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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1886)
THE WEST SHORE. 253 The upper river, or that portion of it above Colilo, is divided into stretches of smooth water, whore the our rent flows with moderate velocity, and stretches of rapids with a current of great velocity. Small steam boats, of fine modol and great comparative power, now navigate this portion of the river at all nenons, when not prevented by ice. These boats have engines of suf ficient capacity to drive them through the water at the rate of sixteen miles an hour, and do not hesitate at the worst rapids. They require pilots of great skill and daring, and carry large crews. Such Ixmts can not fur nish transportation at minimum rates. Tlio boat of tho future that is destined to liberate tho producers of the interior from the bondage of exorbitant freights, must have a carrying capacity at leaHt doublo that of the larg est meml)er of the present fleet, while drawing no more water and having but very little more power. Such Iwats will make thoir way very slowly up stream, and can not pass the rapids by the uso of their paddle wheels alone. To enable them to reach the grain-producing regions I would firmly anchor, above tho head of each rapid, a steel cable of sndlcient length to reach tho foot of the rapid, where tho end would bo supported by a buoy. The cable occupying a position in the center of the channel, a steamer approaching from below would touch the buoy, and being supplied with a steam wind lass, suitable for tho purpose, would pick up the cablo and warp over the swift water. Such boata will carry produce at very much lower rates than would be possi ble under the prcsont system. In proposing a solution of the problem of ehuap transportation to the scaltoard of tho products of the In terior, I have considered time as an iuixrtaiit factor just how important it is may bo judged from tho BHser tion mado by the engineer in charge of tho Cascade locks, that each year's delay in opening the river to free navigation involves a loss to the people on its banks al most equal to (he approximate cost of tho works. I lc lieve tho scheme heroin proposed can lie realized at less expense, and in one quarter the time demanded for tho other schemes which have been proosed. This mailer of time is of such consequence that it woidd pay, from a business standpoint, to build the inclines mentioned by Major Jones, for the Dalles, as teinH)rary devices, for use tending the completion of more obdurate works. El'OKSF. Kkmi'I.k. l oll staining bricks red, mult one ounce of glue in one gallon of water; add a piece of alum the si0 of au egg, then ouo-half pound of Venctiau rud and one jiound of Spanish brown. Try the color on the bricks before using, and change light or dark with tho red or brown, using a yellow miueral for buff. For coloring blark, heat asphaltum to a lluid state, and moderately heat the surface of the bricks and dip them. Or make a hot mixture of linseed oil and asphalt; heat the bricks and dip them. Tar and asphalt are also UHod for the same purpose. It is important that the bricks I snllicieiitly hot, and bo held in tho mixture Ui almorb the color to the depth of one-sixteenth of an inch. FLATHEAD LAKE! AND VALLEY. Tho fine country around Flathead lake, in Missoula oounty, Montana, is rapidly filling up with settlers, and at present many fino ranches with comfortable homes are locnted, where ten yearn nw there was scarce a hab itation. This applies to tho section that lies outside of the Flathead Indian reservation, which encloses half the lako and a large tract of country to the east, west and south. North of the lake tho fine, large valley, watered by tho Flathead river and tributaries, oilers great in ducements to the farmer and stock grower, and of late years people havo Hocked to this section to avail them selves of its advantages. It is now estimated that there aro over two hundred people living in the valley, and as the tide of immigration is constantly flowing it will not le long until it is thoroughly populated. This valley is one of tho most attractive spots in Montana. Hounded on the south by the licautiful sheet of water whenco it takes its name, an Immenso basin of rolling prairio stretches northward for fifty miles, covered for tho most part with luxurious grass and dot ted in places along tlte water courses and at the base of the mountains with heavy belts of timber. On the east and west sides ranges of mountains stretch along its en tiro length, thoso on tho east being remarkable for their rugged and lofty grandeur. To the north another lofty chain of mountains looms up to tho eyo of tho observer, and ns tho casual visitor gasr.es at their snow-tipped sum mits he is astonished by the information that he is look ing at the lofty peaks which guard the famed Kicking Horse pass, through which tho Canadian I'aciflo railroad wends its tortuous way toward the I'aciflo ocean. Yet such is the case. The boundary line, the Ituhicon of defaulting bank cashiers is close at hand, and Her Majesty's dominions are only a matter of seventy miles to the north. This valley is accessible either by a so called wagon road that stretches from the foot of Flat head lake northward on the west side of that body of water, or by atcamloat from the same iht across the lako and up the Flathead river. Nearly all the settlers havo their own teams and wagons, and when they go to tho railroad or Missoula they usually travel overland by their own conveyance, The road, however, Is a miser able alTair and very hard to travel, and lately the settlers havo agitated tho question of building a good road on the east side of the lake. This question look definite shau in a mooting held ut F.gan's ferry, vtlieii sulllcieiit funds aud Inltor were sulmorihcd to nearly complete (lis road. This route Is shorter and better in every way than the old one, and tho citi.eiis expect, with the help of the county in building the necessary bridges, to soon make it yield them au easy and practicable wagon road. The country is full of lakus. I climUil a mountain the other day, and in tho magnificent landscape unfold ed to view from its lofty summit. I counted tio less than thirteen. Koine of them are mere (tond, but the major ity aro deserving of the more general term of lakes. Onrrcionilvn( of llvlem J liquid.