The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-11-29

The gravity feature OF the railway
connection between the wheat fields and
those ports II the con-
"0nvlty" trolling factor as to the
Problem. exports Of the Pacific
Northwest There Is but
one water level pass through the
Cascade range from the wheat fields.
That Ia the gorge Of the Col
umbla en- route to Astoria Bay.
II gives tho raliroaos a water level or
''g1yity'' grade from the wheat fields
10 that port. Railroads from the same
points 10 Puget sound ports must climb
the Cascade mountains on n per cent
grade. In the matter OF extra expense
this loss OF a gravity" route is usually
doomed equivalent to an addition OF 90
miles In distance.
That estimate OF railroad engineers.
however. Is materially reduced by the
fact that those railroads
coal have an ample supply of
Supply. coal at each foot OF
the Cascade mountains.
Thereby the expense Of motive power In
crossing is worry much 1essened. sim.
that heavy grade Is a most serious
handicap TO Puget sound ports In the
rivalry with Astoria Bay for seaport
supremacy However. they easily over
come this handicap and that OF double
distance, too. from the sea. as against
Portland, by means OF the cheaper char
ters through HEAVY OCEAN TON
MAGE. Notwithstanding these handl-
caps. wheat at those ports IS worth 30
cents a ton more than at Portland, al
though the farmers OF the Inland EN-
plre get no benefit from the fact, BE-
CAUSE OF THE MANIPULATIoNS OF
THE'wHEAT POOL In allowing differ
entails" and BUYING AT THE STA
TIoNs for a price FIXED BY THE
WHEAT BUYERS,
Stiil the net result leaves signal ad-
vantage In cost OF transportation in ia
vor OF Astoria Bay over
Net Puget sound. II permits
Result OF very much longer
trains and reduced train
expense, OF hands as well as engines,
outside OF the mere question OF cost OF
fuel for the engines. II, without
any other favorlng feature, makes
Astoria Bay easily the chief sea-
port Of thu Columbia basin. IN respect to
the GREAT ULTIMATE FACT OF in
creased value OF OUR PRODUCTS IN
THE HANDS OF THE PRODUCERS.
1t Is natures own declaration that AS
toria Bay is the Invaluable. and unap-
proachable. friend OF the farmers OF this
great basin, as we'll as OF the property
owners and merchants OF Portland.
But cllnching feature of this sea-
port problem between the Bay and the
Sound Is the VITAL
InIand FACT that the wheat at
Navigation. Puget sound ports is
some 150 or 200 miles far
ther from inexpensive high seas trans |
than wheat at Astoria Bay. !
This fixes tho rating OF the Sound as a |
second class port, because II condemns |
II to higher charters To the great ex-
pense of inland navigation Is chiefly due |
the rate OF sis. Sd, for Sound charters /,
as against 26s. at San Francisco and
Astoria, which are directly on the coast
with first class harbors. This alone con-
demns Tacoma and Seattle to inferorlty |
as against Astoria In the struggle for |
seaport supremacy This settles the
question definitely and forever In
favor OF the latter port without
reference to the further important |
fact that the former ports are nearly 800
miles farther away from Liverpool, which
Is the controlling market for wheat
values. F
The unans> cradle logic OF this sltu-
uation suggests timely deduc- |
ton In favor Of Astoria Bay as against
Portland, for seaport |
a Timey supremacy, II Tacoma |
Deduction, and Seattle, with all !
these disadvantages, are |
superior to Portland as seaports, while |
Astoria Bay is so manifestly superior |
to those Puget sound ports, how vastly I
superior to Portland also must It be as
the seaport of our farmers productsl
Our people should look the facts squarely |
in the face, Let us not deceive ourselves.
But rather let us see whether these facts
are not really to our greatest advantage,