, 1866-12-21

MIA capitalists have bought controlling iu-
terest in the o. s. N. Company, and that as
. consequence the men who have controlled
the navigation Of the Columbia River from
almost the first settlement Of the country
have retired from the management Of the
Company. A Mr.. Hayward is announced as
the party making the purchase, aud he again
Is presumed to represent the California Steam
Navigation Company Company originally
instituted for the purpose Of navigating the
Sacramento River, but whose operations have
been extended until they now embrace sew
eral lines Of ocean steamers. What may be
the object Of this company in securing con-
troll of the Columbia, is question frequent'
ly. asked, and variOusly answered. It is
known that for the past two years the Cali
ifornia Steam Navigation Company his Las
bored hard to induce the trade and trateI to
the Boise and 0Wyhee country to follow the
Chico and Red Bluff routes, and with but in.
different success. Despairiug Of securing the
control Of the trade to the northern country
in that way it is surmised that the directors
of the California Company have at last de-
termiAed to abandon the overland routes and
concentrate all their energy aud capital on
the Columbia River line II this be the OBJ
ject, and all the circumstances favor the COM
clusion, we may expect radical change in
all that relates to the management Of the
River navigation. Hitherto, the river nav
igation has been made subservient to the one
great interest of building up Portland
Thousands and tens of thousands of tons Of
merchandise intended for the country east
Of the mountains have been shipped up and
down the Willamette River, for no other
purpose than contributing to the growth of
a town in which the owners Of the o. S. N.
Company were largely interested. In this
way the interests of the country suffered, and
those engaged in developing our mineral re-
sources have been unduly taxed. Ths Com
pany that now takes control is free from any
influence of this kind, and hence we infer
that the carrying business on the River will
in future be conducted on a different bas
sis. Some point on the COlumba-St. Hell
ems most likely-will be selected IS the point
Of landing for the ocean steamers, and thence
River steamers will make connections with
points further in the interior. Under this
Arrangement the freight intended for the
country east Of the mountains will be brought
direct to the Cascades, and thus avoid the
expense and detention incident to the exists
ing arrangement. The boats that are now
employed 10 plying between Oregon City and
Portland can readily make the connection
with St. Helens, and thus accommodate the
different towns on the Willamette The boats
now running between the Cascades apd Port
land will form the new line TO St. Helens,
aud thus secure direct communication, and
with it freedom from the lighterage aud 9th
er taxes that hitherto have weighed SO heav>
lily upon the commerce of the Northern coun,
try. Owning both ocean and River lines,
the new CJmpany will be in position to re-
ceipt for goods through from San Francisco
to any pUint on the River that may suit the
convenience Of shippers. This Of itself, will
be great improvements and even If there was
nothing else, would be sufficient to cause
shippers to welcome the change. In the char.
acter Of the men who control the new organ.
izaation, aud the great interests at stake,
we have . guarantee that in future the
navigation Of the Columbia i,iver viii be
conducted exclusively with view to meet
ing the requirements Of commerce, and con.
Quoted on this basis the points having the
greatest natural advantages will secure the
highest degree Of prosperity.