East Viaduct to Oneonta

Samuel C. Lancaster, The Columbia River Highway In Multnomah County

From Multnomah Falls east, the highway parallels the O.-W. R. & N. Railway tracks for some distance, and after passing over the east viaduct, 860 feet in length, previously mentioned, the grade ascends gradually to an elevation of 154 feet just west of Oneonta Station.

In this distance, 1.6 miles, are to be seen long stretches of dry masonry wall. The one just east of the viaduct is 26 feet in its greatest height and 1,000 feet in length. The rock slide from which the boulders used in this wall were taken, extends from the base of the mountain, at the level of the railway track, to an elevation of 2,000 feet.

Great care was used in bringing the rock down safely and in constructing these walls, as previously described, the work being done with out injury to anyone.

The view of the broad Columbia from the road, both east and west, between Multnomah and Oneonta is always good, but from the summit of the grade above Oneonta Station the river resembles a great mountain lake. The purple shadows on the mountains tell of distance, though seemingly so near.

Descending from the summit of the grade above Oneonta Station we reach the foot of Oneonta Gorge, elevation 44 feet, distance from Multnomah Falls 2.22 miles. The high rock walls of Oneonta Gorge extend down to the O.-W. R. & N. Company's track. Just west of Oneonta Gorge it was necessary to move these tracks in order to avoid two crossings at grade, the Railway Company giving consent and permitting theuse of a "jump" track, or temporary crossing for use in transporting earth and rock, used in making the heavy fills, to carry their tracks, when they were moved to the new position. The highway now occupies the space next to the mountain, where the tracks were formerly.

Oneonta Gorge is wild and beautiful.

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