Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-08-30
Cant, AfnsWOrth's Views.


gives the following: 4& -
Being in Portland some days ago, we
CHANGED to get in conversation with j.
G. Ainsworth, President of the Oregon
Steam Navigation Company, upon that
subject, and, in reply to our query if
few questions may be considered imper-
tinent, that gentlemen replied
"Not at all, sir, we would Just as
soon you know all about it as any one
else. The road has not been purchased,
nor will it be, by this company. A
company has been formed here to build
system of narrow.gauge roads through
that eastern country, communicative
and harmonious with the road Inaugural
ted by DR.. Baker and his associates.
That road represents certain amount
Of stock in the new corporation, but its
present existence does not terminate till
the first of January next. The Doctor
in the meantime, is making some i'm
portant changes in the character of the
roadbed by which dangerous trestles
are to be avoided and easier grades
reached, thus enabling the present COM
pleted road to carry heavier loaded
! trains. at decreased risk and lessen wear
Of material. You must certainly see,
that the prosperity of the past two
years to the farmers of that section, af.
lords no fair criterion OF the future :;
for the figures realized for the grain of
1876 and 1877 are purely exceptional
prices, based upon the chances of a gen.
eral war in Europe. Remove the pro.
liabilities of such war and those prices
must decline, thus greatly decreasing
the profits OF agriculture. A farmers
expenses are as great during dull years
as in those that are prosperous and
that fact must be borne in mind by
those engaged in carrying trade. For,
whenever agriculture affords no profit
to the farmers. he will abandon it and
go to stock raising; and that makes no
trade for steamboats,. Agriculture is
the only avocation that justifies heavy
outlay in this business, and would
call your attention to the facts that our
company has laid out over four hundred
thousand dollars during the past two
years in tonnage for The upper Columbia
trade, including new wharf-boats, Of
course. All the materials used in their
construction had to be carried over our
lines as "fast freights," to the exclusion
often Of other freights on which men
stood ready to pay us the ready cash.
But the trade demands it and YOU must
obey the trade. When you pilot steam
er, you must obey the current and
the currents Of business are more imoer.
ious than those of the water itself
Now those people up Snake river, live
so far from navigahe water that thei,
least wagon haul to any of our landings
is above fifteen miles, over roads that
are none of the best; and man can
not haul grain to the landings on hi
, wagon for less than eight to ter
dollars per ton. This cuts off grea
deal of profit on agriculture and jeo
pardizes the success of our steamboating
> They must be given cheaper or the,
will abandon agriculture. You will
recollect that in the Nez Perez mimi:
day, We charged seventy dollars pc
!; ton to Lewiston. That was becaus
the trade was risky one, based on n,
!, permanent employment for the people
|, Had those msnes proven to be worth
.. less, the first year, our boats woul,
have been dead property the secon,
Sumner, not worth ten per cent, OF thei
cost. But with farming the case is diff
= ferent; you can make some differen
calculations" Here we ventured
: question as to whether the new system
= would lead to reduced freight tariff o.
the rivers. "Most assuredly it will,
: replied the Captain. ut is with
> view of meeting the imperative demand
q Tor reduced tariff that we are increasin
our transportation facilities and wider
. ing our connections. We made redus
7, q tion upon farming machinery of nearl
= twenty-five per cent, just to increas
. the acreage of crops in that section an
. develope our trade. These reduction
!. must be made in proportion to the il
- crease of our operative tonnage. Fl
;, instance, when you FIRST went up tn
@ . river, ten years ago, we had small boa
and one hundred tons of down freisl
l.: were big load. Now we have boa
!. capable of carrying twice that much
)" less draft of water, with the san
u consumption of fuel, and mere nomil
= a. al increase Of labor to unload the grail
- give US better channals in Snake rive
70 by blowing out the rocks in the rapid
= at Five Mile, Fish Hook, Pine Ire
y palouse and Taxsas, and we will
able to go to Lewiston with the san
: loads We now carry to Wallula. Whe
y - ever we can do that, we can reduce f.
'' dollars per ton to Wallula aud ten d.
~ lars to Lewiston, with a proportion
- decrease on way freight l have
Is doubt but if the money appropriate,
, for those Improvements was entrust
~ to us to expeud, We would have d
W. work done more cheanly and nractical