348 FRED LOCKLEY
would also lose my position on the transfer boat. I told him where he could go, but it wasn't a health resort that I recom- mended. In fact, it was a place where the climate was pretty tropical. I demanded $500 for permission to cross my place. The graders were instructed to go ahead, any way. I took my shotgun and went out and had a little talk with the foreman and he decided not to do anything. He telegraphed to the officials and by return wire they telegraphed they were send- ing me a draft for $500. I would have been glad to let them go across, but didn't like the way they went about it.
"By the summer of 1886 I had 45 different kinds of trees growing on my place at Pasco, without irrigation. In addition to a large number of vegetables usually grown in the North- west, I successfully matured peanuts, cotton and sugar cane. That will give you some idea of the possibility of fruit grow- ing and the growing of vegetables in this district.
"You remember I told you about reporting that I believed the Rock Island rapids could be successfully negotiated? On the strength of my report the O. R. & N. Co. fitted out an ex- pedition consisting of two boats to go as far as the Priest rapids. The Almota and the John Gates were the two boats. The Almota was to accompany the John Gates to Priest rapids and the John Gates was to endeavor to go to the head of navi- gation on the Columbia, the Almota's part of the contract be- ing to act as tender and carry fuel and extra equipment as far as Priest rapids. C. H. Prescott and some of the other offi- cials of the O. R. & N., as well as General Gibbon, commander of the Department of the Columbia, with his staff and 120 soldiers from Fort Vancouver, were taken along on the trip. The soldiers were to assist the boat in overcoming the rapids by lining the steamer through the rapids. The ascent of Priest Rapids was made without much difficulty. This gave to the steamer John Gates the honor of being the first steamboat to pass over the rapids. The Almota remained below Priest Rapids. The formation of the Rock Island Rapids consists of a number of dangerous reefs through which the current makes short and difficult turns, making navigation of the Rock Island
