Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1896-11-11
THE GREAT RivEH OPEN.
The Formal Dedication Of the Cascade
Locks Ceisbratsd.

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 look was the steamer
Maria, the little steamer Sadie B., the
launch Water Witch, owned by J. @.
and /. N. Day, the contractors. Out.
side the lower gate we're 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.
1t was exactly $3.50 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 Joined
in 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, fired 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 up
their stations within the lock, followed
by the other steamers. Once within
the walls, the gates were closed, and
each vessel safely rnoored. 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. Sh rman and
Morrow counties had good delegations
present, as well as Kliokitat county,
Wash.
After the passage of the vessels
through the locks, Colonel Day and his
son entertained large number Of in
vited guests, arriving from Portland In
a special train. The big dining room
Of the messhouse was transformed into
q Ddh4hCb ndllt WuSI6 lull Ju6blCo WAS
done TO the spread furnished by the
hosts.
During the night many speeches
were made by prominent citizens of the
state, and 0 O'Clock the Portland party,
with the exception of about 90 who
went to The Dalles to continue the
celebration. started for home in its spe-
aiol trai hn -,
hour and 30 minutes.
The proposition to build a canal
around the distractions in the Colum-
bia river at the cascades was first pro-
posed by Colonel Miohier in 1875. The
following year the government made
the first appropriation of 500, 600 for
the commencement of work on that i'm
porant undertaking. The first plans of
the engineers contemplated the con-
struction of timber-crib breakwater
structure, 1900 feet long, to extend
from the lower entrance of the canal
for distance of 5000 feet. The lift
to the upper river through the canal
was to be overcome by two locks each
250 feet by 46 feet in size and the
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 in
charge of government works in this dis.
trict. Colonel Wilson proposed that
the locks be placed on the Oregon side
of the river, and after careful exami-
nation by board of engineers Colonel
Wilson's proposition was approved.
This board estimated the total cost
of overcoming the distractions at the
cascades to be SO. 900. The same
year. on the recommendation Of Colo.
mel Wilson, the width of the locks was
increased from 80 to 70 feet.
After several years, during which
time but little work was accomplished,
in 1892 the river and harbor act appro.
priated $326. $50 for the continuance OF
the work, and the contract was given
into private hands. Messrs. j. g. and
]. N. Day secured the contract and
agreed to finish the locks for 81 ,521, ,265.
There is no force of means so plen.i
full in static condition as electricity
according TO the Electrical Review.