The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-01-24

indicates that the light is breaking.
These rivers can be made CONNER
eially navigable at a comparative
small cost, but up to this time the
Mississippi and Eastern rivers have
received the lions share of appro-
priations. The Columbia is navi-
gable from Astoria to Wallula, ex-
cept at The Dalles. 1t is not COM
mercially navigable from Kenne-
wick to Wallula on account of OBJ
structions at Homilly Rapids. An
appropriation of s12O,OOO was
asked for because that was all that
could be judiciously expended in
next two years. Six scows have
been built and crews put to work at
the various rapids. Some work has
been done at Umatilla Rapids and
a crew is at work there now. On
the Snake the distractions have
been removed from Texas Rapids
and work is now in progress at Pine
Tree rapids and Five Mile rapids.
Work will commence at Homilly as
soon as they finish at Pine Tree
rapids and the distractions will be
removed before the high water next
spring. Boats can then run from
Kennewick and Pasco through to
Cello.
Water transportation is the great
freight regulator. Captain Gray
thought $4,000 would cover the
cost of new steamer such as will
be needed on this part of the river
for the next two years.
Prof. w. D. Lyman of Whitman
College was the last speaker, and in
a forceful address packed full of
facts he wildly brought before his
hearers the very great advantages
that could be secured by river i'm
provement. He was glad to ad-
dress the people of this rapidly
growing region at the junction of
the Columbia and Snake rivers and
point out to them that by the ex-
penditure of little effort, a little
time and a little money 100 per
cent could be added to every busi-
ness in the region adjacent to these
rivers.
! In general sizing-up the recent
Congress was monumental on ac-
count Of the variety of interests in
volved, in the breadth and char
acter of the representation, in the
high standard of ability in the ad-
dresses and their statesman like
|
outlook and noteworthy for it's har-
monious procedure. On account
of its representative character, be-
ing confined to no party, to no oc-
cupation, to no particular region,
it's enthusiasm will be impaired to
the whole people. The opening ad-
dress by Chairman Jos. f. Rams
dell was the epitome of River and
Harbor Improvement in this
country.
There were six typical addresses
that most strongly moved the Con-
gress and guided it's action. The
first was by Elihu Root, Secretary
of State, who in a measure spoke
for the Roosevelt administration.
He favored large immediate and
continuing appropriations for river
and harbor improvement. He COM
batted the idea that these appro-
priations could be longer delayed,
The catch phrase of his address
was we have reached the bridge -
The second typical address was
by Theodore Burton, chairman OF
the committee on rivers and har-
bors and in general force and abil-
ity the big man of the Conference.
A statesman who doesn't care to see
U. S. money wasted and demands
continuous appropriations as part
of a consecutive policy-Rivers and
Harbors to be placed on the same
basis as the Panama Canal or the
Army and Navy appropriations, as
a permanent and regular feature OF
| Continued on an inside page)