The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-09-20
Ten Years Ago.

To chronicle the sayings and doings
Of an Astoria decade agone would be
like waking the remotest echoes. faint
ly heard and fast falling asleep.
In quest of Information for legal
friend yesterday Te handed down
THE Historian fox Sept. 10Th 1873,
just ten years ago. Ia those days
THE ASToRIAN was published in the
building which used TO creak and
sway across the street from ITS present
quarters, the site Of which is now oc-
cupied BY a massive brick structure
with plated columns and plate glass
windows DER topping our less preten-
tious office. ID. c. ireland, now
editor and proprietor of that able
trade journal, the Commercial Herald,
of Portland, was IN those days the
presiding genius, and got up a first
rate paper. In the issue before us we
notice a good deal that could be said
as we'll now as when il was first ut
tered, ami a great deal that tends to
remind one of things almost wholly
forgotten. News had Just arrived of
the failure of Jay Cooke, which is
considered disastrous to Oregon and
Washington Territory; the Seattle
Dispatch and HItelligsnc.r are to be
consolidated sin the interest of the
people against mOnopolies. " Editori-
al comment is made on the folly of
political blackguardisIn, and the fact
that there is or was but twelve feet Of
water at the mouth of the Willamette,
while there is twenty-four feet of
water from Astoria to the ocean, is
duly announced and Justly commented
upon. The abiding fact that ships of
proper draught can get to Astoria and
cannot get to Portland is made clear,
and existing necessity for harbor sur
veys is made as plain.
The local news is somewhat meager,
but the field Of ten years ago was
somewhat circumscribed. In those
days, where the Occident Hotel stands
marked the water line; there was little
west OF where the Custom house
stands and less east of the o. r. & n.
dock. Business is reported good, and
a society OF laborers noted. A schoo-
ner has loaded at 0ysterville for San
Francisco, and DR.. Welch Is down
from Portland on a professional visit.
The bark Gemini has arrived out,
wheat laden, and the Clara Louise has
sailed for Honolulu with lumber and
sundry kits of salmon. The crew of
the OtGgo has tried to desert, and the
fact that a new pile driver has been
built is instanced as a proof that all
hands are awake.
The regular weekly steamer is ad-
vertised for and from San Francisco,
and also the tri-weekly boat from
Portland. The Cassie Teltdir leaves
twice a month for Puget Sonnd, and
the Vdruna throe times a week for
Cape disappointment" }" The As
toria and California are plotting on
the bar, aud the sloop Mary II. runs
daily to Skipanon. There are but two
secret societies; the Odd Fellows and
Masons, and the only churches men-
toned are the Congregational which
is being painted, and Grace church.
Charley McGuire IS sick at Westporl
with cholera morbus and DR.. Kinsey
is in business On Main street. A
whale has been stranded at Oyster
vile, and two tom Gods caught on
one hook by Ed. Hallock at Chinook.
The advertisements are largely from
Portland, though the few mercantile
houses in Astoria at that time are lib
eral patrons. Of ninety-three adver
tisements in the issue before rs, for
ty-seven are Of Portland merchants
no one item affords greater contrast
= between the Astoria of ten years
= ago and the Astoria of to-day thar
, this.
: The Columbia river pilots advertise
their office corner Main and Chena
, mus street, with C. S. Wright a
agent; they we're then Phil johnson
M. NJ. Gilman, II. A. Snow, p. E
Ferchen. and Granville Reed. S. n
Arrigoni advertises the 0cciden
hotel, and Lienenweber & Brow
then, as now, made superior quality
of hemlock tanned leather. FL. B
Parker is justice of the peace, A
Van Dusen notary public and |. w
Cases store is headquarters for geneI
al merchandise. c. III. Balm is build
ing houses; Hobson & Warren ar
}. supplying ships and selling meats an,
g produce, and S. d. Adair advertise
It an assessment of twenty-five per cent
V on the Farmers Dock company
l. Nearly all these gentlemen are still il
h active and prosperous business in tn
IF city they helped to start so man
n years ago.
r Jas. w. Nesmith Is running f
is congress against Hiram Smith and ii
n 0regoaidR bolts the ticket and er
N dorses Rev. E. r. GearY as an ind
n pendent candidate. Ben Holladay
be building tug boat and cougars al
le destroying sheep at Knappton.
IS The value of town lots is set dow
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