The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-03-20
\ New Port an the Pacific at Mouth
Of Mighty Columbia,
ASTORIA AND nER JErrY
khstc Ruil and Sail Nee, The Sllnou Ia.
duS,n aud Oth,r rrOduetS The Co.
lumhla OninS 40 Empite
Chicago chronicle

Chicago chronicle,
II a monument is ever placed In the har.
hor NJ Astoria. or, Il should be- erected on
u pedestal ~ native granite aud sur
mounted with a hcruic figure In brouEc
or Captain Eads VI jrtty came Tho su 81.
cessrl completion of the Columbia river
jctty ana tho wonderful Improvement
which IL has made In the entrance chan
prl is another tribute tn the genius NJ
that great engineer, The theory ot the
lefty system Is based upou the fact that
the velocity or q given volume ot water
in passing through a channel In a certain
time will be proportional tu the area ot the
cross section % the channel The suall-
rr this cross section the higher the We
locity
The lower reaches ot the Columbia
open out tn a width OF several miles anj
the silt which Is brought down the river
is deposited by tho sluggish current at
It's broad mouth. forming sandbars witch
In former years were a serious hiudrapcc
TO navigation Within the past year the
jctty has been completed and the bar ~
the mouth ot the river has disappeared
The increased velocity ~ the water nns
secured the channel that now has a
depth of 81 feet NJ water at extreme low
tide, and vessels of an draught come and
90 without concern, THIS ictty enjoys
the distinction ~ being the longest ever
constructrd-tvc miles from the shore out
into the sea. tt Is also one of the very
few public works whose ultimate total
cost. 10000. falls short ~ tho original
estimates.
The Columbia Is by Tar the largest
river west ot the Rockies. hcinE constd.
cred over 100 miles In length and for 60
miles from lis mouth u1vlgablr tor tho
largest ocean vessels Al It's mouth. too
Is a splendid harhor. capable ot shcltvriug
In safety the largest vessels anoIt II
is the only safe hArhor between san Fran
cisco 6uo miles south and the Straits
ol Juan d. Fuca. 90 miles To- the north
However. prior 90 iNN5 the harbor was
Of little use because of the shifting SANDS
The United States government rrcogniEcd
the value II this harbor 10 our comm,rr,
and ordered the work done ana paid FOR
Il out of the national treasury.
One or the hrst results ~ this grand
enterprise IS the upbuidlng of the some.
what ancient village ~ Astoria into a sea-
port OF p:,sant importance and wonderful
possibilities This new aspirant OF metro-
politon honors Is located nt the mouth
of the majestic Columbia and ten miles
from its entrance the nearest possible
point where rail and deep water can
meet. with fresh water hnrbnr " SUI
iicient depth and capacity tor the mcr-
chant marine ~ the world 10 lind an
chorage and perfect safety. That marine
paraslte-the which destroys hulls
and wharyes. cannot exist In this fresh
water This enormous item is saved
The Columbia drains AN empire
country capable of supporting 5000
people. oregon. only small portion 90
this fertile land last year produced ST.
sS Hj pounds of butter and cheese. rrp-
resenting the enormous value Of S2p1 ~.
In the same time oregon produced 1876
5S bushels of barley and rye. GCN01l
bushels ot oats. worth 2lg7 O3tN. hay.
i.lii4g3 tons. worth tlllH31O. The wheat
yield ~ 1897 of this state amounted 20
2o3ls761 bushels valued M sij1W ijo 80
The horses and cattle Of that state IN tho
same year were valued at 81 9d .j6S rhc
lumber cut gives the enormous total ~
d9 sZ].l1g feet. with a value NJ H.T5S 50. a.
In the same year the gold mines NJ ore
gon produced upward of 100000 NJ the
precious metal.
During the past thirty years the salmon
industry OF the Columbia river has
brought In n gross revenue Of more than
100000 It will average at the present
time close 10 10000 year For the
most part this industry ls ccntcrcd n As
toria. That means that this river Of rly
ers gives up 10000 pounds of salmon
per wear. The value of the property
owned by the cannerles. some twenty-four
In number. II 1856 90: 1855 boats are In
service and 5lS persons employed In gath
erlng and preserving the wealth thus cx-
tractcd from the waters
Astoria. the city at the mouth ~ the
Columbia river made famous hy tho
early settlement of the hardy pioneers Of
John Jacob Astor, has much that at
tracts attention aside from its early ro-
mancos n has a pictnrcsqu, situation
m the south bank of the mighty river
which cmpties into the Pacific a few
miles distant Astoria frequently has
been christcnod the Venice of America by
reason Of lts outer streets having been
built on piles This fact however IN no.
wise dctracts from its beauty or import
ancc. This city has taken on a new as
pcct since the completion of the Ietty and
the railroads that find terminal there
n Is the favored spot whore rail and sail
meet In the coming years n must as %
matter Of fact reach the proportions of n
vast city This is the inevitable sequel
NJ It's location. II holds tho key Of III"
situation and the commerce ~ the world
viii learn and recognize the fact From
anywhere east or north It Is down-grado
10 this port. and gravity is q wonderful
factor and win bring to this port cargocs
Of freight that an upgrade could never
hope 10 secure. The ships viii load and
sail away bearing tho news Of tho new
horbor and lts beauty, peace and plenty
TO all parts Of the world
The writer found the people of Astoria
wldcawakc 10 the new Importance ~
their city Not alone cntorprslnR but
exceptional in social matters kind and
conslderatc Of strangers and with an
open hand and heart Tor an that tarry
IN their town. that looks from lts emil
nence oyer the mighty waters Of the
Pacific. GEORGE u. MORAN.
TREsTLE, TURNTABLE FOUNDA-