The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-05-01
ASToRIANs, TO THE FORE!

While We are waiting for the light
ming Of prosperity to strike US and an
army Of investors to invade our Dor
ders. clamoring for town lots, is there
rot some little thing that Astorians
can do to help establish home manu-
factures, which will in turn attract both
capital and labor?
II needs no argument to convince As
torians that they possess the greatest
harbor on the Pacific coast and that
some day, through its new railroad,
this city is destined TO be a great port
and commercial center. The ships Of
the world will load and discharge here:
but what are they TO handle, and what
IS to aid in the upbuilding of such
port? What is there to attract capital
here and establish the manufactures
which will draw people and inaugurate
tin pail bTtgades? Every sensible man
knows that the mere completion Of the
railroad will not bring all these desired
objects nor will II alone sell town lots.
The sale Of property means that there
must be a healthy demand for that
property for residence or business pur-
poses. To create that demand there
must be something 10 attract people
here. Something for skilled workmen
to do. and a general traffic for mer-
chants, bankers, brokers and manufac-
turers to engage in. 1t is not enough
that our natural resources are unsur-
passed; that tremendous forests Of mag,
nificent timber are at our very doors;
that the railroad can handle the wheat
Of Oregon and Washington TO the mouth /
of the Columbia better and cheaper
than other lines to othsr ports where
export shipping rates and incidental
expenses are higher Might as well say
that the man who owns ground beneath /
which gold Of fabulous wealth lies is a .
rich man before he sells the mine or
digs up the precious metal. He might !
starve while waiting for something TO
turn up" He must either work or find /
q buyer for his mine.
Capital is always ready to invest
where it sees an opportunity to make
a profit Where capital starts the
wheels of progress and manufacture
to moving people always congregate.
Where there are people there IS always /
a sale for properly. Now we are poor.
We have carried the burden Of heavy
taxation for years and have gone deeply
into our pockets to secure the railroad.
But is it not necessary TO make another
dig into that pocket, or give some more
If our valuable time in united action
to start the wheels Of traffic? It is
plain TO the dullest intellect that some
hing must be done to take care Of and
handle the traffic that is to be the bass
If the city's prosperity II We can't
If ourselves establish and manage the
Necessary agencies for the handling of
he business; build the necessary els-
'ators, saw mills and dry docks. we
must get some one else to do the work.
70 do that we must show them that
We are in earnest and mean business;
hat we are ready TO stand by our own
'roposition; to give our time and work
0 aid in any and every enterprise for
he general good, as one man; to give
uftable locations for mill sites; to make
UGH local legislation as will facilitate
he establishment of big concerns and
he carrying ON of large traffic. Steam
hip lines must be established with the
reat railroads, and the means provided
Or rapid transfer from ship to cars.
We know our railroad line will be short
r and have less grades and curves than
theirs, but something must be done to
ct the traffic over it. The railroad
1nnpany itself has made the +rafHn