The west shore., July 01, 1887, Page 545, Image 44

THE CASCADE LOCKS.
515
portation, the country has prospered
and developed in a marvelous manner.
Through the center of this region, run
the Columbia river and its chief naviga
ble tributary, the Snake, offering a free
highway for commerce, were the serioua
obstructions in the channel of the Col
umbia removed or overcome, Railroads
hare penetrated this region, and offer to
much of it quick transportation to mar.
ket in Portland, or on Pugct sound, but
at rates which are little less than pro
hibitive. With a frco water way open
to the people, transportation charges
would be brought to a level which would
stimulate production in a wonderful do
gree. Not many miles from the stream,
on either side, lie great masses of coal
and iron, and rich ledges of gold, sil
ver, copper and lead, whose develop
ment would be wonderfully stimulated
by free navigation of the Columbia.
Short lines of railroad would bo built to
the river, from interior points, and the
metal, cereal and other products would
be thus offered a cheap outlet to market
This would naturally result in a cheap
ening of railroad charges throughout
the entire Northwest
This is by no means a local question.
It vitally affects a vast area of our com
mon country, and should be considered
of national importance. It is of national
inomeot, that this extreme northwestern
portion of our country should Ix-como
strong, populous and wealthy. It is an
outpost, a picket line of the nation. In
times of trouble, if weak, we must do
fend it, but if strong, we may lean upon
it for protection. Whatever is of Tital
import, then, to the prosperity of this
region, is a question of national interest
The government has for years pursued
the policy of improving the harbors and
navigable streams of the country. Mil
lions of dollars have been expended in
this way, but no work yet accomplished,
or undertaken, U so far reaching in its
effect, and so Tital in its necessity, as
that of opening the Columbia to contin
uous navigation from the ocean to the
grain fields and mineral deposits of the
interior.
From the mouth of the Columbia to
the mouth of the Willamette, and up the
latter stream to Portland, is free navi
gation for ocean steamers and sailing
vessels of tho largest kind, and Portland
is the commercial port of tho entire Col
umbia river region. From that city,
steamers might ascend tho Columbia to
tho Canadian lino, were it not for ob
structions in the channel at various
points. Tho two most serious ones,
both lying between Portland and tho
great fertile area of tho Columbia ba
sin, are the cascades and tho dalles.
Tho river cuts through tho CWndo
mountains, running in a deep chauuel
through what is known as tho " forgo of
tho Columbia." At ouo oint tho chan
nel contracts, for a diotauco of four and
one-half miles, to such an exteut that
tho water ruahe through with a velocity
which renders tho stream unuavigable,
whilo tho bod of tho river is covered
with hugo masses of rock. Tho Indian
have a tradition that an archway on
spanned tho river at this point, but that
it was overthrown in a battle of tho god,
and fell into tho river, choking up tho
channel with tho rocky debris. However
this msy be, it is certain that tho chau.
nel here is very narrow, and filled with
masses of rock, worn smooth and round,
ing by tho constant action of tho cur
rent Tho water is held back until it
reaches a sufficient height to giro it
enough velocity to ctxxy it through th
narrow channel, down which it ruhe
with resistless spevl, foaming anddAh.
ing against the rocks, Tho greatent
slope produced by tho damming up of
tho water is at tho heal, known m thi
"Upper Cascjulea. Tho loner three
and one-hslf miles of tho contracted