The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-07

The Oreconian f. somewhat disturbed
over the pretensions OF Astorians 10 future
greatness when the railroad 20 the mouth
OF the Columbia shall have been completed
and the necessity for maintaining a deep
water channel to Portland shall have
passed away. No doubt the building OF "A
railroad 20 Astoria will assist In the de-
velopment of that place very materially.
and II Is hkswise probable that an all rail-
route from the wheat fields to the sea VIII
divert from the Willamette a good part OF
the shipping which now rides annually on
that river. All this may come to pass. but
Il Is difficult 10 sec how IL win sensibly IN
terfere with the growth or Portland. or de-
prive her Of the commanding position she
now holds.
The Oregonian maintains that Portland
IS tho principal business center OF the
Northwest. and II would be idle 10 deny IT.
There are people Oh Puget sound, however.
who believe that a city OF equal wealth
and population viii rise on the shores OF
this great inland sea 90 contest with her
the right 10 the title of leading city Of the
Northwest. Whatever the result may be.
IL Is certain that very few will question
porilands supremacy for all time in the
country adjacent to the lower Columbia
and willamette valleys. To all other cities
and towns in Oregon the relation win be
the same as now exists. Commercial de-
velopment has put Portland upon n foun-
dalton which cannot be shaken. The peo-
pie the capital and the business Of the
state center there. and nothing short Of an
earthquake can turn them elsewhere.
A railroad to the mouth OF the Columbia
will probably add TO the population and
power OF Astoria. but there is no more
danger OF Portland going TO Astoria than
there is Of Glasgow going 10 Greenock,
Philadelphia to the Delaware breakwater.
or London 10 the estuary OF the Thames.
Had the locators OF Chicago foreseen her
future greatness. they would not, perhaps.
have chosen a sandy marsh for townsite.
But Chicago waxed strong on that marsh,
and no city. however favorably located
can wrest her GREATNESS from her. Could
Pettygrove and Lovejoy have foreseen
coming events, Portland might have been
located at some other point AS 1t is, she
has prospered on the willamette and her
supremacy will unquestlonably be as firm
and enduring in the future as it has been
in the past.
Portland viii always remain tho finan-
| clal center Of oregon as at present. \
railroad 10 Astoria viii only result in
bringing more to her Golfers. ship may
| be loaded within sight OF the bar. but IL
/ VIII probably bc as dist!ncuvely a Port
| land transaction as tho loading OF a vessel
| at AIhna now IS. Astoria may secure
some honor in the transaction, but the
substantial profits will remain where they
| are now-with tho men who engineer, con-
! duct and are responsible for the business
/ in Portland. Tho Astoria railroad ought
20 have been built long ago and probably
would have been had not the unreasona-
bio fears OF Portland people put obstacles
/ ia the way. The time has come, how
( ever. when the building Of forty rail-
! roads down tho Columbia glver would have
no appreclablc effect in disturbing Port
| lands growth or taking from her her su-
/ premaoy a. the great business center Of
an tho vast territory IN the Northwest
/ which is not tributary 80 Puget Sound