150 Years 1887-1901 The Dalles THE DECADES OF HISTORY PART THREE OF THE DALLES CHRONICLE’S TEN-PART SERIES. April 27, 2007 Page 3 A RED LETTER DAY FOR THE DALLES DETAILS OF THE CELEBRATION – The Boats Came Through, and Crowds Were There to See. The DALLES CITY had left Portland at 7 o’clock, made seven landings and reached the Locks at just noon, the best time ever made on the run. The SARAH DIXON had also arrived with a full complement of passengers from Portland. Everything was in readiness by 2 o’clock, only the non-arrival of the HARVEST QUEEN, causing any delay. It is estimated that fully 5,000 people were present aft the QUEEN had arrived. About 3:30, to the Tooting of whistles the DALLES CITY took the post of honor, leading the way into the lock, where the SADIE B., the little steamer belonging to the Day Bros., awaited them. In turn, the SARAH DIXON and HARVEST QUEEN moved in, the lower gates were closed, the sluices opened, and in 15 minutes the lock was full, the hydraulic engines swung the big upper gate open and the DALLES CITY and SARAH DIXON, the first boats from the lower river, came through the float upon the azure of the Upper Columbia. As the DIXON pulled through a detail from Battery A. O. N. G. fired a salute of twenty-one guns. The harvest queen BUT CAME THROUGH FAR ENOUGH TO AGAIN GREAT THE WATERS OF THE Middle Columbia, where her keel first struck the water, and then turned and steamed back again. ¶ Captain Fisk, who has charge of the works, Civil Engineer Morris and Messrs. J.G. and I.N. Day seemed to take pride in answering a throng of questions that were continuously propounded, and by their courtesy, added largely to the enjoyment of the occasion. ¶ At 4:30 the steamers pulled out for The Dalles, and half an hour later the train followed, loaded with citizens of the Inland Empire, who long ago had despaired of seeing the sight they had just witnessed. At 7:45 the boats swept round the point of rocks, and in a few moments were lying side by side at the D.P.& A.N. wharf. Everybody and everybody else was there to see. Klickitat and Sherman counties had sent large delegations, and Wasco was represented by at least half her citizens. ¶ The parades formed at 8:15 and headed by the troop of mounted men, followed the line of parade laid down for it. Along the line of parade every house was illuminated, and down Second street the windows of our business houses were beautifully decorated and aglow with electric lights. For half a dozen blocks the streets were aflame with the gleam of colored lights that burned until the last man in the procession had passed. November 6, 1896. Incoming and Outgoing messages protected by Trend Micro PC-cillin program