The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-13
THE PoRT OF ASTORIA

The article in another column rela-
tive to the lighterage ot the British
bark Harland, and the difficulties ot
navigation which ship masters have
experienced for years in handling the
wheat from the Columbia, only slightly
points 10 the remedy in the future.
\ few months more and the Astoria
and Columbia Railrnad will afford d.
rect rail communication between As
toria and all portions " the states u
/ Oregon. Washington and Idaho where
/ the wheat is raised to be shipped 10
| Europe, In very short time, also,
the Cascade Locks will have been COM
pleted. and the wheat from the aelds
adjacent to the Columbia river banks
without breaking bulk can be shipped
through to Astoria on the river boats
The great ocean carriers then can
come TO anchor AT the docks and eleva-
| tors in Astoria, where there is plenty
Of sea room and depth of water, and
no danger Of scraping their bottoms
on the sands in making the ten mile
passage from the sea TO the docks
Ship owners and ship masters will be
enabled to secure better rates Of in
surance. besides saving the expense
OF towage up the river. These are not
all OF the benefits which shipping will
derive from the completion OF the rail
road. Much time and annoyance will
be saved when vessels load direct in
Astoria. Time, particularly in the in
stance Of ocean steamer service, is an
object. Rates Of freight will naturally
be better TO the ship owner even II
they are not raised in price. because
better profit will always be assured
on the same rate.
The remarks made by Captain Evans,
of the Monmouthshire, expressed the
feelings Of many another captain, who
has visited this port and been obliged
to pilot his vessel to Portland. following
a tortuous and in many places a shall
low channel. The clouds are breaking
away, and in the face Of opposition
which has for twenty years prevented
the consummation Of the plans Of As
torians now about to be realized. an
other season will not pass until we see
the ocean steamers and four masters
lining the docks at Astoria Nature
has decreed that this shall be a great
port. All oregon. and in fact, the ter
ritory embraced in the entire water
sheds OF the Columbia river, Is inter-
ested in the fulfillment OF these plans,
The railroad is the key to the whole
situation. But the building OF the rail-
road will not accomplish the entire
work Much energy and ceaseless Wig
ilance on the part Of Astorians will be |
necessary to start and keep in motion
the machinery Of commerce which will |
build up a great port
Now is the time for the citizens and |
business men generally Of this commu-
nifty to cooperate with the ship own
ers and insurance companies in order
~ StIult a. NulthlJ dS posSlblt LllN W. |
ginning. at least, Of the handling OF
commerce here. The winter is before
US, the railroad will be completed next
summer. and there is no time for dilly-
dallying or waiting for some one else
to do the work. Every hour between
now and May 1st, 1897. should be oc-
cupied in hard and intelligent work
on the part OF every business man in
this city. All smaller matters should
be put aside, and unanimous action .
taken upon the one great project upon
which depends our future success. A
little infusion Of the Chicago and Seat
tie idea" is all that is needed, and the
indications Of the times are that that
spirit is rapidly developing in our
midst.