The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-08
STEAMSHIPS TO CHINA.
A Line of Oriental Steamers
Almost Assured.
A FRENCH LINE is AFTER IT.
Astoria viii be the American Ter
minus---Merceants of the Me-
trOpOlis Promise Aid.

Astoria's future is Frightening with
| each succeeding day, and it seems that
since 1.-THE railroad" was made an as
sured fact by Messrs. Hammond, Bon
ner and associates that everyone has
turned an eye upon Oregon's Gateway
City
AS things now stand, Astorla's
chances for a direct steamship line to
the Orient are very fattering, and the
arrival and departure of great ocean
steamers to and from China and Japan
ports, long before the first sound Of
the locomotive is heard i'm this city,
is more than likely Representatives
of four different steamship companies,
now in Portland, are ready to close
contract to establish a line of first-class
ocean going passenger steamships from
here to Hong Kong and Shanghai, via
Yokohama and Kobe.
Ever since the o. R. and N. Co. was
divorced from the Union Pacific, Re
ceiver MCNEIL has been working har'
to induce some one Of the great steam
shiu companies Of Europe to put on
line between Portland, Astoria and the
far East 1t has been a hard task,
for 1t could not be understood by the
steamship owners, who were not on the
inside workings Of the affair, just why
the Upton line of steamships that for
merly piled between here and Oriental
por.s, failed TO pay expenses, and was
finally forced to withdraw. Especially
was this black-eye to this port, when,
during the same period the steamship
companies over on the Sound were un-
able to take care of the immense traffic
that was thrown their way. To those
who know how the Union Pacific was
trying to carry a. double load on its
shoulders, this was no surprise, for 1t
was to that corporations interest to
discriminate in favor of the line run
ming out of San Francisco, it has Grip
pling the Upton line to the extent
that it was finally forced to abandon
the service altogether. The same
steamships are now running regularly
between Tacoma and China and doing
an immense business.
Several days ago Mr.. Lee, assistant
to Receiver Mcneil, and Mr.. Camp
bell, general freight agent of the o. R.
and N, were in this city, the latker gen
tleman made a statement to an Asto- |
rian reporter which, since the railroad
is an assured fact, sounds significant. |
He was asked If there was any truth
in the report that the o. r. and N. Co.
were negotiating for steamship line
to the Orient, and answering, said:
YES 1t is the truth. Mr. McNeill |
has been working ever since the road
came into his hands to secure a steam
ship line to Japan and China, and
have no doubt that he will accomplish
the object which he started out to at
tain. 1t is of vital Importance that the
Columbia river have direct connection
with the Orient, and at an early day,
too"
I'm the event that Astoria secures
a Yailroad, to transcontlnental connec-
don, which will be the terminus for the
steamship line, Astoria or Portland?"
asked the reporter.
ut is my opinion that Astoria will
always be the terminus for ocean
steamship lines, after 1t is connected
with the outside world by rail. This
will be especially so regarding the ORR
sntal steamers, for in these days Of
rapid transit and stiff competition, the
port that can first get a vessels cargo
IN board cars and started East, is the
port that will catch the steamship lines.
An hour to an ocean greyhound means
/ great deal when they are competing
With other lines for business. It is my
opinion that as soon as you have
.ailroad running from your city, the
California steamers will all stop here
instead Of going on to Portland. BY
70 doing we would be able to make
rain time to San Francisco"
The above conversation was held a
lay or two previous TO the signing Of
he railroad contract by Mr. Hammond.
md the following from the Portland
sun. would Indicate that Mr.. McNeilPs
.nors have not been without success.
me article reads:
The latest proposition received is from
French cJinpany, the second largest
teamshdp corporation in the world.
ankang second only to the North Ger
nan Lloyds in wealth and number OF
aeamers. This company through the
disruption Of their service in the East,
wing to the chinn-Japan war. have
zen forced to withdraw a nunber OF
heir steamers from service. abandon.