Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-05
LETTER FROM OREGON.

John Jacob AstOr-The Town He
FOunded-lts Imposing Attractions,
ana GrOVinx InlpOrtance-Its Fine
Harbof' ana Extensive ShdppinH-A
Magnificent yRiver-The bar of the
Columbia and C0ngress-Oregon--It
vast Resources and Brilliant Future.
Special Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR:
Ia ASTORIA, OREGON, Nov. 90, 1882.
This enterprisins and prosperous city OF 5000
| inhabitants, located on the Columbia river about
II miles above the bar. was founded by John
Jacob Astonin ls1f, as fur trading station, and
was named In honor of its distinguished founder.
Viewed from its seaside 1t presents picture
OF rare, romantic beauty. A thousand white
houses strewed along the green slopes Of hill
side, and looking down through long avenues of
fir, pine, and cedar, is truly picturesque and
thrilling sight from the deck of ship which has
just emerged from the wide rolling ocean into
the calm and sparkling waters of the Columbia
large portion Of the town is built on the
water and yet it is singulary free from all malaria
diseases. Indeed, the oldest, and best informed
citizens claim a complete absence of ma
iaria from this atmosphere Though
there Is rainfall here of half
the year the climate is phenominally
hospitable and healthy The name of the bar
rooms in this place is legion, but the amount of
moral and religious influence which prevails
serves to mitigate the evils flowing from these
fountains of ''liquid death and distilled damna-
tlon half dozen Of neat and comfortable
churches, with intelligent and devout congrega-
lions, In conjunction with good school sys-
tenn, constitute the conservative elements in
this society 1t has in full play all the forces Of
the higher civilization, such as law order ntelli
gence, industry, virtue and religion.
Astoria, it is admitted, has one of the finest
harbors On this continent whose deep and
tranquil waters float with ease and safety the
largest ships of the world It's broad bay is
perpetually white with the sails Of the COM
merce of all nations. It's chief exports consist
o1f1sh, lumber and wheat, which yield large
revenue to this region. The annual income
from these three products aggregates as fol-
lows: Salmon. $4,000, 600; lumber. $500, 600,
and wheat. 81 100000. Statistics show that in
the matter OF foreign exports for the month Of
February. 1882, New York stood first, San
Francisco second and Astoria third.
This city is the center of
THE GREATEST SALMON FISHERY IN THE WORLD
Or the forty canneries on the Columbia twen-
ty-four Of them are located at Astoria. The
salmon of this river are superior to the same
species of fish in other waters chiefly in respect
to delicacy of flavor and the amount of oil they
contain They are shipped hence in vast quanti-
ties to Liverpool and London as great distribut-
ing centers for all Europe. They are regarded
as real luxury by the labOring classes, and it is
said that connoisseurs prefer them before any
other canned fish in the world. Large ship
ments OF them are also made to Australia and
from San Francisco countless car loads are car
rled to the commercial centers of our own coun-
try. These famous fish are accustomed to leave
the ocean in the spring and early summer, and
to move in vast armies to the cooler and clearer
waters of the adjacent rivers and streams, where
they deposit their myriads of spawn, which, in
the course OF afew months abandon their birth
place and proceed to the sea, which is their ma
tural and normal element.
The river at Astoria is about seven miles wide
and flows along in silent strength and grandeur
till lost in the murmurs of the Pacific seas. Both
banks are crowned with wooded heights of COM
handing proportions, which stand as the fore
ground in the panorama of towering mountains
in the distance, lifting their gigantic and gilt
terlng heads to the clouds The sublime and
beautiful scenery Of the Hudson finds a parallel
in this bold and brilliant picture. The extreme
humidity of this atmosphere fOrbids that full
flush of purple and gold which irradates the
clearer and calmer spies of California But the
softer tints Of eyanfscent color CLEAN here with
purer hue apd fairer luster than in any other
part of the land. ,f
THE BAR OF THE COLUMBIA
is the great obstruction to the entrance Of this
magnificent river. The perils attending it's pas
sage by large steamers prevent thousands from
visiting this rich and romantic region. The
board of engineers appointed by the Secretary
of War to examine this bar and to devise some
plan for it's improvement have decided to recon-
mend that an appropriation of S4OO, 900 be made
by Congress for the building of a sea-wsN from
Fort Stevens nOrthward for the purpose of deep
ening the channel by diminishing the breadth of
the current. We know of no more important
work in which the government could at the
present embark. The terrible wrecks of the
Great Republic and Of other vessels of smaller
dimensions which are still visible above the
roaring flood argue the importance of speedy
Improvement of these dangerous shoals.
THE RESOURCES OF OREGON.
The resources of country like this will be
difficult to measure. For since it is new it's
mineral resources probably are. for the most
part, undiscovered. Enough is known, how
ever. to say that Oregon is rich in iron. coal
and timber. These three factors are certainly
sufficient to make a state of immense wealth
and population. Let the timber be removed
from the country bordering on the Pacific ocean,
as it will be to supply the greatly increasing de-
mand OF lumber for Australia, China, South
America and Mexico, and there will be un-
covered low hills and valleys all covered with
excellent soil. To the capitalist and manufac-
turer OF the east here is good field. First, in
the manufacture m act 1e,n OF lumber at the
bringing by a railroad, running along the
seashore from Coos bay on the south to Astoria
on the north. carrying lumber from the shall
lower to the deeper outlets for export. One
million feet of lumber per day is said to be the
average now shipped foreign from Puget Sound.
Along the seashore of Oregon and extending
for 20 miles inland, there is an abundance Of
large hemlOck, the bark of which is said to be
much stronger in tannin than the Maine bark
In short, here in Oregon, along the seacoast,
there is a country rich in resources awaiting the
development by the lumbermen, railroads, tan
ners and dairymen and small farmers, not yet
taken up. Going east across the coast range of
mountains there are chain of valleys, the para
disc Of farmers but now tOleraby well settled.
Going still farther east there is the Columbia
river basin, the OchOcO and Klamath counties,
which are dry but not too dry. unsettled as vet,
inviting thousands of farmers and grazers to
come and make for themselves homes w.
Alexandria Affair."
Reported for THE EVENING STAR.
THE LAUNCH.-No great crowd witnessed
the launch at the,upper ship yard yesterday
afternoon. The 800 ton vessel Just completed.
slid from the stocks about o'clock. and was
named the james Beyce, jr, Capt James Adams
breaking the bottle of wine over her bow as she
pracafu1ly olidpd into tho pOtomoc Dro,;or,