The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-07-13
THE POSITION OF PORTLAND.

THE POSITION OF PORTLAND.
In all probability Portland has been a
greater city than, relatively, 1t can
ever again be. II has had its day OF
trial. its time Of passing triumph. ami
now Il must retire to a secondary place.
The Puget Sound cities are outstripplng
il. Ths,e is not the slightest need for
getting excited ovSr a palpable truth
Portland Is not so situated that Il can
in ocean traffic compete with ocean
ports. Il is situated on a river that. in
the fashion OF other rivers, runs 20 the
sea, but the channel cannot be expected
10 accommodate the deep draft carriers
that are now demanded. The trip up
and down the river is dangerous and ex-
pensive. There is a perilous bar to be
crossed. and there are sowage charges
too great to be lightly regarded by car
riers who do carrying Cor the possible
prof: involved.
Any ship that sails the ocean can
NN'A-N +AAN~ A+-I AAAA eNA ~ AANAAAsAs AANAN
is safe anchorage and ample dock room
and all he railroad facilities that Port
land can command. Therefore Portland
is destined 10 drop out OF the class. Il
may remain a good town for certain
commercial specialties, may be mart
for the handling Of home products but
the great bulk Of traffic Is bound 70 pass
through Tacoma because to do this is
70 follow the line Of least resistance.
- The place for the ,ils Of railway and
ocean trafic 10 merge is the place where
--ihe rails reach deep water. TherA is
no advantage in bringing ships inland
when the gods already aboard the cars
can as well go TO the coast to meet the
ships AS a port Portland has Advan-
tages over Chilago, but i: cannot con-
tinue long to be even a theoretical H.
val OF real saapor.s There is 10 0ccas-
ion 10 quarral over il. The working Of
the facts is as csr.ain as the coming 5f
day.-Tac0ma Ledger.
Tacoma may justly b. accused 5f par
t,saaship in predicting ;ha, the export
trafi, Inverted from Portland because
Of its unnatural position. will b.
shipped from that por, OBJ
servers who ca1 read what the signs Of
the times por;end know tha, the enl Of
Portlald's prestige" as a seaport is
in sight. Hence the scramble 10 b. In
at the death ;hat viii ensue between
other ports On he northern Pacific sea
coast. The farmers Of thz I7laai En-
pire who are vitaly interested in this
great transportation !niquity. are awak-
eaing 20 the Importance OF the situation.
The astounding injustice 4 the policy
pursued oy the Union Pacific railroad
and its allied interests in maintaining
the seaport one hundred miles inland
from the natural harbor will soon be
ended. Portland viii still be he me-
tropolis Of Oregon, but Astoria will BE-
It's seaport Surely the citizens Of Port
land viii not sit IDLY by and see the
export traffic Of this state go TO the
Sound ports Although they have storm
ed. and bulIdozei, AMI threatened the /
most dire consequences should the su-
premacy Of the Willamette river sea
port be destroyed yet there must be
latent feeling Of loyalty to the state
that will be aroused at the
right moment. And the right /,
moment is now. Through the edi-
torial and news articles published in the |
influential journals Of the East, Port
lands house Of cards has been topped |
over. Shippers and others interested in
transportation problems are alive 10 the |
disadvantages Of Portland as a seaport |
Millions Of dollars spent yearly will not |
maintain a sufficiently deep channel for /
the ships Of the near future. Portland /
boasts Of her one lonesome 5000 ton car
go. But f. is silent On the fact that IL /
dare not attempt to send out such car
goes except al the time Of year when .
the river is highest. and the freshe,s .
minimize the danger Of grounding 70 /
The channel. "One swallow does not .
make a summer" runs the adage and .
one 6OOO-ton cargo does not constitute /
d great seaport The harbor is here.
Astoria is the natural seaport Of ore
gon and VIII be so in fact. All the In
auencas Portland can WELD. all the
manipulations Of the political machinery
controlled in the Office Of the Oregonian'
canno. continue a wrong when once the
people are fully alive to its injustice.