The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-02-18
CO.UMBIA'S SEAPORT
MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER
THE BEST HARBOR.
Natural Terminus at the Pacific Sea-
board for All TrnnscOn tin entail
r. II. Lines of the NOrthwest.


one Of the best harbors on the coast; will
1900 miles of navigable streams at he
back; with her timber preserves, agri
cultural lands. coal fields, silver and gol,
mines. which line the banks of III,
streams; with the manufacturing indus
tries already located and many other
soon to follow the completion of III
Astoria and Columbia River railroad, nov
under construction; with the thousand
of ships from all nations of the worlt
coming and going, what else can be ex
pected but that Astoria will make one o.
the largest cities OF the Pacific coast
Astoria is the only deep fresh water sea
port on the Pacific coast. 1t is situated
on a peninsula embraced by the Colum.
bia river Young's river, Youngs bay anc
the John Day river, and Is about sever
miles from the ocean, from which is 6
broad and safe entrance to the lane
locked harbor, with over 80 feet in deptf
OF water at lowest tide. With a fair wind
ships of the largest tonnage sail into the
harbor and anchor In front of the city
Astoria has a water frontage of five ano
one-half miles, where deep sea vessels OF
1000 tons burden and upward can lie al
the various wharves, or anchor in the
stream. 1t has a total water frontage oil
more than Is miles that may be utilized
anording unexcelled facilities for com.
merce, manufacturing and ship building
1t contains a population of over 10000 en-.
terprising citizens, thoroughly alive to the
growing Importance of their city and an.
xious to let the world know how and why
Astoria Is going to become the greatest
manufacturing, shipping and commercial
center OF the northwest coast OF the Unit
ed States
Aatnria OF 40 Co.
other city on the Pacific coast in the
boundless possibilities of its future growth
and development. 1t has already an cleo.
URIC street car system, three fire depart.
ments holding the worlds record fol
speed; dozen large salmon canneries
packing 100000 cases per year and a can
factory with the largest capacity on the
coast. Its streets are lighted by both
electricity and gas. and among its manu-
Lactur1ns institutions are large iron
boundaries machine shops, planning mills
Dox factories and saw mills. 1t has three
banks, two Of them being national; three
daily papers, and four weekly papers. free
postal delivery, telegraph, telephone and
district messenger service. There is an
opera mousse with a seating capacity OF
IV, and fine graded schools which rank
with the best. There are 70 churches rem
resenting as many different denonina.
uons. The various secret, fraternal and
benevolent societies are well represented
ana an excellent public library and free
reading room afford means of recreation
The postof1ice and custom house il n snh'
stantial stone structure. built on the gen
eral plans Of the government.
inc assessed valuation of Astoria In the
year 1885 was A000,0O0, giving the city
per capita of wealth unequalled in the
United States. '"~
Astoria has just completed, at the cost
OF $5OO00O, one of the finest gravity svs
TENS OIL water works In the country. with
capacity of 100000 gallons of pure
mountain water per day
Many business houses. Residences ana
one oi the largest brewerles on the Pacific
coast, were established here last year.
and one OF the largest salmon canneries
ana cold storage plants in Astoria Is now
Deahg constructed. The new towns Of
Warrenton, Flavell and New Astoria. lust
across foungs bay n distance of one and
one-half miles west of Astoria. where tho
terminal grounds of the Astoria & Column
pa raiiroad are located, are also making
great strides toward becoming a great
commercial city. Here they have already
churches, school and business houses n
saw mill and two hotels. one Of than,
the Flavell. the first on the Pacific coast
Here Is a beautiful place to build n civ
on the Pacific coast. having several thou
sanu acres of level land, backed bv the
mus sioping or to the south and over
looking the city the lovely river and the
grand old Pacific, making as delightful
place FOR residence as the heart conId
wish Tor Here Is where the machine
SHOPS car shops, elevators, dry docks.
, ,our mihs wooden factories and all other
institutions to handle the products Of tba
lraf ,.0.l
iumbit river and its tributaries. will he
located. To give more full illustration
oI Astoria's great resources and why il
WIN De the great shipping point for the
northwest, we quote the following from
the pages of the Oregonian of December
l. 1886 published at Portland. Oregon.
Inc United States government has at
einios. the same time completed the Cas-
cade locks on the upper Columbia ,nd
the great jetty at the rivers mouth ,rha
advantages thus gained are immense md
.ne nearing completion OF the Columbia
tiver railroad to the ocean. emphasizes
the benefits resulting from these great
feats of engineering.
me Columbia river drains an extent CT
s'a eauai TO ten states like Pennsyl-
wanna, and easily capable of supnortinp
twenty millions of people. 1t NAV he stat,
ca without fear of successful oontradic-
tion tnat no part of the world comes ca
near furnishing the entire wants of civil
'zaton as does the territory embraced nv
me watershed OF the Columbia river. The
Is nearer perfect than any other
coast without the extremes of heat and
soiu round In other sections of the TTnitad
States. e oHi'eu
The Cascade range of mountains
Iehus north and south through This s,reat |
s sr'pa'e, WIN its snow-capped peaks. tow
1 oVer o'Vo ieet above the sea level. |
making never-failing reservoirs wbi,h
urnisn the water supply to the many
-. SANS that head among Its SUBMITS. |
ina WIND away from either side of ths
'ange to the fertile valleys below m, 81
engtn they all unite and flow IN ono
hsnty stream to the Pacific ocean. In
~. ne area reached by this great river and
Is tributaries Is found gold, silver. lead
Upper, iron, limestone. coal and othar
aiuable minerals. The western divisio,,
= tne racine northwest. lying between
ne cascade range and the coast. is dense
covered with wonderfully heavy tim
or. .se expression heavy timber con
80 ~. n..e loea to the uniformed
'ees straight as plumb line. 40 feet to
ne limbs, and from 4 to 10 feet in diam
ter, on millions of acres.
Inns is the finest timber in the world |
- SNIP bridge or housebullding: its fem
Guy ana durability being fully eoual IN ,
oah LOT snip or bridge purposes.
mere is the best agricultural land In tho ,
ora, being especially adapted to wheat.
IS the same kind OF soil that in Italv {
~ peen cultivated in wheat for thous-
ius Oh years, and Is now producing here {
iiiiohs OF bushels annually Z MANY of {
e sections are especially adapted TO I
uit culture, such as peaches pears 4
unes' apples. etc; other districts are | r
itapie Tor grapes. All varieties of her Y
es, as well as vegetables, including The :
gar peet, can be grown to perfection
M i ,h N the Columbia river basin, II
ousands of acres of splendid rrazinr +
r nus adapted to both cattle and sheen, D
me United States is land which nro- r
ices Tor other countries. Its flour faeds "a
e millions OF other nations which can :,
= produce wheat This is shipped upon 81
eprsea vessels at the points nearest the Il