The west shore., October 05, 1889, Page 99, Image 3

WKST SHORE.
The volume of business liotween Portland and Ore
gon City is increasing so rapidly that the matter of im
proving the navigability of tho Willamette river lie
twoen the two cities is growing to 1k of vital impor
tanee. The unusual dryness of the season just passed
brings this matter into siecinl prominence. There is
a sullieient depth of water at all seusons for ordinary
river boats to navigate the Willamette to the falls, but
for the rapids at the mouth of the Clarkanms, which
is one of the largest of the tributaries of the Willam
ette, and joins it a short distance Mow Oregon City.
The gravel deposit from the Clackamas makes a series
of rapids that only lsmts of tho lightest draft can pass
during the dry season. Tho channel of the river
should lie dredged out at that point, ami the inixir
tance of the work should secure for it the attention of
congress. In this case not only prosx-ctive commerce
makes the improvement desirable, but the business
that is already established abundantly warrants the
exjK'nditure. Tho distance Ix-twcen the two cities is
only fifteen miles. The great increase of business leads
the Southern Pacific company to contemplate the plac
ing of a suburban train service between thelwopointi.
Hut the boat service can never lie dispensed with. The
iniKirtance of river transmutation increases with the
increase in tho volume of manufacturing at the falls
The immense water power is Is-ing improved and fac
tories are being erected, and every interest demands
the best of communication with the im-lrosiis. Much
money has been invested in the locks and canal at the
falls, and it is but sound business siiey to n ve
whatever obstructions there are in th"' channel Im'Iow
that lend to impair the value of the improvements al
ready made. According to the reports of government
engineers on the subject, this work would not I ex
pensive, and when once done it would Is- .lone for aye.
After this a little dredging at Ross island would give a
safely navigable channel Mwocn Portland and Oregon
City at any season of the year. The ii.ter. hts to In
served are so important that this work ought to I
provided for at the coming session of congress by an
appropriation for that sjn-cilic purine.
At last New York has ls-cn shni I into an effort
to fulfill it pledge made to Mrs. (irant when l
sontod to H.rnit the Uy of her illustrious l.usUnd
to In buried in that city. The nation at larg
thoroughly indignant at the ruling spirit f
of New York to secure the tomb of (irant. and the in
dignation has denned into disgust at the elfish ih it
led of all promise to erect a suitable monument to
the memory of the dead hero. At the minion -f l"
irand Army of the Republic, in Milwaukee, a rela
tion was adopted revesting Mrs. (irant l " "
removal of the remains fro... New York t a - rn.ancnl
resting place in Washington, where a grateful nation
ran erect a suitable monument at his tomb without
feeling that they are contributing to promote the com
mercial interests of a sclilidi city. Ufayetto post, of
New York, has so du ply felt the humiliation of the
position, that it has apoinlcd a committee to HrfWt
a plan for raising means to erect the monument, the
suWription to lie secured through the (Irand Army
of the Republic. No Is'tter medium could U' Selected
for this purpose, but it is doubtful if the member of
the order generally will contribute freely for a monu
ment in New York. ht the remains I removed to
the nation's capital, where other great soldiers are
buried, and the jM-ople of every stale will unite to erect
such a monument as will be the pride of the nation.
Nearly the w hole of the water front of Seattle, Ta
coma, Port Townsend ami other Puget sound cities has
Invii filed lion I'V svtilntor with Valentine scrip,
this action U-ing founded Uii a recent decision of the
coinniissioner of the general land olllce accepting such
a llling on tide lands In Seattle harUr. In euVl, this
decision asserts the title of the 1'nited Slates to tln-ee
lands as agiiiust the claim of the state, and if this de.
cision is sustained by the courta the r lb-el Umii the
commercial inlen-sls of tin- sound will lie disastrous.
If sim ulators can thus seio iiniii the tide lauds along
the great harlior of the sound, and secure control of
projM-rly world millions of dollar with lloaling scrip,
there is a Use jint in the law that ought to I
lightened up. A severe contest is cipc ted, and the
.tiiti- will imhohl ils rights until a Hnal decision I
I had. The ipientioii revived much attention In the
constitutional convent! l the lui'rlnce ol pro-
r handling of these U"d by the slate was fully
recognized and provided for,
t'min the rei.rt made to the secretary of the navy
: .v the commissioner aplnl l "b-et a site for a
i naval station on the IVitl It ap-ar that Port
i On hard, on Pug' t sound, has Ini-ii rr imemle.!, a
! was rxMi'led The site Im ii I within the lines of
i. fei.N- s reci'in nded by the ollicrra of the army
f,,r the protection of Ihe Puget sound cities, and I also
....tn.t,,l.s to afford l- al hh urUy fmni sudden at-
U, k at a small ripens. The site I flfWn tn!b from
S attic and thirty frm Taenia. A water front of unit
mid ..nt- half mile on Sinclair harbor will rmlt
doteii of the largest vessel to lie at the tWU In !
gin tier, after all th" d-du. tloii of space f.-r dry d-s ka,
building., etc , have rrn made The inrUnet to
the whole country of having a naval UtU on Putfel
mn I i vfy gn at, and it i l I liH Inal rwujrra
..It nt only establish one there, but will also provld
fr the ...nlru' lion there of large iron ve-Mck