The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-08-31
SENATOR MIrOHELL's VISIT.
Down At The End of The Lant
A Hasty But Pleasant Inspection.

Senator John H. Mitchell, Oregon's
trusty representative, arrived from Port
land Yesterday morning, and was met
and warmly greeted. There is probably
no section of the state where Senator
Mitchell would find more firm friends
and adherents, than Astoria.
Like all of our visitors he wanted to go
down to the jetty, and see what progress
was being made in the great work at the
mouth of the river. To him the visit
was not one of curiosity but of the great
est interest. He and his colleague
Hon. j. n. Dolph have worked hard IN
the senate as has representative Her
mann in the house to secure adequate
appropriation for this great work, so i'm
portant to the people of Oregon and
Washington, and whenever they come
here they want to see how the money is
being expended and what progress is
being made, that they may make faith
full personal report to their brother con
gressmen at the national capital.
1t was the original intention to have
the senator take the government steamer
Geo. H. MendelI, which had previously
been placed at his disposal by Major
Thos. Handbury, but an accident to the
Cascades requiring that the MendeU
should take the formers place some
what disarranged the programme.
However the difficulty was quickly
overcome by the courtesy of NJ. z. Cal
lender, who promptly placed his pretty
little steamer, the WenOnG, at the dis
posal of senator Mitchell and party,
numbering about a dozen gentlemen
who left the city at $50.
The mists were trailing their gray gar
H. Ii 4 ff,ea
waters and the smooth surface of our
mighty river reflected the varied shadows
of the fieeting clouds as the boat steamed
down to Ft. Stevens wharf,
"What are these numerous poles stick
ing up here and there?" asked Senator
Mitchell of an AsToRIAN representative.
Fish traps" was the answer. And
that row over there?" "Fish traps" "And
that other cluster here, this way?"
Fish traps" "Is it possible? said the
senator.
Arriving at the wharf a busy scene pre-
sented itself. Engines snorting, trains
rumbling, derricks, creaking, and huge
stones swinging from the barges to the
track.
Supt. Hegardt, and his able assistant
j. w. Stoneman, soon had the party
hoisted on terra planka, and from there
to the train, and then came the unique
experience of ride out over the foam
ing pillows, over the great gray heaving
sea, the roar of the train, the click of
the rails and the rattle of the wheels,
being drowned in the great symphony of
old ocean, the tramphng of the surf, and
the thunder of the tumultuous waves.
Here and there a halt was made to
enable Senator Mitchell to note the
modus operandi; the laying of the mat
tresses, the dumping of the rock, the
structure of the fascineS; then on to the
front, where brawny party were having
q pic mic with the ocean waves and send
ing down into the sand beneath the
rushing water, great masts by means of
the hydraulic driver.
Then back, On board the WenOna,
across the bay and up to the Occident,
where the senator and party of six in
vited guests sat down to an elaborate
dinner.
81 am perfectly satisfied with the pro-
gress of the work." said Senator Mitch
ell: "the last time l was here it wasn't
very enlivening, but now, everything is
going on so well, and there is such man.
ifest progress that one feels encouraged
in making renewed effort for further
appropriations. am glad that senator's
Allison, Pugh, and Hoar were here and
visited that great work and that mem
bers of the lower house have also seen it.
1t is so much easier to explain thing to
a man if he has once seen it. Demands
are so vast and so multiplying: there is
SO mach to do and so little time to do it
in: the business at Washington is so
enormous and diversified, that it is hard
to do justice to all the questions and
Of far hot fn1
with this matter of river end harbor
improvements, so much Indifference
exists caused by ignorance of the neces-
sity of the work and the magnitude of
the interests involved, that l am doubly
glad that some of my eastern and south
ern colleagues have been here. They can
speak of what they know, and testify to
that which they have seen."
Il would be pleased to have the river
and harbor bill reported on by the COM
discussed by both houses and
settled earlier in the session, and hope
that there may be an improvement in this
regard next year, but the volume of
public business is yearly so great that it
seems impossible"
After dinner the senator was driven
around Smiths Point and shown the
site for the railroad bridge across Young's
bay. be was very much interested in
Astoria's railroad, and her fiattering
future, and when told that at no distant
day he could get his ticket at Washing
ton ID. c., clear through to Astoria. he
fervently hoped that such might be an
accomplished fact.
He was driven back to the city at $50,
and till the Telephone left at o'clock,
was busy shaking hands with hundreds
who called to pay their respects to a man
who has always worked hard in his high
place in the United States senate, for the
best interests of the intelligent constit-
uency he so faithfully represents.
He left up river at o'clock. and goes
to the Sound to visit a married daughter
who resides at Tacoma, and thence to
Seattle where his son is rising young
lawyer: from thence he goes to Canton,
Ohio, where another married daughter,
Mrs. Judge Foster, resides. From there
Senator Mitchell goes to the old home
stead in Pennsylvania to visit his aged
mother and thence to Washington, to be
in his seat in the senate of the United
States, when it meets in special session,
which he thinks will be abo ut the first
week in November.