Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-03-16


safety of steam boats, owing to the swir
of the water and the cross currents
Many of the rocks have been broken Of
aud suck in the depths of the river, snC
the Government engineers, directed by
Majo Langfitt, are in the midst of the
work. A great deal of "shooting" with
dynamite has been done, and a huge
era ne mounted on scow is picking uE
the fragments and dropping them into
the river.
The water of the Columbia is SO low
Just now and the flow 30 gentle that the
rapips are safe for boats OF al kinds.
The ascent was made yesterday IN a
small gasoline launch, the Simplex,
which conveyed eight persons from The
DalIes to Big Eddy In an hour and a
half. In the boat besides two employees
of the craft were Messrs. Dunbar, Teal,
Moore, Mariner, Spencer and Carroll.
AT Big Eddy this party was joined by
Governor Chamberlain and Messrs.
Smith, Peters, Seufert and George Mo
Clellan. one of the State Engineers
Thence the combined party proceeded
to Cello Falls in buggies.
The portage road is to be little more
than eight miles long. Nearly all the
grading has been done, but a great deal
of trestle is vet to be built. About two
and one-half miles of trestle is to b,
built, and probably half mile of that
distance is finished 1t is durab'y
made. and where exposed to the beat Of
the water each bent is made up of five
piles. One and one-half miles of the
grading is filled in with sand, which
uluSC Ue IIpIdppcu w P'O'oIV ~ I!oih
wind and river. The visitors were
eager to have the fills protected as soon
as possible. owing to possible danger
from wind, but where conso'ed by the
thought that, if such misfortune
should occur, the contractors, Nelson &
White, would be liable. w. F. Nelson,
one of the contractors, however, was
easy in mind and said that there was
no danger and that the fills would be
secured against the wind as soon as
possible.
The contractors have been at work
since February 6. and, according to the
estimate OF the visitors, probably one
'ourth of the construction is finished.
In the next month construction will pro-
,eed much more rapidly. BY the terms
If the contract the road is to be finish.
I'd by May Is on penalty of $500 for
each days tardiness. Mr.. Nelson said
hat, unless some unforeseen delay oc-
,urs, the road will be complete on con-
ract time.
Most active OF the party in pushing !
he portage project has been J. N. Teal,
Who was recognized by the contractors !
md engineers as sort of director of
he work. Mr.. Teal was foremost
member of the Open River Association
n securing subsc iptions of m ney to
Implement the state appropriation of
l65 600. Yesterdays tip wss ar
anged by him, and he acted as steward
t the party.
Owing to the certainty that the Col
mbia River will have but small
eshe; this year, the portage road can
e operated all summer. Usually it
i'll be necessary to suspend operation I
lring June and July, the months when I
pods will be highest. I
The portage follows closely the line of
q proposed Government canal, and
ti.nately will be superseded by that (
aterway. The party was interested in Z
scing the course of the canal, but the
ute was marked only by stakes set by z
e G vernment surveyors. &
All the labor unions of Spokane 5
cept the porters and bartenders, 3
II be represented in a union s