The Columbia River, though affording with its branches over two thousand miles of navigable water, is divided into sections by frequent natural obstructions like the Cascades, Dalles, Great Falls, and Priest's Rapids. As the interior trade grew, the navigation company built boats on section after section, until it became possible to go from Portland to Lake Pend d'Oreille on the North Fork almost wholly by water. This development resulted in part from the opening of trade with the Rocky jMountain country. Active mining operations began in what is now Montana, but then eastern Washington and western Dakota, in 1862. The earliest diggings were located west of the Rockies, but soon rich discoveries were made east of the mountains also. Packers from Walla W'alla crossed over at once, carrying hundreds of tons of supplies at very great expense. A military road, from Fort Benton on the upper Missouri to Walla Walla, had been constructed between the years 1859 and 1862, under the direction of Captain John Mullan. It was always passable for pack trains, but soon fell into such a state of disrepair that loaded wagons could not safely pass over it. Soon the demand became loud for the reopening of this highway. Work was done upon it at various times, with the result that many wagons, drawn by six or eight pairs of mules, carried flour and bacon, produced in the Willamette valley, from the head of navigation on the Columbia to Helena on the Missouri, a distance of only al)out six hundred miles.
Competition between East and West; rapid
