The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-08-03
ForeiEn Advertsins Representative
The AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Demand Already
Exists.

AAAAStSs
Discussing power development in
Ontario, Canada and elsewhere, the
Portland Oregonian in an editorial
this morning said:
The Columbia river offers oppor-
tunity for power and navigation de-
velopment equal to any of these.
Dams at the rapids and falls of the
river near Bonneville, The Dalles,
Cello and Umatilla would produce
a great amount of power and with
the plant at Priest rapids on which
so much preliminary work is being
done, would open the river to barge
navigation as far as Wenatchee. To
make this work financially feasible,
it is necessary first to secure location
of industries which would consume
a large proportion of the power in
addition to that which would be used
for irrigation and domestic purposes.
The location of waterway afford
ing cheap transportation of materials
from the interior and of products to
sea-going ships at Portland should
prove decided attraction. Realiza-
tion of these possibilities is an i'm
portant part Of the work of state de-
velopment upon which the chambers
of commerce of Oregon and Port
land have entered.
The theory that power cannot be
developed on the Columbia until
new industries" are secured to use
this power is not sound. The market
exists now. The railroads need pow
er for electrifcation 1t is a great
economic waste for the railroads. to
ship in outside coal instead of max
ing use Of our water power. Coal is
expensive fuel, the supply is exhaus-
tible and strikes may easily cut off
that supply. Electrified roads oper-
ate with fewer men than do the
steam roads, one electric locomotive
doing the work of three steam loco
motives. This may make no differ,
ence to the public. The people are
entitled TO economic railroad man.
agement and rates based upon eff
cheney when efficiency is attainable.
Ii seems especially TO Portland's
interest that the 0. w. R. & N. lines
be electrified. The Milwaukee road
into Seattle is operated by electricity
over most of its roadway. The Great
Northern has announced it will cleo
trify. That means that the Puget
sound cities are to have the advant-
ages Of improved transportation.
Where will Portland be if il does not
secure equal service from the roads
that serve it?
But that is not all the story. Elec-
tricity may also be used to heat
homes and cook with and the unde-
veloped power Of the Columbia is
needed for this purpose. The Col
umbia basin territory has neither
coal, oil nor timber. We are too de-
pendent upon outside fuel and it is
expensive. Just now no one is sure
whether coal will be available this
winter at any price. How fortunate
we would be in such crisis if we
had power development on the Col
umbia.
Those who would delay Columbia
river development until new indus
tries can be secured make the old
mistake of seeking far and wide for
what lies close at hand" We want
new industries and we will get them
il cheap power is provided; we will
get neither if we sit with folded
hands and wait indefinitely for some
thing to turn up.
If the Oregonian will study this
subject thoroughly ii will discover
that everyone, including the rail-
roads, the general public and the el-
ectric corporations themselves are
being heavily penalized by the fail
ure to develop big power plants on
the Columbia. If Portland will look
toward the interior with the same
zeal il looks toward the sea il will
become a great world city. 1t can
not do so If it permanently neglects
its best asset.-East Oregonian.