The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
FRCM THE BAY.

ED. GAzETTE:-The Daily Oregonian Of
February 2lst contains a letter signed
"Shipmaster," of great interest to the ship
pers, to the merchants and farmers of the
| Willamette valley. The Oregonian properly
calls the substance of this letter, written by
large ship-owner and one of the directors
of the London bank in Portland, burden
on our shipping" and while deprecating the
system so detrimental to the State, says :
The subject will, we trust, receive the
attention of our board of trade, so that
measures may be taken to effect changes
through legislation, and in other ways which
will obviate as far as possible these onerous
| charges on our commerce.
Right to the point, and it is just what the
people of Central and Eastern Oregon are
doing We want an appropriation to re-
move an obstruction less than l50 yards
wide on the Yaquina bar. ''Shipmaster Z"
says it costs from $3.50 to $500 pilotage and
towage, distance of fifteen miles. This of
course includes the passage of the Columbia
bar (nearly five miles across) to point near
Astoria. I He further says the charges,
HOG 4ulGC 81 iIOm aSLOfid W
Portland, are unreasonable. But, don't you
see, the legislation we ask does away with
any bar, and the whole distance from the
deep water of the Pacific to the wharves of
the w. V. & C. r. r. will be less than SIX
MILES. No legislation CAN POSSIBLY effect
greater reduction of pilotage and towage
in favor of the commerce of at least half of
Oregon than this improvement, to say moth
ing of the distance saved or the incidental
expenses, such as lighterage, etc., etc.
It is noticeable fact that during these
long years of argument and the presentation
of every real advantage claimed for the
Yaquina Bay as railroad terminus, and as
an outlet for the trade of Central and East
ern Oregon, not single contradictory state
ment has been offered. Why? Simply be-
cause it would be against the interests of a
large portion of the State, and because every
point made is susceptible of official proof.
No man with thimble full of common sense
but can see plainly this railroad means COM
petition, and competition means the regula-
tion and cheapening of transportation. Leg
islation will not be required to keep the
greed of pilots and tug-owners of the Column
bia in check. These gentlemen will be busy
reducing rates to meet the rates established
by the shorter and cheaper lines. There is
nothing visionary abont this. Solid busi-
ness principles suggest the method of recti-
flying great mistake, and nature offers the
way There is only one thing necessary
Can conflicting interests and the potency of
capital, concentrated and occupying an un-
fortunate position commercially, annul the
widespread demand for this small aid in
improving our harbor? Certainly not; if
energy is used and the enthusiasm of to-day
continues, the result is not the least doubt
full. But remember, Eternal vigilance is
the price of liberty" and it is liberty we
want We desire the liberty of choosing
between two routes to the seaboard. five
choose to take the longest route, it will be
because tits the cheapest every way, and that
point can never be reached while we have
bnt one thoroughfare for sbgsst trade of Ore
cyou +