Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-10-16


ell and Prof. Cordley, of the statae
Agricultural College. Played the
two at billiards and beat them, and
then Newell beat Cordley. The only
other visitor to the club, which is a
large and elegant place, was young
Haines, who clerk I'd for Oscar John
SON He is sal lasr' an here in a
clothing house. IS very gentleman
ly in appearance. and ] was pleased
to see that he tackled the reading
room instead of the card tables.
We pulled out of The Dalles the
next morning at seven. the two OPP
position boats casting off together.
The Kellogg was loaded light and
got the right of way in close to the
north bank, passing us with footing
Of whistles and cheering of crew.
But the Spencer soon overlook them
and when we were through break
fast was the little girl said three
blocks behind. Before we reached
Hood River we took on a bunch of
fat cattle and the Kellog passed us
again. 1t was beautiful race most
of the way down, the Spencer being
the faster boat. but carrying 700
tons of wheat taken on at the big
eddy above The Dalles.
hA 7
women drink whisky straight at the
bar. The alcoholic young women
In public place was a new one to
me. AS a rule in the west vice and
dissipation are confined to the most
ignorant, and these girls looked as
though they had several punches of
education coming to them. They
were from some sound city and had
not enjoyed many advantages. There
were harvesters on board returning
to Portland from eastern Washing
ton, where they went in July and
got $3.50 to s. per day. These
men get this wage and board, the
highest price being paid to derrick
forkers and sack sewers. These
men are bronzed and brawny and a
satisfaction to behold. Most of them
go home with sack Of money.
Many laborers were on board with
mules and other equipments to work
on the North Bank railroad. The
Hill road has a force of men every
mile, with boarding houses, engines
and steam drilling plants at the rock
cuts. counted four tunnels In a
quarter of a mile. At Lyle there is
a tunnel a mile long. There are no
trestles and all fills have a solid
rock coping to the water.
The steamer Chas F. Spencer was
built by Capt. T.. w. Spencer, of
Portland, for his son who is first
officer. This is the fourth year of
this Independent boat, that first did
a towing business. Jacob Kamm, the
Regulator line and the o. II. g.
y. boats. united to drive IL of the
river But Spencer was in the
steamboat business from the time
he began as a cabin boy on the Ohio
river at the age of eleven and was
not to be run of the river without a
fight. lie cut his towboat in two,
heightened her out forty feet, put in
faster machinery and oil burners,
and went after the passenger busl-
ness. Passenger fares went down to
25 cents. and livestock to 81 car
load, The first year the Spencer lost
$500, next year $1,000, but the
last two years she has made money
rapidly. Fares to The Dalles are
$3.50 and a carload of cattle pays
$25 to $40 Meals are so cents and
the service is excellent. The o, II.
n n. tracks are being stralghtened
fills take place of trestles. and steel
bridges In place OF wood and iron.
These water level railroads are the
greatest freight roads In the world.
We saw one o. II. 4 n. engine snak-
ing II cars, mostly loaded. The
limit is 72 and as the long train
dragged beside the waters edge IL
was literal boa-eonstrictor of COM
merce,
The scenery on the Columbia gives
the constant impression OF floating
on the CLASSY surface OF dark blue
lake. with run OF mountains en-
closing the water and mirrored in
its shining CLASSY bosom. AZ almost
any nlaoe there are several islands
dottlng the river like little floating
castles, Some of them have summer
cottages. Memaloose island with its
monument TO Vic. Trivett. the friend
of the Indians, Blalock's island. cele-