The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-08-24
WILL BUILD
PORTAGE ROAD
Plans for Its Construction
Have Been Formulated.
OPEN RIVER ASSOCIATION TO FRONT
Work Will Be Commenced in Sep
tember and the Road Be Ready
by Fall,
OPEN RIVER ASSOCIATION TO FRONT

If the present plans materialiZe the
construction of the portage railway
around the obstructions in the Colum-
bia river at Cello will be begun next
month and the road will be completed
in time to move a large percentage of
the big grain crop of the Inland EN-
pire to tidewater by that route.
At joint meeting of the executive
committee of the Open River associa-
Der of Commerce of Portland, which
was held in that city yesterday the
portage railway question was discuss
ed at length and a plan of immediate
action decided upon.
Dr. \. G. Blalock. of Walla Walla,
who is member of the executive
committee of the association, return
ed from Portland this morning after
attending the meeting and he said to a
Statesman representative:
after having been in session almost
day and night for five days in con-
nection with representatives of the
Portland Chamber of Commerce and
Open River association l returned this
morning. Yesterday we formulated a
plan and presented it to the state
board whose business it is to construct
the portage road at Cello.
The proposition that was presented
by the executive board of the associa-
ton and the Chamber Of Commerce.
was that we agreed to assume the re-
sponsibility of obtaining the right of
way for the portage road which shall
not in any way infringe upon the right
of way of the canal which the state of
government, and to construct. equip
and turn over to the state board the
completed portage road according to
the terms of the Legislative enactment
of Oregon appropriating $165.OOO for
that purpose. Furthermore we agree
to make up the deficiency which is es-
timated to be $4,000
In order to push this important en-
terprise to completion we agreed to
give a good and sufficient bond to the
amount Of $165, 900 to indemnify the
state board as evidence of our good
faith in the matter. We had our
bondsmen On the ground ready to en-
ter into contract and our lawyer JOS
eph Teal of Portland, was instructed
by the Oregon state board and our
committee to draw up articles of agree |
ment along the lines agreed upon.
There were only two members OF |
the Oregon state board present at our
meeting and they expressed them
selves rs very willing to turn over the !
work to us. and it is only a matter |
now apparently of detail to close the
work and to put it in shape to at once
commence construction. We have been
working faithfully for several weeks to |
reach the point which was arrived at |
yesterday afternoon and we all felt
much pleased and gratifed at the re-
suits Of our labors. It will now be up |
to the people of the Inland Empire
who are interested in this important |
work to come forward when we are
ready to present our plan of raising
money and aid US along that line. !
Portland promises, through it's Cham
Der OF Commerce to take the lead in |
the matter and we believe that they
are now in good earnest and Just as
anxious as we are to have the portage |
road completed. I need not attempt TO |
argue to the business men of the In
land Empire the importance of This
enterprise because they all know what |
it means to have an open river It
means that We could regulate freight /
rates more economically and satisfac-
torily than with a railroad commission |
We expect to let tn. people hear
from our board again In q few days