The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-02

oregon ana WnbhlnRtOn fOfTn VI
northwest corner of the territory Of IN
United States. Bouth ~ the line o
British Columbia, and are directly oI
the route 10 our cxtrcme Dorthwcs
possessions. Alaakn,
The wheat crop Of the state Of oregoi
and Washington for the year 1899 4
Is.OeO.0OO bushels
There was exported during the yea
endod June 30. 1899, from the Columblt
river direct to foreign ports, 10000
barrels Of -four and from Puget sount
points 100000 barrels.
II ls beyond question that American
railroads today furnish the brst service
In the world, al the lowest rates o
fare, nt the same time paying their en-
ployees very much higher wages thar
are paid for similar service in any
other country on the globe.
In the United States the first class
passenger fares last ycar averaged 2.ll
cents per mile, although on some larger
railways the average was several mills
lera than two cents per mile; in England
the FIRST class fare Is four cents per
mile: third class fare for vastly Inferior
service II two cents per mile. but only
on certain parliamentary trains.
In Prussia. the fare Is 299 cents per
milo: In Austria. 3.O5 cents per mile. and
In France. $3.50 cents per mile.
our passenger cars excel those OF
foreign countries In all that goes 10
make up the comfort and convenience
OF n Journey.
Our sleeping and parlor car system Is
vastly superior to theirs: our baggage
system is Infinitely better than theirs
and arranged upon much more liberal
basis. American railroads carry i5OI
pounds OF baggage free. while the Ger
man railroads carry only 55 pounds
free.
The lighting Of our trains ~ superb.
while the lighting Of trains on most
foreign lines is wreiched.
| may h. pardoned for citing two ex-
amples Of what ! mean by the unsur-
passed passenger train facilities OF
American railways. a single locomo-
tive recently hauled passenger train
of iG cars OF which were sleeping
and parlor cars. from New York 10 Al /
bany. distance of ii3 miles. In hours
and u minutes which Is a miles per
hour and IS the regular schedule time
of this train. The train weighed 1,SS2.
900 pounds, and was i.2l2 rect-or
narly quarter OF mile-long.
The Empire state express has for
years been making the run from New
York 10 Buffalo. 40 miles. In S hours
and II minutes, an average speed OF
biN miles an hour including four stops
two u ;heni for changing engines
ana IS slowdowns on account OF run
ming through Incorporated towns and
cities,
For one stretch Of % miles. another
of Il miles, another Of i6 miles, and an
other Of 60 niles, The regular schedule
tlme is GO miles an hour For one
stretch Of u miles II is 62.iO miles an
hour For another stretch OF nearly
- miles Il is 6LS6 niles an hour.
The weight Of this train is 6OS,OOO
pounds. ana Il has seating capacity Tor
!lS passengers.
These are some OF .he achievements OF
American railways In passenger service
hat have not been approached in any {
'ther country OF the globe, and in my
opinion II Is achievements OF this char
lct"r that have made It possible Tor no
United states to expand IT, commerce ,
With such astounding rapldity.
The fact that American passenger
'ervice attracts the attention Of people :
II every other country who visit our I
ihoes is demonstrated by the desire
u all foreigners TO ride on the Empire
state eXpress-the fastest long distance ,
rain In the world, and the further de- I
IRE to examine the magnificent ma ;
hines that haul our great trains.
The extent Of our commerce, both do :
nestle and foreign, may well astonish I
he representatives OF other lands who y
'lslt us for the first time, but the ex-
ent OF the territory Of the United
states made possible by the negotia- v
ions Of Admiral Dewey in May, 1898, n
supplemented by those OF the peace p
commission at Paris, win surprise our ,
wn people, as well as our cousins from
cross the waters .
We thought before the purchase Of r
llaska that Our territory was large, p
ut what vistas Of commercial enter .
rise present themselves TO us as we
ontemplate the fact that 1t is S1i4
liles from San Francisco to ST. Mich y
els, Alaska, where an empire In ex- a
ent awaits developm ant by American a
apital and energy-and that 1t is T. \
p miles from San Francisco to Manila .
n the Island Of Luzon, and that this is
My one of the hundreds Of rich islands
nat await similar development, not a
verlooking the Hawaiian islands which u
e H. our new ocean path. n
Saturday afternoon last a United b
tates cruiser left New York for Manila W
la the Suez canal, and the Sunday n,
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NORTH PACIFIC |