Historic Hood River
All Aboard
Notes
It looks like there are at least six cars and twelve people crammed onto the ferry “Panama” for a trip across the Columbia. They are departing from the Hood River delta, probably just north of the railroad depot where I-84 currently stands. At high water the ferry could come right up near the depot.
The ferry Panama was one of the ferries “Commodore” O.C. Dean and stepson Alf Shepler operated which provided the vital link to White Salmon and Underwood. Commodore Dean started running ferries on the Columbia in 1903. Here is a report of him being granted a 10 year license for the Hood River White Salmon route in 1913. Dean retired in 1919.
In 1915 it cost $2 for a car and driver to cross (round trip) or $1.25 one way. By the summer of 1916 the Columbia River Highway was bringing a flood of automobiles to the ferry landing. The Hood River Glacier reported that summer the Panama carried more automobiles than during all the rest of its life put together.
The name was probably inspired by the Panama Canal. Construction of the canal (completed 1914) was viewed as a major boon to commerce on the West Coast. The Hood River City Council joined the city of San Francisco writing Congress to encourage support for the project.
By 1919 new ferrymen were running this route. In 1921 they introduced a modern new ferry with a 30HP diesel engine, the Cleona. I have not seen any photographs of that ship.
The construction of the Hood River White Salmon Bridge (opened December 6, 1924) ended the local ferry business. A car could cross the river for just $0.75 without having to wait for a ferry to show up.
Dale Nicol
So the $2 trip in 1915 would cost about $60 today!
That was one expensive river crossing.
Even with the cost dropping to $0.75 in 1924, that’s a $22 trip across the bridge in today’s $$.
L. E.
I chuckle when people today, voice their disgust with the present WS/HR toll bridge, saying it is time to bring back the ferry.
Do they have any idea what the ferry would cost?
Also, the time element of waiting for the ferry, loading and unloading would be frustrating for our hurry up and go society.
I would always be late for my HR doctor and dentist appointments if I had to catch the ferry.
L. E.
A scow, very similar to this one, was used to ferry families, equipment, livestock etc between Fishers Landing and Government Island where the I205 bridge now crosses the Columbia R.
Rawhyde
$2.00 in 1915 dollars is equivalent to $60.92 in todays dollars, per the BLS CPI Inflation Calculator.