The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-07-29
PAVING CREWS
FINISH WORK
TASK TO Be COMPLETED THIS WEEK
Oregon Highway History Makes Vast
Strides in Decade Columbia River
Highway Was Begun in 1912

/ Highway was only dream. This week
the great scenic road is completely
paved from Portland to Hood River il
the heart of the mid Columbia Cascades
and the successful realization of per
feet road through veritable wonder
laud even surpasses the visions of the
dreamers.
Without ostentatiOn the last shovel
ful of "hot stuff" will be laid this week
at Mithcells Point tunnel, and paving
crews will finish a task that has required
more than three years in hardsurfaeing
The gorgeside grade, "A monument to
highway engineering, that winds its
way in graceful curves and over ar
tistic but substantial bridges along the
Northwest's s mightiest water course.
On a June Sunday i'm 1912 the writer
ventured on scouting trip in the re-
eion of MuItnomah Falls and Oneouta
Gorge. During the day not another
person visited the scenic waterfalls.
At Oneonta Gorge picnic party of
three ate lunch and ished for awhile
in the rushing stream that comes down
from the brakes of the Columbia. /
rested for time near the great falls
Within the deep shade of an obscure
but charming nook, enclosed by the fo-
liage of hazelnut bushes, the leaves
with spray fog waited from the catar-
act. my head against the bark of a
cedar. the roots of which found mois
ture among the crevices of the base
rock, gazed through half closed eyes
upon the waters of Multnomah Falls
Eight hundred and forty feet from The
top of the time worn Columbia gorge
the water plunged in a rounded punch
bowl at my feet. A warm summer sun
played on the world above me. Apol-
los chariot had passed the meridian
height and the afternoon rays made
silvery the white foaming billows burt
ling over the precipice and leaping
wildly downward TO the turbulent whiIl-
pool beneath me. The moisture from
the spray filled the niche with fra
GRANGE, an earthly perfume, the kind
that fills the soul of a weary man with
gladness.
The caverns Of crags echoed with the
whistle of locomotive and a passen-
ger train sped along its line of steel
rails not 200 feet away. Faces of trav-
elers. pressed to the car windows. .gaZed
at natures wonder for the brief mo-
ment of the passing of man-made me
chanism. How little they saw Since
the completion of the railway lines
along the waters of the Columbia, the
Of trains have looked upon
the wonderful scenery of the routes
and have breathed rapturous praises.
Yet all have moved by their gaze like
the too-swiftly manipulated film of
motion picture machine. The eye Of
man, always hungering for the wonder
ful, has craved more. The Columbia
River Highway has made the scenic
fairyland accessible.
How many sightseers will one find
now on IA Sunday at Multnomah Falls?
they gaze by the thousands on the
wonderful cataract. Scores of inches
afford places of rest. The conven-
ences and attractions of Eagle creek
amp are becoming known throughout
he nation. A few days ago the writer
accompanied Earl Franz in a Haynes
ar touring down the newly paved road
o Ruthton hill, where crews were lay
ng paving on half mile gap. II was
rearing 5. 30 y. M. when work would
,e done for the day and traffic would be
IlloWed through. TWenty-siX cars were
bAllth at ltlt WCfl Flln VI lilt HiitAtI
lnder construction, where the road
,asses a cleft in basalt. known locally
IS the gateway to the Hood River val
ey. License signs from six different
tates were observed on the waiting
automobiles. A string of machines
qually as long awaited the lifting of
he blockasde at the west end of the
york.
The history of the Columbia River |
Highway between here and Portland |
or the past ten years is interesting. |
sven before Mnltnomah county took |
teps to grade and pave the section OF |
he road within her bounds, Simon |
ienson, now chairman of the State |
Highway Commission, was interested |
4 pushing construction to an early |
For years many declared |
hat highway could never be main |
aimed at Shell Rock mountain, IL miles |
rest of here. A mass Of loose rocks |
loved continuously down the steep
A hundred feet up the
Iope appeared remnants Of an old state
Dad. which made possible traffic be
ween eastern and western Oregon 40
ears ago. Slides had almost entirely /
emolished the old dry masonry walls
! the shell rock vicinity. I'm May,
Jl2, Mr.. Benson donated so 600 for
he purpose of demonstrating that a
BAD could be built around Shell Rock
Oswald West. then COVER
or, cooperated with Mr.. Benson in his
lans and placed crew of honor men
work on mile of trial highway.
lille later surveys of state highway
ngineers changed the course of the
)ute around Shell Rock, the work was
Dt wasted. in that It demonstrated
rat the base Of the sliding mountain
Juld be conquered.
The old road. where sped the early
ay pony express. will remain rem
ant or relic Of pioneer times. lts re-
inning walls are now the homes Of
Dorcupines and digger squir-
IL. II Is the very grave Of a road and
the springtime white dOgWoOd bios
ms and red and pink spIigs Of wild {
ifTant bushes drOOp themselves above ,
Ie tomb, while the purple foliage Of
regOn grape and tie gold and yellow
aVes Of the vine maple pay natures s
ibute 10 past usefulness in autumn.
In 1914. after Multnomah county cit
ems had by their awakening stimulat- !
Hood River county 10 action. local (
ectors by a vote Of four to one made {
a S7500O bond issue, which .
As used in opening stretches Of the Z
ighway in Hood River county. The q
nds were expended only in work on J
lpassable sertiOns. Later the state }
mpleted the new grade the entire dis :
nee between Hood River and the Z
UIfnumah f-0urfg line .
A part Of this work consisted Of the
ring of Mitchells Point tunnel. The
Ort stretch Of road. less than a quar- S
r Of a mile in length, cost more than
200, but when hardrock men finished 6