The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-02
ASTORIA As a COMMON POINT.


There seems to be some misapprehen
sica On the part OF Astoria business mer
h regard TO AstOria's relation to tran.
sentimental railroads, and the position II
win occupy and the freight rates /, will
obtain upoa the completion OF the railroad
The latest issue of the Transeontinenta
West Bound Freight TariH shows AS.
tOria IS common point with Portland
Tacoma, Seattle. etc. taking the special
pasihc coast terminal rates. On East
bound business 70 Missouri river and
points east thereof. Astoria likewise
takes the same rates as Portland on mos,
commodities. The question Of supreme
Importance 10 Astoria is. whether. upon
The completion OF the railroad 10 this
port Astoria win take the same rates
on wheat from the PaIouse. wana wana,
wasco. and the Willamette valley. as does
Portland. There is every reason to be-
neye that the railroad company has al
ready settled this question in the a,ar-
native The very fact that the road is
being built in as substantial a manner
as any line in the United States. and with
the physical ability Of hauling afty loaded
freight cars in either direction. with an
ordinary locomotive. at speed of fifty
miles a. hour, goes to show that the line
mas been planned for the heaviest traffic,
and is expected to carry the whea, OF
Oregon and Washington TO tidewater.
where ships can take it at the lowest
possible cost for transportation Il is
argued that should the road give Astoria
the same rate on wheat that PortlaLd
has, it would bring on night with the
Northern Pacific. which naturally desires
10 control the business for Puget Sound.
This argument is fallacious for two rea-
scns: Three years ago The Northera
Pacific handled about IS per cent Of the
wheat from Washington and Easterl Or
egon Tacoma ard s.attIe. Today the
o. r. & n. is getting s. per cent of the
business from the same territory. The
Northern has fought just as hard for
the trade as ever. but with its noun
tainous line ard steep grade. has been
unable to compete with the practically
water level line. especially since the lat
ter has improved its roadbed. Should
the shipping be done at Astoria instead
OF Portland. there could be no possible
reason. from traffic standpoint. for any
greater animosity on the part OF the
Northern Pacific, than has existed in
years past. 1t has always fought against
the Columbia river. 1t makes little diff
ferece whether the port is Portland, AS
toria. or Skomokawa, the principle is
the same. II the rumors are correct,
thar Huntington is about to secure
control Of the o. R. & n, Astorlaas
may rest assured that whatever happens,
the wheat Of the interior will be put
aboard ships at this port 1t Is reasonably
certain that Mr.. a L. Mohler, the new
general manager Of the 0. R. & N. who
took the reins Of power yesterday, and
who is traffic man OF experience and
wisdom. VIII not be long IN realizing that
by loading the wheat upon vessels at
Astoria the cost of transportation will
be 50 largely reduced to ships that char
iers on the Columbia river viii be great
ly cheapened, rates at the same time
slightly increased to vessels, and the
livision Of rates with the A. & C. R. R.
would be more than balanced by the in
,rease in tonnage.