The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-03-12
CROWD ATTENDS
MONDAY MEETING
COMMERCIAL CLUB PROGRESSES
Committees Make Reports Dealing with
Panama Canal and Need Of
Local Wharf

I
attendance in the history of the Com
merclal club and from the reports Of
'he various committee chairmen il is
evident a great deal of activity exists
IN all branches of the clubs work.
Chairman Sieg, of the transportation
committee, presented a report that
aroused much enthusiasm. Mr.. Siep
represented the Commercial cub al
lhe recent meeting of the Transporta-
ton League in Portland and his report
embodied the work done at that meet
ing IN reference to the opening of the
Panama canal, and what effect il will
have on freight rates.
I'm our widest dreams" 4" said MIR.
Sieg, I'VE have not come anywhere
near picturing the benefits to be de-
rived by Hood River from the Panama
canal. Facts and figures were pre-
sented as to the probably rates from
here to New York and European ports.
We are paying now 60 cents freight on
every box of apples shipped to New
YORK by rail. and one dollar and three
cents by rail and water, refrigerated,
to European ports. BY the all water
route through the canal it is believed
by emminent traffic authorities the
rate to New York will be 25 cents per
box, and to European ports, 44t cents
per box.
The fact was brought out at the
Portland meeting that Tasmania. which
IN its season is big apple shipping
country, ships apples to Hamburg
IL, ZOO miles, for 44t cents box. The
distance from Hood River through the
canal is but 5000 miles. and it is reas-
enable to suppose that our rate will
not be any more than that from Tas-
mania. Twenty-seven steamship lines
are ready to operate from the Pacific
coast the. minute the canal is opened.
"A great deal of our tonnage in the
future will go down the river by boat
and l sincerely hope BEFORE thatItime
comes we will have adequate dockage
facilities to properly handle this big
bulk Of business. In connection with
this river transportation wish to call
attention to matter brought before
the Commercial club today by Joseph
N. Teal, representing the Portland
Chamber of Commerce. MIR. Teal de-
sires our cooperation in preventing an
extension of time to the Spokane, Port
land d Seattle Railway in divorcing its
steamboat business. quote from MIR.
Teal as follows:
You will remember that under the
Panama Canal Act Of 1912, IL was
made unlawful, amongst other things,
for any railroad company to operate or
control. either directly or indirectly,
any boat line with which such railroad
does or may compete for traffic either
for freight or passengers. 1t further
provides that the line of operations of
existing companies should cease on the
first day of July 1914. but the Inter-
state Commerce Commission was given
power under certain conditions to ex-
tend the time of operation.
With all the other railroads in the
country operating boats, the Spokane,
Portland & Seattle company has asked
for an extension of time. 1t is through
no feeling of hostility to the railroads
! say they should go out of the water
business, but because ! feel the needs
OF commerce require that the water
ways Of this country be freed of con-
dition that has been used to prevent
true water transportation. 1t is no
part of railways business to operate
lines of steamboats,. and we
can never have our waterways serve
their true purpose until the grip which
has throttled their use is broken. AS
we were amongst the leaders In secur-
in the enactment of the law, let us ke
amongst the leaders in seeing that 1t is
enforced.
81 hope the Hood River Commerc ial
club will take this question up and be
prepared to be represented at the hear
ing on this petition. of which you will
be advised in due time. also suggest
that your club calls the attention of
your State Railroad Commission to the
situation, and that in addition you
write to the Interstate Commerce
Commission protesting against the al
lowance of this extension of time"
Truman Butler, of the river improve
ment committee, reported considerable
work on the part of his
committee in connection with the dock
question. After considering several
projects it was believed the most feas-
lble would be an elevated driveway con-
Meeting with the point of rocks at deep
water just north of the city.
I'VE thought by this time we would
have survey and estimate of cost
ready" said MIR. Butler. Judge
Iwohy. of Twohy Brothers, promised
to send up an engineer last week to
make this survey and estimate, but he
was delayed and will not be here until
sometime this week.
1.-THE committee has made careful
examination of the dam at the mouth
Of Hood river. which was built last
year to turn the river into the old
channel. The current has cut around
the end of this and unless a short addi-
tional piece of dam can be built at that
point the work of last year will be
largely undone by high water time.
For small sum his work can be done
and the river kept in the old channel
This is a matter believe
the club should take up with the city
council.