Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/230

 one each day for stock alone. The water is so high on the rapids that it is with difficulty we can get over with thirty tons. Ruckel's road will not be finished for three weeks; snow at the Cascades two and a half and three feet deep with thick crust on top, making it impassable for teams at lower end. This is a great drawback to our business. * * * The grand rush is just beginning; I scarce- ly have time to eat and everybody connected with the company is hurried as much."

To O. B. Gibson, April 28:

"Captain John says if the river rises much more the Carrie will not be able to run the rapids, and if so the jig is up till the lower road is done."

The little engine was put on board a new wharfboat which Ruckel and Olmstead had built for use at the lower landing, and on April 25 safely made the trip to the Cascades at the end of a tow line from the Julia or the Carrie Ladd, the Mountain Buck, the Rival or the Inde- pendence, all five 37 of which steamboats were used in transporting the business that spring. Still the railroad was not ready and more time was lost. So great was the rush for the gold mines that the city drays taking ship- ments of supplies and materials to the Oregon Steam Nav- igation Company's wharf practically blockaded Front and Yamhill Streets in Portland from early dawn until late in the evening, and the hotels were crowded while many prospectors were camped in the suburbs of the town. 38 Presently the capacity of the rairoads was reached, and a large quantity of freight accumulated on the portage, so that the Oregon Steam Navigation Company was com- pelled for about a week to refuse shipments that were offered at Portland, pending the completion of the line to the lower landing. 39

37 Portland Daily Oregonian, February 18, April 3, June 4, 1862. 38 Portland Daily Oregonian, April 10, April 15, May 24, May 27, May 30, 1862. 39 Portland Daily Oregonian, May 3, 1862.