The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-07-10
COMMUNICATED.
The Astoria and South Coast Railroad

EDITOR Historian:
The little furry that has occurred
in railroad circles in the past few days
is peculiar.
1t seems to have had its origin en-
tirely in mere rlmOr Mr.. Crocker
could not have done otherwise than
correct misrepresentation and IT
was the most natural thing III the
world that the OregOniGn should
publish that denial, big head lines
and all.
Astoria would in all probability
have done the same thing had the
conditions been reversed, so that il
seems to me. there is nothing to be
gained by Astoria getting on its ear
about it. The question is what effect
has it had on the railroad scheme?
Not the slightest in the world. Tell
ing the truth never injured a good
cause.
A false rumor, that the Southern
Pacific was building the road, never
would have built it.
The question is, what is building
the road? It is not Astoria. Neither
is it being built because Astoria wants
it, she has wanted it for, 10, these
years! Neither can Portland prevent
its being built, though she might SO
desire. 1t is the great, growing,
swelling northwest that is building it.
The demands of commerce.
The growth of the country for the
past fifty years has been paving the
way for this. Every man who has
settled in our valleys or climbed the
mountains in search of mineral wealth
has contributed to this result.
There never has been a time till
now that Astoria could have had a
railroad, because the conditions were
not ripe for it.
Portland has occupied a position
rarely occupied by any city where all
the trade and commerce of a great
empire, through the peculiar topOg.
raphy of the country, were forced
into her lap, and which through her
must pass out into the markets of the
world, regardless of the inconven-
fences and delays and costs not nee,
essary to mention here-that attended
it. An illustration of what [ mean
can be seen at Capt. Flavers wharf
now.
This has all changed. The enemy
has made flank movement aud at
tackled our base of supplies.
The country has been forced to take
up a stronger position to meet the
enemy, and occupy the last strong
hold, Astoria. 1t is this that is build
ing the Astoria and South Coast rail
way, and it is this that will bring
other roads to this port.
By this movement the whole com
mercial relations of the great north
west have been changed. 1t is now
no longer in the power of any city tC
control trade at q great sacrifice tC
the producer and consumer, in the
face of what God has done for the
country. 1t only remains now for the
different cities interested to clear the
decks for action.
Trade henceforth will be governed
by the laws of trade and not by ''cor
ners." The city that can go into every
nook and corner of the land and Offer
tho best bargains, both in what they
sell and buy, will get the business
Trade will be reduced to legitimate
competition, and a reign of prosperity
will be ushered in that will make the
region west of the Rocky Mountain:
one of the most prosperous on the
continent.
The childish gabble about the divi
sion of territory will pass into obliv
ion, and the o. r. & n. Co.'S roads vii
ramify every available spot of countr!
to be found, and together with the
great Columbia river will draw tht
business of the inland empire dow
and out of the mouth of the Columbia
into the markets of the world, becaus,
over this route it can be done the
cheapest.
Two great commercial cities, Port
land and Astoria, will be the result Ot
this opening up and setting free tn,
channels of trade.
Let those who are disposed to bt
faint hearted take courage. The AS
toria and South Coast road will b.
built. There is a power behind i
that no man or set of men, or "heat
lines" can control or thwart. 1t j
the manifestation of the will of a grea
and growing people. 1t is necessit
originating out of the expanding con
dition of the country.
| Where such nc ces3ities exist there !
always capital in abundance.
w. HAMPTON SMITH.