Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-04-03
THE CASCADE LOCKS.
Uiu Soon be Possible to Take a
Steamboat Rtde from Cdmds
Prairie to the Ocean.

Cascade Locks, Or, March "a.
DEAR PARKER:-The idea has
often come to me that possibly
few lines from this land of misty
mountains, messy rocks, moss
backs and generally saturated con-
ditions might interest your read
ers living under the clear skies of
favored Idaho. But mind you
this is not a land void of attrac-
tive features; and in the intervals,
when the misty curtain is drawn
aside and nature smiles, no iairer
pictures are anywhere to be seen
than here where the Columbia
breaks through the Cascade noun
tains on its way to the ocean. The
prevailing color is green, and un-
der the varying lights, give all the
notifications that this most versa
tile Of colors is susceptible of, and
in cloud or sunshine, in storm or
calm, presents attractions and
changes that the lover Of nature
never ceases to admire.
But as the saying is: "God made
the country and man made the
town." and so here nature gives
the river and the distractions
known as the Cascades, and it re-
manned for man to devise and con-
struct a way around them. From
the ocean to this place the distance
is about $50 miles, and all the way
an open roadway for navigation;
but here occurs the first obstruc-
ton known as the Cascades. The
fall is not great, being only "a
feet in $500, and to overcome this
and open the river to The Dalles,
the next obstruction, the canal and
locks were planned and construct.
cd and are now nearly ready for
use. The work has been in pro-
gress for many years, SO long in
fact that men have grown old here
and the early history Of the enter
prise runs back into the misty
realm of tradition, and has been
conducted with oil due respect for
the conservative characteristics of
the natives of this sleepy land Of
moss and mists-the Holland Of
America. 1t was at this point that
Bonneville, in his narrative, re-
marks that he FIRST had trouble
with the natives; in making the
portage he was sorely troubled by
the phenomenon, that his personal
effects were strongly attracted
toward the natives, and whose hos.
pitality called for return of COM
pliments that always left q balance
on the wrong side. To show how
local characteristics are perpetual
ed, l note that the same conditions
are discernible even to this day.
Whether this is the result OF
natural transmission or owing to
some occult climatic influence, l
will not venture an opinion; but
owing to the same manifestations
in other localities not very remote,
] think tho climatic theory worthy
of some notice. When the ques-
ton of extending the navigation OF
the river was contemplated, it was
wisely decided that as boats could
not go under or over the falls, the
only thing to do was to 60 around
them; and the government, with
it's usual energetic action when ad-
vancing western interests, made
the usual elaborate surveys, plans,
etc.. built houses and shops, and
expended all the appropriations in
getting ready. In fact it was all
done something after the manner
of the man who owned the steam.
boat on the Arkansaw river; she
had very small boiler and an
enormous whistle; the result wat
that every time she whistled for O
landing it was necessary to tie up
to the bank and wait for more
steam before proceeding. Anyway
this policy and the accumulation o.
worthless machinery, used all the
money and put in the time, and in
fact did everything except forward
the work. But fortunately for thu
interests Of the country change
in the conduct of affairs was made
two years ago, and the contract fol
the completion of the work was lie
; to private parties under the super
vision of the government. Thu
contractors are the j. G. and /. n
Day Co., and under their vigorous
MANAGEMENT the work has pro
crossed rapidly and been done il
a very thorough manner. TIL
8goSefHmert officer in charge
Lieut.. Taylor, u. S. engineers, VIII
While yet a young officer, ha
shown himself POSSESSED of talen
of very high order in his profession
sUnder the present contractor
modern methods have been adopted
efficient machinery introduced an
railways laid where needed fO
moving material. Six locomotive
>. furnish the motive power, an
hofsting engines and derricks ar
located at all available points, an
also a powerful dredge for sui
marine work. All the force tha
could be used has been steadily Ell
-ployed, and today the canal