The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-05-22
THE OREGON PACIFIC
Old Plans Brought to Light
From New York.
ASTORIA AS A CENTRE.
The Future Presents Many Possible
tiles Not Yet Dreamed of But
Which May Happen.

In talking with prominent business
man as: to the future of Astoria and its
railroad prospects, he stated that 1t was
not generally known that for several
years the scheme had been considered
Of practically connecting the Oregon Pa
clhc with Astoria, and that the Goble
ine as proposed now to be built is al
most identically in line with one part
Of the old scheme, and that since MIR.
Hammond has purchased the Oregon Pa
cihc the entire scheme is likely to be
realized after all, and thus Astoria be
made the center of railroad combina-
ion Of It's own.
The following extract from the repo.
made in February 1898, by u. G. M. Rand
iXpert railroad engineer of New York.
% the bond holders committee Of the
oregon Pacific VIII be very interesting
seading at this partucnlar time, as show
og another very important and extern
i've line of business that would be OPEN
ID up to ASTORIA:
"As to the advisabllity of finishing the
line over the mountains, and building
lriher. l strongly recommend Tor care
.ul considerations on the part of any
aew management the extension Of the
line to Boise City on the east, and the
building of a line from Albany north
ward, through the Willamette Valley,
ouching at Portland, and from there
going over the coast ridge and then along
- 10 l,a A..
Dor of Astoria. BY this construction
there would be transcontnental con-
nection on the east with the Union Pa
ci1c 20. r. and NJ with whom valuable
exchanges of business could be made.
Two hundred miles north and south
of the line to be constructed west OF
Boise City and between the Case lde
Mountains there would be tributary
country originating large volume OF
cattle, grain, and wool business, as well
as GREETING an outlet for a large 'lum-
Der business the line from Albany north
would for from 80 TO 40 miles run par
lllel with the coast of the Pacific ocean,
and would parallel and be competitive
With the Southern Pacific for q distance'I
Of about 50 miles for local business
only; an objection that would be greatly
overbalanced In favor OF the new line,
IN view Of the fact that the new line,
when constructed, would terminate at the
mouth Of the Columbia river, while at
present the Southern Paclhcs termina-
tion Is at Portland, some 100 or l9O
miles from the mouth OF the river, the
only means of transportation between
Portland and Astoria.
Further, there would be a large
amount of traffic originated at Astoria.
a city of about 1900 Inhabitants, which
has no railroad facilities, and Is only
accessible to the interior through the nav
gatlon Of the Columbia river from It's
mouth to Portland, where connection
Is made with transcontinental lines.
"In addition to the foregoing the new
Inc would receive large summer traf-
ic to the watering places on the coast
south of Astoria. now well patronized
N the summer by the inhabitants Of the
extreme northwest.
THE line has been surveyed from AL |
bany to Astoria, which survey with thi
survey Of the line Of the oregon Pacific |
from Its present eastern terminus to
8oise City, has been carefully EXAMINE
oy me, In the office in Corvallis, and the
additional construction OF about 600 miles
TO make this line could BE- made at an |
average Of about $4,000 to $4,000 per
nile, and, when constructed through, |
would easily pay per cent on the in
sestment. and give, In a few years.
surplus.
Knowing that the Columbia river was
A source of large volume Of water,
iowlng into the Pacific ocean-and TO a
certain extent competitive with Yaqulna
Bay-I thought It best before passing
upon the value Of the bay and harbor Of
Yaqulna, to make an examination OF the
narbor at Astoria, and for that purpos
during my absence, | went to Astoria,
and securing tug, made my own sound
ngs OF the harbor and channel, and /
re1y stated, will say that this harbor
Is fully second to our New York haTbor,
and has an additional advantage over the |
iarbors on the Sound now used by the
Northern Pacific and the Great Northern
for their transconunental ter
m.nals. In that the water around the |
and docks at Astoria, owing to
the strong curren from the flow Of the
river, filling the bay, at each ebb OF the
tide, with fresh water, Is free from the
teredos which in a few years destroy
all timber that is used for dock and
wharf purposes. and which In the har-
bors Of the Pacific Coast Is matter
of serious consideration. and is a matter
from which the harbor at Yaqulna Bay
Is not free as piles driven and used