East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-07-30
ANOTHER LOCK ON
COLUMBIA RIVER
GOVERNMENT WILL M
PROVE 1O-MILE RAPIDS
Work on Columbia River Impeded
by Quicksand and 100000 Lock
win BE Constructed-Contra
Waiting for River TO Recede to Be-
gin Work.

An extra lock at Ten mile rapids,
three miles from the upper end Of
the Cello canal, is said by engineers
to be absolutely essential to the safe
ty of the canal in high stages Of wa
ter in the Columbia river, says the
oregon Daily Journal Considera-
ton of this proposition by the United
States engineering department at
Washington is now holding back the
letting of further contracts for dig
ging the canal, although there is an
appropriation of approximately $780,
900 available for the work.
New difficulties, unforeseen by the
! original designers of the canal, have
arisen, and are constantly likely to
come up as the great work progress
cs. These difficulties, although not
difficult to surmount, require time
for solving by the engineers on the
ground, ana consideration by the
chief authorities at Washington. Col
oncl Roessler, chief OF United States
engineers on the Columbia river who
has charge of the Cello canal work.
said yesterday:
1--WE have found that another lock,
to be located at Ten mile rapids, is
necessary to eliminate upper pres
sure of the water at high stages of
the river, at which times this pres
sure is as great as 500 pounds to the
square foot of canal bottom. This
pressure, If not overcome, would
force up the bottom of the canal. We
might overcome 1t by putting In a
! concrete bottom so thick that by
mere weight 1t would resist this pres
sure.
But the most feasible way, we
have figured out, Is to put in another
lock, which would enable us at such
times to hold in the main trunk of the
canal sufficient water to balance the
upper pressure. This extra lock
would cost about 100000. Its lncor-
poration into the scheme of the ca
nal would be a somewhat radical
modification of the plans, and the
authorities of the department are not
certain that they have the power to
accept such modification unless ap-
proved by congressional action. We
have had extended correspondence
between this office and Washington
on the subject"
Another obstacle encountered in
the canal work is a layer of fine sand
and sediment, practically a quick
sand belt. running through the site
at one point. This involves the en-
tire foundation scheme, and may ne
cessitate the changing of the walls.
| Instead of the heavy granite walls
that are to conflne the canal 1t may
be necessary to build sloping banks
and cover them with riprap, coated
with concrete. Colonel Roessler is
now engaged in figuring out the best
way to overcome the sand bottom.
Over a deposit of quicksand 81 feet
in depth it would be practically i'm
possible to construct heavy stone
canal wall that would stand up to
engineering requirements.
The contracting firm having the
excavation of the first section of the
canal has not yet completed its work,
although the time limit expired jan
uary 1. The contractors are paying
the government inspection costs,
amounting to about $500 per month,
and are waiting for the river to re-
cede to its lowest stage before con-
tinuing the excavation work. It was
expected that the contract would
be fulfilled before the high water
season of the Dresenf vear