The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-15
THE TRUTH ABOUT IT
Continued from First page.l

and to seek a route to their destinations
free from both water and the germs of
disease. Right over some of the graf
lngs fruit and meats are displayed for
sale. over the whole of the flooded dis
triet is gradually arising an eneryating,
Shiny smell Of partially stagnant water,
apart from the offensive odor Of the
more poisonous sediment imprisoned un-
der the sid ewalks and cellars.
The asphalt on Washington street,
near the river, MOI particularly be-
tween the car tracks, is breaking up
fast, and the square stone payements
are also being destroyeds When the
water leaves them it looks rs if most of
them will have to be completely rebuilt.
All Washington street cars now start
from the Perkins hotel.
A considerable amount of ingenuity
has beer exercised by several of the
small storekeepers who nave been wash
ed out by the ruthless flood. They have
lifted counters and stores bodily sew
eral feet in the air, and then connected
with the raised sidewalks by planked
bridges. You can go and eat your din
ner and get shaved in the lower end of
Third street with five feet of water
swishing under your feet.
Thousands Of yards Of linoleum on
Office floors have been turned to a soft
pulp by the action of the water.
An enterprising Astoria druggist has
made arrangements 10 unload a big
quantity of dislnfectant on the citizens
of Portland when he thinks they are
ready for it.
The river has fallen a few inches to-
day. There is a theory about, that the
hot weather will bring down more
water, but it is not generally believed
here hat the river will rise again this
year, as the bulk of the snow is gone.
No recurrence of the present top water
mark is looked for by the weather au-
thorities, at least for the present.
Tomorrow l will forward the first in
stallment Of a compilation being care
fully made for The Historian of the los
ers by the food, and the approximate
amount of their losses. This list will be
correct in all particulars, and will show
without a doubt the extent Of harm
done to Portland's commercial men,
and to the city itself, by the suspension
and temporary suppression of business.
First and Front streets, the very cen
tire of the devastation, and where the
destruction is greater than anywhere
else, will be visited tomorrow. a casual
inspection of these two t~horoughfares
today reveals a sight not often witness
ed in a civilized city. For nine blocks,
containing all the most important Of
Portland's produce and commission
houses, the wreck is deplorable. The
finest fitted up retail stores in the place
lie on First street, in the vicinity indi-
Gated, and here, too, things will need a
considerable amount of detailed descrlp-
ton.
Astoria was well represented here to-
day, and the city seemed to be full of
down river men, who were taking in all
they could see of the flooded district.
THAT chawfling editorial against The
Astorian in this mornings Oregonian,'
as somebody designated it, came in for
a good deal of criticism among the
crowd in one Of the hotels, and there
was considerable laughter over its Ian
guage. Its statement that The AS
torian's argument is too pitiful for a
reply" and the necessity of replying,
notwithstanding. to the extent of half q
column of valuable editorial space,
struck the home men as a rather funny
mixture.
Sherman Pinnell and another young
Astorlan were plying a big boat across
Third street all day, and seemed 10 be
earning the shekels in lively style.
Judge Page, whose avoirdupois is con-
was risking his neck and max
ing Astoria run the risk of losing her
collector Of customs, by Drawing the
cracks in the elevated sidewalks, as If
he had never walked in any other way
since his boyhood. Close behind him,
and quite as reckless of life and limb,
came Sheriff Smith and Fred Oberg, ex-
changing greetings at every corner and
jumping over the loose places like born
gymnasts.
Nelson was lying in his Whitehall in
a snug corner on Washington street,
basking in the shade, as If he were en-
his usual siesta under Flaveis
dock. | asked him how he found bust
ness, and he said he was making ex-
penses, with a little more thrown in.
Kinney's model boat from the worlds
fair was an object Of interest to many
people in the vicinity Of Oak street, and
Wade Hampton Smith was gazing at it
and looking as calm as if it
was an every day occurrence to see a
craft hugging the top of a plate
glass; window. He looks on the Portland
food Just $3.50 and takes that too, as
! matter of course. l really believe Mr..
smith is a fatalist, except probably on
he subject Of COWS.
Frank Cook and Messrs. Gearhart.
Fisher and Dan Welch were round town
/ good deal. All Of these, with the e.
Of the turned down candidate
recorder, are in attendance at the
courthouse, being members Of the
States grand Jury. They are
'ooked here tin the. SOth Of July, and
ire mo-, the happiest men alive by any
means, None Of them are hueglng them
nlNas nver the nrnsncnt nf nnnth,rl