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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1886)
THE WEST SHORE. 251 RIVER IMPROVEMENT. ACCORDING to the memorial to congress of the waterway convention of 1885, tho Columbia river ami its tributaries extend for a distance of over one thousand miles within the United States, and ooubIIIuU the natural outlet for twenty-five thousand square miles of agricultural land. This great river runs east and west, parallel with the lines of commerce and emigration, and flows into the ocean nt a point whero winds, currents and latitude combine to make a center of shipping. But this important waterway can not bo economically navigated at present, and tho question be fore us is to make it economically navigable. This question should be constantly agitated in every prudent way, until something comes of it As all the inhabitants of tho watershed of the Colum bia are deeply interested in the projier solution of this problem, I venture, as one of them, to Bubmit some views for discussion, promising that they are not origi nal or novel, except as applicable to this situation. Ah a physician can not proporly diagnose a case without the aid of his patient, who alono feels the pains of ill ness, so an onginoor can not determine what lino of ac tion in bold to reduce the forces of nature, until he knows the extent to which they aro refractory. As ior sons who are subjoct to contingencies must needs lie close observers, they can not only accurately dcsorilie the inconvenience but can often suggest a remedy that is worthy of consideration. If every ponton, therefore, who has civon the subject of river improvements much thought would publish his views, tho result miiHt !e the collection of much valuable information for those upon whom the duty of adopting definite plans will devolve. I will be briof as possible, and ooiiflno myself to out- linos, as details would be imortinont liefore the scheme has obtained a hold upon public favor. The difliculties in tho way of economically navigat ing the Columbia rivor appear to lie, (1), abar, near the month of tho rivor. at a point out to sea wnero mo con ditions ore favorable for precipitating the silt liorno .Inwnbvthe current of tho stream; (2), sand islands, and shoals inside the hoods and Uilow Astoria, witli o tortuous and 'shifting channel; (3), a series of rapids nA Wrier of rock ot the Coscados, ono hundred and sixty miles above ita mouth; (4), formidable olmtoelos ht the Dalles, two hundred ami twenty miles alx.ve the wth. miiHistintrof rapids, falls and very swift cummin, rri,,n alono a distonce of alxmt thirteen miles where the channel is contracted totwoon porjnwUculor walls wH- f 15V minor rapids at intervals between at the head of the Dalles, and the point whore the .,tra Tint lull America. These obstructions will le discussed tervtlu m in con- ..; with a suctfoation for a remedy in oncn case. The olmtructions between Astoria and Ihe oiling are --: in M.nnu-tor. and difficult t dool with on ao- BTJiitun ' . , . 4. ,unt of tho magnitude of the oonieii.img wwm-i . breadth of tho fiold upon which the oontest occurs, ren dering it diflcult to mako an alliance with either against tho other. The problom is complex, and human wit and effort seem inadequate to dool with it I propose, there fore, to avoid a direct conflict with such litanio forces, and to flank them bv a canal. The canal scheme, as to this situation, Iming novel, may lie defended lioth by statement as to its merits and by objections to accep ted plans. Affirmatively, then, tho canal is intended to connect Young's bay with tho open ocean, and will flank all tho obstructions lietwoon Astoria and Ihe oiling, ren dering further attention to them unnecessary. Tho en- gineering difficulties aro tho excavation of waterway through tho alluvial soil of tho delta, and tho construc tion of on artilleiol heritor at the sea end. I furnish herewith, partial details of n Hooting break water, but the cannl scheme does not depend njHin that, as a brook-wotor could lie constructed in the ordinary way. Experiments with the bieok-woter could U con ducted first, and tho canol undertaken when tho lioilxir was a Biiccess. The canal and horlxir once established the Columbia river Imhhiiiioh accessible ot all stogrs of tide and in all stress of weather for vessels of tho deep, est draft I believe tho oost of construction will lie less than tho ultimata cost of the oxprlmont proposed for the iNitterinent of the channels inside the heads, and lie- low Astoria. In tho first work tho lxmollt is compile and jiermaiient, and in tho second it is partial and torn- jxirary. I soy portiol because it dtss not proviso to modify tho outer bar, and I soy temporary lieoauso I claim that it is impossible to erect upon the insecure foundotions of tho mouth of the Columbia, a structure that can long withstand the impact of storm waves from tho ocooii, and the enxling effects of tho currents of tho river. I Isilievo a sofe luirlxir con lie mode at tho sen end of tho canal, by the use of ponUxms anch ored in lines olxmt tho spoon where smooth water is desired, oi i ah or suov . n walls -"7.. , . . w 7VV".'v a - . " ' erm,r r'r1' s con This omrrovinir, taken from the plans of tho inventor, shows the idea very clearly. The mtxm are shaped .ii.tliin likn a looomotivo SHOW plow. Ileing ancll- rivor on one bu
