The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-19


The Astorian coneelves the question
Of Columbia river improvements 20 be ~
aght between private corporate inter.
esiA." This II Is not. Il Is rather a
aEht on behalf OF the producers of the en-
tire Columbia river basin, whose products
hy the Columbia reach the sea. Such Is
the Improvement OF every great water
way in the United States, whose Import
ance Is sufficient 60 command federal ap-
pruprlations. Railroads paralleling wdter-
WAYS are apt TO look with disfavor upon
removA OF DISTRACTIONS in the channels.
But their opposition proves ineffective,
and in the end they are benefited by the
Increased trade OF the tributary region.-
oregonian.
Then Why not join with US and aid the
producers OF the Columbia river basin to
obtain the benefits Of a magniaeen; har-
Dor wl.hln ten miles OF the ocean. where
the largest ships in the world can come
AT minimum cost compete for frsisai
charters. receive their cangoes ana depart
on their home voyages in less than one
quarter Of the time consumed in gong to
ami returning from Portland Does the
oregonian pretend to say this would not
enhance the price % Oregon wheat ana
heuent, no, alone the wheat producers OF
the Columbia river basin, but the whole
state OF oregon. Somebody Is paying 10
drug ships 10 miles to Portland and back
agaIu. Somebody is paying for the re-
,noral OF the millions o. cubic yards OF
sand and silt that annually aecumulaies
On the river bars between Astoria and
Portland. Who is it, Certainly the o.
r q n. company is not burning wood and
paying steamboat crews ou; OF mere ae-
eonmodauon TO the producer by bringing
ships as far inland TO him as possible.
Surely the property owners Of Portland
are no, paying the extra taxes required
to carry on the operations OF the Port OF
Portland commission out Of pure benevo-
lence to the wheat producer. VIII the
oreFcaan deny that all these expenses,
IN one way or another ultimately come
out Of the wheat produeer1 The fac; is,
every bushel OF wheat now shipped from
walla wana by way OF Portland foreign
pays three separate tolls for It's transpOr-
iatIou before 1t passes out Of the Colum-
bGa river. The first toll is paid TO the U.
R & y. for carrying the grain down a
gravity route TO Portland. The next toll
Is paid to the people Of Portland in re.
turn FOR the taxes spent in attempting 70
keep the river open. and the third toll is
paid to the o. r. & y. company for the
maintenance Of its water lines to the
ocean. Now. notice the difference: When
producer ships a ton Of wheat from
walla walla by the Northern Pacific.
over the mountains. s26 miles. to Seattle,
he pays the same toll the producer pays
who sends his wheat down the water
level line OF the o. r. & ". pa miles, 10
Purtland-but there the equality Of the
producers ends. The Northern Pacific ship
per's wheat is loaded on the foreign ship
pfthout further expense for inland trans
portaiion. except possibly the deep water
tnWage from Seattle TO the open road
stead; but how is it with the o. r. & n.
shipper? His wheat is still 10 miles from
deep water, and he must pay mis- toll
to Portland for the open river, and then
contribute another toll to the o. R. & y.
company to support its towage or water
lines to Astoria or San francisco. or
course these are facts well known TO the
Oregonian and other experts on transpor-
tation. They are facts, however, not so
well known It is believed, to the wheat
growers OF eastern Oregon. II Is these
people Astoria wants to get interested in
this common point proposition. The o.
r. & n company and Portland have
combined to obstruct Astoria's efforts to
odtain common point Of equality with
Seattle and san Francisco. II the North
srn Pacific can afford to carry wheat over
the mountains 32s miles to Seattle. the o.
r. & N. company can bring It down the
level of the Columbia le miles further to
Astoria and make money. Do the farmers
of Oregon want to get their wheat into
deep water ships on an equality with the
California and Washington farmer, or DO
they want to continue to pay tribute,
aside from It's fair cost Of carriage, to the
Port of Portland commission and the o.
R. a N. company?