The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-07-16
PUSH ASTORIA
TO THE FRONT
So Say Her Leading Business
Men, Who Ought TO
Know.
UNITED ACTION NEEDED
The Columbia River the Most
Natural Gateway for Traffic
With the Orient.
COMMON POINT DEMANDED
With q aarbOG Unsurpassed and INTEL
iigsnt Hustle BY Bes Citizens Vic
tory VIII Be Easily Achieved.
COMMON POINT DEMANDED
l. A..o-la 70 have a tutaef

IL Astoria TO have a tuturei
Is she 70 aspire 20 the distinction o;
being rcsogaised as the leading seaport
Of the srsai northwest. which her mateh-
less location and resources justify. or Is
sl,e 10 yiad this honor to cities less en-
dowed by nature 90 hold ~
This Is a proposition which che As.
torlan has undertaken to solve condi-
,lons warrant the agitation A critical
period is at hand--cri,ieai In che sense
thas neS empires OF trade are opening.
that a ncy era OF mercantile prosperity
Is dawolng. 1, Is OF vAal importance
therefore. that active steps be taken
looking 20 a speedy rislns TO the emeT'
gency.
To-day the As,orian presents the views
Of number OF leading citizens on the
appended questions They were prepared
In typcwrRten shape and submitted TO
each person interviewed as follows;
m-wHAr, IN YOUR OPINION. HAS
THUS FAR RETARDED THE DEvEL-
orplENT OF ASTORIA AS AGAINST
HER NEIGHBoRTNG sEApoRTs, TIA.
COMA AND SEATTLE
tg-suCH BEING THE CASE. AND
CONSIDERING THAT THE WASHING
TON BUREAU OF STATISTICS NOW
ANNOUNCES THAT MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF NEW EXPORT TRADE
is TO RE At ONCE OPENED UP
WITH THE ORIENT WHAT IMMEDl'
ATE AND DECISIVE MEASURES
WOULD YoU SUGGEST THE CITY
TAKING TO CHANGE EXISTING
CONDITIONS AND SECURE FOR AS
ToRiA HER RrGHTFUL SHARE OF
FOREIGN TRAFFIC ?
These interviews will be followed in
due time by others,
JUDGE f. ]. TAYLoR-'Tn my opinion
there are two fac,ors which have oper'
ated to retari As,oria's advancement.
First. the shallow depth az the river en-
trance before the government completed
It's great jetty. This, quite naturally,
was extensively noised abroad to the
derrlment OF Columbia shipping at that
time Second, the vindictive opposition
OF Portland. and I might add Tacoma
and Seattle as we'll to any local effort
we might make to assert our claims, The
older residents will remember that years
ago Astoria began TO assume an air OF
Importance and that the larger class
OF vessels began seeking admission 10
our wharfage, Unfortunately the bar at
ehe rivers mouth was then more or less
an Impedlment. OF course the ie,ty now
makes this city a perfect haroor, and
vessels OF any draft can put in here but
the old time impression is still feh IN
shipplng circles, and II win take time
itself 20 remedy the case. The second
question Is difieult one. 10 answer II
ls wen known fact, however, that Sc
attic merchants have asserted that II
Portland will keep her uhumb on Astoria
hong enough they will take care OF
Portland. As Portland refuses 10 con-
template harmony, and Seattle Is rap'
Idly closing the gap In population as
against Portland. II would seem that Sc
attle is keeping her word, But one fact
IL certain. The location OF Astoria gives
tho assurance that In the general re-
organization plan now in process amone
the railroads throughout the country,
she win beyond peradventnre, assent her
Importance and assume leadership as the
seaport OF the entire northwest"
HERMAN .wTsE--"The absence OF Sc
attic spirit; lack Of enengy and unity
insufficient selfrellance; hope that
somebody else will do our work and b,
SO doing make us rich, In short my ex
perIence satisfied me that Just as soon al
man displays little energy and tn
possibility OF success In Astoria he en-
genders the jealousies of the elemen
known as the 'shiftless, I am told tina
n man In Seattle begins TO prosper n
Is encouraged-patted on the back, as
were, and given pull. This disposition
Is wanting here, There should be a