Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-04-17
IMPROVE
UPPER
RIVER

The efforts of the people of the up.
per Willamette valley to secure better
transportation facilities for boating on
the river promises to be rewarded, ac.
cohring to the statement of the gov
ernment engineers in charge of the
work.
The Albany Commercial Club recent.
ly addressed letter to Major Langhtt
in charge of the river improvement
work on the Western Oregon rivers.
The letter was as follows:
Realizing that better and cheaper
transportation facilities are an i'm.
portant factor in the development of
the Upper Willamette valley, we take
the liberty of addressing you upon the
subject of the Improvement of the up.
per Willamette river. The river has
been very low until the recent rains.
in fact only boats drawing very little
water could run at all.
This condition is due to certain sand
bars formed in the river between Sa.
lem and this city. The removal of
these bars, eight in number, would
make the river navigable the entire
year, thus bringing the river in direct
competition with the railroad, and Civ
ing to the upper Willamette valley the
advantage of cheaper and and better
transportation facilities. We are in.
formed that these eight bars could be
removed in a comparatively short time
probably requiring not more than
four or six weeks. We believe, in view
of the great Importance of the work to
the upper valley in general, that we are
justified in asking you to give this sub
iect most earnest and careful attention.
The steam boat company is willing to
tow the dredger to and from the work
and move it from one bar TO the othnr,
whenever necessary, free of charge TO
the government.
We are very anxious to see this
work under way, and take this opportu.
nifty to make inquiry of the board of
engineers as to the prospects of the
work being undertaken this spring
We do not wish to be understood as
offering gratuitous suggestions to the
honorable board of engineers, who un.
derstand so much better than we, the
best method of procedure, but the
suggestion is respectfully made that by
commencing the work of dredging as
far up the river as it is contemplated
to operate in this season and WORKING
down stream, the obstruction will De
removed with the least outlay of money
and labor, and give the greatest and
most immediate benefit to navigation"
Major Langftt Replies.
The letter received in reply was as
follows:
"Your letter dated March 2sth, rel.
ative to the improvement of the viii
lamette river below Albany, has been |
received, and thank you for the in.
formation therein.
"'It is the plan of this office TO put
the Willamette dredge at work on the
river above Salem as soon as the stage !
Of the river will permit effective opera
tions, and it is hoped before the time of !
low water to gain increased depths on
most of the shoals below Albany, thus
giving the relief you seek. IT, howev
er, this cannot be fully accomplished |
during the present season, it is hoped
by means Of dredging, in time, at least
to give navigation to Albany, except,
possibly, at extremely low water"
Secretary Roberts Of the Albany
Club, in writing to the Salem Club,
says;
enclosed you will please find two
letters, one sent by this club to the
corps of engineers, u, s. A., Portland,
Ore, the other their reply TO the same.
This is a matter in which we are all
greatly interested, and we would like
your league to take the matter up and
write the engineers, urging them TO
push work as soon and rapidly as pos
sibly.
The steamboat people inform me
that the river will be in the best stage
for effective work when il falls about
two feet more. II is Of great import
lnce that you give this matter fmme