The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-04-11
THE BEST ROUTE FOR THE
PORTAGE

The report which appeared in yester-
days OregoniGn of the several possible
routes for portage road between The
Dalles and Cello which seems to have
been considered by the open river con-
vention which has just met in Portland
has been read by the CHRONICLE with
very great pleasure. If the calculations
made of the cost of these several routes
are to be depended on; if they are based
on any competent authority, as the Ore
goniGn affirms them to be, then they
but confirm what we have said all along,
namely, that the cost of road on the
Oregon side of the river with it's thous-
and advantages, will not exceed by any
great amount the cost of one on the
Washington side. The report says:
"The cost of a railroad over, under
and alongside the existing line from the
navigable waters at, or little east of
Dalles City to Cello, from which point
the river is navigable for 300 miles to
Lewiston, and 200 miles to Priest rapids,
would be, according to various careful
examinations, $500, 1000"
There is wide difference between this
estimate, based on various careful ex-
aminations," and that which reused the
dormant sympathy of Mr.. Mccoy for
the taxpayers of the state forsooth when
he entered into the railroad combina-
tion that defeated the Raley bill. Nor
will the CHRONICLE be surprised if ex-
aminations, still more carefully made
result in proving that road can be
built on the Oregon side at cost, every
thing considered, lower than that by
any other way.
The road from Columbus to
Crates Point which Paul Mohr
would like to sell, is estimated
to cost 100000. But the eight miles of
track between Columbus and Cello, on
on which the Paul Mohr company have
which they now desire to sell, is of no
more use to the new corporation than is
fifth wheel to wagon. A road from
Cello to Crates point is estimated to
cost $3.50, 900; but Paul Mohr already
owns the right of way and it is now said
that the price he would certainly de-
mand for this right is included in the
something ominous in the announce
ment that the estimate of $3.50, 900 for a
road from Cello to Crates Point was
made by experienced railroad men,"
We have not a doubt of it. A road on
the Washington side that would have
its western terminal at Crates Point, a
road that would leave out in the cold.
city that handles an annual freightage
of 153 900 tons, road that would re-
quire cost of ferriage for perhaps double
that amount would suit experienced
railroad men" amazingly. Every con-
sideration calls for the portage on the
Oregon side. The freight handled by
the countries adjacent to the Washing
ton side is now and ever will be a mere
trifie compared with that of the Oregon
side. This consideration alone, even if
the road should cost $15O,OO0 more
should settle the matter of its location.
The country adjacent to the Oregon side
and for which the Columbia river is the
natural outlet extends from one to two
hundred miles into the interior, and
the producing capacity of this vast ter
ritory is but in its infancy. The Dalles
has an easy grade to water level and
wharfage and all other facilities to which
those of no other possible terminus bear
any comparison.