The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-12-02
HELP YOURSELF.

roads at the cheap port of Astoria
right on the seacost, and from thre
to seven days closer sail to the market
of Europe and the Orient, would brln!
go to IS cents bushel. With tn
great free port of Astoria establishes
as common point, the quantity %
wheat deliverd here in the course OF
few years, perhaps one year. woul'
make Astoria the greatest wheat mar
ket on the Pacific coast. The publica
tion abroad of the fact, long looked TO
by foreign ship-owners and masters
that wheat can be obtained at th'
mouth of the Columbia river, wher'
vessels may be unloaded unvexed b!
towage and port charges; where M
delays need occur; where the matches
may be battened down and the shiI
reach the open sea to take advantage
of the most favorable weather within
!, one hour after loading is completed
would bring such feet to the ColuIn-
bia every year that natural competi
tion would reduce. charter rates to
perhaps as low figure as on the At
lantic coast; from all the principal
ports of which wheat is carried to
Liverpool for $l.65 ton.
Then why do not the wheat produc-
ers of the interior force the railroads
to give them the option of shipping
their wheat to Astoria at the same
rate charged to the more distant and
expensive ports on Puget Sound?
Why do not the newspapers of the
interior take up this question and
show the facts as to the discrimination
of the transportation companies, and
the reasons for it, to their farmer
readers?-Daily Astorian.
Since theiAstorian has been so free
to ask questions of the up country
press, we desire to ask some questions
of it. Suppose the producers of the
interior were to force the railroads to
give the same rate on their wheat to
Astoria as given to the Sound or even
to Portland, what would they do with
it after they go it there? Would they
pile 1t on the beach to be exposed to
the elements until some ship came
along to carry it away? What facili-
ties has Astoria for storing wheat?
Is there warehouse, dock or elevator
there capable of taking in 100000
bushels of wheat? Are there any
facilities whatever for handling the
grain output of the Inland Empire
amounting to some 10000 to 20.-
600, 900 bushels? Does Astoria expect
the farmers of the interior to 60 there
with their wheat and furnish storage
facilities too? Does it expect up
country papers to advise farmers to
ship their products to port where
there are no facilities for handling
them?
It cannot be denied that Astoria has
the best harhor on the coast outside of
San Francisco, but it also has lot of
mossbacks that appear to want the
people of the interior to do for them
what they should do themselves.
Since-the Astorian has seen fit to tell
us what we should do, we consider it
would not be illadYised to tell the
Astorian what to Go, or at least to
ask it few more questions. First ofall
when you gave Mr.. Hammond your
railroad to Seaside and donated him
liberal portion of your -yater front.
why did you not stipulate as part of
the consideration that his railroad
should make connections with other
roads whereby Astoria would be made
q common point? Why, when you
were giving SO much away didn't you
get something in return? Why didn't
you display little business sense
when it was in your power to secure
And now that you have
neglected to help yourself when you
had an opportunity, why Cont you
advise your people to erect docks,
and elevators capable of
the wheat of the Inland
Empire if it were offered you? After |
this is accomplished why don't you
induce wheat buyers to make Astoria
their headquarters and send represta-
tives out over the interior to purchase |
grain direct from the farmers and pay |
3 few cents more bushel for wheat in
Astoria than can be paid by Portland
and Sound buyers? Why don't you
demonstrate that there is truth in
what you state about Astoria being
the highest wheat market on the
North Pacific coast? In short, why
1on't you quit grumbling at others
and do something for yourself?
Astoria will have an opportunity to
handle the wheat of the Inland Empire
,ext year, without consulting rail-
'oads or securing common point"
ates from them. The Columbia river
will be open to navigation. that is a
portage road will be constructed
round the only obstruction between
'riest Rapids on the Columbia and
lewiston on the Snake river to the
"a. More than half the wheat raised
q the Inland Empire is within reach
( those rivers and will find its way
D Astoria if better prices prevail
here than elsewhere and there are
scilities provided for handling it after
reaches that port. Astoria has an
to become the greatest
heat market in the Northwest, but
cannot accomplish this by grumb.
ng at its would be patrons. 1t can
clip its cause by encouraging the
uilding of more boats on the river,
i've them free dockage, and then
uild warehouses so that it can handle
ne grain. If Astoria will help itself,
will amount to something.
WHAT WE NEED.
People of The Dalles are displaying