The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1907-10-18

'Ni" VI W dSCO county ana T..
Shlelshner of Lewiston, were chosen.
the same committee that has so faitl :
fully performed executive duties
during the three years of the exist
ence OF the association, with the add
ltlon of one member from Lewiston
AT the evening session the beau
tlful rooms of The Dalles Business
Man IS club were crowded and en-
thusiasm and good fellowship ran
high.
The report from the committee on
extension OF the Portage railroad was
adopted, urging state appropriation
tor the purpose, together with private
contributions. The association
agreed to devote the balance in the
treasury to the same end.
The committee on resolutions pre-.
sented ringing report, which was
enthusiastically adopted.
The resolutions follow:
The Resolutions.
Whereas, The Columbia and
Snake rivers and their tributaries to-
gether from one of the greatest nat
ural arteries of commerce in the
United States, draining over 25O,OOO
square miles of fertile territory, and
If properly improved would forever
furnish cheap and reliable transport
alton for the people of this vast sect
ion of country, and,
Whereas, Such Improvements have
been undertaken by the general gov
ernment, but owing to it's policy in
making limited appropriations for
such purposes, and at uncertain in
tervals, the completion of such i'm
provements has been greately delay
ed, to the injury of the people gen.
orally, and,
Whereas, Such delay is actually
costing the producers of said section
each year a vast sum of money they
would otherwise save, and,
Whereas, The completion of the
canal and locks between Big Eddy
and Cello on the Columbia river
would at once open to navigation said
water system from Priest Rapids on
the Columbia and from Lewiston on
the Snake river to the sea, and fur
nish water transportation through
the heart of the Inland Empire in
the states of Washington, Idaho and
Oregon, and,
Whereas, Such completion would
instantaneously and automatically
free the people of said section from
the enormous transportation con-
conditions that now exist, and re-
duce the transportation tax now le-
We'd on what they produce to the ex-
tent of at least 81, 800, 900 each year,
and result in incalculable advantages
in opening up the country and in
ducing the building of tributary lines
of railways to the rivers, and,
Whereas, The extension of the
Portage railway, now operated by
the state of Oregon between Big
Eddy and Cello, to The Dalles,
would greatly increase its efficiency
and furnish some relief to the pro-
ducers and consumers tributary to
said rivers, pending completion Of
said canal.
Now, therefore, be it resolved,
First-That the open river associat-
ion, voluntary organization COM
posed of citizens Of the states of
Washington, Idaho and Oregon,
favor the placing of Improvements
of the rivers and harbors of this
country on the same basis as any
other of the great departments ofthe
government, and favor the making
Of annual appropriations therefor,
and respectfully request and urge the
congress of the United States to adj
opt this policy.
Second We favor placing the
building Of the Cello canal and
locks on a continuing contract basis
at the next session of congress, and
call upon our senators and represent
atives in congress to use every honor
able effort to this end, pledging to