The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-05-11
cENrENN1AL oBsEnvAsS sScEs.
Has the Columbia River Yet Been h Is
covered?

Has the Columbia River Yet Been n
covered?
This being the year of centennial
observanees in this part of the conti-
nent, leads us to remark: what might
have been the result, had Columbus dis
covered this side of the continent first?
1t has been claimed that the Chinese
did discover this portion of the conti-
nent, thousands of years ago, but no
great discovery, no great invention, no
great philosophy or religion was ever
did not promptly arise and de-
clare that they discovered the same
thing thousands of years ago. Indeed
the Chinese did SO many things SO many
thousands of years ago that they got
thoroughly tired out in the early infancy
of time, and have done nothing since,
and if it were fact that they did dis
cover the Columbia thousands of years
ago, the period of their slowness has no
comparison except that of the United
states officials put in charge of constructs
ing locks at the cascades of the Columbia.
However, according to Hermann, we
now hope to celebrate the completion of
that work within two years. This will
lead up to other discoveries SO important
that men can be found both in and out
of congress who will freely assert that
the Columbia river had not, in any COM
| prehensive sense, been discovered May
11th, 1892, on the same principle that in
1906, when Columbus died, America had
| not been discovered. In 1892, one hun
dred years after the alleged discovery
America was almost as uninhabited by
white men as is the store of man who
does not believe in advertising. Cortez
had marched through Mexico. But he
and his men were SO blind that they
couldn't see anything but yellow gold,
and though they devastated Mexico thes
never discovered 1t, and never found any
thing but gold which they stole, and
thousands of se-called savages, more
civilized than themselves whom they
murdered. Pizarro marched through
Peru much as a whirlwind would
march through a sheepfold. But
he was not a discoverer; he was
simply an accomplished murderer. One
hundred years later, in 1892, things were
not much better. The impression had
come to prevail that there was quite a
strip of country over here, but nobody
knew much about it. There were strag-
Lgling settlements along the Atlantic
coast, most of them built within sound
of the sea, but the great interior of the
country was unknown; its tremendous
extent was not suspected, and its mex
haustible resources were not even
guessed at. In 1892, it is unnecessary
to say that America was still undiscov-
cred, for that date was thirty years be-
fore the Incorporation of city. Oh
course America was not then discovered,
To be sure George Washington ruled
over group of young states, strewed
like string of beaded: sea-shells along
the coast. But George Washington,
though he was good man, knew but
very little about America. SOFT is with
the lordly and majestic Columbia river
There arc few vain people who fancy
that the Columbia has, at last, in 1892
been found. But this is gigantic de-
lusion. There are few settled along
its bor,iers, to be sure, but the country
still consists mainly ofintervals. 1t has
only few centers of population, with
big spaces between. It's entire popula.
fstion is but 200 or 500, while it is capable
of easily holding and providing for mill.
ions without crowding. Very much in
deed, of this country has made no pro.
gress since-May 11th, 1892. Its abund.
ant resources are like those of conti
nent surmised but not disclosed There
is an immense field still left for future
discoveries, for the area of possibilities
in this Pacific Northwest is limitless
When The Dalles is discovered, in about
two years from today, it will take large
army of discoverers to exhaust the op.
portunity of finding the dormant re.
sources which are lying around loose
lust waiting tor somebody to come along
and pick them up and go into business
Rockey p. Earhart Dead.