The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-10-05
PROPHECY VERIFIED,

The publication in Sundays oregOnian
of an interview with Portland railroad
man, commenting on the significance OF
the coming sale OF the Union Pacific rail-
way. is but a deserved recognition of
that reciprocity Of good feeling ani COM
munisy of interest which should exis,
between Astoria and Portland. and which
has been repeatedly urged by the Astor.
ian as the only solution of the Sound
competition problem. Some comment on
the street has been heard to the eifecs
that the supposed author Of the Oregon
ian article does NOT carry the weight
among those who know him Of a eompe-
tent authority on the question he dis
cusses. The teiegraphic head was reg
ular Associated Press dispatch received
by the oregonian. as well as the .Asiorian,
from Washington. D. c.. at a late hour
Saturday evening. and the oregOnian's
purportei interview could have been OBJ
iained by that paper only after the mes
sage arrived. The writer. therefore, must
be entitled to some distinction in Port
land railroad circles, or else he would
not have been soliciSed by the represen-
tative Of that paper for an expression
Of his views on the subject of the mes
sage. Be that as it may. however. or
whoever the author OF the interview. 1t
Is a plain statement Of facts which have
been repeatedly outlined in the Astorian
for eighteen months past. and which
are corroborated 10 the satisfaction OF
every student OF railroad affairs by the
Kaleidoscope changes in the railroad sit
uatiOn which have occurred within the
past two years.
The ]. Pierpont Morgan-vanderblt-J |
J. Hill combine is in control of the move
ment This combine already controls the
Great Northern. Northern Pacific and
the Western properties of the Wander
bits c. P. Huntington and the South
ern Pacific are also in the deal Hunt
ington has just cut loose from the Cen
tral Pacific. He has his Southern Pacific
line via New Orleans, and will have
the new connection from the east via
Portland. The government has consented
TO the reorganization Of the Union Paci-
fic, which win take place at the sale in
November. The Oregon Short Line and
The Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
panies. now segregated from the Union
Pacific, Of which they were formerly
parts, and now under separate manage
ment win be brought back into the family
under Union Pacific organization. The
Ogden Gateway. which was opened, will
doubtless stay open. and the o. r. & ~,
feeding the U. p, N P. and G. N, viii
remain an Independently managed line,
open alike to all Of the lines in the COM
oine, and will act as a common terminal
line for them.
The Astoria and Columbia River rail-
road, now nearing completion, will be-
the seaport terminal for all the transcon-
tinental roads in the deal Astoria is the
only port that can now meet the require
ments Of the American roads in their
competition with the Canadian Paciic
railroad in IT'S traffic with the Orient.
The whole proposition is reasonable, log
ical and in accordance with patent facts
There is no reason to doubt It, or the
source from which the cash is coming
to build the Astoria 100000 road with
out the issuance Of a single bond.
One OF the strongest and most con-
vineing arguments as to the truthfulness
of this statement OF the situation was
the sending TO Portland Of Mr.. A. L.
Mohler, longtime tried and trusted
lieutenant Of Hin. as president of the
o. r. & N. Co. His master hand as an
organizer and manager was felt within
thirty days after he took the reins of
power, and today, while handling the
largest business in the history Of the
company. he is relaying the track with
the heaviest Of rails, Strengthening out
curves and reducing grades. A water
level line will be in operation from
Pendleton to Astoria. The o. R. G. N. |
WIN be a vigorous factor in the develop |
nent Of Oregon, serving all interests
and railroads alike under a wise man
agement.
That these big schemes and plans are
ahort n l,a oo,,s,,,,,,.,,, -, t,..,...7f- =,