The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-09-06
oAss SPEAKS AGAIN.
Affairs About Cascade Locks.-some
Historical Suggestions.
Special to The Chronicle,l

Historical Suggestions.
Special to The Chronicle,l
CASCADE LOCKS, Sept. 5.-Events
transpiring during the past week have
not revealed anything of Importance.
save the old routine, which is reposing
on the couch of delay, and is cause for
Comment. You were informed that the
plans and specifications of the locks and
canal were partly completed, and cent to
the chief of the engineer department at
Washington, and that the other portion
would be forwarded in q few days );
which believe has been done, or will
be done in short time; and as soon as
examined and passed no doubt will be
advertised, if former adviees are to be
relied on. There is deal of red tape in
the whole thing, and there is a great
deal of railroad influence .forninst it, con-
tinually worked in, and it will be one of
the seven or eleven wonders of the world
if you or 1 ever have an opportunity to
get through the great thoroughfare any
other way than on sole leather.
The D. P. & A. N. Co. flatter them
selves that they soon viii send their
steamers through to Astoria, laden with
the products of the Inland Empire, by
this route. We think they may, but
when they do, their steamers will be
new ones, instead of what they are run
ming now.
We hear that some of your enterpris-
ing citizens are planning to bid on the
canal also, that there are several large
contractors in Portland hankering after
the job when the good time comes.
Forest fires, and especially fires along
the river, have done deal of damage.
A few days ago, Mr.. Hamilton had
nearly one hundred cords of wood
burned near Herman creek, and several
farmers had fences burned and more or
less property destroyed. These fires
along the railroad track, which are
frequent, are caused by sparks from
engines, without shadow of doubt
HISTORIC "REMINISCENCES.
The old block house, just opposite, is
almost ready to lay its glory down, and
be numbered with the things that have
been. This old structure was built in
the winter of 1866, by order of
Gen. Wool, I believe, and was. occu-
pied by detachment of infantry for
short time during the Yakima Indian
war. just below, on the river bank,
about two miles away, was another one,
in which Gen. Sheridan, then second
lieutenant, was quartered, and where, it
is said, he ..emelled the first gunpow-
der" This one has long since fallen
and partly washed into the river, by thel
crumbling banks giving away to the in
iuence of floods. The place is only
known now by the name of Sheridan
Point.
The upper lock-house, while historic
in degree, has none of the glory that
hovers over the spot of Sheridan Point,
for there was where mems souls were
tried in defending themselves and those
who were under their care, against the
hostile tribes who congregated at the
Middle Cascades for the purpose of
massacre and to hold the whole country
from being occupied by the whites. II
think the last log is gone, and the spot
is only known in memory.
Col. sinnott, of your city, conceived
the plan of taking down the upper
block-house some time ago, and remov-
ing it to the worlds fair at Chicago.
The idea was good enough, in its way,
but if the Colonel will put it in repair
where it is, and terrace the hill on
which it stands, and beautify the