The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-09-30
DON'T BE DEPENDENT.

of a circular issued by the Lewiston
Commercial Club setting up the advan-
tages to be gained and the benefits
that would occur from the opening OF
the Columbiariver to navigation above
The Dalles, or rather by the building
of a portage road around the r-.plds
between The Dalles and Cello. The
circular goes on to cay that portage
railway can be "built for the modest
appropriation of s25O,OO0 in addition
to the $4,000 still remaining OF the
boat railway appropriation. We
estimate that fully 3O,OO0,0OO bushels
of wheat will be affected by the cheap
ening of transportation by such open
ing of the river; at only five cents
reduction per bushel in freig bit charges
this would mean $500, 900 per year
saYed to the Inland Empire, or more
than three times the cost OF the pro-
posed portage road.
Accompanying the circular Is
petition to congress to appropriate
$3.50, 1000 for the immediate construction
of said portage road and equipping it
for operation, and urging congress
men and senators from the Pacific
coast states to work for the appropria-
tion.
The objects sought by the Lewiston
Commercial Club are commepdaole,
but the means they would adopt are
those of child. If the wheat raisers
of the Inland Empire can save Sl,5OO,-
600 in freights in one year by the coz
struction of portage road that VIII
cost only $3.50, 200, why should they call
on congress to help them? Why don't
they cease to be dependent upon the
government? Why don't they build
the road themselves?
1t is question whether the govern
ment can build and operate railroads
without an amendment TO the c0nstltu-
tion and if it could and congress were
willing to make the appropriation 1t
would require no less than five years
to get the appropriation bill through,
secure the rights of way and construct
the road. In those five years the
wheat raisers will lose 81, SOC, ,OOJ simply |
because they are not enterprlslng
enough to go down in their pockets
and put up about enc and one-half |
cents a bushel on their grain crop OF
one year to build road that will gain
them five cents bushel.
If the wheat farmers and merchants !
of the Inland Empire haye not suf-
ficient enterprise about them to build
a little piece of road costing S45O,OO0
that will save them 81, 100000 year
on wheat and perhaps 100000 a year
on other freight, they do not deserve
any assistance from the government.
Let them cease to be dependent and
60 to work and build the road them
selves. They can easily do it in
year, whereas there is no telling |
how long it would take the govern
ment to build the road, even If
congress were willing to make
the appropriation which is de-
cidedly questionable. There is al
ready move on foot to build this
portage rord as private enterprise,
the Central Construction & Navigation
Co. having taken the matter in hand,
surveyed the route and we understand
secured the right of way. If the
Lewiston Commercial Club is really in
earnest it will aid this company, or If
it is found to not be III position to
construct the work, il will start COM
pany that will, and not depend on con-
gress for assistance. If the upper
country people will cease TO be de-
pendent and go to work to help them
selves they may accomplish something.