Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1896-11-13
THE GREAT RIVER cpeN.
The Formal Dedication Of ths Csscade
Locks Celebrated.

tory CT the state of Oregon. There
were thousands who witnessed the
swinging Of the massive steel gates at
the western approach to the lock. The
exercises preliminary TO the opening
Of the locks were simple in character.
consisting only in short address by
Governor W. P. Lord in presenting
the steel lever to be used In the open
ing Of the gates to Captain W. L. Fisk,
Of the United States engineer corps,
who had charge Of the work on behalf
Of the government, and brief reply
by him.
Within the lock was the steamer
Maria, the little steamer Sadie b., the
launch Water Witch. owned by J. g.
and l. N. Day, the contractors. Ont.
side the lower gate were the steamers
Dalles City, Sarah Dixon and Harvest
Queen, crowded to the guards with
men, women and children. On the
south side Of the locks and canal,
crowded upon the massive granite
walls Of the works. and from every
other point Of vantage, were thousands
Of others waiting patiently the signal
for the gates to swing open.
Il was exactly 2:30 when the shrill
whistle Of the Sadie B. announced the
signal, and moment after the great
steel gates were seen to be slowly NOV
ing. Cheer upon cheer rent the air;
whistles Of the various steamers joiued
in q mad chorus Of noise. The Dalles
brass band, stationed on the steamer
Sarah Dixon, played inspiring airs.
while battery A, of Portland, on the
forward deck, fred a salute as the
steamers commenced to move.
The Sadie B. backed down the lock
to the gate, followed by the Maria and
Water Witch, then returning, took NJ
their stations within the lock, followed
by the other steamers. Once within
the walls, the gates were closed, and
each vessel safely moored. Then a
practical demonstration of the work.
ings Of the lock followed. An addi-
tional depth Of 23 feet was necessary
in order that the vessels might pass
from the lower to the upper lock or
canal, and this immense body Of water
was secured in about half an hour, al
though, when the locks are in full
operation. it will not take more than
eight minutes to perform such service.
The gradual rise Of water, as it could
be watched flowing from the canal,
like seething torrent, proved an in
teresting spectacle. When the proper
depth Of water had been allowed, the
little Water Witch started through the
canal, the first vessel to pass through
the locks after the formal opening Of
the great work. The Sadie B. closely
followed and after the other steamers
also passed through the canal and be-
yond the eastern gates. the crowds Of
passengers waving handerchiefs and
wildly cheering.
| Portland was largely represented at
the celebration, as was The Dalles,
many prominent business men Of both
cities being present. Sherman and
4 Morrow counties had good delegations
/ present, as well as Klickitat county,
/ Wash.
( After the passage of the vessels
through the locks, Colonel Day and his
son entertained a large number Of in.
vited guests, arriving from Portland II
q special train. The big dining room
of the messhouse was transformed into
a banquet hall, where full justice was
I done to the spread furnished by the
hosts.
During the night many speeches
!. were made by prominent citizens Of the
state, and o o'clock the Portland party,
with the exception of about 90 wht
went to The Dalles to continue tn,
celebration. started TOR home in its spe
cial train, the run being made In ont
hour and 30 minutes.
The proposition to build canal
around the distractions in the Colum
bia river at the cascades was first pro
posed by Colonel Michier in 1875. Tht
following year the government mad'
the first appropriation Of 100000 TO
the commencement Of work on that i'm
porant undertaking. The first plans o
the engineers contemplated the con
struction Of a timber-crib breakwate
structure, 1900 feet long, to exten,
from the lower entrance Of the cana
for distance of 5000 feet. The lif
to the upper river through the cana
was to be overcome by two locks eacl
$50 feet by 46 feet in size and tn
guard gates Of each to be "a feet high
At the time the first appropriation
was made by congress Colonel Wilson
Of the United States engineers, was il
charge of government works in this dis
trict. Colonel Wilson proposed tina
the looks be placed on the Oregon sid
Of the river, and after careful exami
nation by a board Of engineers Colone
Wilson's proposition was approved.
This board estimated the total cos
.. Of overcoming the distractions at tn
cascades to be $2,544. 900. The sam
year, on the recommendation Of Cole
mel Wilson, the width Of the looks wa
increased from 80 to 10 feet.
After several years, during who
time but little work was accomplished
In 1892 the river and harbor act apprc
priated $826. 250 for the continuance G
the work, and the contract was give
iuk0 v,vt vo ka houAa MaSaro I "a an