The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-07-23
The Portage Company and the Boat
Railway.

SEATTLE, WASH, July 18th, 1892.
Editor TINES -MouNTAMEER:
In an editorial article which appeared in
recent number of the TINES MoUNTINEER
an opinion is expressed to the effect that
Paul F. Mohr and his associates who have
commenced the construction of portage
railway around the obstructions to naviga-
tion between The Dalles and Columbus, are
in fact, endeavoring to prevent the opening
of the river in order to keep the transporta-
tion business in the hands of the present
monopoly; and that this was the real motive
of Mr.. Mohr's opposition to the boat rail-
way scheme advocated in the senate by
Senator Dolph. Such a charge does great
injustice to Mr.. Mohr and his associates.
: Indeed, l think any candid person looking
at all the facts in the case, would be far
more likely to conclude that Senator Dolph's
proposition was scheme in the interest OF
the Union Pacific and intended to protect
and continue that company's monopoly for
a long period, If not indefinitely; though
wish not to be understood as making such
an accusation against Senator Dolph.
What are the facts? In the first place no
boat railway has been put in operation in
this or any other countay. Nobody can say
from experience that the transporting of
loaded steamboats, Is commercially practic.
able. 1t has never been tried. A boat rail-
way Is In operation nowhere on the face of
the earth, and exists nowhere except in the
minds of engineers. do not assert that the
idea is chimercial, or the thing impractic-
able, for do not know. Neither does any
body else know. 1t IS an experiment, no
doubt, worth making, and possibly may de.
velope into practicable means OF trans
portation under suitable conditions. To
keep the Columbia locked up during the
years of experimental effort, allowing sue
cess to come at last, would be a very good
thing and very pleasant thing, no doubt.
for the railway company that oppresses the
people of Eastern Oregon and Washington,
but it can hardly be desirable to the VIC
TINS of the oppression.
Secondly, Mr.. Dolph's proposition called
for an appropriation of one hundred and
eighty.seuen thousand dollars to improve
Three.mile rapids and construct and equip
boat railway on the north side of the COL
umbla river from the foot of Dalles rapids
to the head of Cello falls, with hydraulic
lifts and other necessary appliances for the
purpose of raising and lowering the boats on
suitable cars to and from its tracks, the
for the passage of eight boats of six hun.
dred tons each IN each direction 10 twelve
hours" and this york ''to be paid for as ap-
preparations may from time to time De made
by law, not to e1ceed in the aggregate t,co
million sir hundred and seventy-ta0o thousand
eight hundred and .sfty-sir dollars and
thirty sue cents" exclusive of the SlS7, 900
now asked for. This, put into the plain
English of the people, means that Mr..
Dolph wants an appropriation of SlS7, 900
to commence experiments to test the prac.
ticabil1ty of boat railway on which the
United States engineers estimate that the
test could not be made for less than 81, $685.
$50. .35. lThe odd 35 cents shows such de-
sire and ability to be accurate as would have
been of great service had they been exer-
cised in making estimates for the locks at
the Cascades.) In round numbers the boat |
railway experiment was estimated to cost |
So, 600, 0O0-and it might prove to be prac-
t,cabIe Allowing everything favorable for /
the success of the experiment, how long |
would this scheme keep the river under the