Year: 1862

EDS. STATESMAN My excuse for long silence
is that have for the past four months been alb
sent from town. An absence of that length of
time fully prepares one to appreciate the chan
ges and improvements that have taken place
Will these improvements continue until our town
becomes the New York of the upper country
is question which, as debaters say, will admit of
some argument; and while the prospects are
just now highly favorable for the Dalles, there
are those who argue that the day of its greatness
will soon wane 1t is argued, and not without
reason either that the railroad now being con-
structed by the o. S. n. Co. will result injuriously
rather than bene6cially to the town, and that it
will eventuate in making the Dalles to some
point above what Oregon City is to Portland
a mere portage, where few men only may flour
ish in carrying on that portage business, and in
supplying the local wants of the town and small
surrounding valleys. The road is one of the ne
cessites of the day however, and if the future
should reveal that some other point above pos
sesses superior advantages in supplying the ex-
tensye interior mining trade that must be carried
on in future there can be no reason in battling
against the seeming impending fate. To make
this place the grand depot of the upper country,
1t is proposed by some men to establish 3" direct
trade" with San Francisco. If benefits are to
arise from such source, would it not be just as
easy-with the advantage Of our railroad-for
capitalists to establish direct trade at some point
above ?-Wallula, for instance.-which claims
the advantage of being the most central point to
all the mining districts above-the great source
to which for years to come, at least we must look
for all that is to give real life to any town on the
upper Columbia.


Cello, the new town at the terminus of the
railroad above the Dalles, is assuming import
ance. The steamboat company have built the
various kind of mechanics shops there necessary
to do all their work There is also number of
other buildings therein all some fifteen, and
still Others in course of erection and in contem-
plation, among which are included dwelling
houses stores and hotels. There is but one
each of the latter yet completed. | am told that
town siterS there gravely talk about the time
when that town will become a rival Of the Dalles,
claiming equal advantages in the fact that while
the Dalles is the head of steamboat navigation at
one end OF the portage Cello is the tail of it at
the other The Oregon Steam Navigation Com
pany are now building three steamers there
which will be completed in time for the spring
trade. The largest boat called 'Celo,' is $50 h
long, and will be capable of carrying 200 TONS
The Company is also building boat at the Cas-
cades-the largest on their line. She is to be
1913 feet long by % feet beam will carry double
engines, of great power. From present indica-
tions even though your population may quadru-
pie, as it probably will next summer, you of the
upper Columbia will have ample steamboat ac-
commodations.


The first locomotive for the Company's road
has arrived and made its first appearance on the
road on Friday last, where it is employed in run
ming between the town and the present terminus
hauling material for the completion of the road
When you get such an institution at work be-
tween Walla Walla and Notwithstanding you
may reasonably expect to live to see-you can
consider your fortune made" d.