The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-07-20
WORK ON STEAMER
YAKIMA
State Commission Reports
Work on Upper River
Done at Low Cost.

With an expenditure of $35,-
1894 of the $4,000 appropriated
by the state the Columbia river i'm
provement commission reports to
Gov M. E. Hay that belt" or
channel way for IT'S miles, between
Wenatchee and the border, has been
worked, making navigation practic-
able along the entire river for suf-
ficient period to allow the removal of
the chief products of the tributary
country.
The worst distractions have been
removed and a total of 10000 cubic
yards of earth removed.
Report Forwarded Today.
The commission, which consists of
Senator A. w. Anderson of Stevens
county, president; Fred McDermott,
of Kettle Falls, executive commits
sioner; Herman CORNELL, of Bridge
port, w. w. Bryant, county COM
mlSSlOucT VI SIcFcuS COuhly, anu -
B. Valentine, Spokane, prepared
their report this week, and it will
be forwarded today to Gov. M. E.
Hay. The report covers eleven type
written pages and gives a complete
synopsis of Columbia river condi-
tions found by the commission upon
undertaking the work and the steps
taken to tame the big river for boat
transportation.
The financial report shows a good
balance of the appropriation still in
tact. The distribution to date is
as follows:
Equipment, $19,9O2.91 material,
$S,633.6S; labor, S6,173.45: admin
istration $1,O59.3O; balance on hand
s14,230.66.
Division of Expense.
1.-The operations by the state" re-
ports the commission, have been
carried on at all places with a dis
tinct view to doing certain work COM
plete within certain bounds and to
leaving other work outside those
bounds or limitations for the govern
ment to do. September 90, 1909,
permission was formally granted to
the commission by the assistant sec
rotary of war, and on October o,
1909, Transmitted to the commission
by Major c. w. Kutz, United States
engineer district officer at Seattle,
authorizing the commission to pro-
coed with the work.
The work done by the state will
compare most favorably as to costs,
time required and results accom-
plished with any work ever before
done with public moneys anywhere
in the Columbia river. Some of this
work, while in some instances pre-
liminary to other work which is eX-
pected to follow, has at certain
points constituted the first absolute
ly NECESSARY anu luoot ChPSoi'N "AAN
difficult work and the doing of this
work now makes all other jobs more
easily and safely and economically
accessible, and may also permit the
application of funds to other pro-
jects that may not hitherto have been
contemplated.
More Work Needed.
BOX canyon, He'll Gate, Spokane
rapids, Hickey rapids, are extensive
projects for further improvement,
both in high and extremely low wa
ter, which are worthy immediate at
tention, while Foster creek and other
locations can be further advantage
ously improved after the completion
of the work now under way or
blocked out to be done by the state"
According to the report the task
of improving the Columbia river is
one which need no longer defy the
resources of either the state or the
national government, but if it is car
ried forward determinedly and in a
practical way the river may soon
be made, at comparatively small