Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/302

278 the upper Columbia River in transporting government freight in sail boats, built, at the upper Cascades, a fine little steamer called the "Venture," with the intention of in some way making the portage at The Dalles, and using her on the upper Columbia. His partner, L. W. Coe, was made captain. In attempting to make the first trip to The Dalles, the boat was carried over the falls at the upper Cascades. She was afterwards hauled out and repaired and her name changed to the "Umatilla." By 1859 the steamers "Senorita," "Belle" and "Multnomah," owned by Stark, Reed, Dick Williams, Hoyt and Wells, all under the management of Ben Stark, were running between Portland and The Cascades. The "Belle" was the first boat to make regular trips. Opposed to this interest was the "Mountain Buck," owned by J. S. Ruckle and H. Olmstead, who also owned the portage at The Cascades on the Oregon side of the river. Bradford & Company owned the portage on the Washington side of the river, together with the steamers "Hassalo" and "Mary" plying between The Cascades and The Dalles. Ruckles and Olmstead owning the little steamer "Wasco" plying on the same route, and thus making them a through line between Portland and The Dalles. There were no steamers up to this time on the upper Columbia, but R. R. Thompson was the owner of all the sail boats on the upper Columbia, and was then building the steamer "Colonel Wright." At this time the portage at The Dalles was made by teams to the mouth of the Deschutes River and O. Humason had charge of this portage. The freight over this portage was $20.00 per ton measurement.

The Stark party and Bradford formed one line by a division of receipts as follows: The freight, which was at that time $30.00 per ton between Portland and The Dalles, was divided in four parts— Stark and his party receiving one-fourth, or