The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-08-12
IREaoN SILVER SERVICE.

Portland. Or. August S. 1896
To the Editor
When the testimonial committee was
calling for designs for the silver SER
vice Of the Oregon" they sent letter
to local manufactures from which the
following is an extract;
"As an oregon manufacturer We de-
sire to call your attention to the matter
OF the testimonial for the battleship
Oregon. We feel 1t Is our duty
as oregonians 10 patronize home man
ufacturers wherever 1t Is possible We
would like the silver service 70 be made
OF oregon Silver and by oregon work
men II possible. and know the board
of commissioners would strain a point
in order to give the local manufac-
turers the advantage: but IL the work
is TO be made in the east, then all
things must stand on even compet-
tion. Meaning by that. the lowest bid
will be accepted; but If it is all Ore
gon work Of Oregon silver, even il the
bid is higher than the eastern work.
full showing shall be made SO that
you have at least an equal chance TO
gain the contract for this work intend
ed for the battleship Oregon The sum
voted was $4,000. That is to say. the
committee see they can raise $1,000.
They have not got the money now, but
they think that this sum can be raised
for that purpose"
There follows then a list OF twenty
nine pieces designs are to be made for
and the letter is signed by the chair
man Of the committee officially.
One of our well known local manu-
facturers received this letter and at
once caused some designs TO be pre-
pared by an Oregon artist. The designs
received the highest praises on all sides
and members of the committee indi-
vidually admitted their great merit.
The firm sent in a bid to make the de-
sign at the figure OF s60O0 as there
were $4,000 ounces Of silver to be used
The letter of the committee stated
that they did not want the work so
thin it would be all dinged in a short
time, and it should be strong and suffi- /
ciently massive to stand the work it
is intended to perform.
The bid Of the firm referred TO stat /
ed that the design was original and |
they agreed to make it of Oregon sill I
yer. provided it could be had at or near |
market rates. and to do all the work .
at their factory in Oregon. They also .
stated that If the bid was higher than .
could be contracted for they would re-
duce the weight of metal and conse-
quently the price of some of the pieces
and bring it within the estimated ap-
The result was that two eastern
seemed TO be the only (
ones whose bids were considered with
earnestness. This committee accepted
one Of those eastern bids and well
founded report has it that there is 4
but 1400 ounces of silver in the design
accepted, against 24OO by the local con-
cern. The committee intends by its I
action to send away from this state
$4,000 of its circulating medium That
money would be sufficient to pay many !
thousand dollars of debts if left here |
where it belongs, especially in these
hard times, The action of the COM {
mittee is certainly not in line with its '
duty and it would seem far 1
preferable that the Oregon so without !
a service If her first appearance is to !
send away money from the sta&e. 1t I
Is to be presumed that there were
members of the committee who would
keep this money here but of course
the majority there as everywhere con-
trolls. If the people are willing to sub !
scribe this money to be sent away,
there is nothing more to be said but if |
they are not willing. then there is {
open for debate in this mat '
ter yet. 1t would have been very s
much easier for the committee TO raise
the $4,000 if it was to be spent here. I
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