The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-03
COLUMBIA RIVER IMPROVE
MENTS.
Seattle Pos;-In,elisencsr.

VERSES With a cheerful disregard ot
facts and persis'e9S misre?r3ssa a;'oa
Of the position taken by It's opponents,
The Pos;-Interigencer. in discussing the
appropriations for the upper Columbia
river. took the position .ha; the needs of
the upper river were the pressing caes,
which should be me; even If other por-
tions Of he river suffered; and ,ha; j,
was Of infinitely greater commercial inn
portance TO the people living in ;ha grea;
valley OF the Columbia 20 have tha; riv-
er opened to s,eamboa; navigation, from
i:s mouth to Lewiston. Ida. than 8; was
20 dredge a channel fer deep wafer ships
FOR l25 miles on the lower reaches Of the
river. The point was made clearly and
unmisyakebly that an open river would
give the people OF Eastern Washington
and Oregon a competitive water route
TO the sea for their products, while he
dredging Of the channel from Astoria 10
Portland, was purely local matter. il
tended to give Portland an opportunity
to hold the deep water shipping, which
otherwise would load a, the better and
more available harbor at Astoria The |
Oregonian says: This city is not 'ap- |
pealing for the expenditure Of enormous !
sums for the purpose Of dredging a
channel from the mouth Of the Column
b!a to the city Of the Willamette This |
city already has an excellent channel |
which will get along very well without !
much improvement until there is more
water at the mouth Of the Columbia.
The insinua;ion is also made :ha; the
Post-Inteligeacer is opposing improve |
mea:s at the mouth Of the Columbia
Now, as a matter Of fact, the amount
u money which the government has *
pended on the lower Columbia and
Willamette rivers between Portlnd and
Astoria is very much greater than the
amour; now required 20 open the Co.
lumbia river 10 steamboat navigation.
The Portland interest, which controls
;he Oregon delegation in congress. has
uniformly been exertsd in favor 5f ap-
uroorla,ions for the lower river. Pgi,-
land does not want an open river he
to the contrary notwi,hs;anI-
ing. T.
The Oregonian says now that Portland
does no; ask any alditIoaal appE5pr.a-
tions for he Columbia and Willamette
rivers between Portland and the s=a.
Ye: there is an estimate made by the
department for 10000 10 BE-
expended on these portions Of the rivers,
for the purpose Of keeping open a chan
mel for deep water ships. II Portland
really does not desire this expenditure,
,ha: is al to be asked, it is certain that
the money could be expended to much
greater advantage and for the benefi, of
more people, II on the upper river, for
the purpose OF making steamboat chan
lels where Instructions 20 navigation {
now exist.
The Columbia Is a Washington river o
far more than it is an Oregon stream.
The people who live in this state, and ]
who would be materially benefited by
having an open river, are far more au-
nerous than the Oregonians who nave
.reigi, to transmit by the upper Colum-
0ia. The Post-Intelligenccr is a Wash
ngtoa newspaper and Is working for the
interest Of the people Of the whole state,
not merely for those who may happen 10
reside in the vicinity Of Seattle. /, is Z
heartily in favor Of improvements at
he mouth Of the Columbia. It still mor= ]
strongly favors proper improvements On
he upper river The position which ir
assumes is that The moneys which arr :
hereafter to be devoted to the improve
nent Of the Columbia river should be !
for the benefit Of The large
lumber Of people, and for the projects
II the greater commercial importance
Thus, It insiests that provision should
irst be made for the opening Of the up ]
,er Columbia to steamboat navigation;
econd, for the improvement Of the en-