The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-12-24
|OPEN COLUMBIA
TO ITS SOURCE
Dr.. B|d|OCk Wants Survey
From Canadian Line
ASKS ANkfMY FOR HELP
WOULD HAVE CANADA AND UNIT
ED STATES COOPERATE IN
CLEARING RIVER FOR
Il COMMERCE.

On December 8. Senator Levi An
kehy introduced the following bill,
which was read twice and referred to
the committee on commerce:
BE it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled: That the sum of five thousand
Idollars be. and is hereby, appropriated,
to be paid out of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated,
ito be Immediately available ana to be
leXpendeI under the direction of the
secretary of war, and the. supervision
Fof the chief of engineers for making a
survey and estimate of cost of i'm
provement for purposes of navigation
of the Columbia river between Bridge
port and Kettle Falls, in the state of
Washington
In connection with the foregoing bill,
which has become of general interest
Throughout the northwest, DR.. n. G.
Bialock, director of the state of Wash
iington, has received various commune
lcations relative to this work and as
soon as certain appropriations now
pending are carried through the first
steps in the gigantic task of opening
ithe Columbia river will begin
DIR. Blalock will be forwarded to Sen
ator sAnkeny today:
Only Starter.
WALLA WALLA, Wash, Dec "a.
Senator Levi Ankeny Washington, D.
Dear Senator: l have just re-
Iceived your senate. bill No. 1880, which
provides for a survey of the Columbia
Falls l am informed that no govern
lment survey has been made of the
Columbia between Priest Rapids and
Bridgeport, ana l certainly think that
tyour bill ought to include the COM
lplete survey of all points on the Co
llumbia which have not already been
reported on, and l would like further
more to call your attention to short
ROW lakes in British Columbia This
of course would involve interna tionai
jaffairs between our government and
the Canadian government, as you are
ny there of
navigable waters known as the Arrow
lakes in Canada, now being used. Sur
rounding these lakes for miles are
thousands of acres of valuable timber
lands and the country tributary to
ithese lakes consists of vast areas of
!. rich agricultural land. A line of fine
steamers is now running on these lakes
continuously with young Captain
Stump. l believe, as superintendent of
the entire line. l understand further
that the Canadian people in the region
of the lakes are very anxious to join
with their brothers on the American
side ard to form an international con-
,nection between the Columbia and
InOSe lakes
"Knowing that you are greatly in
iterested in the improvement of the CO.
Elumbia and its tributaries. l respect
lively call your attention to these
Especial points You are aware. no
doubt, that the people of Washington
are interested as never before in open
ing the Columbia river and especially
has interest deepened since James j.
Hill has gone on record in his entnu-
isiastic speech, December 5. before the
National Rivers and Harbors congress
in Washington. d. c.. in which he
lstated that the railroads are entirely
incompetent and unable to do the work
satisfactory. The traffic of this coun-
try has increased over 100 per cent
in the past five years and the railroad
facilities to do this work have not in
tcreased twenty per cent. This, it
would seem, is conclusive evidence that
1.-THE railroads are unable to handle the
rapidly increasing traffic
Il trust you will excuse me for MAX
ing these suggestions. / am enthusi-
sastic on this subject as l was elected
director for the state of Washington
at the meeting of our congress recent
ly held in Washington city. and / feel
ESPECIALLY responsible for the develop
ment and improvement of the water
ways in this state. 1 believe. however