The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-31
Down the Columbia River by Boat
w. ID. LYMAN TELLS OF TRIP

As this is time of special interest
in the opening of transportation upon
our great rivers. and as a particular
campaign is about to be begun
throughout the Inland Empire to Sc
cure a united movement in favor OF
both public and private enterprise in
that direction l venture to offer your
readers of The Evening Statesman the
results of some observations on re-
cent trip to Portland, a considerable
part of the way being by steamboat.
A journey either beside the bank or
upon the surface of the Columbia is
at any time of boundless interest, but
special reasons exist now in the i'm
provement in both land and water
transportation, as well as in the Guilt
walton of the country tributary to the
river, improvements of greater mag
nitude and prospective Importance
than have ever been undertaken be-
fore.
During my trip the weather was as
fine as any summer weather, and L
traversed most of the space from Bla-
lock Island to Portland by boat In
connection with Blalock Island it may
be said that this is one of the many
regions in the Inland Empire illum-
mated bv the enterprise of our fell
low townsman, DR.. N. G. Blalock. This
island contains about five thousand
acres. of which the greater part is
susceptible of cultivation, and when
irrigated by some of the feasible plans
now in contemplation, it will without
question become one of the most pro
ductive and attractive spots upon the
Columbia river. The climate is the
nearest perpetual summer of any in
the northwest, early berries ripening
two weeks earlier than at Hood River
or Milton.
From Blalock Island we can see that
majestic flood of the Columbia, the no
blest stream of the continent, in its
impetuous movement toward the sea,
and feel its loneliness. And we wish
that some steamboat might again cut
its waters. even as many boats did a
quarter of a century ago. And as if
in response to our wish the Mountain
Gem heaves in sight along the lea of
the island. Hailing her we are taken
aboard and in her hospitable pilot
house in the entertaining company of
Captain w. P. Gray, a prince of
steamboat men, we pass several most
agreeable and profitable hours.
Valuable Information.
We gather much valuable matter
frcm Captain Gray, though perhaps the
most interesting feature of it all is the
man himself A veteran on the Co
lumbia having run steamboats, for
over forty years all the way from
Lewiston to the ocean, he yet has the
lie ana ACTIVITY ol 10Y 1t Is HcIu
to realize that he was a steamboat
captain during the palmy days of the
old O. S. n. Co, way back in the min
ing times of 80 and SO. when Walla
Walla was simply an Quitting point
fol prairie schooners going to Florence
o" ORC Elmo.
1t is easy to see that a new era is
dawning on the river The portage
railroad between the Big Eddy and
Cello was completed and dedicated
with fit ceremonies on the third day
of last June and it was the expecta
ton then that the due fulfillment of
that great work would appear in the
establishment of a line of boats on
upper and lower river connected by
that road. But peculiar obstacles in
tervened. One of these seemed to be
purely a made-up obstacle, engineered
by opponents of an open river express
ly to prevent the great conSumma-
ton. 1t consisted or a systematic
effort to keep steamboats, on the lower
river from going to the Big Eddy or in
any way cooperating with the Uortage