The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-02
THEY ARE ASKING
ABOUT ASTORIA
What Are It's Banking, Manufacturing
and Generul Conditions.
EASTERN MONEY INTERESTED
The city Of the Setting Sun Has Much
to Offer Investors and Manufac-
turers ~ the Present

A rcauea, received yesterday from
the Business Budget. Of 81 Louis, Mo.
for statement of items Of intcres, per-
tanning 10 banking. manufacturing. and
general business and also how money
can be prontably invested In Astoria,
can best be answered by n short review
VI what Astoria u today and will be
IN the near future.
Inirunc' Il on an impregDable ground
near the mouth OF the Columbia. sur
rounded by hills on three sides and
facing the mighty Columbia on the
north. and but ten miles from the Pa
oinc ocean, possessing a harbor second
to none on this coast. with channel
from the ocean capable OF accommo-
dating the largest war vessels. Astoria
crst while a small fishing village, ls now
developing into great commercial CEN
tor. Within the paai eighteen months.
for the first time IN hs hundred years
existence, successful arrangements have
been made for the building Of II
railroad connecting at Portland and
kalAma with the great transcontinental
systems. Soon the wheat u the tire
mondous Columbia river water she'd
as well as the Willamette valley. Will
be loaded at this port for shipment to
all parts OF the globe. Already the
silks teas. and art prUducts OF the
Orient. arc being received here for
tranAshipment through the United
states.
Mr.. A. Il. Hammond. who Is building
the raliruad. win be here again In II
few days. and while his men are push
ing construction of the road as rapidly
as pnsssibie, his plans contemplate the
erection In the near future Of large rail.
road shops. export sawmills and -four
mills. Strangers may not know that
within radius OF ffty miles OF this
city is 20 be- found the most magnificent
timber on the Pacific coast. which will
furnish for years 10 come an unlimited
supply OF clear lumber and spars for
foreign shipment. AZ tide water there
In no better place % be- found on the
coast at which 10 Manufacture -four
for Japan. China and India. While
the trade with South Africa and Aus
tralia is but In It's Infancy Added TO
this viii be an immense drydock, for
the repair Of the merchant marine Of
the world. and this factor alone viii
have no small influence In doubling
the already large list Of ships arriving
az this port yearly, The season OF 1896
'97 in shipping circles has been pros
porous one In the Columbia, more than
one hundred and ATTY deep sea ves-
sells having arrived and departed at
this port. With the improved condi.
tIons which will be established In the
near future. II is safe TO say that ship.
ping here will be more than doubled.
The question as to how imoney can
be prodtably invested in this locality
would almost answer itself from the
facts given above. Real estate Is CON-
paratively cheap in price, and business
opportunities are unlimited. II will not
be but a few months before spring and
fair weather VIII open, and railroad
construction still more vigorously
prosecuted. The railroad is the key
10 the situation. and II Is safe to pre-
dict that by the first OF May many sur.
prising changes will have taken place
The situation win bear the closest scru-
tiny on the part Of the most conserva.
tive capitalists and investors.