The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-09-14

| CLUB was submitted at the general
meeting of the club Monday night
! by the committee, Messrs. Thomas,
Wells, C. c. Ward and w. r. Prov
ell, as follows:
| To the Officers and Members of the
| Wenatchee Commercial Club.
You committee on open rivers
begs to submit the following report:
In this report We confine ourselves
to that part of the Columbia from
Wenatchee to X tile Falls ana the
Okanogan river from its mouth
north.
Condition of the River.
From Wenatchee to Bridgeport on
the Columbia river is a distance of
about so miles, and according to
United States engineers reports is
of sufficient depth for all purposes
of navigation The only difficulties
encountered here are the swift cur
rents, rocks and reefs which occupy
the channel. The federal govern
ment adopted this project by the
river and harbors act approved
August IS, 1894, which project en-
braced that part of the river from
the head of Rock island to the foot
of Foster creek rapids. A little the
rise of $4,000 has been accordingly
| expended on it. A later project was
adopted by act of March 2, 1907,
which contemplated the improve
ment of the river from Wenatchee TO
Bridgeport by the removal of rocks,
/ boulders. etc, and the construction
of wing dams and bikes at an esti-
mated cost of $4,000
Owing to the great range of the
river between high and low water
mark and the short period at which
| it is at low enough stage for prac-
teal operations, it has not been
possible to make any great progress
On the several works embraced in
| the project. During the year 1908
Chelan rock was drilled but not
blasted. The total amount expended
on this project by the general gov
1 eminent was a little the rise OF
$4,000. According to government
engineers the project is about SO
per cent. completed. Before En-
that, Chelan and Methow rapids can
be made practicable for successful
navigation and heavy traffic, gov
eminent engineers contend that
bikes and wing dams will have to be
put in, but it was thought that pres
ent demands will only justify the
shooting of rocks and boulders. So
far no reduction in freight rates
have resulted from these improve
ments This is due to the swiftness
of the current and the lack of COM
petition, either rail or water. This
stretch of the river has been care
fully surveyed and estimated by gov
eminent engineers, according to
which the nature of the improve
ments needed are as follows:
Removal of rocks and boulders
between Wenatchee and Orondo. A
dixie at Entiat rapids 900 feet long
and % tons of stone removed. Dixie
at Chelan Falls and 500 tons of
stone and boulders removed. Wing
dam at Methow rapids and 5000 Gu
bic yards of rock removed.
Bridgeport to Kettle Falls.
The stretch of river from Bridge
port to Kettle Falls is a most valua-
bile section of the country En-
gineers find that the chief Obstruc-
tions which preclude navigation are
rapids caused by immense boulders
and large lodges of solid rock. The
permanent improvement of the river
in some of these places, the engin-
GERS assert, will require locks, but in
their judgment the time has not yet
arrived when such improvement will
be justified by the commercial inter-
est involved But this committee Is
of the opinion that such improve
ment will be justified sooner than
the engineers anticipate, especially
if such temporary improvement car
be effected, as will afford an outlet
for the products of the country
above there, which will hasten the
development of the country. 1t Il
the present intention to make the
river reasonably safe without at
tempting to eliminate the obstruc
tons entirely.
Okanogan River.
About 81 miles of the Okanogar
river lie below the Canadian line
This part of the river is navigable
for light draft boats for about four
months of the year, during which
time the c. & o. Boat company oper-
ate as far up as Omak 1t is, how
ever, pretty badly obstructed in
places by shoals and rocks, the re-
moval of which would make naviga.
ton better and etxeni over a longer
period of time.
Tillable and IrTigable Lands.
From the mouth of the Wenatchee
| river To PQfarQs Il Ia pctiun ted that