The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-23
HOT And STAGNANT
Portland Dangerously Near the
Line of Epidemics.
"A MILLION NOT TOO MUCH
Caresul Estimates Place the Actual
Loss by the Flood 0verThat
High Figure.
A MILLION NOT TOO MUCH

Special Correspondence OF the Astorian
Portland, June 21st, 1S94.-The Orego'
mans pig-headed attitude with regard
to the flood in this city and the inferna
(not eternaD vigilance that has been ex-
/ erclsed both over its editorial and news
columns in order to suppress any more
facts concerning the calamity than the
proprietors of the paper thought II
might be wholesome for the outside
world to know, has, like virtue, become
its own reward, A combination of pc
culiar circumstances has opened the
eyes of people in three states to its
actions and given whatever reputation
for veracity 1t ever possessed a very,
very black eye. Hundreds of storekeep-
ers throughout the northwest have been
put to considerable trouble. owing to the
non-receipt of goods from the big job
bing houses of this city and the delay
ing Of urgent orders for several weeks,
page Of railroad traffic has helped to
bring this condition about, 1t is, of
course, very largely due to the flood.
which has practically caused a stand
still In the jobbing business Of Portland.
These storekeepers have written to
their wholesalers demanding the cause
Of the delay, and in return the Wholesale
men have replied unanimously that the
inundation and consequent confusion
have left them incapable, for some
weeks, Of filling orders with their usual
promptitude. The storekeepers, reading
the Oregonlan, noted with perplexity its
statements, brassy and oft-repeated,
that "the damage was nominal" "the
stoppage of business nil" ETC., etc, and
have finally been placed as judges be-
tween the veracity Of their wholesale
friends on the one hand and Mr.. Scott
on the other The conclusions they have
arrived at, guided by years Of fair deal
ing with the jobbing houses, has been
anything but flattering to the venerable
Jupiter who sways the sceptre of ego
tism over the destinies of the Oregoni-
an. Henceforth these storekeepers, In
many cases among the most prominent
men In cities all over the Pacific Coast,
have turned the chromo-lithograph of
the Oregonian building to the wall, and,
taking a last fond gaze at the big tower
that looks like well, have banished
from their minds forever the dream
that it Is, was or ever could be, a well
Of truth. In short, the Portland daily's
latest attempt to foist a plain lie down
the throats of its readers has been
bowled over by the contrary evidence Of
many of the most honest and true
spirited citizens of its own locality. II
was o fitting end TO such an exhibition
Of gall. Next week the editor Will try
to nuonie out OF the trouble by eat
ing crow and becoming suddenly aware
'that the damage was far greater than
WE at first believed possible"
In many localities today another
scorching sun, beating down with con-
siderable severity, brought up fresh
odors more overpowering and slckening
than ever. took Mr.. Duffy
down into the flooded district
this morning. but when we got
as far as the Bank Of British
Columbia he respectfully. but earnestly,
declined to go another yard and made
a break for the upper levels and pure
atmosphere with a speed that stamps
him as a good three to one chance in.
the next Astoria sporting tournament.
The chloride OF lime sprlnkled by the
barrel about the cellars and pavement
Of the Dekum building struggled hard
with the accumulation OF malodorous
smells for the topmost place, and II was
simply a race between each OF these two
elements to reach the olfactory nerves
Of the passer-by before the other The
result can be better imagined than de-
scrlbed In the north end OF the city
the proportion Of people who have taken
sanitary precautions Is so small that the
opposition odor has almost undisputed
sway, and sick headaches, those fire.
quent precursors Of worse evils, attack
ed numbers whose business compelled
them to pass through this district to-
day. Meantime. the local newspapers