The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-04-19
ASTORIA.
The Venice of America in Early
Days.

-
evidently not intended for publica-
ton, nevertheless considered by us
worthy of reprinting. After describ-
ing the lay Of the land, the water
front. and the adaptability of the ap-
plication of the words Venice of
America to Astoria, Mr.. Mexican
says: THE attractions of the place
arc natural rather than artificial.
The healthful sea breeze, and the
opportunity for recreation attracts the
invalid in the pleasant summer
months, while the practical business
man is attracted by the opportunities
for investment in certain branches Of
business, and the prospects OF growth
and prosperity in the near future
which the advantageous location of the
place assures. | remember when |
first saw this town, about thirty years
ago. A few Hudson bay company
buildings situated near the site nrigi-
naliy selected by the agents of John
Jacob Astor in 1911; a few small
houscs here and there among the trees
and bushes, huilt and occupied by
some Americans who settled here and
took up claims two or three years previ-
ous!y constituted all there Was of the
town of Astoria For few years the
place grew quite rapidly, and the
country around began TO settle up.
Lumber IN San Francisco commanded
almost fabulous prices and saw mills
were erected at different places in the
vicinity, which gave employment to a
large number Of persons, and made
good times generally. But the time
for Astoria to grow and develop into a
city had not yet come. The lumber
business died ont. Prices got 50 low
that it would not pay to manufacture
for export. Other causes combined to
interfere with its immediate growth,
and it was not until six or eight years
past, thar the place began To- again
show symptoms of vitality, and awake
like Rip Van Wrinkle, after a slumber
nearly as long as that celebrated indi-
vidGal is said to have slumbered. One
of the occurrances that helped to arouse
the city from its long slumber, was
the appearance one fine morning of an
English ship in the harbor. She came
70 get some of our surplus wheat to
carry home to the hungry citizens of
the United Kingdom. That ship was
followed by others, and now they come
every year. They begin to come
about this time of the year, and con-
tinue to arrive and depart during the
fall and winter, and sometimes until
late in the spring. They do not all
load at this place. Many Of them pass
on to Portland, the largest city in the
state, situated about one hundred miles
inland, but all have to stop here on
their way IN and out, while many
load here entirely, the grain being
brought to tins place in river steamers
and barges. One other and perhaps
principal thing that has helped the
growth Of the place is the development
OF the salmon canning business. Six
years ago there were only few can
nIng establishments on the river, stu
ated from thirty TO fifty miles inland.
At the present there are fifteen can
neries almost within the limits Of the
city, and several close To the mouth of
the river. The quantity of salmon
put up at each establishment ranges
from fifteen to fifty thousand cases. A
case contains four dozen one pound
cans. Each cannery has from twelve
to forty boats, and each boat is man.
ned by two men, and carries one net.
The nets are frequently 200 fathoms
long, by about twenty feet deep. They
put the net out in the river across
the current, and drift with the tide.
They usually fish in the night. Some,
times they only get three or -four
salmon in a night, but sometimes they
get over a hundred, and occasionally
more than the boat can carry. They
often drift out over the bar purposely,
but sometimes they get into the break.
ers, the boat upsets and the men
dr0wn. During the last season many
fishermen lost their lives i'm that way.
The canneries employ a great many
Cinnamon, who do nearly everything
from making the cans to cooking the
fish. 1t is thought by many that
white labor would be more profitable
but it is not possible to procure enough
white men or women To do the work
The fishing season begins in April anC
ends in August, while the shipping
season is most active from the first o.
October to the last of January.
think there were about SOC, 900 case
of salmon packed in the river during
the past season. The value of th'
wheat and salmon which passed on
through the mouth Of the Columbi;
river during the past year was over
S6,0O0,OOO. Not very bad think fol
a state whose whole population, citiet
and all would NOT make one city hal