The west shore., January 01, 1889, Page 27, Image 28

THE WEST SHORE.
27
canal. The corresponding reading on the gauge at
the upper end will be ninety-six feet The lift of the
lock at thU stage will be twenty.four feet At the
lower end of the lock there will be provided a lower
guard gate, and at a lock's length above the upper
lock gate, an upper guard gate to exclude high water.
Immediately above this there will be a caisson gate
to be used in case of needed repairs to this gate.
Above and below the guard gates the canal will be
made wider, in order to facilitate entrance to the lock,
and to provide a limited harborage for boats awaiting
their turn to go through. This work is all designed
with the idea of ultimately providing for the passago
of boats at stages of water higher than twenty feet,
should it be found that the exigencies of the com
merce of the river require it."
After giving minute details of the work accom
plished, the report says that "a little more than one
third of the excavation required to complete the canal
has been accomplished. 4 It is doubtful if so large a
proportion of the other necessary work is finished.
To bring the canal to its present state with the small
appropriations that have from time to time fallen to
its lot, has taken a period of twelve years. At this
rate it will require, perhaps, twenty.four years more
before any benefit to commerce will result from this
work, or the country receive the least remuneration
for the money expended. A generation will have
been born and gone to its grave between the begin
ning and ending of an enterprise which a healthy
syndicate would have prosecuted to completion within
six years, at farthest, after commencement, and been
in the enjoyment the balance of the time of a liberal
income from the money invested. From 1870, the
date of the first appropriation for this work, up to the
present time, but $1,112,500.00 have been made avail
able for its prosecution. This is an average of about
$95,000.00 per year. The various appropriations that
have been made during this time, the total of which
is given above, if invested in an enterprise paying
four per cent, with their yearly interest re-invested
at the same rate, would amount to $1,490,490.00, an
excess over the amount appropriated of nearly $318,.
000.00, for which there is nothing to show. The next
yearly interest would amount to $79,000.00, almost as
much as the average yearly appropriation. To illus
trate more plainly the effect which the policy of small
appropriations for a work of this magnitude will have
upon its ultimate cost to the people, who, after all,
must, in some way, either directly or indirectly, sup
ply the money necessary for the enterprise, let us
suppose that the work is estimated to cost $3,000,000,
f.nd that an annual appropriation of 1100,000.00 is
nade for carrying it on. The time to be consumed
ii carrying out the project will bo thirty jears. The
annual appropriations, with their accumulated cost at
four per cent will, upon the completion of the project
at the end of this time, amount to $5,832,800.00, near,
ly twice the estimated cost of the work. If, instead of
this, we suppose that the annual appropriations had
been mado in amounts as largo as could bo profitably
expended, say $500,000.00, this amount will bo $3,4 19,.
000.00, a saving of $2,383,800.00. The work will bo
completed in six years, and the peoplo at onco begin
to reap the benefit of the money invested. This sx
hibit of the case is purely from tho money dealer
point of view. It takes no nolo of tho largo incrcaso
in the cost of work resulting from deterioration and
renewal in plant and appliance, and other causes that
must necessarily pertain to a long term of years and
small appropriations; nor does it includo tho largo
amount that results from tho difference in freight
rates on the commcrco that would tako this new route,
were the improvement finished, but which now goes
by somo other to market. For all works of this char,
acter, where tne improvement to bo effected must bo
completed before any advanUgo can accrue to com
merce, it does soem that tho policy of small approprl.
ations, running through a long term of years, enhan.
ces enormously their ultimato cost Tho upper cas.
cades of tho Columbia river is an absolute barrier to
navigation. It must bo ilanked by a canal and lock
in order that tho commcrco of tho river may pus by
it Theso must bo finished, the last bowlder removed
from the canal, and tho last rivet driven in the lock
gate beforo ono penny's return can I) had fur any
outlay that may havo been mado to effect tin im
provemcnt On sound business principles it would
therefore seem that this work should bo liberally ap.
propriated for and pushed forward to completion as
rapidly as possible, in order that somo return may bo
had within a reasonable jx'riod of timo fur tho largo
amount of money already eijtendod."
Tho bearing of tho above remarks on tho policy ob
served by the government in miking appropriations
for important river and harbor improvements will
readily bo seen. Tho argument is pertinent and
forceful. If tho plainest principles of business pol
icy were observed in pushing work onco begun, and
of undoubted utility, the net savings to tho govern
ment would bo enormous. The recommendations of
competent engineers entrusted with government work
are generally overlooked, and the qurition whether
or not appropriations are mado for improvements of
vital importance seems to rtst more upon the turn of
a political trick than apon any merits tho case- itself
msy pot. People of the northwest have watched
the course of tho government in relation to tho work
on the Columbia, ami at time have despaired of ever
having that great waterway opened for navigation.