Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-06-11
PORTAGE IS
LITTLE USED
Operating Expenses far
Exceed the
Returns


l.. S. Cook. superintendent Of the state
portage railway above The Dalles, for
the month Of May. has been filed with
Clerk Kozer of the board Of portage
commissioners from which 1t appears
J that the earnings of the road for the
month We're $4S.S0, while the expense
Of operation and maintenance was
$54S.1O.
| This is the dull season of the year
for business on that road. but the av-
erage monthly cost OF running and
maintaining it above the amount which
1t earns would indicate that the use
for 1t Is not as great as it's advocates
claimed for it. or else there is some-
thing sadly lacking in the plan Of con-
struction. through which the proper
connections or terminal points were
not made. The latter would seem to
be the case. as the superintendent's
report Is always suggesting what
might be done in the way Of traffic II
only certain desired ends could be ac-
complished. The present report says:
Taking carsoss Down.
"The steamers Hannaford and
Mountain Gem are still coming into
Cello, but are doing all the hauling
down river. being engaged exclusively
in handling the contractors supplies.
A good portion Of these supplies would
move up river from this point II the |
boats wereable to reach the Big Eddy
II have heard nothing further re-
garding the road up the Deschutes into |
central Oregon or a connection with |
them for the Portage.
"The survey OF the extension OF the |
Portage road into The Dalles. which |
was recently completed. is estimated |
to cost to build an independent line |
some $4,000. while to build an con-
meet with the Great Southern road
would cost not to exceed $35, 900. This !
probably is the most feasible plan and
should be given particular attention,
as without the line into The Dalles
we are badly handicapped. as at pres
ent the boat being unable to reach the
Portage business is at standstill.
''The service we could expect under
the best OF conditions to the Big Eddy
dould always be poor the boats getting
into The Dalles at anywhere from or
O'Clock to o'clock and after un-
loading 1t is too late to continue to the
Portage. They leave The Dalles next
morning at Z o'clock, which practically
leave no time for them to make the
trip. With the extension into The
Dalles the Portage should be self-sup-
porting at least.
Work Now Needed.
I'VE have COMPLETED loading rock at
the long trestle. but the weeds at the
west end of It are getting very bad and
q little later on will he dry and liable
to set 1t on fire. They should be
cleaned out, considerable Of which
work we will do at once together with
other track WORT. After every sand
storm It is necessary to rearrange the
sand boards. as they are always blown
out OF shape.
1.-THE river at present IL falling to
some extent. On account OF the late
cool weather It is not exrected that
there will be anv extreme hieh water.
We have been bothered none at all %
far from rains or hiRh water.
''The recent rain insures large wheat
croDs to the ranchers. and as we will
have some SIS dav switchine for the
canal construction. we should be able
to do fairly well when the water falls
so boats cannot operate."
Rv the foregoinp It would appear
that another expenditure NJ $4,000 to
100000 IL required to build an addition
to the Portage road 80 as to give It
nroner wortine facilities. The state
NAV be asked NEXT winter to supply
this sum.