The herald., 1895-07-17
COLUMBIA IMPROVEMENTS
Major Posts Annual Report on
Improvement Work
ACCOMPLISHED IN OREGON
A Navigable Channel Thirty Feet Deep
at the Rivers Mouth
A Deep Water Channel to PortIand-The Pro.
posed Boat Railway at the
Dalles
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. July 16. Major j. G.
Post, in charge of the nver and harbor
improvements in Oregon, has made his
annual report to the chief engineer.
Several important works are under his
direction, notably the mouth of the Col
umbia river, the canals and locks at The
Cascades and the deep-water channel Of
the Columbia at Portland, Ore. At the
mouth of the Columb bia the project con-
templated navigable channel thirty feet
deep at low water across the bar. This
work is being accom- plshed by single
jetty. A channel thirty-one feet deep,
for half mile and thirty feet for
seven-eighths of mile at low water has
been secured. The work remaining to be
done consists of completing a small por-
ton of the ietty and seeing to the main
tenance of the channel. 1t lis expected
this work will be com pleted in four
months. The total amount appropriated
for this work has been $2,025. $50. which
will be sufficient to complete 1t. 1t was
estimated at 50. 7l0, 900 and its construction
| will therefore cost $l,6S3, 220 less than
| the estimate.
Major Post says this remarka BILE exhibit
has been princi pally due to the fact That
the appropriations from time to time
have proved sufficient to practically
maintain continuous operations. The
further expenditure of money for re.
newing the elevated track will be unnec-
essary. This track was use.i to transport
material for building the Jetty and was
in a state of decay. There IS yet bal
ance available of $3.50, 466 The work was
begun in 1885. The commercial statistics
for 1895 show total at Astoria of 75U, 443
tons and at Portland Of CAS- S83 tons.
The deep water channel to Portland
contemplates twenty-five feet depth at low
water from Portland to the sea. This In
cludes twelve miles If the Willamette
during the past year has been confined
principally to dredging to aid in creating
and maintaining new channels and reliev-
ing deposits of the extreme high water of
1894. At several points the channel was
hoaled to a depth of eighteen and nine
teen feet, but these have been dredged
and depth of twenty-one feet obtained.
Major Post says the COM of the port
OF Portland is constantly increasing and
that vessels are becoming larger and OF
deeper draught. and that the comp ple.ion
of the project is required at an early date.
especially since the depth at the bar of the
Columbia has been obtained. In 1891 the
cost OF the project was estimated at $72. :
AGA, and $500. 900 has already been ap-
propriated. The city of Portland has ex-
|
ject. The great canal and locks at The
Cascades of the Columbia, which have
| been under construction for fifteen years,
are nearing completion.
Since 1893 the project has been under
the continuing appropriation system.
Major Post says this plan has great aG-
vantages in that it gives sufficient money,
but has the disadvantage that contractors
may be fast or slow within certain linn
its. The high water Of the last year Sc
riously interfered with the work. brt
since it subsidized the construction b
time, the otncer says it has not been
pushed as rapidly as it should have been.
Much remains to be done before the canal
is open to navigation, but the officer says
there is no reason why boats should not
be passing through by June 1, 1886. The
amount appropriated thus far is SO, 443,-
4O3; expended during the year. $640. $685.
with contracts out for $685. 46l. The canal
Will allow vessels of eight feet draught to
pass to the Upper Columbia.
Another large project begun on the Co.
| lumbla was the proposed BOAT railway at
The Dalles. The boat railway. nine miles
long, has been graded and curvatures are
SAID to be much more favorable than ex-
| pected. Negotiations have commenced 60
obtain the necessary right of way, but
great difficulty has been encountered aris-
| ing from the exorbitant prices demanded
by individuals and further complications
that some of the land needed for the
boat railway is occupied by the Oregon
Railway and Navigation company while
the fec rests in individuals.
The railway company has indicated its
willingness to surrender the portion Of
the right ofway needed for the oat rail-
way, provided it is supplied with another
right of way. The legal questions have
been submitted to the attorney general.
In the meantime portions of the right OF
way where it has been possible to secure
reasonable terms. will be obtained and an
effort will be made to induce the railway
company to obtain for itself the new right
of way. the United States to reimburse
the road. Should this be successful fur
ther legislation may he necessary as the
opinion OF the district attorney is that
the United States cannot condemn right
of way to replace that taken from the rail
way company. During the delay consid-
erable study has been given to the plan,
and it is believed the railway can be con-
structed and equipped for the amount
estimated by the board of engineers in
1892.
Work has progressed favorably on the
upper Willamette and Yamhill rivers.