The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-10-19
MORE COMMON POINT "rwAppf.T'
FOR THE oREooNiAn

NEW YORK, Dec, -, i@,.-slducy
pen, Astoria, oregon Dear SIR, Your
letter OF the li,h a received and your
Inquiries are an noted carefully, You
ask Il the vanderbnts or the Northern
Pacific or tho Great Northern or the
southern Pacific Company, any or all OF
,hcm have made arrangements with the
Astoria 4 Columbia River Railroad
Company,
Now, am entirely frank In saying
tina, cannO, answer YOU with respect
to the three interests nrst named, sim.
ply because do no, know anything
about e. As for the southern Pacific. |
can say that they have not made any
ARRANGEMENTS such as you mention. al.
though | would not have any objection
TO making fair one with the A. s c, Il
r.: and l think the other three great
overland roads would be willing to do
tho same thing, as II would be advanta.
gcous to their Interests to DO so. for the
reason that Astoria mus, be made com.
mon point with Portland.
The best possible thing for Port.
land will not have been done, In my opln.
lon, unless Astoria is made common
point Unless tho deep sea commerce
OF that vast territory east Of tho cas.
eade moun,ains-as far to the cas-, as
It's produce goes out to the Pacine-eAn
Be transferred at the mouth Of the Col.
umeiA river tr0m rail- to ship and vice
versa, tina, transfer win Dc made In the
future at Puget sound and not from any
point on the Columbia river or its con.
nee,Ions, This seems to me to be a fore.
cast which can be relied upon. for Il is
tho logic OF the present commercial sit.
ua,ion in the great Northwest
ION the contrary. n good advantages
for the transfer OF earSo can be offered
at Astoria, that country east OF the cas-.
cades must naturally seek It's outlet
,here. as Il has the gravity line from
Eastern Washington and Oregon. and tho
commerce from that larSe section OF
country Is bound to follow It. provided
A transfer can be made at Astoria a,
minimum rates from the rails diree,
to the deep draft. sea.goIng ships. and
from these ships direct to the rails. over
which It can be sent inland withou,
changing bulk This Is also good losIe.
and I dc not doub, that you and your
friends understand It quite as well az
l do.
Il think that the people OF Astoria
need have no fears but that this dealra.
bic contamination will be brought about.
for, until some means can De devised by
which the advantages OF gravity power
can be overcome the gravity line from
any particular section OF country will
In the end prevail over all other lines
entering the same region. or course.
the iaterest Of the Southern Pacific stops
now at Portland. but believe tha, inter.
est will not only not be harmed by the
carrying out OF this common point prop
ositIon. but be very much enhanced In
value thereby. and | am equally con.
WINGED that no city will reap as much
benefit from 1t as will the city OF Port.
land herself. as she must always be the
great financial center Of the FAR north
west.
Il have felt a deep Interest in this
question. as do in all questions relating
to transportation and affecting the ma.
terial progress Of community. and
when Mr.. Hammond asked my good Of
fees In the purchasing Of some Of his
more important supplies. took pleasure
in ObllgIng him. and think that
through my relations with the best man
interests Of the east / have
been successful In saving to the Astoria
road a substantial amount OF money. 1
am a pretty busy man. but n can do
anything at any time 10 benefit the in
terests Of the lower Columbia river
shall be very glad to do it--not only be-
cause you and the people OF Astoria ask
Il. but because regard our interests
Is lying distinctly In that direction. I
I'm. YOURS very truly.
c. p. HUNTINGTON.
40 No NUN