The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-08-02
CAPTAIN MCDERM0TT IS IN
CHARGE Of WORK
Is Executive Commissioner in Charge of
Operations for Clearing the Upper
Columbia River Between Wenatchee
and Kettle Falls---May Build New
Steamer for the Work..

The Columbia river improvement
commission met at Spokane Saturday
for perfecting its organization and
completing plans for the improve
ment of the Columbia river between
Wenatchee and Kettle Falls. A. W.
Anderson, state senator, from Stew
ems county, was elected president OF
the commission and Capt. Fred Nc
Dermott executive commissioner. The
latter, who has been at the head OF
the open Columbia movement in Cen
trail Washington for years, will have
charge of the entire operations car
ried on for the Improvement OF the
river under the provisions of the ap-
preparation law passed by the state
legislature last winter. The work as
previously announced in the Daily
World, will begin at Foster Creek
rapids a short distance above Bridge
port and from there be continued up
river.
It is realized everywhere that $780,
600. the total amount of the appro-
priation, is a very small sum with
which to tackle so large an under
taking, but the steamboat men have
promised to get boats over the rives
If certain of the worst places are i'm
proved. and McDermott's job will be
to bring all his skill and experience
to bear in order to make such in
provements as will make it possible
to get boats up and down the river
for the longest practicable stage OF
water, when the crop and ore pro-
ducts of the upper country need to
be moved. A part of the appFopria-
ton will necessarily go into equip
ment with which to do the work. II
is understood that plans are being
entertained by the commission for
the building of steamer which will
be specially suitable for the work.
Such a boat if built will be built here
at Wenatchee Various proposals are
now being considered from boat
builders and contractors for doing
this work Another proposition Is to
use one of the steamers now already
on the river and it is understood that
the local steamboat company is will
ing to sell one of their boats to the
commission at a very reasonable fig
nre in order to give assistance to the
state, providing such steamer
should be found suitable for the
work.
Information received here indicates
that a large tonnage already awaits
the opening of the river above Fos-
ter creek Several thousand acres of
wheat crop in the north end of Doug
las county is being harvested ana
will be threshed for shipment by the
steamers this fall direct to the
Great Northern at Wenatchee. Be-
SIucS lHlS tuSiC 10 OiS tOhud6C VI
ore at the Nespelim and San Poll to
be shipped out and orders for sew
eral large shipments Of machinery
and supplies are now held up waiting
for means to be shipped in.
The improvement of the Columbia
at Foster creek and at the worst
places above where work is contem-
plated by the state. it is hoped, will
open a continuous medium water
highway from Wenatchee to Kettle
Falls, excepting for the highest stage
of water, when Box Canyon, He'll
Gate and Spokane rapids are at their
worst. AS this will open to trans
portation service country IT'S miles
in length above Bridgeport. or for
250 miles above Wenatchee, and as
the region is one of the broaiest and
richest new districts of the west, the
Importance to the state Of the sue
cessful outcome of the work can hard
ly be estimated.