Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 6.djvu/794

 782. . FEDERAL REPORTER. �serious obstruction to the navigation of a river whioh can Le essentially improved. Upon the evidence,, and in the very nature of things, there esin be no doubt that this bridge, where and as it is being constructed, is a serious obstruction to the navigation of the river. It will absolutely obstruct the navigation of the river, exeept for the space of 100 feet on either side of the pivot pier, and these openings are altogether top narrow to admit the safe and convenient passage of the sea-going vessels that come to this port, or even the larger class of river-boats, exeept. in favorable conditions of wind and water. Indeed, the f urther investigation of this matter makes it appear very probable to my mind that no bridge, unless it be a suspension one, can be constructed over the river at this point without being a serious obstruction to its navigability, and impairing its usefulness as a common high- way for the citizens of the United States. �The Wallamet river in front of Portland is not only a nav- igable stream'with a sbip channel: it is also a sea-port, — the harbor, as I have before said, of "the emporium and unancial center of the northwest," — and to ail appearance is destined to be second to no city in importance on the Pacific coast save one. Probably nine-tenths of the exports produced west of the Bocky mountains and north of the forty-second parallel aregathered here for aaleand shipmentabroad upon sea-going vessels of, in some cases, 3,000 tons burden. Every bushel of grain grown for expoiit over this vast region, and particnlarly in the great, Wallamet vaUey, feels the cost of storage and dockage at this port, and anything whieh limita or restricts the capacity or convenience of its harbor works a direct injury to the great body of the producers throughout the country. Therefore it is that the convenience of the com- paratively small population immediately east of Portland, or even in Portland, is not alone to be considered in this matter. The river is the navigable water of the people of the United States, aftd the harbor is for the free use of ail the people whose exports and imports freight the vessels that frequent it from ail parts of the worid. At this point, on the west bank of the river, the ox teams of the Wallamet valley first met tho sea-going ves- ��� �