes. Mr.. Far
ley selected about about three acres ly-
ing along the river front and not being
able to agree with the owner as to the
price, suit was entered to have it con-
demned for the use of the state, under
the law of eminent domain, OF course
there is no question about the state get
ting title to the land. The only ques-
ton is the price and even that may yet
be settled outside the courts. On this
piece of land stood three houses, one a
finely finished building that mad been
used as an Office and dwelling by Borth-
wick & Frame. This building was in
good condition and easily cost when new
over $1,000. The other buildings, while
much inferior, were by a small expense