The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-12-14
AID IS ASKED
FROM ]. N. TEAL
BETTER DOCK FACILITIES WANTED
Prominent Exponent of Water Develop.
ment Here to Address Members
Of Pomona Grange

Hood River folk have asked the aid
of j. N. Teal, for years one of the
Northwest's most ardent promoters OF
waterway transportation, in develop
| ing more adequate facilities for hand
| ling apple freight from here to Port
land. Mr.. Teal, who Wednesday OF
last week addressed the county Pomona
Grange, held conference with apple
shippers.
1t was shown to Mr.. Teal while here
that an average of 5000 boxes Of ap-
plies per day for the past several weeks
has been moving down over the river.
Local apple shippers, however, in or
der to avail themselves of this service,
were compelled to join with river boat
lines and employ a dredge to open a
channel from mid-stream to the local
dock sites.
The meeting was reported as follows
by Mrs. J. r. Forden:
Library hall was filled to capacity to
hear j. N. Teal on Transportation
and Waterways" Mr.. Teal told that
there was great activity on the Colum-
bia river during the 80s and early Cos
when the railroads were less in evil
dence At the present time, large car
goes of freight could be carried on the
river because time is not primary
element as in travel.
He compared the Columbia and
Rhine rivers and showed that the COM
mercial development of Germany has
been largely due to the Improvement
and intelligent use of its rivers as car
rierf. SauIt Ste. Marie canal on the
Great Lakes with the st. Lawrence
makes a waterway which carries the
greatest tonnage in the world. In 1920
70, 600, 600 tons went by this route and
5000, 600 tons via the Panama canal.
The rate is /. 33 mills on heavy freight
while other liver rates on all freight
is III mills. The success of the steel
industry is direct result of this cheap
transportation.
Swift currents make the upstream
trip too expensive even for empty
boats. If the Cascade Locks were
building now the heavy current below
woud be eliminated. Canalization by
means of dams, 20 or 80 miles apart,
create reservoirs for irrigation. Elec-
trio power could be developed which in
turn woud pump the water on the land.
This cheap power would save millions
annually in running trains and would
change the current of life on our farms
and in our homes. The city of Seattle
has developed the Skagit river at great
expense, for power purposes. The st.
Lawrence was developed chiefly for
power but for navigation as well.
A desert of $4,000 acres lies along
the Columbia from Cello to Priest
Rapids. me region rsods1.aa jack
rabbits, coyotes and sage brush. Fifty
years from now people will wonder
why we allowed this land to remain a
desert and the great river to flow idly
to the sea. The federal government is
bound to develop navigation, the state
wants its land irrigated, and the peo-
pie want cheaper power than they are
getting now. Fifteen thousand people
now live and produce wealth in the
Yakima country because of irrigation
and power development.
IL is not overproduction but wrong
methods Of distribution. expensive
transportation and burdensome taxes
that are the cause of the present un-
happy plight of the farmer. II we are
overproducing we should be driving
people from Oregon instead of attract
ing them here.
The freight rate on wheat shipments
from Lewiston to Portland has in
creased al per cent since 1918. River
transportation to Portland, shipment
from there through the Panama canal
to Atlantic seaboard and Europe would
be of great advantage. Three years
ago no apples were shipped through
the canal. This year over million
boxes will pass through it. Hood
River has the waterway but closed
gateway because of no wharfage facil-
tiles.
We were reminded that it is easy to
allow our rights and privileges to be
taken from US. In answer to ques-
tion about the price of power. Mr..
Teal said that he did not advocate
turning water power over to private
interests. Our Northwest cities ought
tn. have cheap power because Of their
situation. As a nation we cannot com
pete with other nations having cheaper
electric power.
The great Columbia river basin, ly-
ing in three states with marvellous pos
sibilities for navigation. irrigation and
power gives Us high motive for en-
deavor. Where there is no vision the
people perish" We may work, not
for ourselves alone. but for future gen.
erations.