The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-05-10
OUR GREAT FUTURE.

Our people 90 not Iuly UNNECESSARILY
the Importance of an open river to
this city and surrounding country. 1t
will neutralize the action of corpora
tions and monopolies against our
growth and development, and bring
the railroads suppliant to US, instead
of us watching and trembling at their
least action. As an ocean-competive
point Portland has received her great
est incentive to growth and develop
ment. When the great Northern
Pacific transcontinental line span
ned the continent from ocean
to ocean, eastern houses knowing the
Importance of our trade, located where
they would receive the best freight
advantages. That place was Portland,
and by reason of determinations in
favor of the ocean-competitive point,
the trade of the interior was forced to
that city. With the distractions to
navigation removed, or overcome, this
city would be placed on an equal foot
ing in this regard with any in the
northwest. This fact is well-known
to the railroad company which has
controlled transportation in the Inland
Empire for over quarter of CEN
tury, and when Mr.. Henry Willard
manipulated his celebrated blind rool
in New York city, he emphasized the
fact that the corporation, of which he
was the representative, held the key
to the wheat-growing portion of Ore
gon, Washington. Idaho and Mon
tana-.hat not bushel Of grain or
pound of produce Of any kind could
reach market at the seaboard without
passing over his railroads or on his
boats. Let the fact be known that
another key has been found that
would unlock the door to this great
granary of the west, and Wall.street
brokers would soon become interested
in routes to tide-water. Their faith
in 0. r. d n. Co. stock would falter,
and soon it would fall below par. We
firmly believe the company has been
fearful of this disastrous result to its
interests for many years, as every at
tempt that has been made to put boats
on the river has met with it's most
determined opposition, and it has
even reimbursed boat. owners to tie up
their craft. With such possibilities
within the reach of the business men
Of The Dalles, at small outlay, there
is every inducement for the effort to
be made. AS soon as it is known
that the enormous produce of the In
land Empire can be shipped down the
river, without using the boats or rail-
roads of the O. R. d. N. Co., steamers
of the Canadian Pacific, Northern
Pacific and Southern Pacific would
land at our wharves and request
share of the trade. These competing
lines, already engaged in a terrible |
struggle for the trade of the north
west, would SO decrease freight charges
as to make this city the best
shipping point on the Columbia, and
our SALMON, fruit, grain and wool
would seek an eastern market over the |
cheapest transcoAtinental line. The |
Dalles would then be the great interior
terminal point for these three great
lines. The transporta-
tion. company, recently formed in this
city, will open the river before harvest,
if it pushes the work, and the grand
results mentioned will be attained.
At any rate. we can hope the locks at
Cascades will be completed in the next
five years. and then river blocked by
a monopoly will no longer debar us
from our natural trade.