The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-09-12

for loading, two or three umtS TN mum
Ter OF vessels now handled in the Colum-
bia viii obtain their cargoes at Astoria
But this does not settle the question ot
the traffic relations between the railroads
or whether they viii make any such
relations.
It is well known prtnciplo in Europe
and the UuRod States that the neArcr
,idewater you can bring rail and deep sea
vessels together, the cheaper the trans
portation and the less the cost to shipper
co, sumer and transportation comranies'
The advocates Of the principle N ,endinS
dee, sea vessels as far inland as possible
FOR their carvoes cite the instance OF the
Manchester ship canal in EnSland. which
Uas constructed at tremendous cost for
the purpose of setting vessels hundred
or more miles inland, These people lose
sight Of the fact, however that the Man
chester canal was built to enable vessels
bringing carroes from abroad to discNarsc
as near their inland destination as p'ssi'
HE. There is little outgoing pay business
from Manchester. The situation on the
Columbia Is exactly the reverse Ninety
per cent Of the ships coming here come
IN receive cargoes. When goods are 'oad-
Ell IN cars for export by sea, it is cheaper
to keep them in the cars as long as POS
sible. and when goods are loaded in
ships to be delivered to cars, the reverse
OF the principal is true. other things be-
ing equal The same authority estimates
that the Astoria road could. II necessary,
haul the wheat from Portland to the sea
at 80 cents per ton and make money. Its
road is one OF the finest-eoastructed lines
in the West. laid with the heaviest steel
rails. with steel bridges and the highest
grade cedar piling. Its engines will he
able 10 handle from fifty TO seventy loaded
cars per train at a good rate Of speed
as the road is free from grades and sharp
curves. The o. R. & y. is the chief con-
Meeting line to be considered, since {;
hauls IS per cent Of the wheat into Port
land for transshipment. Admitting that
the o. r. & y. Co. makes SOM pr1fit
out OF the towage Of ships from the sea
to Portland and return. would this ad-
vantage be more than compensated by
turning the business over to the Astoria
road. not only at a loss Of the towage.
but at the loss OF 30 cents per ton out
Of the rate obtained from the wheat
fields 10 Portland? To carry on the ight
against the sound. and overcome the com
petition Of Seattle and Tacoma, the same
through rate must be made 10 Astoria
from the interior as is now made to the
Sound In making this rate, the o. r.
& y. would save the switching and ter
minal expenses at Albina. which are no
Inconsiderable part OF the expenses to
that line Of handling Che business. 1t
would be much cheaper to turn the loaded
cars over 10 the Astoria road, and throw
upon the terminal line at Astoria all ter
minal charges. There is no reasonable !
doubt that in making such deal the
shipping Of wheat from the Columbia
river would be more than doubled. and
the earnings of the o. R. & y. Co. would
be so Increased as to Offset whatever
losses might be incurred through the CIV
ing up Of the towage and proportion
0. the through rate to the Astoria road.
Auxiliary to this would be the securing
or East-bound business from Astoria, the
largest portion Of which would be lumber
and shingles, which would be manufac
tured in large quantities from the tim
Der at hand, as soon as the means Of ex-
porting the product were furnished.
These desirable results are 20 be oh
tanned by intelligent work upon the part
o. both Astorians, Portlanders and the
railroad. So soon as the business men
Of Portland realize that their general
business and the trade Of the entire state
are 10 be augmented tenfold in two or
three years time, they will be the first
10 urge the accomplishment Of the deal
After the Astoria road is completed, the
whole question will be largely settled by