The morning call., 1893-05-14
TO THE NORTH.
Where San Francisco Now
Looks for Lost
Trade.
WOOING OREGON DEALERS.
A Great Promise for Future Traf-
fic With Our Sister
State.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY WILL OPEN
We Shall Get a GoodIy Portion
of the Commerce That Has
Been Kept Away From
Its Legitimate
Channel.


the past twenty years lost much of her
trade with the Northwest. Oregon and
washing ton have been able to deal will,
Eastern cities on more favorable terms
than with San Francisco. Now how
ever, come the producers and dealers of
the Willamette Valley, who say they are
open to trade with San Francisco Inv
means Of the lately built Oregon Pacific
Railroad and Steamship line. One hum
bred and fifty of these gentlemen will
soon visit San Francisco to arrange for
such trade. and 1T is to be hoped that
our merchants Will give them a most
cordial welcome and effect a treaty of
some sort tn t shall restore to US our
lost northern commerce and help US to
extend IL as far as possible.
Come, merchants of San Francisco, be-
stir yourselves and prepare to give the
Webfuot folks a hearty greeting.
1t is an opportunity for you and for
them that may prove most advantage
Gus to all oncerned.
On the nth Of the present month there
vii assemble at Albany. Or, $50 mer.
chants of the Webfoot State, who will
traverse the system OF the Oregon Pacific
Railroad Company. inspect its facilities
for the shipping and handling of mer-
chandise, ana wind up by coming to San
Francisco in q body on the company's
steamer Willamette Valley to convene
with our local merchants on the subject of
freight rates and other railroad matters,
but more especially to convince our people
that by closer business relations with
Southern Oregon aud Northern California
our wholesalers can command the trade of
the Northwest, which has gradually been
slipping from their fingers since 1873.
These $50 producers of the Willamette
Valley represent the backbone OF the
business system Of Oregon, for in the
valley mentioned lies two-thirds OF the
Rssessable property of our sister State.
Grain and wool are among Its most
stable products. while thousands of
pounds Of hops are raised, cattle are pas
tured by herds and sheep pasture on every
hillside.
Up 10 ten years ago California and. of
course, San Francisco in particular-sup-
piled the Willamette Valley farmers with
almost everything they needed, from a
needle to plowshare. Oregon gold found
its way into Californian pockets, and the
manufactures and wares OF this city could
be found in every farmhouse from the
banks of the Columbia River to the noun
tain passes of Siskiyou.
Year by year this business drifted north
and east. The building OF the Union Pa
eifc Railroad was the first fatal blow to
Its continued Increase. Then the Northern
Pacific crawled over the Cascades TO Ia
coma, throwing out feeler at Portland in
the shape of its branch line to the latter
place. and finally by greater efforts per-
fected traffic arran gements with The South
ern Pacific and its weaker ally, the Port
land and Willamette Valley road.
The Union Pacific was not long in fol-
lowing suit. Drummers from Eastern
cities flooded the Willamette Valley and
even bid for the trade of the little general
merchandise stores in the shadow of
Mount Shasta, Northern California.
Portland, always progressive and never
asleep, saw that something must be done
to save her own commerce from going be-
Vond the Rockies, battled bravely with
com ettion and held her own. But San
Francisco, not blessed with transconti-
mental competing lines, was obliged to
"suffer the sings and arrows of out
Tsgenus fortune" and the Southern
Paciic's grossly unjust Determinations,
ana she relinquished her grip on that
which was by The laws of commerce and
nature justly hers.
By virtue Of its recently reduced rates
en all classes OF merchandise overland and
By water the Oregon Pacific Railroad has
again laid this entire northern territory
tributary TO San Francisco.
The Albany convention will be COM
posed Of merchants and producers from
all parts Of the Willamette Valley, and |
they come to San francisco to see what
cur business men will do for them in the |
matter of sales and purchases.
The members of the Traffic Association |
are highly delighted at the prospects OF |
entertaining the 0regOnians and will |
assure them of a royal reception asd the |
support CT the organization in any move |
which they may desire to make which |
will foster the commerce Of the Pacific |
Coast and make closer business relations |
between Oregon and California.