Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-11-24
be put in operation in three months
after the subscription is assured.

be put in operation in three months
after the subscription is assured.
All subscriptions are made contin-
gent upon the completion and
operation Of the road, so that the
subscribers take no chances what
ever Of any failure to receive the
benefits for which they are paying.
There are certain opponents Of
the success Of this project who will,
at the next session of the legisla-
ture Of Oregon, demand the repeal
Of the act making an appropriation
for the portage road, and it is felt
that there may be some danger of
their success unless some action ia
taken Immediately to insure the
construction Of the road and the
expenditure Of a part or all of the
appropriation before the next legis-
lature meets. Under these circum-
stances 1t would be worse than
suicidal for the people of the in.
land empire to allow the large ap.
preparation of Oregon to be lost on
account of the failure to make up
the sum Of the deficit required. The
state board having the project in
charge has no authority to incur
any indebtedness on behalf of the
state Of Oregon, ,Sani will not under
take to begin work until the full
amount necessary for its compile
ton is assured, and the Open River
association, in undertaking to guar
antee this deficit, needs the support
of the entire river basin.
Our failure to raise the money
necessary for this purpose might
have worse consequences than the
mere loss Of the appropriation made
by the state of Oregon, az the enc
mics of the open river might argue
from such a failure that the people
along the river were Indifferent,
both as to the portage road and
the canal, and might by means Of
such an argument and such repre-
sentations to congress prevent any
further appropriations being made
at this time for the canal itself,
which would result in an indefinite
delay of the open river.
AS heretofore stated, the portage
road will be owned and operated
by the state Of Oregon upon its
completion, and the men in charge
Of the Open River association are
confident that the state OF Oregon
will ultimately return to the sub
scribers every dollar now con-
tributed for the construction oi
this road, 80 that the subscribers
would only be making temporary
loan to the state. This, however,
will not appeal 80 much to sub.
scribers who are familiar with the
project, because the immediate re.
turns will be so large in proportion
to the subscription asked that il
will be immaterial whether tht
small amount subscribed is evel
returned or not.
AZ an illustration of the direc
benefit which the Clearwater coun
try will receive, it may be statet
that the promoters of the electro
road to Grangeville and Nez Perc
, say that nothing will so fully an
definitely assure the completion Q
: the road as the building of the poi
4 tage road. With the portage r0a
' completed, the electric line will b
y independent of the railroads an
could form traffic arrangements G
its own with the boat lines for th
9 carrying Of wheat and produces
: and the capital which hesitates I
= invest in an electric line that woul
9 be at the mercy of other carrier
e would at once seize an opportunit
v to construct an electric line whic
Il could be independent.
If In preparation for the portaf
II road recent news dispatches ha,
It stated that boats are being prepare
n for service on the river above al
is below The Dalles, and there CO
l. be no question but THAT the riv'
,e traffic would be immensely slim
Y lated by this road.
n Every reader Of this articl
9 when approached by collector, wi
r ask himself, "What benefit will
ir receive from my subscription
" and no better answer can be hi
re than that furnished by experiene
l. Some years ago congress undertot
is to build canal around the Ga
IN cades on the Columbia river belo
" The Dalles. At that time the
Sc was no open river from The Dali
D. down, and while the canal "
built the state of Oregon, ~
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