The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-03-12
serve contains the following statement:

| far beyond the first estimates
a similar statement has previously ap
peared in the same paper.
| do not as a rule undertake to correct in
| accurate statements concerning myself, hav
| ing faith in the innate sense of justice and
fairness of the people and being quite will
ing to he judged by my record; but this
method is one OF public interest and the
constant reiteration of the statement, If un-
contrad:cted, may lead sone persons not
familiar with the subject to credit it.
Having just learned OF the large increase
OF the estimated cost of completing the work
and for the purpose of furnishing all those
interested with official information concern
ing the same, during the 5lst congress
introduced resolution, which passed the
senate, calling on the secretary of war "to
furnish to the senate such information as he
may possess concerning TIE progress aud
condition of the work of the construction of
canal and locks at the Cascades of the
Columbia river, III the state of Oregon, the
estimated cost of the completion of the
same aod the time which will be required
for such completion, together with copies Of
all reports Of engineers in charge of the
work since his annual report concerning the
same"
In response.t to the resolution the secretary
of war sent to the senate letter, which was
printed as Senate Executive Document No.
72, which contains full history of the canal
and locks. As soon as it was printed l sent
copies to the newspapers and to several
prominent persons in Eastern Oregon. l
now enclose you copy.
You will see from this document that the
report of the board changing the plsn and
enlarging the lock at the Cascades was
made November IL, 1850. some three years
before l received the oath OF office and took
my seat in the United States senate. l
quote from this official document the fol-
lowing: ''In 1850 the project for overcom-
ing the distractions in the Columbia river
at Cascades was changed on recommends
tion of board which submitted its report
under date Of November l3, 1880. The
new project contemplated the improvement
of the bed of the river Immediately below
the foot of the Upper Cascades by removing
bowlders and reefs and projections along
the banks that obstruct the high-water flow;
and changing the two locks in the canal to
one, having length of 462 deep, width 80
feet, and lils "a feet. This was for the pur-
pose of providing for navigation up to 20.
foot stage of water. In determining these
enlarged dimensions for the lock, the board
was Influenced by the experience OF the
various important canals and locks In this
country and in Canada, and the prospective
demands of tbs large commerce of the
country tributary to the Upper Columbia
river and what seemed to be the desire OF
persons interested in navigation. At that
time this country was developing rapidly
and. to avoid the mistakes made in the
original construction of the locks referred
to, the board deemed it advisable to make
the locks amply large in the first instance; |
that was the time for the change, inasmuch |
Ir is not likely that any member of the
Oregon delegation in congress knew of the |
appointment of this board or of its report.
or had anything to do with the change of
are to be held responsible for the action of
the engineer department the Sun should
complain of Senators Grover and Slater and
Governor Whitaker, who was at the time
our representative in congress.
] never knew of the change of plans for
many years afterwards. If l had supposed
1t the time entered the senate that the
cost of completing this Improvement would
be so great, should have endeavored to
have had some change made, either smaller
ocks or the substitution of boat-railway.
have been quite as much astonish ed and
at the increased estimates of the
cost as any one. 1t has been very embar-
rassing to the delegation in their efforts to
secure appropriations for the work.
enclose you copy of my bill, reported
avorably from the senate committee on
to provide for the immediate
completion of the canal and locks, and my
eport thereon. Whatever may be its fate
n the house its report from the senate CON-
nIttee is encouraging Indicating their
opinion of the Importance of the work and
heir Willingness to promote its early com.
,letion, and as laying the foundation for my
Intended effort to secure the Incorporation
f the substance of this bill IN the Riyer
nd Harbor Appropriation Bill.
l assure you that this favorable report ,
ras secured only by the most strenuous ef-
orts on my part, after having been strongly
resented to the committee at two different
t
I have observed what will term a critl- +
ism of the provision of the bill that not 7
sed i'll any one year. This provision was
OF contained in the bill as introduced by a
e; but the committee said in view of the t
port of the secretary of war, copy of n
Inch enclose you, that If the entire esti-
ated cost of completing the work 81, 745,-
10, could be appropriated at once boats
,uld pass through the Cascade locks with II
three years, that the money should be e
stributed through three years. so as Dot ii
make SO large an appropriation for any
le year. Even with this provision the bill,
passed, would make an annual appropria-
IN of nearly 5000 600, an amount more U
an double than that heretofore expended
any one year and probably all that could
proftably expended.
If such bill should pass we would gain
SO by having the amount appropriated
lIch could be profitably used each year,
neither river and harbor bill passed or
Yours truly,
J. N. DoLPH.
Accidental Shooting.