The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-03-14
SHIPPING WHEAT.
nIiasta toments OF the Bulletin Corrected.
ASTORIA. Feb. "a, 1873.

shlpping wheat ana other productions,
and, to set the matter right, l will
give here the case of single vessel,
the American ship, Roswell Sprague,"
beginning with quotation from the
Bulletin of the 10Th inst, to show
that she had more than an average
dispatch. But to the item:
"The Roswell Sprague' received
tho balance of her cargo to-day at
Astoria, and is now ready for sea-
This vessel has had remarkably quick
dispatch, taking into consideration the
fact that she had to be lightered. She
arrived at Astoria January 18th, came
up the river February Sd, discharged
her ballast, received most OF her out
ward cargo, and left Portland on the
18th inst. taking on the balance Of
her cargo at Astoria"
We now take this vessel, with ev-
erything so favorable 10 quick trip
and small expense, and give the Mas
ter's own statement by letter in reply
to one addressed him on the subject
by Mr.. WEIGH and myself, which is as
follows:
"AsronrA. Feb. 20, 1878.
4nessrs. Taylor and JVelch:
GESTs:-In answer TO your gues-
tions relating to the cost of towage
ani detention while in the Columbia
river, would say that | arrived At
Astoria January 18th, 1873, arrived at
Portland Feb. Sd lin ballast).
Paid for pilotngc up river. ON Il IT, nj 81 ..a 81
illote down. II feei. at 81 psr iooi. -
IowhEa down l%'
Tota
Left Portland for Astoria Feb. 18th
at 8 n. IN, arrived at Astoria Feb. 18th
at 8 p. m. No. Of tons received At
Portland, $50; on way to Astoria, l0O;
at Astoria, 372--making I,222 tons.
No. of days it would have taken TO
discharge ballast and load cargo ut
one place. average way of working at
Portland, days. Average expense
of ship per day, 500, charter party
for demurragc.
c. II. SAWYER,
Master Am. Ship Roswell spfaguc."
Now, from the foregoing letter,
you will see il took 90 days 10 60 10
Portland, load, and return to Astoria:
deduct 3 days for Sundays, leaving
20 working days. Now deduct the
Z days he says it would take TO ito
discharge ballast and load cargo at
any one place, at average way of
working ai Portland" and il will
leave Is days more 10 go to Portland
than 10 load at Astoria, at an average
expense of sl0J per day, making s ,30i
TO be added 10 the pilotage and tow
age, which are sI9l, making the
round sum of sl.19l.
Now for the cost per ton The ship
took in 151 tons of wheat at Portland,
the cost of which, when she got back
TO this port was s2.37 per ton. She
had lightered TO her here aud on the
way from Portland 472 tons, by river
steamers, at q cost of $3.50 per ton
put on board, showing difference of
81 cents per ton, or at the rate OF
81 ,0G9 on her whole cargo of ,222
tons by loading at Astoria, even with
the present prices on the river with
the steamers.
favorable trips vessel ever makes to
Portland and back to Astoria, and
from reliable data we are safe in say
ing that the average time and cost is
one-half or two-thirds greater, making
from $500 TO $4,000 extra cost on
vessels of that class, for she had no
sticking on the bars and other delays,
causing extra charges, as is usually
the case with most of the larger ves-
sells. Now a question will naturally
arise, Who pays for all this extra cost
of shipping? A Yankee would guess,
"the farmers"
With reference TO the Bulletin
again: A writer in the Daily of Feb.
18th, in replying to letter of Mr..
Low, of Linn county, shows so much
ignorance of the whole matter that it
is only necessary to refer to but few
of his statements TO show that fact
He says:
81 refer to that portion of Mr..
Lows figures which apparently estab-
fishes a presumption that ,chedt IS re-
shipped from here TO astoria, which
is false, and calculated to do harm to
Portland among those unacquainted
with the facts"
And, again, he says:
"a thousand-ton ship is towed from
Astoria to Portland, cost 500; after
loading, she is towed to Astoria, 500
-towage both ways, S209."
How do these statements agree
with Capt. Sawyer's? l will now
state, and challenge contradiction,
that there has not been vessel draw
ing over seventeen feet of water
(which most all the wheat.carrying
ones do) but that has taken in more
or less of her cargo at the port OF AS
toria, as well as having lightered her
in-going cargo; and there has never
been vessel of that class taken to
Portland and back by towing for that
cost, unless in case of opposition,
which is seldom. Only three of the
seventeen ships that loaded with
wheat but what took in part Of their
cargo here, and they were of light
draft.
In the Bulletin Of the 10Th there is
more twaddle about the big fish eat
ing up the small ones,,a fox and goat
faLle, and taking mint of money to
build wharves at Astoria, &c, &C.,
all intended to divert the farmers of
Oregon from accomplishing their con-
templated plans. The difference in
favor of shipping one years wheat
crop from Astoria will build more
wharves and warehouses than can be
occupied for years with the produce