The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-04-28
ID, PRACTICAL PLAN.


server" that appeared in the Oregonian
of late date has requested us to publish
in the CHRONICLE SO much of it as will
make clear what he calls ga practical
plan to secure The Dalles portage rail-
way and its successful working" In a
private communication he informs us
that the main track of the proposed
road is via Five and Ten Mile creeks to
the Deschutes, touching the Columbia
river at Biggs, which would be the port
age section; thence southeasterly via
Wasco to the John Day river, thence up
Rock creek to it's head with feeders
touching Dufur and the timber section
.of the Cascades and ON to Prineville and
from Rock creek to the Fossil coal mines.
There can scarcely be the shadow of a
question that such system is not only
feasible but it would give. large returns
to its projectors from the moment it was
put in operation. 9.eis
To;have any benefit of the Navigation
of the Upper Columb bia river for years to
come, portage railroads at the Cascades
and The Dalles' are Indispensable. The
former is soon to be built by the state,
while the latter is left for private enter
prises or for the people themselves.
Assuming that it is practicable to build
The Dalles portage road on the Oregon
side-and am quite sure it isl would
suggest that private enterprise should
take hold of this project and be given
such aid as may be reasonably asked,
which would enable them to build and
equip this portage road and to operate it
successfully. would suggest that the
id rtot hca ae n,
main trunk line of a narrow gauge sys-
tenn OF roads which must be built into
the interior in southeastern Oregon, in
order to bring the products to the river.
To my mind the narrow gauge system of
roads would be all that would be re-
quired to connect with the boats on the
Columbia to insure a cargo traffic A
corporation so formed could then say to
Portland and to The Dalles, and to all
other points interested in having an
open river: ''We will build, equip and
operate not only portage road around
The Dalles, but we will go further. We
will give you a system of roads that will
develop and settle up your southeastern
Oregon, now held back for want of facili-
ties of transportation-a country rich in
agricultural, grazing, timber and min
era, resources, and country whose trade
will be almost entirely lost to Portland
if something is not done to check the
great inducement now offering for other
roads to penetrate that country and
carry its trade to the eastward, to- the
north or to the south We propose a
narrow. guage system because we can
build, equip and operate such roads
much cheaper and give you the benefit,
not only of cheaper operating facilities,
put we will save to you a large sum in
interest, which the producer and con-
surner has to pay on the bonded indebt-
edness of these roads. The saving in
the first cost and the difference in oper-
ating expenses is what you want and
must have to cheaper the rates of trans
portation. This system of roads would
be in no danger of falling into combina-
tions or being sold out, as the wide guage
ones would not want the narrow guage
lines. You would be further benefited
by having some of your means of trans
portation held and controlled by your
own people, and the producers and con-
sumers would no longer have to- paw
tribute to support the stock dealers or
stock gamblers in the city of New York,
who now control every line of transpor-
tation throughout your state. We want
you to give us nothing further than to
take literally of our bonds, for which we
will pay you interest annually and we
will enter into an agreement with YOU
to carry over that portion of our road
between The Dalles, Cello or Deschutes,
all the passengers, freight, etc., that
may be brought to us by boat, either
from above or below, at such rates as
will be cheaper than the state, or, the
public could themselves do-contracts to
be made for term of years, with
clause inserted that the corporation
would forfeit that portion of their road
should they in any way fail to keep their
portage contract"
Here is an enterprise for some one to
develop that will be of far greater interest
to Portland than would have been the
Hunt system had he been successful, for
which the people of Portland agreed to
subscribe $4,000, 900 in bonds. Such a.
system of roads can be made very profit
able, both to the owners and the state
generally, and any one, taking its bonds
will have a safe. and profitable invest
ment and the satisfaction ultimately Of
seeing his own immediate neigh borhood
benefited atherefrom instead of btifding'
up and supporting the railroad stock
market. 4.ss-.
THE assistance given any Spmpaay,
thus enabling it to build and 'edufp The
Dalles portage road, would insure the
until you have secured hundreds of miles
of feeders to the Colum Bia river, and the
competition of the boats alreaciyson the
waters, and which are daily being added,
viii obNiate the necessity of any funds
being; raised for that. purpose. First,
build your portage roads. Owners of
boats will be bidders to ply the waters
and carry the products of the Colum bia
from it's head to its mouth when the OBJ
structiOne are overcome and the products
put upon it's banks.