The boats of the Union Pacific Ry. on the Columbia leave nothing to be desired.  The “T.J.  Potter,” a magnificent side-wheel steamer, made her first trip in July, 1888.  She is 235 feet long, 35 feet beam, and 10 feet hold, with a capacity of 600 passengers.  The saloon and state-rooms are fitted with every convenience, and handsomely decorated.  The “Potter” was built entirely in Portland, and the citizens naturally take great pride in the superb vessel.  In August, 1888, this steamer made the run from her berth at Portland to the landing stage at Astoria in five hours and thirty-one minutes.  Then there are two night passenger boats from Portland down, the “R.R.  Thompson” and the “S.G.  Reed,” both stern-wheelers of large size, spacious, roomy boats, well appointed in every particular.  The Thompson is 215 feet long, 38 feet beam, and 1,158 tons measurement.  In addition to these, there are two day mail passenger and freight boats; they handle the way traffic; the larger boats above mentioned make the run direct from Portland to Astoria without any landings.

Some random notes.

A mistaken idea has possessed many tourists that the Puget Sound steamers start from Portland; they leave Tacoma for all points on the Sound, and Tacoma is about 150 miles by rail from Portland.

One steamer sails every twelfth day from Portland to Seattle.

One steamer per month leaves Portland for Alaska, but she touches at Port Townsend before proceeding north.

One steamship leaves Tacoma for Alaska during the season of 1890, about every fifteen days, from June to September.

The Ocean steamers sail every fourth day from Portland to San Francisco.

There are semi-weekly boats between Portland and Corvallis, and tri-weekly between Portland and Salem.

On the Sound there are three boats each way, daily (except Sunday), between Tacoma and Seattle; one boat each way, daily (except Sunday), between Tacoma and Victoria; one boat each way, daily (except Sunday), between Seattle and Whatcom, and one boat, daily (except Sunday), between Whatcom and Seminahmoo.

Only one class of tickets is sold on the River and Sound boats; on the Ocean steamers there are two classes:  cabin and steerage.  The steerage passengers on the Ocean steamers have a dining-room separate from the first-class passengers—­on the lower deck—­and are given abundance of wholesome food, tea and coffee.

On River and Sound boats, a ticket does not include meals and berths, but it does on the ocean voyage, or the Alaska trip.  The usual price for meals is 50 cents, and they will be found uniformly excellent.  Breakfast, lunch, and a 6 o’clock dinner are served.

The price of berths on these boats runs from 50 cents for a single berth to $3 per day for the bridal chamber.

No liquors of any kind are kept on sale on any River or Sound steamer, but a small stock of the best brands will be found on the Ocean steamers.