The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-03-05
STATE OFFICIALS.
COUNTY OFFIClALs.
OPEN THE LOCKS.

We published yesterday communica-
tion from the Washington special cor
respondent of the Oregouian in which
the writer scores Eastern Oregon people
in general and Governor Pennoyer in
particular for writing letters to the
members of the house committee on
rivers and harbors and the senate COM
mittee on commerce anent the i'm
provements of the Columbia river. The
letter states that when the Columbia
river improvements were under consid-
Grafton last Thursday, the chairman of
rivers and harbors sprung a letter from
Gov. Pennoyer which insinuated that
the people of Eastern Oregon would be
satisfied to have the work stop at the
Cascades and the government give its
entire attention to the portage around
the dalles and added that so far as the
delegation then could see it was
apparent that Pennoyer and his friends
were attempting to influence the demo-
cratic house not to do anything for
Oregon improvements, that political
capital may be made in the coming
election in this state. The CHRONICLE is
in no way concerned to defend Governor
Pennoyer, but sense of justice COM
pels us to say, the opinion of the delega-
tion to the contrary notwithstanding,
that Eastern Oregon and an open river
have no truer or better friend than Cow
ernor Pennoyer. He has proved this in a
hundred ways from the time the move
ment for the Cascade portage was first
mooted in the legislature of 1891, till the
present hour. Men praise the bridge
that carried them over and Eastern Ore
gon owes this tribute to Governor PEN
noyer. Laying aside, however, all ques-
tions as to the Governors sincerity, we
believe the wishes of the people of this
section may be summed up as follows:
We want, as the main thing, an early
completion of the locks. We feel as Mr..
Herman does when he SAYS, ''If the gov
ernment should now cease work upon
the improvements which have already
cost 81 800, 900, and allow the masonry
and other work to crumble under the
fierce freshets of the Columbia river, it
would be nothing less than an outrage"
But if appropriations are to be doled out
and the work prolonged as they have
been in the past, them we want, as the
main thing-for temporary relief, port
age railway around the dalles. If we
can only obtain a small appropriation
we would prefer that it be devoted to a
portage, but if liberal appropriation
can be had, let it by all means be for the
locks and the state of Oregon can build
the dalles portage itself. The opening
of the locks alone would effect the whole
traffic of the country tributory to the,
Columbia from Idaho to the sea. Even
the little portage at the Cascades effects
dreights as far east as Baker City; much
more if boats were able to sail up the
river without the cost of transfer of
freight at the Cascades. With an open
river to Portland there is no reason WHY
freight that now costs by rail from $6
to 50 a ton, laid down in The Dalles,
should not be. carried by water for
dollar to dollar and a half a ton. This
would be an important reduction even
ii the goods had to be shipped from here
to eastern points by the Union Pacific,
Sub s1Ar dattcI Will never
arise, for just as sure as the general gov
ernment refuses to give a portage at the
daiies, and refuse it will beyond
reasonable doubt, the state will set
about the work and have it in operation
before the work at the locks can be COM
pleted, even at the utmost government
speed. Taking everything, therefore in
to consideration we believe that the eff
forts of the Oregon delegation should be
concentrated on securing an appropria-
ton to complete the locks with all possi-
bic speed. There is imminent danger
that If contentious arise over conflicting
opinions as to methods and measures
the session will pass and a congress
none to liberal at best will thereby find
a convenient excuse for giving us moth
ing at all. Let the government open the
Cascade locks and we can solve the boat
railway and portage problem ourselves.
The city of Chicago has a mortgage in
debtedness on its buildings and town