The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-31

railroad and upper river Steamboat
men on the lower river would be all
ready to make contracts to run boats
from Portland to the Big Eddy con-
Meeting over the Portage road with
boats on the upper river and thus solve
the great problem of the open river.
And then, all of a sudden, just as the
ever faithful open River association
thought everything was secured some
mysterious influence would lead the
steamboat owner to discover that he
couldn't run up the river after all, or
he would suddenly find that the Big
Eddy was dangerous
Besides these impediments to sue
cess due to some occult influence. ma
ture has also been unpropitious. For
the river has been lower the past sum-
mer and fall and during the present
winter than ever before.
Skill of Captain Gray.
Only by the skill of Captain Gray
has the Mountain Gem been able to
thread the devious channels from
Lewiston through the various rapids
of Snake and Columbia to Cello. Capt
Gray seems to know by intuition just
where the rocks and bars are, or if
there has been any change some little
indication of color or movement in
the water invisible to the ordinary OBJ
server, is a perfect chart to him. In
spite of the obstacles referred to, which
have prevented any extensive use of
the Portage road thus far, we find that
the Mountain Gem does an extensive
business. She has about all she can
carry on her weekly trip from Cello
to Wallula Or Hover. She leaves the
former place Friday morning and
reaches Hover Saturday. Her return
trip occupies Sunday and Monday,
and on Tuesday she goes to Arlington
Although the aim Of the Mountain
Gem is mainly to transport freight
yet a considerable number of passen-
gers, especially on the north side, take
advantage of the passing steamboat
and reach their destination much more
pleasantly, if not so rapidly as by
train.
We derive many interesting facts
from Captain Gray as we steam down
the magnificent stream, lying in it's
golden splendor toward the sunset of
a perfect day, while the sharp cone
of Mt. Hood, dead-white against the
glowing sky, reminds us Of the fact
that we are on the track of Lewis and
Clarke, and seems to summon again
before us all the pathos and romance
and heroism of the thrilling age of
discovery and settlement.
Captain Gray tells us that his freight
rates are about two thirds of those of
the railroad Wien regular business
is established over the Portage rail-
road with the lower river rates will be
much reduced. The bulk of his bust
ness is with the camps of the railroad
contractors on the north side of the
river 1t is quite a revelation to US to
see the extent of these camps. There
are fifty of them between Kennwick
and Clelo, employing five hundred and
forty men and three hundred and for
ty-fOur span of horses. Their de-
mands for food, lumber and imple-
ments, are very extensive. Just below
BlalOck Island the steamer landed
thirty thousand feet Of lumber. We
are told that the farmers along the
banks are the best patrons of the
steamboats, and seem to realize most
fully the Importance of the open river
Some merchants in the towns seem
to fear that they will lose caste if they
obtain goods in any other way than by
railroad even though they could make
material savings by patronizing the
steamer
HummeIy Rapids.
We learn from Captain Gray that