The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-08-14
WHAT DOES MELLEN INTENDi

In connection with President Mellen's
letter in Saturdays oregonian. reprint.
ed in Sundays Astorian. the message
Of the railroad magnate to the citizens
Of Tacoma deserves serious considera-
ton. He is quoted as follows:
THE wheat warehouses to be COM
pleted here within the next thirty days
are a class Of facilities long demanded
in this section. but which we have
been heretofore unable to furnish on
account of more pressing demands in
other directions. We have met the sit
uation in no small way, as I believe
every citizen Of Tacoma will admit.
and have provided facilities which
think are greater than any OF the same
character in any other city in this
country, II not in the world. They will
secure to this port a business heretofore
handled under many disadvantages,
and. while we shall not in any way
discriminate in rates between this and
other places Of export reached by our
line. we feel the facilities offered here
will prove so attractive that much bus
iness will seek an outlet here as a re-
suit. that has heretofore gone else
where.
The facilities offered here are bound
to greatly increase the Importance Of
Tacoma, and. as a result, we have been
approached by responsible parties look
ing to the establishment Of large -four
ing mills here. they being attracted by
the prospective advantages Of Taco
mas becoming the most promising
wheat market on the coast.
The investments Of the company in
the city Of Tacoma have been greater
during the year 1900 than have ever
been made in any one year by any
railroad in any city on the Pacific
coast and we have yet under consid-
Grafton the erection Of new coal bunk
ers involving further large expendi-
lures. our coal business at this point
having Increased to an unprecedented
extent and being far in excess Of our
present facilities.
IF there ever was a time when the
company could have seriously consider
ed division Of its export business
from this port. the expenditures Of
the past year have relegated such a
contingency far back into the past, and
it can no longer be among the debata-
BILE questions to bother either the man
agement Of the company. or anyone in
terested in the future Of Tacoma"
The idea which Traffic Manager B.
Campbell, Of the 0. R. & ". Co., has of
the situation is also Of special interest
to Astorlans. Mr.. Campbell says:
"The statement that the 0. r. & N.
CO. charges the Northern Pacific s15O
per ton for switching its grain from the
FNgN " AliN cast sue VI the TlNET dL
Portland Is incorrect. The o. r. & n.
co. has never collected such charge.
while, on the other hand, it has ham
died many cars Of wheat from the
Northern Pacific to warehouses at Al
bina for s. per car, which IS the same
ms the Northern Pacific charges the
o. r. & N. Co. for switching freight
at Spokane
"The o. R. & N. would prefer to ham
die the business across the river at
Portland at s. per car rather than haul
it down from Walla Walla at rate
allowed It by the Northern Pacific, and
win switch all that the Northern Pa
eifc has to offer at that rate.
"The o. r. & n. Co. has never in
terested itself in the question as to
what motive the Northern Pacific has
for cancelllng the Wallula rate. Since