The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1903-09-11
FAVOR AN OPEN RIVER
congressional Party Speaks of
the Great Columbia.
VIII work for Liberal ApproprIa
tions for the Removal of Oh
structions in That Stream.

The Washington congressional party
"nlCn ldst week made a trip from We
natcnee up the upper Columbia river al
most 10 the International boundary line
= very enthusiastic over the future Of
'hat country. The members of the
party nave submitted to interviews and
each Is Ol the opinion that the general
government can not spend a fair sum of
money TO any better advantage than in
Oio"lhg the distractions from that great
stream. lt Is confidently expected that
Che Washington delegation will give the
matter their personal attention at the
next session and that their efforts will
Oe rewarded. Speaking of the improve
mehts necessary the delegation was
unanimous IN its opinion. The follow
ing interviews were given the Spokes-
man Review:
Ankeny Favors Open River.
Senator Ankeny said: 81 shall do
everything III my power to secure n Iib-
eral appropriation for the Improvement
Q! the Columbia, and am also in favor
oI opening the south half as quickly as
possible. L want the Indians to be given
Cnelr ailotments and then throw the rest
OF the land open to new settlers. But
Uhe new corners must have trananorta-
tlOn. Nature has here provided mag
nlhcent channel for commerce which re-.
qulres but comparatively small expen-
ulture to make it a navigable stream. liz
would be shame to waste this river nv
leaving 1t as 1t is when the people need
an open river SO much"
Senator Fosters Views.
The upper Columbia river should be
opened to navigation without further
9elay, Senator Foster said. 'Tt should
nave been improved before. The settle
nleht OF the country adjacent to the
river warrants the general government
In eXpendng a large sum OF money i'm
Dlastlng out rocks and in otherwise rem
Gerlng navigation possible and safe from
Wehatchee 90 the international boundry.
comparatively small sum OF money,
however, Will open the river, and there ia
no place IN the country where the gov
erhment could spend a quarter of a
mliilon OF dollars to better advantage
Chan on the upper Columbia. The
CROWN and development of this part OF
Une state has gone on splendidly in spite
oI Che failure OF the government to omen
Che river. But this development would
nave been much more rapid if ample
transportation facilities had been pro-
Vlded earlier. Today delicious fruit is
ioCIlng on the ground along portions of
Cne upper Columbia, simply because
tnere LII no river transportation facilities.
Ia other instances the products of the
Fanch are hauled at much time and ex-
pense TO railroad stations Is to 20
miles distant"
In the general scheme of development
OF the upper Columbia river, Senator
roster faVOrs Immediate legislation for
the opening OF the south half OF the
ColViile Indian reservation. 81 have
prepared Tor Introduction in the senate"
ne sald, a Dill for the opening of the
south half 1t will be similar to the bill
Congressman Jones will introduce in the
house. If my bill gets through the
senate hrst it will be substituted for the
j ones bill IN the house. If, on the other
hand, Mr.. Jones bill passes the house
first l will substitute his bill for mine in
the senate, thus hurrying up and facili-
tatlng the passage of this legislation"
Congressman jones' Views.
Congressman Jones said: II consider
the Improvement of the Columbia river
an Immediate necessity. Excepting a
lew stretches, there is splendid naviga-
tion for almost $50 miles, and these few
stretches can be-made reasonably good
Tor navigation at a small cost. | am
really surprised at the possibilities OF
improvement by a comparatively small
expenditure. By the engineers report.
made some years ago, an expenditure OF
over SlS,OOO,OO0 is estimated for max
ing the river navigable. This amount
no doubt could be expended, but $50
900 or 100000 expended in a practical
manner would bring great relief and
make 1T possible to navigate this long
stretch OF river without great difficulty
The country bordering on this part
OF the river is just beginning to develop.
Settlers are beginning to make manifest
it's wonderful possibilities. These are
vast and varied. The small fruit farms
along the river produce wonderfully
without irrigation, while the golden
fields, glancing from the high tablelands,
are an earnest OF the productiveness of
an immense territory directly tributary
to the river. There are also splendid
forests tributary to the river, especially
in Stevens county, that can be made
available for homes and commerce by
the opening OF the river. Splendid min
ing prospects have been discovered, and
there is every indication that the mineral
resources are very great.
son the north bank of the river there
are no railroads, and on the south side
it is from II to 45 miles to railroad
transportation. Such a condition, of
course, greatly retards settlement and
development. There is no immediate
prospect Of railroad. In my Judgment
nowhere can the expenditure OF so small
a sum OF money bring forth such great
results"
Stomach Trouble,