The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-22
A "SAILOR MANS"
POINT OF VIEW
Astoria's Future as a Shipping Fort
Assured With Right Conditions.
no SHIP WILL GO UP A RIVER
For Cargo When II Can he Hal Cheap
rr only Ten Miles From Sea'-Chnt
Kick Against the Pricks.
no SHIP WILL GO UP A RIVER

Captain corkhill. Of tbs brftlsh snip
Crown ~ India. now at Astoria. has
been interviewed by the Ahtorian.
which In a, present agithting the build
Ing II seawall for the tishing Smaeks
to make fast 20 Captain corkhill H
very diplomatic. and Ia a column inter
View. said among other things:
'shipmastcrs would consider II
blessing II they can find their loading
ten miles frHn s..a AT little or no tow
ing expense, You can readily under
stand. also. that by the reduction In
time and towagc necessary for a ship
Ia Load IN Portland or on the Sound or
in san Francisco. there will bc n cor
responding reduction In the rates Of
charters and marine Insurance, This
viii have two effects The farmer Will
get better price for his wheat. and
the shlp-Owner better prohi IN his
business.
Considering the fact that the Crown
ot India In now offering at charter
rate So luw that a corresponding reduc-
iion or any other kind Of a reduction
would not leave proft enough 10 buy
lime juice and salt horse for the crew.
Il H. "a Trine difiicult 10 understand
where the marvellous benefit to the
ship-owner IL coming frUsn. Her own
ers arc willing TO pay towagc and pilot
axe b. Portland. and charter her for
considerably less than 20 shilllngs per
ton and the port that adyertises a
lower rate than that as one Of her
features. viii hardly succeed In draw
ing the fleets Of the world 10 her sea
walled harbor Captain Corkhill either
talked too much or too little"
To man up tree abe above local
editorial u the Daily oreeoniau of the
goth inst. sounds like the wall OF n
aging swan. Every ten-year-old boy
who has gone 20 school and Is posted
knows that when the conditions out
lined by Captain Corkhlll become facts
and Astoria Is in position TO load whea;
onto deep sea vessels. that Portland
must cease TO be a port OF shipment
90 any great extent, No master OF a
deepsea vessel is going TO risk his ship
by towing her one hundred miles up
n tortuuus and narrow river channel to
Portland at heavy expense when he
can load his cargo at Astoria, only
ten miles from the sea, with little or
now towarge charges to pay and under
conditions which will reduce his Insur-
ance The writer of the article quoted
knows rs we'll as anyone what are the
facts and he also knows that the state
ments made are misleading Matters
are not Yet completed for the loading
OF ships at Astoria, and until they are
1t viii mot b. possible for deepsea YES
sells to receive their cargocs AZ Astoria.
When the conditions are ripe It will
be found that Captain Corkhilrs pre-
diotlons VIII be more than funlled. Not
only viii decpSea vessels tie up To AS
toria's seawall II she builds one. but
the tishing "smacks" VIII also flnd
N'NfN'sN' Nh'A' eh-f Nfll IT'S NEltntAl
steamers, The state OF Oregon can not
afford very much longer 10 pay out
sbOO.OOO a year 10 keep the channel OF
the Columbia deep enough for large
ships 20 use II al all Seasons OF the
year. nor can the United States gov
ernmcnt rightfully appropriate the
money of the people for the mainte-
nance of an Interior channel or canal.
II there was no harbor at Astoria and
none could be created there, while one
might be maintained at Portland, even
at high expense, conditions would be
changed. But that such Is not the
case Is only too we'll known TO the
Oregonian writer. Portland business
men fully realize the situation, and are
only too anxious, when the time comes.
TO plant their surplus money at the
growing port at the mouth Of the river.
II is impossible to kick against the
prtcks. Oregon for Oregon; Portland
for what she Is and always viii be. the
financial center OF the state. Let AS
toria be what she Is designed to be,
the shipping port OF the Northwest.
When seen yesterday Captain Cork
hill said that he had read the article
In the Oregonlan, but had nothing Ia
say further than to reiterate his for
mer statements, IL did not know that
| was striking the people of Portland
In 50 vital part. But they must
know, as others do. that what said
and others endorse, Is but the truth
want TO deny one thing, most EN-.
phatically. So far as | am concerned
personally, and so far as any lnforma.
tion | have from my owners goes. We
have not offered at amy time 10 g
to Portland and take on a cargo al
20 shillings per ton or less. On the
contrary have made arrangements tC
remain In this port an Indefinite length
of time awaiting better charter rates
| came here under old conditions. in
surance rates being high, and antlcl
pating the necessity of paying expen
sive towage rates to and from Portland
Had you your seawall built here anC
your railrOad In operation. with Lint
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