The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-31
CONGRESSMAN CLARK
His Views on Columbia River
Improvements.
is AGAINST A DEEP CHANNEL
Government Has Made a Fine HOr-
Dor at Mouth Of River and Port
land Cannot Expect More.

The following interview, published In |
yesterdays oregonian, with Congressman |
Clark, of Missouri will he of the great |
county generally. Mr.. Clark is the same
gentleman who visited Astoria Wednes-
day with Mr.. Hammond and Mr.. John
Clafln, Of New York, interviews with
whom were published in Thursdays edi-
tion:
Major Charles N. Clark, representative
elect from the First Missouri district,
who expects to be a member Of the river
and harbor committee OF the next lower
house of congress, does not favor fur
ther appropriation by the government
to improve the Columbia river between
Portland and Astoria. He says that 1t
has provided harbor near the mouth OF
the river, which is all that 1t should be
expected to do, and that to improve the
river further would be to undertake work
under the head Of internal improvements
which properly, belongs to the individual
states interested.
Major Clark has been to view the jetty
with Messrs. A. b. Hammond, j. c. STAN
ton, John Clalfin and u. B. Seeley. While
in the vicinity of the rivers mouth he
was taken to view new townsite or two,
which, 1t is supposed, are to be reached
by a continuation of the Astoria-Goble
road. The whole party returned to the
city yesterday morning, Major Clark well
primed with information which appears
to have convinced him that the govern
ment should make no further effort to
give and maintain for Portland channel
to the sea for deep-draught vessels. In
an interview at the Portland last evening
Major Clark said:
Now about the Columbia, I want to
say just this: All you have TO do is to
| build that railroad from Gofble. You can't
| get a low-water channel for deep-draft
| vessels from Portland to the sea without
| spending more money than the state
| can afford. or than the government will
donate for the purpose. The Columbia
| river is peculiar. 1t is an inland sea IA
miles this side of Astoria, while It is
| less than three miles wide at the jetty,
where you have a channel of 81 feet,
which will probably not become less ana
will probably deepen a little as long as
| the jetty remains there; but where the
river widen to IL miles you have now
channel of but is feet at low water, ana
that Is all you can get without raising a
sum OF money so enormous as to make
| the idea impracticaible. To have an ap-
| preciable effect, you must build q jetty
| In the river there at least IA or 10 miles
| in length, and do not think that the
government is ever going to provide the
money for the purpose. The government
don't care particularly for Portland. II
has given you harbor at the mouth OF
the river. and that is all that 1t shuold
be asked to do. To improve the channel
this side OF Astoria is purely inland work
and shall oppose the government under
taking it. Even II the government were
to put In big jetty at the point l have
! mentioned, that wouldn't settle the mat
ter. for there would be vast amour
of similar work to be done elsewhere
You can't get that channel and yol
' needn't hope for 1t, so you had bette
turn to with will and get your Astori
. railroad through. AS l said to MIR. Ham
. | mond and Mr.. Claflin yesterday, | neve
. | in my experience as railroad-bullde
) ! during 80 years, saw railroad PROPOSE
ton that guaranteed the payment o
dividends from the start like the Astoria
Gotble road"
Major Clarks attention was called t
his incorrect statement about an 18-foo
! channel this side Of Astoria, and 1t wa
, | said to him that the government report
show much deeper water. But he inslste
, that he knew what ne was talking about
4
resentative from Missouri since 1876, whe
Mr. Benjamin was turned down with tn
return of the franchise to the ex-Confed
crates Of the state. Colonel Hatch, whoT
Major Clark defeated in tho last election
+ by a majority OF 429, had represented tn
: state in congress for 16 years, AWAY
having had a majority of from $500
5000 over his Republican opponent. Co
onel Hatch was an ex-rebel, and ha
been commissioner Of exchange at LIbb
prison during the war. One day, shortl
: after Major Clark had received the RI
!. publican nomination for representativ,
, the two men met Colonel Hatch smi
ingly congratulated the major on h
nomination, and remarked:
well, Major I am sorry to think {
your taking so much trouble, but YOU
: will be the ninth scalp | shall hang {
my belt next November" meaning tht
= he had defeated his eighth previous r.
publican opponents. and would do lilE
wise with Major Clark But the latte
sawed wood real hard and as resu
Colonel Hatch received painful surprll
J In November.