Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/319

318 of a canal and locks on the Columbia River between The Dalles and Celilo. The natural obstructions at that point had made necessary the double handling of all freight, and this handicap could be overcome only

by the construction of a canal and locks. This was, of course, before the days of railroad transportation, and even after the introduction of that means of traffic, it was recognized that "an open river" would have a bearing on a lower rate of freight handling.

The first survey for this improvement was made in 1874, and efforts were soon made by the Senators and Representatives in Congress to enlist the interest and aid of the federal government in the project. Because the Columbia River was so far removed from the population center of the United States it was exceedingly difficult to