The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-01
RBcoGNITIoN OF A FACT.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.


The reports 10 the effect that the Union
Pacific, through the instrumentality OF
the Oregon Short Line. has acquired con-
troll OF the Oregon RAILROAD & Navigation
Company, appear 10 bring 20 a close one
Of the most important railroad contests
in Western history. II will always
be easier for the road which administers
the affairs Of the Oregon Railroad &
Navigation Company 10 reach northward
and compete for the trade Of Puget sound
than II win be for the roads terminating
at Puget sound TO reach 10 Portland and
obtain any share Of the rich traffic com
manded by the Columbia river line.
The acknowledgement editorial from
which this clipping was taken by the
oregonian should be read for the sake Of
the contrast by every Astorian. and a
prize might be offered by the principal
OF our public schools 70 the pupil who
can solve the puzzle Of putting the words
Of the P. l. together so as to construct
the extract purporting to have been
taken by she oregonian from that paper.
The editorial appears in the p / in the
form following:
MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA.
The reports 10 the effect that the Union
Pacific. through the instrumentality Of
the oregon Short Line, has acquired
control of the Oregon Railroad & Navi-
cation Company appear to bring to a
close one of the most important rail
road contests in western history BY
this movement the Union Pacific gets
practical command of the Columbia river
and THE HARBoR AT ITS MOUTH.
5ecures the cheapest line Of outlet for the
products Of Eastern Washington and Ore
gon. and place IT'S northern competitors.
the Great Northern and the Northern
access to the great country lying south
OF Idaho and Montana.
Should the Vanderbilt interests carry
out the plans which rumor attribute
TO them, the Oregon Railroad & Nav
cation by this new deal will complete
the first transcontinental railway sys-
TEN. II is already understood that yhe
Michigan Central which was absorbed
in January Of last year by the New York
Central, viii shortly disappear as
separate road and become an unden0m-
mated part Of the New York Central.
A similar result may be anticipated in
the case Of the Chicago & Alton road,
which the Vanderbilts are alleged 70 have
bought in order TO establish connections
with the Union Pacific by way OF Kansas
City The Union Pacific and the Short
Line already being in their hands, the
through line may be easily accomplished
Trans-Pacific commerce and its future
possibilities are. Of course, largely re-
sponslble for this combination effort
which now results favorab!y, to obtain |
the POINT OF VANTAGE on the coast. |
PORTLAND HARBOR is TIE LEAST /
VALUABLE Of the coast harbors, !
but the Columbia river is in some
sense the key to the commercial Sit |
uation. II will always be easier for |
the road which administers the affairs |
20 reach northward and compete for the |
trade OF Puget sound than it will be for |
the roads terminating at Puget sound |
10 reach to Portland and obtain any |
share OF the rich traffic commanded by
the Columbia river line.
1t is significant to the people OF the
Northwest that the big capitaHstic in
terests Of the East, which are identified
with the several roads, should have
thought It worth while to have con-
tended for the control OF the oregon
Railroad Navigation. and It is proba-
bly, better that one road should have ac-
quired the control than that a trlpartite
agreement should have continued. With
the Union Pacific actively identified with
the interests OF the Northwest, an era
Of greater enterprise will be inev-
liable