$7.50 per ton, for deliveriug their freight at the foot of the rapids at the foot of The Cascades, at what was known as the Garrison or Johnston's Landing. Here Geo. W. Johnston took charge of it—Bradford was his partner, though under cover—and took it over the first rapid in sail boats to what was known as the first landing, for which he received $7.50 per ton. From this place it was taken on a wooden tram to the upper Cascades by Bradford & Company and placed on their steamer above, they receiving one-fourth for the tramway service and one-fourth for their steamer from The Cascadas to The Dalles.[1] At this time Stark ran his boat from Portland to The Dalles, tri-weekly. Passengers were compelled to remain over night at The Cascades, taking two days from Portland to The Dalles. Ruckle and Olmstead were running on the same time but they owned their whole line through and though it was of a very inferior character they did not have to divide with others and were rapidly encroaching on the business of the old or Bradford line. About this time the Stark party was reinforced by the advent of the "Carrie Ladd," with J. C. Ainsworth in command, which ran between Portland and the middle landing of The Cascades, thus earning one-half the receipts. This gave such an advantage in time and facilities to the old company that Ruckle and Olmstead, who had been making such inroads on the business, proposed a combination. The result was that in April, 1859, a general combination was made of all the interests as far as the middle landing of The Cascades under the name of The Union Transportation Company, with J. C. Ainsworth and J. S. Ruckle as agents. By this arrangement Bradford & Company were to have all of the business from the middle landing to The Dalles, Ruckle and Olmstead withdrawing their steamer "Wasco" from this route.[2]
At the time these negotiations were entered into the Stark party were known as the Columbia River Steam Navigation Company, and Ruckle's and Olmstead's line as the Oregon
