The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-27
ORIENTAL TRADE
IS INCREASING
Steamers Loaded In Both Directions
and Cargoes Even Refused Space.
AsToRIA's PART IN THE GAME
General Freight Agent Hiil Thinks shc
Has Good Show for a Large
Business.

Of the Great Northern Railway Com
pany. with headquarters nj ST. Paul.
spent yesterday In Astoria with MT
WIN. Harder general agent Of the com
pany nj Portland,
Mr. Hiil II young man II prepoH-
Ses,slng appearance. and with clear
head upon his shoulders. He has won
his way upwards from the ranks, and
II now NJ the head Of the freight de-
partmcnt Of one ~ ths largest and
mos, successful railway companies west
Of the trunk lines The Great Northern
In modern railway. built upon mod
ern principles. and perhaps has less
curves and grades than any Of the
other tTansontinentai lines, II eE-
tends from Duluth, on Lake Superior.
and ST. Paul. Minnesota, westward via
Spoaknc. across the Cascade range 20
Seattle with various branch lines In
the state of Washington. Because Of
It's Easy grades and straight line. II
can haul trsiiic nj less expense than
can some Of the older transooninentai
roads. Il Is the only transcontinental
line which has not recently been In the
hands of receivers. exe-p, the Sunset
Route When seen last evening by an
Astorian representative. Mr.. Hin said
that he was west simply on a pleasure
trip. and that he found Il summer
weather here compared with the Fast.
This h my arsi yLsit 70 the Pacihc
coast. and this Is the hrs, day Of sun
shine have had since leaving ST Paul.
am taking advantage of this outing
TO famliiarize myself with the extreme
western territory which our line serves.
We have visited Victoria and VRBcou-
Yer. u. c.. Seattle. Tacoma and Port
land, and viii return via the o. Il. and
n and Spokane. To say that am sur
prisrd at the size and apparent pros
pcr'ity OF your city. and the magnificent
harbor In front Of Il. does not express
my feelings. Many Eastern people have
AN idea that Astoria IL but a small
fishing village. while In reality you
have city q po mean proportions.
and most handsomely located can.
not see how anything can now stop the
rapid and prosperous growth OF Asto-
ria. With railroad connections open to
all the transcontlnental lines. and with
manufacturing enterprises 20 produce
tonnage for shipment both by land and
sea, there IL no limit to the possibnl-
ties OF Astoria.
'As regards traffic with the orient.
which was some time since predicted
To be on the lncreNse ] would say that
contracts are now being made for the
shipment Of 5000 tons OF -four from
Minneapolis TO the Orient via Seattle
Events are turning the tide OF traffic
more rapidly than was anticipated. Mr.
Harder tells me that the steamer Chit
tRgong. on her last voyage to this port.
when she arrived In Portland upon
Monday OF this week. was Obliged to
leave behind a large amount OF freight
offered her. The steamers westbound
from Seattle are unable TO accommo-
date the business presented, and un-
dorstand the same thing is true of the
steamers leaving the Columbia. IL is
unprecedented. however. that the east
bound steamers from Yokohama and
Hongkong must leave freight behind.
l am told, also, that the big Touring
mills in Portland, now having a large
stock OF wheat on hand. will probably
be idle four or Ave months this year
awaiting the new crop. believe the
time is coming when the wheat from
Minnesota and Dakota will, to a great
extent, go west instead OF east The
railroads are now transporting con-
stantly Increasing cargoes OF machin-
cry and other American products TO
Japan and China, Steel rails are be-
ing shipped across the continent and
the Pacific to the Orient. It Is diff
cult to predict what tremendous revolu-
tions may be made in Oriental trafflc
when the great Russian railroad Is I'm
ished to Vladivostock. The Columbia
River port at Astoria should come IN
for large share OF this traffic as her
natural position and advantages are
equal to the best"
During the day Messrs. Hill and
Harder were the guests Of Mr.. A. r.
Hammond. who, in company with sew
eral Astorians. took the visitors across
the bay TO Flavel and showed them
the lower harbor and railway terminal
facilities The gentlemen left on the
evening boat for Portland, having spent
the afternoon visiting the Astoria Iron
Works Pacific. Sheet Metal Works, and
the various canneGies.
lNI L. 4 N AInIc rrIII. ..Ar..,..