The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-16
THE QUESTION OF COMMERCIAL sU-
PREMACY.

Mr.. Archibald A. Schenck, in his arti-
Gle on the seaports of the Northwest.
refers to the decadence Of commerce at
Philadelphia as an example of the disad-
venuages of inland ports in competition
with those located ON or close to the sea-
board. Mr.. Scnenok says Philadelphia
was most admirably located under the old
commercial and transportation conditions
existing before the development of our
gr;at railway systems It is the best
racial point Of the Delaware and Schuyl-
kill waterways, and by these and a series
Of canals was point OF greater radial
concentration than New York City. In
those days Philadelphia flourlshed as the
greatest seaport on the Atlantic coast.
Subsequently the construction of rail-
roads. making possible a concentration OF
radials more to the coastward at New
York. movtd the commercial supremacy
to New York.
Prior to 1876, the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, backed by its great control OF
'tonnage, and its five hundred millions OF
c;pltal, undertook to secure commercial
supremacy permanently for Philadelphia.
This great corporation worked in har-
mony with the general government to
this end. Large federal appropriations
were obtained and expended in opening
and maintaining channel depth to the
city's water front of 20 feet. The light
house officials established successive pairs
OF range lights, which brought vessels
from the open roadstead up the river by
night as easily as they could come by
day. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
built immense wharves and great wheat
elevators and other facilities at conven-
lent points along the water front. 1t es-
tabllshed line of fine steamers direct
to Europe. Yet in few years that COM
pany was obliged to move on TO New
York. Its elevators and wharves were
left standing idle and rotting. Mr..
Schenck says the costly machinery erect
ed by uhs railroad company in connection
with these improvements was, "in quiet
fashion not intended to arouse Philadel-
phia's fears, offered for sale to certain
parties. Whoever today passes by boat
along Phlladelphla's lower water 'front.'
where foreign vessels are supposed to lie,
will see the wharves for such vessels
almost deserted,
President Roberts Of the Pennsylvania
road. In his report to the stockholders,
March, 1899, said;
Some years ago you established a
steamship company, the American Steam
ship Company fostered by your corpora
tlon, In which you took four-sevenths OF
the original stock, afterwarl increasing
that from time to time until you had
nearly S1,2OO.OOO invested In the capital
stock OF that steamship company That
$1,20O,0O0 has been totally sunk. In addi-
tion to that this company has faithfully
paid its obligations all these years at the
date Of their maturity, so that they have
paid In the neighborhood OF 81, 500, 900, more
as contribution on the part of your
corporation to endeavor to build up the
commerce of this port, not an illiberal
contribution and one which has given the
managers Of your corporation some anx-
iety as TO whether 1t was right or proper
but right or not. It has all gone
''This is the sort of port" says Mr..
Schenck, upon which Portland, much
more feeble than older Philadelphia, and
without the vast anthracite fields ana
manufacturing Interests that assisteo
Philadelphia, bases her hopes OF CONNER
cial supremacy" A more exhaustive test
be hard to imagine. In 1894 the foreign
export and import tonnage of New York
amounted to 12.6is.555 tons, and of Phila-
deiphla. only 2,5S5,S6e tons. This aston
ishing decline in Phlladelphla's commerce
is largely due to the increased draught
OF ocean vessels. q factor sure to count
much in Astoria's favor as against Port
land, after the completion Of the Goble
railway, In the competition for commer-
cial supremacy. On this question of deep
er draught vessels, and the effect 1t is
having on the commerce Of PHILADELPHIA,
the Times of that city said recently in
leading editorial:
The departure Of the steamship South
wark from this port, not to return, the
International Navigation Company hav-
ing decided to transfer the Southark
aad KensIngton to New York and replace
them here with four smaller steamers
recalls to public notice the fact that Phil
nde.phia has not only faiitd TO keep pace
wish other Atlantic ports In its foreign
commerce, but has failed to keep pace
with the demands made by the increasing
size and draught Of modern steamers In
the matter Of deep water channel The
time was when vessels which could not
cross the bar into New York harbor could |
come to Philadelphia. The government |
surveys Indicate that the channel OF the
Delaware Is not growing saallower The
trouble is that steamships have been
growing bigger year by year for quar-
ter OF q century. and philadelphia has
fal.ed to stcure deeper and wider chan
nei to provide for the expendlng needs OF
the 1arger vessels
..he expenditure Of the Penusylvaaia