The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-03-04
THE TRUTH ABOUT YAoUINA.

; Corvallis Union Gazette.
/ In the Associated Press dispatches
published in the oregonian of the 18th
is found the following news and COM
ment thereon:
The construction Of an immense
drydock at League island, which is
near the city OF Philadelphia. ought to
give the people Of Portland a great
deal of encouragement. There are q
number OF experts who say that when
the drydock is built 1t will be neces-
sary to dredge a channel at least 40
feet deep down the Delaware river to
the ocean in order that the naval yes
sells to be accommodated by the dock
can reach it. II this is necessary for
Philadelphia, there is no reason why
I the same sort Of work should not be
done on the Columbia to Portland. es-
pecially as navigation extends far
above Portland, both on the Columbia
and the Willamette, while Philadel-
phia is the head of navigation on the
Delaware. The probabilities are that
this deep-water channel in the Della
ware will be provided for in the next
river and harbor bill, and Oregon will
come in for her share for the deep
water channel on the Columbia"
This paper and the people of the
Willamette valley are proud Of Port
land the metropolis of the state, and
she should have all improvements
which can be had through congress to
dredge the river, improve the mouth
Of the Columbia and the harbor. If
the Improvements Of the Delaware
leading to Philadelphia is suggestive
Of anything to Portland, why may 1t
not also be a precedent by which the |
improvement of other harb0rs may be /
extended in like manner? Why should /.
not this be considered as a precedent /.
by which it shall be insisted that the |
improvement at Yaquina bay. Oregon,
shall be extended? 1t was insisted by /
the engineers who reported adversely 1
to continuing further Improvement on 4
Yaquina bay harbor, that the traffic .
through that channel had so decreased |
that there is no longer necessity or de- |
mand to further improve Yaquina har- /
bor." This is simply and only part OF |
the truth, and is one of the instances I
where part truth is equal to a whole |
falsehood." There is no paper in this
state. except this one, which has ever |
told the whole truth in relation to this |
matter. Instead OF giving the truth !
to the public it has been suppressed.
The fact is that the Oregon Pacific |
railroad and the ocean steamship line
running in connection herewith, up
to about 1893, worhed up very large |
trade going out and in the Yaquina
bay harbor Freight and passengers
came through that port going to and
from Portland and to all other parts
OF Oregon. Freight was shipped
through the Yaqulna harbOr to Port
land and points as far south as Ker-
byville. Ashland, Jacksonville and 9th
er points. SO much was this line Of
traffic patronized that loaded freight
cars from one-half to a mile in length
remained on the railroad track from
two to three months at time before
the capacity Of the steamship line
would permit them to carry the large
quantities Of freight away and clear
the track Of loaded cars and ware
houses Of delayed freight.
About the year 1893 the management
of these enterprises became so deeply
involved that the court appointed
receiver to conduct the affairs Of the
company and yet under these en-
barassing conditions the large vol
ume Of traffic continued, until some
time after the present management
bid in the road at sheriffs sale. I'm