The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-07-25
Tnr rAnarrns AND AsronIA.
TANanNr. July Goth. 1873.

TANGENT, July Goth, 1873.
Editor Democrat;
According TO promise will give
you few facts in regard to the river
and harbor conyeniences Of this State
for exporting our surplus commodi.
ties. In the first place l will notice
the Columbia Bar. Tho south
channel is somo two miles wide, with
twenty-four feet OF water at low tide
and thirty-four feet at high tide.
When putting to sea vessels have 10
DO towed from sixteen to twenty
miles from Astoria. according TO the
course OF the winds or other circum.
stances. Tho Bar is about three or
four miles long and the Bay OF Asto-
ria from Smiths Point to Tongue
Point, is called. six miles. The
commerce Of tho world can ride
with safety in this bay. Astoria Is
situated on the south side of tho bay,
which Mt this point is sevon or eight
miles wide. Tongue Point is capo
running into the bay four or five miles
above Astoria, while Smiths Point
projects into tho bay about two miles
below that city. These two points
ore but the termini Of two spurs Of
mountains. which run back into the
interior and unite behind tho city.
Cathlamet Bay is situated just above
Tongue Point and is about fifteen
miles vide. A bar, known ms the
Hogs Back. is where Astoria Bay
and Cathlamet Bay connect. At this
place the waters of the Columbia and
the tide meet which has caused the
formation of the bar.
Mr.. Editor. / cannot dismiss this
harbor subject without asking il there
is any one in Oregon or elsewhere
who ever heard toll of n seaport in
this world but what has had its elder
sister in the interior, and had her to
fight In order to place herself on the
commercial footing which nature de
signed her to occupy? Can any one
tell us how much older London is
than Liverpool? 1t is ut least several
hundred years older and still there
is more commercial business dcae in
one week in Liverpool than in six
months in London. The same is
true Of the cities Of Hamburg and
Colon in Prussia. Another instance
is that OF the cities Of Albany aud
New York. FoE afty years Albany
was ahead OF New York as q seaport.
Then the Hudson river commenced
filling up and vessels were being
built larger, consequently New York
is the greatest seaport on the Western
Hemisphere and Albany is nothing
but au inland manufacturing city.
Since the completion of the lock
and dam swindls at Oregon City,
Albany can with the same propriety
as Portland, claim to be the seapor .
of Oregon, and better too. for We
have something to ship. while Port
land has nothing that I know Of OK.
cept Cinnamon and stock for houses
of iil-fame.
+ Canal boats start at Buffalo in tho
State Of New York and cross nearly
the whole width OF the State. a dis
tanee Of about three hundred miles,
to the city Of Albany, where there Is
n school OF them towed down the
Hudson TO the city of New York. -
There the load Is elevated into ware
houses aud from there let down into
scale boxes and weighed. II is then
taken through spout into the yes
sells, which can be loaded in q few
hours, and be ready for foreign mar
kets. tits all shipped in bulk. no sacks
being used at all. BY examininglate
maps wo find that barges and canal
boats are loaded in the interior of
Canada and are towed down the
st. Lawrence and up the river which
flows from Lake Champlain. From
Lake Chatnplain it Is taken through
a canal to the Hudson junction at
Troy, New York, and from thence
towed down TO New York city.
The farmers of the Willamette
valley can ship their surplus produce
from points on the Willamette river
direct to our bnrbor Mt Astoria, where
sea-going vessels of any siza in the
world can come and get our produce
at the farmers warehouse and depot
with dispatch. Tho vessels would
not then have to be towed, piloted
and delayed at an expense to the
producers OF from 81. 1.7U0 to 50 600
for each one that is obliged to be
dragged up over the mud flats To tie
village OF Portland. which is sitaated
along side of hog wniiow on the
Willamette river. We can do our
business here in Oregon just as they
do in the East il we will; and if the
farmers are true to themselves their
financial affairs will soon be in a
more healthy condition. But we
mcst have direct shipment first in
small boats to the harbor of our State,
and from thence in large vessels to
foreign markets. Now suppose we
had a sufficient quantity Of wheat at
the seaboard to load two or three
vessels, do you suppose there would
be found no vessels to take it away?
The scriptures say that where the
carcass is there will the enOles be