The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-05-02
OH LORD! WHAT NEXT?

When the news fitted across the
wires that Senator Mcbride had se-
cured provision appropriating'S50, 600
for the works at the cascades, $40, 200
of which was to be used for extending
the walls at the locks, and that the app
preparation was to secure the building
of another lock, we were in hopes that
there was some mistake, but this last
hope has vanished. 1t is too true, at
least we are lead to so Judge from the
fact that the Oregonian has received
pointer from some one high in author
ity, probably member of the firm OF
Day Bros, and is able to make this
statement:
"The $4,000 is to be expended in
building walls along the sides OF the
canal from the upper guard-gate. This
will practically amount to building
another lock by adding one more lock
to the present number. The upper
guard gate was not intended for lock
gate, but only to protect the canal and
locks below in times of high water.
The locks were originally calculated to
give passage to boats on water 20 feet
above low-water mark on the lower
gauge, as it was not supposed that
boats could get up to the mouth of the
canal when the water was higher than
that. As it has been demonstrated
that boats can push their way up to
the locks when the water is much
more than 20 feet above the low-water
mark on the lower gauge, it has been
decided to make lock between the
present upper lock and the upper
guard gate. This will enable boats to
be passed through the locks when the
water is AZ feet above low water mark
on the lower gauge, thus extending
the time the locks can be used probably
three months in the year. II this
space below the upper guard gate were
not walled and made into lock, as soon
Us the river was more than 20 feet above
low-water mark by the lower guage,
the locks would be impossible, and the
upper guard gate would be closed to
protect the canal. The Dalles will see
from this, that the building or rather
making of another lock- will be a
blessing, however much this fact may
have been disguised"
This statement causes US to cry aloud,
''Oh Lordl What Next2" What other
"blessing" of this sort are there in
store for the people of The Dalles, to
retard the opening of the locks until
our children, who are yet infants, shall
grow gray-headed with age waiting,
waiting, waiting to see this fond hope
of their ancestors consummated? What
other new schemes will be invented to
put off the opening of the river after an
other lock has been added? We would
also ask who ''has decided to make
lock between the present upper lock
and the upper grade gate?" Have the
government engineers decided upon
this, or is it decision of the Oregonian
and the contractors? If the engineers
have so decided, why does it not so ap-
pear in their reports When was this
decision reached, just within the past
few days, or was it known months ago
when the contractors were promising
that that the LOCKS would be opened on
the 1st of last March? Is it not true
that this scheme has just been hatched
up, in order that the present contract
ors can be assured an opportunity to
squander this $50, 900 together with the
S179, ,597 in the sundry civil bill? Both
of these appropriations combined
would start the work of building an
other lock, but $500, 900 would be re-
quired to raise the walls and complete
the new lock. If it is true that this
extra lock has been determined upon,
this conclusion alone can be arrived at:
Either the Oregon delegation in con-
gress is standing in with the parties
whose interest it is to retard the
opening of the locks, and is asking ap.
prepriations that will make dialatory
measures certain, or the members of
the delegation are so utterly stupid
that they cannot see when they are
getting the wool pulled over their eyes.
Every dollar that is appropriated for
new work inside the canal between the
upper and lower guard gates, except to
complete the unprotected walls, means
another long delay in the date of COM
pletion. The locks are now in a con-
dltion that they can be operated at all
ordinary stages of water, and every.
thing that is added is simply to pre-
vent their immediate use.