The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-24

FTi ...a s@Sill is.s 81 $50 3 sSs q
Some days ago there was big freshs
in the Willamette river 1t came on s
suddenly and attained such proportions
thai the oregOnian felt impened to pub
lish emphatic warnings to merchants an,
others on the lower streets Of Poruan,
to remove their goods and seek places o
safety. Al the height OF this great fOot
the stevedores engaged in loading a bar,
called the Achnashie received orders tc
NIL that vessel to the unusual depth OF
9 feet and thus save the expense and
delay Of iightering large part OF her
cargo to Astoria. as is the custom and
had been originally intended. The work
Of slowing the cargo was accordingly
rushed. and by rare good chance the
Aehnashie got away before the flood be-
gan TO suhside. OF course the ship came
down the river on the torrents then fiow.
ing Do sea without serious mishap. Both
the oregonian and the Telegram immedi.
PteIy seized upon this accidental achieve.
ment 20 print long and glowing accounts
OF Portland's Importance as a seaport.
The oregonlan going to the trouble OF
having a cut made. exhibiting the enor-
nous (0vessel as she appeared on leaving
the Portland docksC?) on her long drift
down to the sea. To-day. 10 days after
the Achnashle was cut loose from the
river banks at Portland, the Eucador
medium-slzed British vessel. lies help
less in the main channel Of the William
ette. within sight Of Portland. drawing
a scant % feet of water. From passen-
gers and small craftsmen coming down
the river II is learned that the plight
of the Eucador is most serious one In
spite OF all the combined power Of the
o. r. G. n. towboats, she cannot be
moved out OF her bed in the mud. What
will be done with her is considered very
prcb!ematical. OF course there is no
appreciate tide at this great distance
from the sea and since no further freshet
can be reasonably expected in the Will
annette until the regular June rise. It Is
really difficult to see what the outcome
will be- This shows the folly of carrying
even the smaller deep sea vessels 50 far
up crooked and erratic river like the
Willamette 1t shows, too, the utter de-
celtfulness and unreliablty Of the alleged
marine items and comments Of the Port
land press. From the great parade made
over the departure Of the Achnashie, |
readers Of the Portland papers in the in
terror and eastern states would be led
to infer that Portland was a seaport |
readily accessible at least to vessels Of |
and moderate tonnage. /
Such is not the case. There was a time,
before the construction of magnificent
harbor by the government at the mouth |
OF the Columbia and the completion Of a
frst-class railroad connecting this har-
Dor with all the transcontinental roads,
when the needs OF the inland producers
for an outlet to the sea justified the
perlls and expense Of towing light draft
sailing ships to Portland. That time Is
now, happily, passed. oregon now has
a harbor at Astoria large enough and
deep enough to accommodate the navies
Of the world. This harbor is but a few
miles from the open ocean, and when the
pending rate question shall be salts
factorily adjusted. farmers in the interior
can ioad their grain on the railroads
and send It direct to the seaboard at ex-
lctlv the same cost now required to de-
liver 1t lio miles from tidewater. This
VII add at least $3.50 ton to the value