Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/306

282 were as follows: J. C. Ainsworth, J. S. Ruckle, D. F. Bradford, S. G. Reed and L. W. Coe. These were supposed to represent the different interests that composed the new company. On June 8th, L. W. Coe resigned as director and R. R. Thompson was elected in his place. Very soon after the legal organization of the company the rich placer gold mines of Idaho Territory, Eastern Washington Territory and Western Montana were discovered and a rush of miners and freight up the Columbia River was the consequence. The new company was greatly overtaxed to do the business that was forced upon them. They had but few boats, most of them very indifferent, the "Carrie Ladd" being the best in the new line. The portages at The Cascades were owned by rival and hostile parties, yet both were interested in the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, and occupied seats on the board. These parties regarded their portage interests as of paramount importance. They looked upon the company as simply auxiliary to their other and larger interests. The portage at The Dalles was at the formation of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company made by teams to the mouth of the Deschutes River a distance of about twenty miles, and was at that time principally controlled by 0. Humason and his associates. The freight for the new mining country was so extensive that at times the whole portage at the Cascades was lined with freight from one end to the other; the result was, of course, heavy losses caused by damage and a system of robbery impossible to prevent. They paid damages to freight in a single month amounting to over $10,000.00. The most of this occurred on the portage, yet it was invariably charged to the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. The steamboat men realized the disadvantage under which they labored, as they were simply interested in a line of steamers that were wholly dependent on the portages, which were in the hands of rivals. They could see that the Oregon Steam Navigation Company must control the portages, or the portages must control and swallow up the company, or