The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-11-19
THE GREAT RIVER OPEN.
The Formal Dedication OF tho Cascade
Locks Celebrated

The Formal Dedication OF the CASCADE
Locks Celebrated
The opening of the Cascade locks last
week will prove an epoch In the MIS-
tory of 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 a brief reply
by him.
Within the lock was the steamer
Maria, the little steamer Sadie B., the
launch Water Witch, owned by j. q.
and I. N. Day, the contractors. Out.
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
outa aioa 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 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 moored. Then a
practical demonstration of the work
ings of the lock followed. An addi-
tional depth of % 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
Morrow counties had good delegations
present, as we'll as Klickitat county,
Wash.
After the passage of the vessels
through the locks, Colonel Day and his
SOD entertained a large number Of in
vited guests, arriving from Portland In
special train. The big dining room
of the messhouse was transformed into
a banquet hall, where full justice was
done to the spread furnished by the
hosts.
During the night many speeches
were made by prominent citizens of the
state, and o'clock the Portland party,
with the exception Of about 30 who
went to The Dalles to continue the
celebration, started for home in its spe-
cial train, the run being made in one
hour and 20 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 100000 for
the commencement of work on that i'm.
porant undertaking. The first plans of
the engineers contemplated the con.
struction of a 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
$50 feet by As 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 a 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 $2,544.000 The same
year, on the recommendation of Colo
mel Wilson, the width of the locks was
increased from 80 to 20 feet.
After several years, during which
time but little work was accomplished,
in 1892 the river and harbor act appro.
priated $326,25O for the continuance of
the work. and the contract was given
into private hands. Messrs. j. g. and
l. N. Day secured the contract and
agreed to finish the locks for 81 ,521,265.
There is NO force Of means so plenti-
full in static condition as electricity,
| according to the Electrical Review.
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