The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-11-20
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
A. A. schenk. a Prominent Engineer
Writes on Common Point From a
Practical Standpoint


American Society OF Clvil Engineers
to the oregonian are especially inter
esting from the fact that It come.
practically from new point of view
II is 10 be regretted that space forbid.
the publication OF the whole letter
which is foreible and convincing ex.
position Of facts as they exist Fol-
lowing is a portion OF the letter;
The contest is now on between the
inland seaport" and the "coas, seaport" "
II is a contest involving more millions
than many great trusts eomhined-per-
haps than ALL Millions and hundreds
VI millions may be wasted or usefully
expended. according as the question
may be decided rightly for an inland
or coast port POrtland's interes, has
already been to the extent u many
hundreds Of thousands, Such expen-
ditures past. and possibly future. JUS
tify hard, careful study OF this seaport
question
The advocates Of an INLAND seaport"
justify their belief on one 'immutable
law" that commerce win come from
the coast in 10 seek the producer. This
assumes that the producer Is "In."
When commerce has run far lin" 20
ind him. II may find him very much
out" The commerce that would now
run far in" 10 the producer or GUS
toner on the Atlantic side Of our land.
would violate the law Of seeking the
customer. by running past him. The
following table shows what rich tom
nage-producing areas lie near the coast
which ocean vessels penetrating to the
Great Lakes would Ignore:
Road. Through Local
Tonnage. Tonnage.
Pennsylvania K. Il. ..2.lsS,SO4 81. .SOs $50
New York Central ,e.O2SlsS iI.59S es4
So on the Pacific slope
Southern Pacific (Pa-
cific SYSTEM ..... 7SSsl4 4,gIs. 142
The producer and customer are ev-
erywhere, on the coast as well as far
inland. Penetrating inland merely into
a body Of land does not mean penetrat-
ing nearer to producer or customer.
The theory Of Portland and Of Major
Sears that ocean commerce must work
as far inland as possible toward the
producer or consumer would place COM
mercial supremacy at Vancouver. As
the Cascades are improved. this COM
mercial supremacy would move TO The
Dalles As the Columbia is improved
at and above The Dalles. the supre-
macy would move up toward Lewiston
or Spokane. As 1t moved up. It would
split INTO as many spllnters as broom
has straws The producer and con-
sumer are up the VII annette, the Snake
the North Fork. By the time II reach
ed its goal or goals. 1t would be a much
emaciated supremacy. The 'immutable
law is as radiant as an exploding
rocket, and about as enduring. Just at
present the producers and consumers
are few in number along the North Pa
cific coast for several obvious reasons.
The country has not been an easy one
to subdue 10 agricultural condition.
As land becomes scarce. this will be
overcome. The raw products OF this
coast region have not been readily mar
ketable or sought. Now its timber is
in demand in the Middle West and 10
the trans-Pacihc countries. Its cOai is
coming into demand. The coast pro-
ducers and consumers are bound TO
multiply in number and wealth. They
will intercept commerce more each year.
This may be in obedience to the "immu-
table law" 1t win probably be be-
cause they can lay first hands upon 1t
hands that will yearly grow increas-
ingly strong in their grip.
Commercial supremacy depends upon
Of transportation and its in
terchange. Il will center at points
where the greatest number of compet-
ing carriers Of the greatest diversity Of
classes can all get together. II cannot
be far inland. the great ocean carriers
cannot go there. 1t could not be well
100 miles out to sea. The small inland
water carriers and railroads could not
go there. There is only one real, rad
ical spot on earth where all classes OF
carriers can meet and exchange. This
is a deepwater coast port Here the
deep ocean ocean vessel. the light river
craft, the railway car, the coastlng
schooner, can all come together and
most cheaply and prohtably inter
change. The little craft Of the upper
Columbia will one day be brought
down the Columbia in immense tows
of 10000 tons and over. They will wish
to deliver into vessels Of thirty feet
draft and over. with which small ocean
vessels cannot possibly compete. These
immense vessels and their increasing
rich corporate owners will demand that
the railway train also come to them.
The coasting vessels will deliver to
these great ocean carriers and receive
from them without having to Journey
100 miles inland and back to the coast
before beginning their coasting jour
ney.
If the producer be the thing to be
sought by "lmmutable law" let US see
how this law should hold commercial
supremacy and commercial vessels to
the coast. Let US obey the law Many
years ago the coast commerce Of the
North Pacific had far surpassed its
oceanic traffic. It was half as great