The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1866-01-04
sEAPORr FOR THE TRADE OF THE
COLUMBIA BASIN,

as likely to become importing points for the
supply Of the Columbia Basin. or these, AS
toria, ST. Helens, Vancouver, and The Empo-
rum are those best known to the public. Al,
the north entrance to the Columbia is Pacific
! City, which is located, somewhat ominously
it would seem, inside of and adjoining Cape
Disappointment. f,r AZ, ~ AxKs
AT the Rrst sight it would appear as II AS
toria or Pacific City should become the sea-
port for our interior; but the early settlement
of the, Willamette Valley built up, The Empo-
rum, and. the, discovery OF the Nez Perces
mines found that village " sweetly located on
the banks Of the Willamette" with considera-
supplies of merchandise on hand. This, at
once found market at handsome profits, and
The Emporium was quite rapidly enriched.-
For time the commercial men of that place
conceded with much frankness that "Port.
lands true policy was to remain dependent
on San Francisco," but time lapsed, and the
citizens who had once owned hundreds now
counted their thousands, and it was discov-
cred that the true policy Of the place was to
| UTchk lOOSc lEOul tuo Ohu II VTduClbCO COuucC-
tion and make their town the importing point
for the Columbia River interior. Circum-
stances favor this project, and beyond doubt
if there shall be no outside influence, the for
tunes of The Emporium would be fixed. Pre-
liminary to breaking loose from the San
Francisco connection Portland wants q line
of steamers to bring the freights destined to
the Columbia River, from the East, from San
Francisco, so that all the profits which the
California metropolis will gain by the Oregon
trade will be the earnings Of warehouses-men,
stevedores and long shore. men. Following
this, The Emporium will have ships which
will bring freight direct from the Atlantic
side into the mouth Of tho Columbia River.
The consequences to San Francisco are OBJ
viOus.
To counterAct this design, which would
render tAe present Oregon anil California
steamship interest woIthless to the owners,
certain men Of means have determined to
"renovats the shattered splendors" Of St.
Helsns, and bring the sea going craft to that
point, to discharge and take in cargoes.-
There 10 also another project on foot, and
that Is 10 revive the somewhat dormant pre-
tensions of Pacific City to the trade of
tho Columbia. River. This latter scheme
is now being elaborated, and the pro-
prietors Of the town site, say that if the Gov
prised in the Reserve at Cape Disappointment
they are prepared TO 60 on TO build up the
place, 1t seems that the best anchorage is in
front.of the lands just in the lee of the Cape,
and it Ia on these that the frst improvement,
10 to be made. Of course Pacific City will be
compelled to have steam communication with
: the upper country, and between building q
city, importing goods and distributing them
to theIinterior ,he God-fa.hers. of this enter.
prise have chalked out work enough to OBJ
!; sorb !, large smount of,money.y .saivaah4
II In the general desire to build up a city ,ts
crush The Emporium, the towns of Vancouver
T and Astoria appear to be temporarily tbrowr
10 the shade. What fate fortune, may hav,
10 store for them lyet concealed from bn
man foresight; but on the principle that til,
} last shall be first either OF these places maj
styet have place IN the aaralsi Of our country
!, when the last surviving Siwash shall lool
f from Mount Robinson, like Marius on tn,
ruins of Carthage, over waste Of mud wher'
The Emporium once proudly stood Of b.elo,
Out of all these schemes for building sea
port towns we see sotne probability Of estab
o lishing direct trade with San francisco /. I
d the St. Helens spectators. bring the freigh