The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-01-12
Astoria ssd Portland VIII Work To-
sethsr 90 Wheat Trade.
A COMMON POINT QUESTION
Hsrtiand Will Not Suffer Fron the
chssge. bat Will Gros With Astoria.
the Great Deep Sea fort.

II wGs a source Of pleasure to all As
torians Yesterday who saw the Portland
Tribune's interview with A. B. Ham
mond on the subject Of Mr.. Hunting
toms letter recently published. that Mr..
Hammond 50 distinctly states his posi-
tion on the common point question, and
that be has made efforts with other roads
to bring them into line.
It is evident that crisis in the affairs
OF this city and port is approaching. and
it is believed that remarkable impetus
to business will soon be given that will
lead 50 : rapid growth in all lines OF
business and doubling Of the popula-
ton in short space OF time. For the
benefit OF the readers OF the Astorisn
the article referred TO is here repro
duced:
A. b. Hammond builder Of the Astoria and
Columbia River Railroad, is very well pleased
with the letter OF President Huntington, OF
the Southern Pacific.
II cannot be said that he Is enthusiastic
over II, for be is not man Of enthusiasm
But that he is very well satisfied can easily be
gathered from his careful perusal OF the
letter.
A. viii be recollected, President Hunting
ton, ia writing concerning the commerce Of
the Columbia River and Puget sound, eX-
pre- .sed the opinion that unless the shipment
OF the grain OF the Inland Empire and the
Willamette Valley was made at Astoria, the
business would gradually go to the Sound
cities. He therefore considered the Astoria
and Columbia River road OF vast Importance
to Portland and the Northwest
Mr.. Hammond. being very reticent man.
was not disposed to discuss the matter, but he
was finally induced to doso.
Il an pleased said he, ITO see that Mr..
Huntington has come around TO this view OF
the Northwestern commerce. lie has not al
ways been OF this opinion. but see from this
letter that his opinions on the subject are now
positive. He realizes that Astoria should be
a common point when It shall have rail con-
nections with Portland and the East
IL have endeayored to convince other rail-
way officials OF this proposition. l did not
undertake the work of constructing this road
until had seen 1t myself.
"Now must not be understood as meaning
that the shipment OF grain nom Astoria in-
stead OF Albina is going to injure Portland
nor does Mr. Huntington mean that. Port
land will ever remain the banking, financial
| and social center OF the Northwest, but 10 re-
main such the grain feet need not come toitI
wharves.
''The logic OF the situation, as Mr.. Hunting
ton expresses it, may be better explained by
an example, Chicago is the center OF the
wheat business of the country. Chicago men
buy the wheat of the Middle West. and the
city is benefited thereby. The grain does not
reach Chicago, for most OF 1t is shipped nom
Duluth. Portland may hold the same relation
to the Northwest that Chicago does to the
Middle west The financial matters con-
nected with the shipment ofwheat will be
handled here, but the grain will be trans
ferred to the deep.sea vessels at Astoria. The
growth OF Astoria will not be at the expense
OF Portland. 1t seems to me that this is very
plain and should be readily understood"
Mr. Hammond returned last evening from
Missoula, where he has been on business and
pleasure for the past four weeks. Il. A. Eddy
who is interested in the Astoria road, and
Mrs. Eddy, accompanied him.