Steamboats Snake River

an unknown steamboat sails snake river in either washington or idaho in 1898

unlike columbia river, far more difficult steamboats navigate on snake. columbia river drops 2,690 feet (820 m) source mouth, while snake drops on 8,500 feet (2,600 m) in elevation on length more 200 miles (320 km) shorter. still, 1860s 1940s, steamboats traveled on snake river mouth @ columbia river near mouth of imnaha river in lower hells canyon. however, of steamboats sailed river s mouth lewiston, located @ confluence of snake , clearwater rivers. stretch of river easiest navigate watercraft since has least elevation change, although still contained on 60 sets of rapids.

passenger , freight service downstream of lewiston lasted throughout late 19th century , persisted until introduction of railroads in palouse hills grain-growing region , ultimately, construction of dams on lower snake facilitate barge traffic, caused demise of both steamboats , railroad. lewiston, 140 miles (230 km) confluence of snake , columbia , 465 miles (748 km) mouth of columbia on pacific ocean, became connected portland , other pacific ports via steamboat service mouth of snake through columbia river gorge. commonly traveled route wallula, washington, 120 miles (190 km) downstream of snake river s mouth, upstream lewiston. oregon steam navigation company launched shoshone @ fort boise in 1866 provided passenger , freight service on upper snake boise , owyhee mines.

by 1870s, osn company, owned northern pacific railroad, operating 7 steamboats transporting wheat , grain productive palouse region along snake , columbia lower columbia river ports. these boats harvest queen, john gates, spokane, annie faxon, mountain queen, r.r. thompson, , wide west, of built on columbia river. however, there more resources along snake river wheat , grain. in 1890s, huge copper deposit discovered @ eureka bar in hells canyon. several ships built transport ore there lewiston: these included imnaha, mountain gem, , norma. in 1893 annie faxon suffered boiler explosion , sank on snake below lewiston.