The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-05-10
AN OPEN lErrrR.

To Mr. A. H. Hammond Prcsldrn, ol
the Astoria \ Columbia River RAN.
road Co. Astoria ore
Sir. am resident " vcrnonla and
"a farmer and civll engineer by proles.
sion Twenty years ago iraVcrscd the
survey " tho oregon Central Railroad
through It's magnificent land grant FROM
Corvallis TO Astoria. and have ever since
held the opinion that no new portion of
our coast possessed more valuable TO.
sources than arc found lying as yet uu.
oevcloped betwecn Astoria aud Forrs,
Grove, As YOU perhaps know. the lar.
gcst part ot that territory lines In the
largc basin or valley drained by tho
Nehalem river and i,s tributaries.
This basin is cut on from tho Coum.
bla river On the east, and FROM the ocean
ON the west by mountain ranges only
traversed by steep and rough wagon
roads, Through the coast range on the
west tho Nehalcm river passes through
a zap Of considerable width, and cmptics
into the ocean about % miles south OF
Astoria. and 10 miles north or rulamook
bay
Among the productions OF this rvgiou
first available Tor commerce Is ps for.
.vsts OF timber aud beds OF coal The
extent and value OF the timbcring Indus
try which will soon be established there
viii only be limited by the transporta.
uon facilities created to carry II to dis.
tlnt markets
Tho numerous branches og the river
make an aggrrgate ~ pcrhaps 30 miles
OF waterway down which timber and
logs can oe Heated 10 the mills near the
coast Such mills, competent men say,
would enable them TO obtain an abuu-
dant supply OF logs FOR LESS THAN
ONE HALF THE COST OF LOGS ON
THE COLUMBIA RIVER. From ,hcsc
mills 10 docks aud lumber yards at Til.
iamcok bay and at Astoria the sawed
lumber can De- moved with but very 20.
tie handling until sen, by rau and by
ships TO The markets ot the world.
As showed In an ar,lclc not long
since published In the Astorlan. there
Is no pass ou; OF the Nshalym basin *.
capt down The river towards tho ocean;
and by promp, eror, thc largest part II
not every ton of the products OF this
!, gion, and ot l,s future trade. can b,
drawn 60 the docks aul sioragt yards OF
Astoria.
A. the western edge % this valley and
ten miles south OF the mouth OF the
river, is situate Tillam0ok harbos. In
which large ships enter In safety az
1ll times, and the work Is progressing
10 carry ,ho deep channel farther In.
land az government expense. \ track
or twelve miles of ught grading from
near the mouth of the Nehalem river TO
rillamook will GIVE NEHALEM MILL
MEN A ROAD OF THEIR OWN TO
THEIR SHIPS AT THAT SEAPORT.
The live men of Tillamook are wide
awake TO this opportunity. and they stand
/ good chance to capture from the very
,ites ot Astoria resources which will
urely crowd their beautiful T1llamook /
'ay at some future day with shipping /
rom every quarter OF the globe
From my correspondence conclude !
hat Investors prefer ayaiiing themselves
Il a direct outlet 10 Astoria for many |
.hyIous reasons and am persuaded /
hat II j, is assured that your road a, .
astoria or Clatsop Beach will be soon .
xtendyi as tar as 90 the Nehalrm river .
, viii stimulate Mmbcrmrn TO Immediate
p-rItIons which they are now postpoa.
1g. And for the same reason tho ,i,l-
ens Of that country would naturally
raw all their supplies from the same
enter OF trade at which their produc-
ions are marketed and distributed
Certainly your railroad and the city
L the mouth Of the Columbia IS pre-
fitted to mi IN. bin and
cap this rich harvest II you will only
axe advantage OF the opportunity.
Very respectfully
JOHN CAMPBELL.
'ernonla, Columbia County, Ore, April
- lsq9