The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-22
AsToR1A's GREAT T

GltEhl
Tn his article on the "Commercial
c-oanorts Of the Northwest" an extract
from which was published in last Wed
resdav's Historian, Mr.. Schenck shows
how Astoria's development Is likely TO
affect the trade Of the entire northwest
as follows:
"a large, convenient seacoast port at
the mouth Of the Columbia woulu
change the whole tonnage flow OF the
Pacific northwest, and concentrate II
along the Columbia route in time ex-
cont from n limited northerly area. 1t
would draw away from San Francisco
most of her northern buyers. The South
ern Pacific Company probably realizes
This. and having q monopoly In San
Francisco and California, prefers to IA
yor that port until forced to come to
the Columbia mouth.
portland was located and attained
much Of its growth under the primitive
pastoral conditions Of a water route In
an agricultural country. The river was
the only important mode of t%ransporta-
ton, necessarily a slow mode. In such
case. the agricultural and developed
areas closely hug the streams. The
early settlers in Oregon had sought out
first the open valley bottoms OF the Will
lamette, comparatively clear of heavy
timber. There was but one single
thread Of transportation, the river, and
but one small area to be served, the
Willamette Valley. 1t was the natural
thing In any exclusively river route, and
before the great towage system had
cheaply made steam available for all
classes Of boats, that ocean vessels
should penetrate we'll inland, II the de-
yeloped region lay there only. A hun
bred miles of wilderness, and W days
slow river navigation, separated the In
land buyers from any possible coast
port, or mart OF trade. Any past at
tempt to draw such n mart down to the
coast, far away from the buyers of the
only developed region, was eminently
foolish. II merely indicated what would
have been best and most desirable for
country well provided with railways
and towage systems. There was then
no necessity for the mart of trade to
consult either convenient radical ar
engagements to all OF the country, or to
pay much attention TO the wilderness
between herself and the coast. But
railways put buyers nj a coast port and
mart Of trade practically as readily as
at u mart u few miles inland, and all
conveniences and advantages can be
concentrated at the coast port there
fore, without consulting relative dis
tances for buyers from inland houses,
I'VE now find all the Pacific coast de-
v~eloping, not merely a small isolated
valley. Therefore the great and con-
venient mart OF trade for all must be
situated TO Accommodate all. This
mart of trade must not ignore the
coast, or require II to SO inland a long
distance counter to the movement Of
products. Philadelphia held commercial
supremacy inland until railway lines de-
veloped, and her buyers could quickly
reach New York, Now Philadelphia
sends her manufactures there to be
sold, to a great extent. The fact that a
city has attained a large growth does
not now long compel the failure of
others more naturally situated for GER
tain lines Of business. as Is seen by the
growth first OF st. Paul and Minneapo-
lis and more lately OF Superior and Du-
luth. all within Chlcago's territory.
Capital aceumulates faster, is more free
and combinations are more readily
made In favor Of the desirable location.
than in former days. The coming Of
railways. not as mere crossing points
las Portland win be when Astoria Is