The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-29

government decide what work is neces-
Sary, appropriate sufficient amount of
money to take it to a completion, and
then lose no time in finishing it up? The
day left Yaquina the superintendent in
charge was busy dismantling and hous-
ing all the machinery for the fall and
winter months, spending valuable time
and government money in doing some
thing that should have been wholly un-
necessary.
came down to Astoria because 1 was
particularly interested in the jetty at the
mouth of the Columbia. The plan upon
which it has been carried out is taken
from the original idea of Captain ]. B.
Fades in his construction of breakwator
on the Mississippi River at the Mcdonald
bar between Quincy and st. Louis, and
it has been constructed almost entirely
on the same lines. 1 spent two hours
yesterday with Major Post investigating
the details of the work, but my first idea
of the stupendous character was gained
this morning when 1 passed some de-
lightful hours going over every part of it.
The structure is a magnificent one in
every way. 1t has been built with the
utmost care, and, best of all, 1t is rap
idly completing the object for which it
was erected, and has given Astoria one
of the best harbors in the whole world.
One thing that particularly attracted my
attention was the rapid reclamation of
land on the side of the jetty and the
natural cementing, by means of sand,
that is gradually going on between the
huge boulders in the foundations. 1t
seems as if in fifteen or twenty years
the jetty win be entirely encircled by
sandbank, with stones and the whole
A1,a N inn
penetrabe wall impervious to anything
In one respect it seems to me the jetty
could ait this time be strengthened. Tie
edge against which the principal force
of the ocean comes should be to some
extent stronger than any other part of
the structure and should be composed
Of solid 30+foot blocks. That is the Fades
idea, and it is used on the Mcdonald
bar to great advantage. One danger
that attends most jetties of this kind
and from which you are free is tie
gradual narrowing of the. channel as it
deepens. At the mouth of the Columbia
the entrance is so wide that this tenden-
cy which doubtless exists, can work no
harm"
Looking over the property that lies
between Warrenton and the seaside tolay
it occurred to me that dyking operations,
value in rec,atmipg the great bulk of the
land. We have in Missouri what they call
the Lost Channel" which in 1870 was
simply a mass of useless, In:eciaimed
country, continually subject to overflow.
This stretch was from five to six miles
wide, fifty-two miles long, and contain
ed over 100000 acres. In 1872 reclamation
work was started, and the construction
OF dykes was begun. Bonds to the value
OF 5000, 600 were floated and sold at val
uaton Of 80 cents on the dollar to the
contractors themselves, the cost being
charged in a valuation ratio against the
property improved. In two years the
work was completed. l possess today
several tracts of this land, which is
bearing from so to 80 bushels of wheat
to the acre, and which is worth per acre
all the way from S25 to SIS. Before the
improvements were begun 1t could not
lave been sold for S1.OO per acre.
Il intend to go from here to Portland
then to the Cascades and from there
to Seattle and the Port Orchard dry
deck Then l will return to Yaquina
and leave for California, going back East
in the latter part of September. 1 will
travel over the lines of the Central and
Union Pacific, and am glad of the oppor-
aunity to do this as l have long desired
to see for myself the actual condition Of
these individual roads. The desire of
the Union Pacific directorate is now for
the government to accept the payment OF
two per cent of the principal of their
debt annually, at the rate of interest at
which the government would have to
borrow money. This scheme is all right,
l think, IT, prior to entering on it the
government takes care to secure a mort
gage over tbe whole road and any assets
in sight At present we have worthless
second mortgage on two stretches OF
road, neither of which has a terminus.
The idea of the government purchasing
the road outright Is all wrong. l am.
most distinctly opposed to government
ownership of any business venture
ture."