The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-15
THE TRUTH ABOUT 1T
Our Special Correspondents
Flood Account.
WORSE THAN IMAGINED
An Interesting Article Which Be-
gins Series, on the Principal
Topic of the Hour.
IMAGINED

TOPIC OI Cne HOuf.
Portland, Or, 18th June, 1S94.-(Spe
cial Correspondence Of The Astorian)
The Portland flood of 1894 whether it
results tend to good or i'll for the me
tropolis, will always remain Landmark
or rather a water mark in the history Of
this city, which has so long borne the
proud title of the capitol of the north,
west. VIII she, in the face of this ca.
lamity, be still able to hold her CONNER.
cial supremacy? viii this flood do dam.
age to her interests beyond the imme-
date losses involved? Will it mean the
gradual decadence of her priority and
the removal of the central seat of bust
ness farther towards the sea, and out
Of the reach of another catastrophe of
this character? Is this an object lesson
and q warning from Portland's natural
surroundings that her seat on the treacl-
erous Willamette is no location for any
stable and lasting prosperity of a teem-
ing population? Or is all this talk Of
her peril merely loud and coarse va
poring from the residents of Tacoma,
Astoria and San Francisco, signifying
nothing but the basest jealousy and the
most cowardly and unwarrantable
charges?
Here are some grave questions in
deed I do not intend to answer any
one of them in direct manner in this
series of articles. The readers of The
Astorian will be placed in possession of
the bare facts surrounding the flood;
they will be given, as nearly as it is
possible to give, a correct knowledge of
the present condition of Portland, and
they can apply the moral and answer
the questions for themselves. As a
preface to what will follow in these
columns from day to day, it may be
said at the outset that the Portland
newspapers have distorted the truth,
they have attempted to cover up the
knowledge that none in this city but
blind men can fail to possess, by per-
and regardless of veracity fill
ing their pages with optimistic visions
the losses sustained, and by
attempting to make the outside world
believe that the fearful condition of
affairs in the business heart of the town
is a myth born in the imagination Of |
fools or knaves.
On entering Portland harbor there is |
not really at first sight very much to
emphasize to the eye of visitor that |
the city itself is in the throes of a great
blow to its prosperity The water runs
very high, with that peculiarly rotund,
CLASSY appearance denoting full
stream and the big elevator stands low |
with its doors wide open to the wash of |
the current The railroad tracks, in
many cases flush with and under the |
river are the first intimation Of any
thing unusual. Then come hundreds of
railway cars with the tops Just show
ng above the water, and Immediately
afterwards are the signs of a big dis
automatically sixty houses and shacks
piled up against the east side, smash
I'd together and heaped about in very
great confusion. One looks in vain for
he Union Pacific steamboat landing on
he west side of the river, for it is all
'ut submerged, and the Morrison street
bridge is almost as low in the water as
1t were floating plank walk.
The city itself-who shall describe ad-
,quately any idea of its condition with.
n six blocks from the river front? For
oday, let us go into generalities. and
'ick our way promisciously over the
elevated sidewalks" that bridge the
business centre Of Portland, the water
ogged." BY the way, these. sidewalks
re nothing better than man traps. In
many places they consist of two narrow
tanks wi. gap Of six incAes between.
tanding on flimsy crossbars held down
n the water by large stones to keep
hem from floating away. Many of
F-N-N-ND 80 DeAiy oPiil anu DIOktnl
nd where traffic is greatest along Third
treet, from Morrison to Oak, there Is
constant danger of nasty accidents.
tanding in the centre Of one of these
astily thrown up bridges at the juno
lon Of Third and Oak, at the rear of
he police station, the sight is one long
be remembered. Away up Third, on ,
9th sides, is a calm lake of water sew
raj feet above the sidewalks On the
orner opposite where we stand is the
alatial chamber of commerce building.
robably one Of the handsomest and
lost expensive structures in the west.
my completed a few months ago. IT
lands today with its bottom floor
Gene OF wreck and desolation that must
e seen to be believed The graceful
nd majestic front entrance, with it's
Ireular marble pillars. stands in a
ood OF water through which boats can
ass with ease and traverse the whole
round floor. Alongside this entrance