The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-20
AsToRIA's GREAT HARBoR.

The following extract from a recent
ARTICLE written for The Astorian, by MI
A schenck. entitled 1.-THE CONNER
cial eaports of the Northwest SHOWS
some of Astoria's natural advantages
as a harbor and seaport
The seaport question in the Pacific
Northwest appears to be a triangular
eobt between Puget Sound CTacoma n
seattle). Portland, at the head OF aVi-
cation Of the Willamette river Cnot OF
the Columbia river, and Astoria at
the mouth Of the Columbia river.
Tacoma claims that she has all h
needs in her railway line and in her
water route to the ocean.
Portland has a railway, but is not
satisfied with her inland water route
Astoria has the ocean at hand but
asks for a railway and for an open Co
lumbia river for light draught vessels.
Portland bases her claim of future
supremacy upon her being inland nearer
the producer and at the head OF navi-
ration. on her claimed position as n
radial centre Of railways, and on the
growth she has already secured.
Astoria has a harbor that the United
States government has secured an en-
trance to, by an expenditure of S,2OO,-
600 upon the jetty at the mouth OF the
Columbia. This harbor is magnificent
in size and character; of ample working
room for vessels OF the largest size; OF
great length and concentration OF water
frontage; and with a great number OF
waterways penetrating the land. The
harbor is well sheltered by the peculiar
"nipper-jawed," or land-locked entrance
that also furnishes q speedy and safe
entrance for vessels to quiet water. The
entrance has a great underwater
preciplce In the ocean opposite, sutil-
Client to serve for ages as n dumping
ground for secured material. 1t has n
great river, furnishing the excess of out
flow over tidal inflow that Is almost es-
sential to the permanent success of a
lefty system The harbor, although so
near the coast, has fresh water to pre-
vent the teredo and to remove barna-
Giles. The entrance is over 5000 feet
broad, and over 20 feet deep at mean
lowest low water. There is no other har-
Dor in the world anywhere nearly equal
in advantages to this harbor. Portland,
TO accommodate and retain four ship
pers of wheat In Portland dhe wheat
fleet Of 1912 was consigned by only
four hrms), now says to the United
States government, and to the people OF
the Columbia basin, that this harbor
must not be utilized; that in preference
to securing an open river for light
draught vessels TO the interior, or In
preference to awaiting railway extern
sion to this harbor, the government
must at once divide river and harbor
appropriations, and give much of them
to constructing an artificial deep water
channel to the warehouses of these four
firms In Portland,
In order to retain these four shippers,
Portland has already secured the ex-
penditure by government of 1927. Ss.49
in attempting to secure a sO-foot cham
mel, This gives:
Interest ON expenditures 1900. $4,000
Minimum yearly expense OF
maintenance ..,,.r,......,..... $1,000
slO5, 900
or over so cents per ton on the wheat
shipped by the grain feet in 1912. This
80 cents would carry all the wheat by
rail from Portland to the mouth Of the
Columbia. without noting the actual
transportation costs by that route. II
we add to the above amount the actual
cost to the Union Pacific Company for
towage. pilotage etc. on the grain
ieeA or $4,000 we have ssis.OOO. or