The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-08-16
THROUGH TIE BURNT DIS
TRICT.
What a Returning Astorian Would
See.

See.
To an Astorian who had been alb
sent since the first of last month, the
appearance of that portion of the
city east of the old sawmill would be
a singular one. Were he to saunter
down Water street, strange indeed
would be the sight. Where Hume's
sawmill stood, opt of whose tall brick
chimney poured clouds of thick smoke,
he would see a pile Of shattered
debris. The mill and the lumber yard
have disappeared; the chimney, once
the highest and long the only brick
chimney in the state, is shapeless
mass; part of the material is already
carted away, and nothing wouid be
recognizable to our returning Astorian
but the old engine bed. On the same
side of Water street he would find a
force of men busily engaged in open
ing West Ninth street, 50 as TO inter
sect the western extension of Cedar
street and continue southwark up the
hill and past the Catholic church. On
the east side he would find, upon in
quIry, that all the ground was leased,
and that every available inch that was
not already covered with buildings
would be as soon as material could be
procured and put in place. Were he
from the smoky interior, the brilliant
rays of the sun would dazzle him as
reflected from the glistening tin roofs
of the new buildings across the street,
and, moving eastward, he would find
the sound of saw and hammer growing
louder, till farther progress was almost
barred by the crowds of busy workers,
some removing the charred and black
ened posts, others resetting founda-
tiOns and squaring beams, still others
putting them in place, and more on
ladders and scaffolding framing and
mailing at a rate that suggested they
were working on contract.
Were he to turn his eyes northward,
he would see a strange sight-a con-
tinuous line of half-burned piles, as
thick as piles are generally driven, and
covered with half-burned beams,
melted glass, twisted pipe, old iron,
bits of copper, charred box ends, bar
rel heads, and other truck. In the
slip he would see a funny looking
craft with a graphing iron fishing up
its long-lost brothers, viz. sundry
and divers pieces of water pipe. So
far about 1,5G3 of these have been
brought to the surface, and the good
work goes on.
Further on the dweller IN Astoria
who, by his absence, had been saved
the anguish of the fire, would see
great barges from which lumber from
Weidler's mill at Portland was being
disch arged, and would find broad
and firm roadway built by the o. r.
& n. Co., on its private property, 40
feet eastward from the old entrance
and directly opposite the new landing
place. North of that roadway he
would find an army of men engaged
in very ugly but very necessary work
linen with saws cutting off the tops
of the burned piles, showing fresh,
smooth surface, as sound as the day il
was driven. Swaying on the flood
tide he would see scow with pile
driver, and in place of the jarring
thud of the driver he would notice
how well and quickly the chain was
thrown around half-burned beams,
which were wrenched from their bolt
ings and sent adrift. He would note
the immense amount of labor il
will take to get this burned timber
away and the piles cut down ready for
the new foundation, and make a men
tai calculation that it will be january
/, 1884, before the new dock, which
will be eighteen inches lower than the
old dock was, will be completed
Balancing himself on giddy plank,
the strolling seeker after useful
knowledge would now so out to the
edge of the old dock and on board one
of the vessels lying at the edge, where
clouds of SCOT and a smell of sulphur
alternating with the rattle of donkey
engine showed where cargo was being
lightered SO that the vessels that come
to the seaport of Oregon may go east
ward, even unto the pleasant inland
city of Portland-on- the Wahlamet.
Notice.
| Dinner at u EFF'S'' CHOP HOITSE