The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-09-16
THE tonnage AND DEVELOPMENTS OF
THE NORTHWEST AND WHAT WE
MOST NEED.

THE NORTHWEST AND WHAT WE
MGST NEED.
The question of tonnage in suf-
ficient amounts to move the present
years crop from this coast is any
thing but encouraging. The price
of charters at the present time are
fully up to the highest figures of last
year with prospect of going still
higher. Stillit is reported that man.
more vessels are due TO this coast
than came last yoar, and for this
reason a grain growing association
Of California have lately held meet
ing in San Francisco and resolved to-
hold their wheat until it has ten
dency 10 reduce the price of charters.
They claim that wheat is being
forced into San Francisco on the
market much faster than tonnage
arrives to take it away, which will
inevitably have tendency to keep
charters up, i'll the place of forcing
them down. The high charters of
this year and last is no doubt owing
in some degree TO the increased
amount of wheat raised over and
above former years. The bulk OF
wheat tor shipment from the north
west has been greatly on the increase
during the last two years, which
causes greatly increased demand
for Tonnage.
The net work of railroads which
are being pushed through Washing
ton Ty. and Eastern Oregon afford
facilities for shipping grain which
never existed before. The effect OF
these improvements are that large
portion of that vast section Of country
which for years has been used mostly
for grazing and stock growing pni-
poses, is fast becoming converted into
grain fields. This increased amount
Of produce has to fiEd its way TO the
sea by way Of the same port that the
products ofthe Willamette valley have
TO go. Besides this the acreage has
been largely increased in other and
longer settled portions of this coast.
The fact of the matter is that the
commerce of this coast, and especially
of Washington Ty. and Oregon, has
increased SO rapidly within the last
few years that the people hardly
realize it. But when one stops and
| thinks of the matter and contempiates
the advancements which have been
made in railroads and agriculture III
the northwest, he is forced 10 the
conclusion that the commerce of that
region is of no small Importance, and
and that her wants and necessities
have been much neglected.. The
Pacific coast is greatly in need oftwc
things. She wants sea-going vessel.
enough to apply to her several ports
SO that the crops will be carried to
foreign markets at reasonable and
living rate and to this end the con
grees Of the United States shoulC
investigate at its next session ths
causes which prevent American capi
tai from investing in American shiT
building and the carrying trade OF
the high seas, and when he cause il
found, she should take prompt meas
ures to remove whatever difficulty
there may be in the way, and if nee
essary enact such measures as vii
. encourage these industries.
The people Of this coast onght tt
unite regardless of party ties, as they
did in Chinese matters, and demand
that these things be done promptly
by our representatives in congress
The next thing that or coast nee2
and especially Oregon and Washing
ton Ty.-and that is the peopl,
should unite and take such steps al
is necessary to bring about the estab
lishment OF the various branches o
manufacturing among us. BY doing
this much of our produce which now
has to be carried to Europe at doubl,
rates, would be consumed at home b,
the persons who were engaged ii
working the manufactures. By thi'
means much of our wheat would be
consumed Mt home and we could pay
our moRey for home made articles
and thus prevent the country from
being drained each year ofeyery cent
by having to send it east for machin
|ery and other comm oddities,