The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-05-30
.C0NVICTS BUILD
RIVER ROAD
SHELL ROCK CUT BEGUN THURSDAY
Local Officials and Governor View Initial
Construction State Road Formerly
TrayerSed River Route

victs on the new Portland Hood River
road last Thursday afternoon will be
historic; for II was the first step in
Hood River county toward cutting
around the hitherto impossible barrier
at Shell Rock mountain from which
will soon result a passable route from
Portland TO the fertile region on the
Mid-COlumbi and the head waters of
the stream.
Although the convict crew has been
at Camp Benson for the past three
weeks. because Of failure TO come to
an agreement with the 0.-W r. q N.
Co., no work was done till THURSDAY.
Governor Oswald West telephoned
from Portland to number of Hood
River citizens to meet him at Camp
Benson Thursday morning. He was
becoming impatient at the inactivity
of the prisoners and the use of the
Benson donation fund without any re-
suits being accomplished. An agree
ment had been reached with the rail
road company that covered all points
except the terms as to the right of
way at single place, where a solid
rock lift overhangs the tracks at Shell
Rock, and relative to damages for in
juries sustained along the right of
way through the building of the road
These points will be left for later set
tlement.
County Engineer Murray Kay, with
whom the governor conferred Thurs
day, will have absolute charge OF the
engineering work to be done by the
convicts of Camp Benson. II will be
remembered that this $40, 600 fund do
mated by S. Benson the lumber mag
nate, must be expended within years
time. Governor West is eager to see
the work progie ess as rapidly as pos
sible and ten men will be added to the
crew as soon as possible.
The convicts began the initial work
at one o'clock sharp. Engineer Kay,
County Commissioner &. A. McCurdy,
and Road Viewer W. l.. Clark set
grade stakes over stretch of the
of way of the highway at the west end
of Shell Rock, and the crew of state
prisoners. who are under the superVis-
ion of Adam Shortgen, made consider
able showing Thursday afternoon.
The location of Camp Benson IN
cove at the foot Of a small canyon just
at the east end of Shell Rock noun
tain is an ideal site A small stream
flows down the canyon and pipes ex-
tepding up this bring down pure cold
mountain water. The camp consists
of three main buildings. the Office and
quarters of Mr.. Shortgen, the bunk
house Of the men aud the kitchen and
dining room. One of the convicts is
cook and members of the crew assist
him serve the food and take care of
the camp.
The Hood River men, Mesrs. Clark.
Kay, McCurdy, MARSHALL, Thomson
and Bloom, and Governor West took
dinner with the convicts. The food
was good and appetizng. and after the
walks over the hills and proposed route
the lunch wasthoroughly enjoyed.
This work is the first ever done in
Hood River county by convict labor
1t is the fourth county to make use
of the prisoners, Clatsop, jackson and
Marion having previously usded them.
After the convicts were started on
their task, the party proceeded to Wy
eth, about a half mile from which point
Supervisor Hendricks, with large
crow of men is engaged in the con-
struction of new stretches of highway
to connect with the Columbia river
road This road district of the county
now has completed about eight miles
of good roadway. However, at the
west side of Cascade Locks no work
has yet been done.
Although it is known to but few the
state began and built a wagon road
across the Cascades and down the Co
lumbis more than quarter of cen
tury ago. The road was fully con-
structed around Shell Rock mountain.
The old retaining wall and finished
highway, passable except for the many
bushes that have grown up in the right
of way during the last rs years, may
be seen above the railroad track there
today. The difficult portion of the con-
struction at the time this road was be-
ing built was found at the west end of
the shell rock formation. When the
railroad built its tracks and hauled
away the foot of the mountain, slides
obliterated a portion of the old road.
Where the railroad runs at the very
edge of the river at the base OF Shell
Rock the O.-W. r. & N. Co. lost a
carload of steel rails several years ago.
The cars toppled over the in river and
/ the entire mass sank A diver, who
was secured to make an attempt to
reclaim the rails declared that the
river at this point was l25 feet deeE
and that the railroad was built on 4
shelf, the water Of the Columbia hav'
ing cut far into the bank beneath the
surface.
The discussion of the road since thC
beginning of the year has created
renewed interest here. Many of th'
citizens are enthusiastic in their de
gires to have it completed as soon al
possible. A number OF local men have
been working using their etfors TOWARD
a hasty completion of the road for th'
past several years. C. K. Marshal
has spent his time and money in secur
mig data relativerto the legal status o
right of way along the difficult part
of the route.
Multnomah county is now busy build
ing that portion of the Columbia rive
road that will pass through its borders
Capt. G. ?. MeCan, who inspected tn
road last week, states that the work !
. being done well and that it looks goo
to automobile owners.
James Wallace, of this city, VIII
came to Oregon with his family d
1876, spent three years at work on tn
old state road. I'VE began work a
the top of the divide on the ridge be
tween the Mosier hills and this va
ley," he says, land for three year
continued the construction of the higt
way. In that length of time We con
Il pleted the road from here to HERNIA
creek beyond Bonneville. The roa
was a good one, too, and was used
great extent. When the railroad wa
built the right of way at all difticu
points was gobbled up and the remov'
/ of the loose stone at the base of She
II Rock mountain caused the obliteratiC
] of the road at that point to a grei