The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-06-05
THE PORTAGE RAILROAD.

THE PORTAGE RAILROAD.
How Easily a Plain, Simple Matter Can
Be Muddled, or How Not to DO 1t.
| Portland Oregonian
PENDLEToN, May, 30.-To THE EDITOR
For many years past people in eastern
Oregon and Washington have been groan-
ing under the burdensome tax imposed
upon them by railroad monopolies for
transporting their surplus products to
the seaboard. Their obvious means of
relief from this is by water transporta-
ton along the line of the Columbia
river; but there are natural distractions
in this river which must ne removed or
surmounted before this relief can be OBJ
tained. These are of such character
that the cost of their removal is far be-
yond the capacity of our new and unde-
veloped states to pay. The general gov
ernment has been appealed to in this
emergency, and for the removal OF the
! first serious Instructions, that ut the
Cascades of the Columbi has re-
sponded with appropriations that in the
aggregate amount to the considerable
sum of 81 ,S77 900. These appropriations
have been spread over period of fifteen
years, and made in such insignificant
amounts, considering the work to be
done and its importance to the COM
munities to be relieved as to merit just
rldlcule as a business undertaking, and
to materially increase the cost of the
work. On this sum the interest at per
cent. would amount to $75, 900 per year,
which no one gets any benefit from.
The government officers in charge of this
work have time and again in their re-
ports represented these facts to congress,
but it has produced no change in the
policy OF that body. 1t is now estimated
that 81 700 900 will be required to com
plete this work, and that if this amount
be rendered available at once boats can
pass this obstruction within three years.
The state of Oregon growing weary in
long waiting, provided at the last ses
sion of its legislature for temporary re-
lief in the shape of a portage railroad
around this same obstruction at the Cas-
cades. 1t authorized commission. to
consist of the governor, secretary of state
and state treasurer, to construct and op-
crate this road. These gentlemen at
once entered upon the duties imposed
upon them by the law, and in consul
tation with the engineer officer in charge
OF the government work at the Cascades,
came to satisfactory understanding as
to the conditions under which the road
should be constructed and operated over
5he government grounds at that place.
The matter went forward to Washington,
was approved by the chief of engineers,
and forwarded to the office of the secre-
tary of war. The acting secretary raised
a point as to the legality of the recon-
mendation of the engineer in charge that
certain portion of this road be built at
the expense of the United States, in con-
sideration of certain benefits in the way
of cheaper freight rates to be derived
from the portage system, and to attend
to the government work, and to. keep
more clearly defined the question of
United States and state authority with
in. the government reservation. This
point, on being referred to the attorney
general, was returned with his opinion
that the state should build this piece of
road also. The portage commissioners
at once notify the engineer officer, who
telegraphs to the chief of engineers that
they accept the opinion of the attorney
general, and the matter is all satisfactory
as it was before, with the excep-
tion that the expense of the work to
the state will be increased by about
$4,000. 1t apparently takes the state
board OF portage commissioners and the
officer in charge of the government work
about five minutes to come to an under
standing on all points in connection with
the crossing of this road over the govern
ment ground at the Cascades, while the
politicians and government legal lumi-
nar1es in Washington are spending
weeks raising points and showing how
not to do it. To the uninitiated in the
subtle and mysterious ways of Washing
ton red-tapeism it would seem that the
proper persons to manage this little bust
ness are the state board and the govern
ment engineer in charge of the work,
their action being subject to the approval
OF the secretary of war. The board is
certainly competent to look after the in
terests of the state, and from what have
seen and know of the government
engineer l have no reason to doubt that
he will take care of the interests of the
work In his charge. 1t is evident that
both he and the board are determined
that the portage railroad shall be built,
and do not propose that any. difference
between them shall delay it's commence
ment. The necessity for so much tele-
graphing across the continent about
simple matter of this kind is not appar-
ent to those who look at it as straight
forward business proposition. Should it
become mixed with politics, then there
will be a muddle. EAST OREGoNIAN.
Blaine, they say, has ''lost his mind -
Convey our compliments to the states
man that finds it. The mental endow-
ment is rich one.-Astorian.
The stockholders of the Eastern Ore
gon Cooperative Association closed their
labors by re-electing the old board of di-
rectors.