The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-08-22

| pioneers rounded Tongue Point on tn
18th Of February. 1912. coming down N,
Columbia In their canoes. and sighted
the other members Of their company al
ready established In Astoria.
The early history Of Astoria is mos
interesting. II already had a reputa
tlon az fishing station which was des
tined 10 grow with time. The limits oi
an article like this viii not permit
the following Of the details Of th,
young town. In 1875. nearly a hundred
years after the establishment Of trade
on the Northwest coast, was discovered
the wonderful value Of the great Chi
nook salmon when preserved In tins
and the little town, then Of about 20Ct
people, Immediately jumped 10 a city
Of 10000 inhabitants. Its preserved
saImon Is today the leading brand on
the markets Of the world and brings
an annual income 10 the city Of MIL.
lions OF dollars Within a radius oil
fifty miles from Astoria millions Of fee,
Of the finest timber in the world stand
In the primitive forests; its farm lands
produce all that can be desired in
abundance and at its door Is the most
magnificent fresh water harbOr for dep
sea vessels TO be found on this cont.
nent Much Of the wheat Of oregon
and Washington already finds its way
through the Columbia, and this years
feet OF steel ships now numbers sixty
six. II was found twenty years ago
that TO develop the great resources Of
this country. and establish a lucrative
traffic with the Orient. It would be
necessary to build a railroad TO con-
meet Astoria with the rest Of the world.
Ever since her citizens have been at
work on the proposition. but many un-
fortunate circumstances hampered
their movements.
In 1899 Mr.. Archibald A. schenck.
chief engineer OF the New York Central
Railroad. made an elaborate survey Of
the mouth OF the Columbia river and
the transportation problems presented.
His findings were embodied in an ex-
haustive report from which the follow
ing interesting extracts are taken:
The world has been and is being
enormously taxed yearly through few
mistaken ideas concerning commercial
seaports. One OF these is that such a
commercial port is merely a shipping
point, and that relative costs Of trans
portation decide its growth and su-
premacy. The higher idea Of fitness
for being a great mart of trade, q
great commercial exchange. is overlook
ed. and the only thing considered is,
how far inland can ocean vessels be in
duced to come. All that railways have
sought in many cases has been the
nearest port al which they may get rid
of their tonnage.
"A second error is in assuming that
an ocean vessel when on inland rivers
or canals furnishes the same cheap
form OF transportation. or approximate
ly so. that it does on the free ocean.
"A third error is in assuming that
because large ports exist inland they
are not expensive errors, and may be
duplicated.
"A fourth error is in assuming that
such large inland seaports as do exist,
so exist in rivalry with a well defined
natural harbor. of distinct harbor fea-
tures, further down the river.
Railways alone do not succeed in
the needs of the CONNER
,ial activity of the Rhine region. There
S no less reason to doubt that the flu
'ial way alone is sufficient. The most
lctive encouragement Of fluvial traffic .
would not stop the development of rail-
way traffic. The cooperation of both .
Ways and their reciprocal assistance,
of a hostile competition. seem
o represent the exact principle for the
'olicy of the transport service.
Undoubtedly the river feeders, by in
reasing the development OF any re-
ion, increases the high grade tonnage
nd the business of the railways. The
'cal tonnage developed in any region
y cheap raw materials gives the rail-
'ays another source OF income.
THE fact that the railways can .
ranch to all directions and reach not
lerely nearer to the producers, but :
etua1iy to them. transfers the advan-
lge az once from city on a river
lat is merely inland. nearer the pro-
lcer. to the railways that branch out =.
definitely and reach the producers in
places and almost at their !.
,ors. Thus the railways transfer
the coast port the advantages of
intact with producer, which the river
utes and inland ports on rivers mere !,
reach after and get only partially.
The New York Central road, fol-
wing the Hudson river for 40 miles.
ID with a remarkable lack Of lateral
eders from any back country mac
ssible to boats, is so overcrowded
tn business that it is constantly in =,
easing its local yards and sidings, :
i'd extending its third and fourth :,
acks. The Illinois Central road COM =
ties successfully with the Mississippi
'er through the greatest part of its
lite, and finds increased business be-
use of the business induced prima- 90 90
y by the river route.
Continued on Sixth Page) fly