The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-02-15
: SITUATION AT THE LOCKS.
Whether They VIII Be Operated This
Season Yet Uncertain.

Whether They VIII Be Operated Thi
: Season Yet Uncertain.
Wedne lay Messrs. A. S. MacAlliste
and E. Schanno, as representatives O
The Dalles Commercial Club, me
Capt. j. H. D. Gray, a representative
Of the Astoria Board of Trade, ant
Hon. Jas. Crawford, representing the
Vancouver Commercial Club, at the
Cascades, their mission being to, il
possible. ascertain the exact date on
which the locks would be opened, and
if, when opened, they would be oper.
ated permanently. Messrs. MacAllis.
ter and Schanno have returned, and
report in substance that the canal and
locks can and will be opened for trial
within sixty days; but whether they
will be operated permanently depends
| on circumstances.
| Day Bros contract will be COM
pleted in very short time, and boat
will be passed through the canal as an
experiment. If everything works sat-
isfactory the canal will be permanently
opened for traffic. But the operation
of the canal and locks depends upon
the stability Of the north wall of the
canal between the first and second
gates, that is composed OF decomposed
rock, which, it is feared, when SUBJ
jected to the force of the water, will
crumble down and interfere with work
ing the lower valves. Should this
result, the locks will have to be
closed until that wall can be pro-
tected by concrete or solid masonry.
The question of whether the canal and
locks will be operated from the date of
opening depends wholly upon the
stability of this wall which is l26 feet
in length. If it stands, the Columbia
river is open to navigation from The
Dalles to Astoria: if not, then the locks
will be closed and so remain until the
wall is strengthened.
Lieutenant Taylor, the government
engineer in charge, estimates that the
wall can be made secure with con-
crete covering within six weeks, and |
by an expenditure of $1,000; but the
appropriation has all been exhausted. !
and there is no government funds |
available with which to prosecute the |
work. However Capt. Gray assured |
Messrs. MacAllister and Schanno
that if it became necessary to expend |
this amount of money to insure the
operation of the locks this season, As
toria would guarantee to raise two
thirds of the sum provided The Dalles
would guarantee the other one-third.
AS to this proposition there can be no
question as to the final result. The
eitizens of The Dalles
will readily subscribe the requisite
81, 900, if it becomes necessary in order
to give them the benefits of an open
river to the sea.
After Day Bros contract is COM
pleted, the government engineers esti-
mate that an appropriation of $4,000
will be required to so complete the
works to protect them from damage
BY high water, and they have recon-
nended the appropriation to that
amount. This appropriation is con-
'idered necessary to riprap the bank
between the canal and the river, which
consists of loose rock that is liable to
De carried away by an ordinary stage
If high water, leaving the north walls
If the canal unprotected and the locks
n danger of being washed away. To
complete this work, it is estimated will
axe from two to three years.
After having carefully examined
very detail in connection with the
work. at the Cascades, Messrs. MacAl-
lister and Shanno feel guaranteed in
tating that the locks will be opened
7ithin two months at farthest, but
heir permanent operation this season
7ill depend, as above stated, upon the
liability OF 123 feet of wall on the north /,
ank. If this proves insufficient to {
tand the force of the water, it will {
ave to be strengthened by private I
Inscription, since there can be no I
ope of congress making pm appro- 6
riation in time for it to be used this t